"Has the message been sent?"
"It's confirmed that the White Wolf Pirates appeared in Karakum ten days ago. Their current whereabouts are unknown. We advise staying on alert."
"Hmph… White Wolf… I'll make sure he never comes back alive!"
…
Three CP0 operatives in white suits and strange masks stood at the edge of Elbaf's coast, holding a small transponder snail for communication.
It was here, a year ago, that Magnus landed.
Now, the tavern by the shore lay in ruins. Navy officers, some bandaged, sat in small groups amid the rubble.
On the ground lay bound giants, thick chains restraining them, explosive collars fastened around their necks.
The giants glared down with furious, unwilling eyes at the ant-like Navy officers, unable to comprehend why the Navy had attacked them.
"Blame yourselves for siding with the White Wolf Pirates,"
One rear admiral sneered, kicking a giant and spitting on the ground.
"A bunch of trash who only bully the weak!"
Many who hear the name Elbaf think of its might — but never stop to wonder how that fearsome reputation spread in the first place.
The answer: pirates.
Because many giants took to the seas and wreaked havoc, becoming powerful pirates. In Elbaf, it was said that thousands more like them remained.
And so the name "World's Strongest Nation" spread.
Humans feared the giants, yet were powerless against them.
Until forty years ago…
Sister Carmel pleaded with the Navy to release rampaging giants, earning the giants' friendship and becoming a bridge between humans and giants.
With the disappearance of the Giant Pirates, giants went to sea less and less.
Relations between humans and giants gradually improved.
That's why this invasion of Elbaf met resistance from many within the Navy — but the hawks insisted the giants had colluded with the White Wolf Pirates, leaving the doves powerless.
Not to mention…
The order to invade came directly from the Five Elders.
No matter what, the results were clear.
The giants never expected the World Government to send a massive force of Navy and CP0 to decapitate their leadership.
In just one day…
Elbaf's royal city fell. Giant King Harald was captured. The royal guard, all with ancient giant bloodlines, was crushed.
The World Government now controlled Elbaf's Underworld and Heaven realms.
The only place they hadn't taken…
Was the Sun realm, where many ordinary giants lived, tangled among Adam Tree branches too complex for the Navy or CP0 to easily penetrate.
Now, half a month had passed since the invasion.
The success of the decapitation strike…
Left the remaining giants unable to resist the two taishō-kyū (admiral-level) powers arrayed against them.
Admiral Rona.
Vice Admiral Kong.
With other Navy and CP0 handling the guards, those two spent a full day subduing Giant King Harald.
The battle left half of Elbaf's Heaven realm in ruins.
"Hah… Give it up. Magnus isn't coming."
Rona stood, shoulder bandaged but largely unharmed. After all, it was two-on-one justice — a normal taishō-kyū like Harald stood no chance against her and Kong.
She'd just overexerted herself and aggravated her old injury from fighting Magnus.
"You're not him. How do you know he won't return?"
Harald's appearance was pitiful — his twin horns severed, one leg cut clean off.
Rona hadn't lied.
Her kendō (swordsmanship) was perfect against a massive opponent like Harald.
If Kong had fought Harald one-on-one, the outcome might've been uncertain.
Even crippled, Harald still wore a smile, unyielding.
"I will never bow!"
"Nor will my people!"
Harald yearned for peace, for the giants to abandon piracy and embrace progress.
But not like this — not as slaves.
Not as a conquered people.
Rona said nothing. Capturing Harald already accomplished half their plan. With the king and his strongest guards gone, the rest of the giants posed little threat.
She'd overheard the CP0 talking.
Once the White Wolf Pirates were dealt with, the island would be leased to slave traders, who would hunt down the remaining giants in the Sun realm. The Navy and CP0 would simply reap the profits.
Of course, if Harald surrendered, that would save even more effort.
Still, this operation hadn't come without losses.
Two elite Navy vice admirals were killed fighting the royal guards. Three others were crippled and would retire.
CP0 lost a senior intelligence officer.
In return, they captured Harald, crushed the royal guard, and broke resistance in the villages.
Over fifty giants were captured, most of them powerful warriors.
Even so, some weren't satisfied.
"Admiral Rona, with your power you could have wiped out the resisting giants much faster. Our gains could've been even greater."
The speaker was CP0's highest commander on site — Grindewin Hoin.
His position was equal to a Navy admiral, his strength just slightly lower.
By her reckoning, he was about as strong as Magnus had been a decade ago.
Of course, Magnus was far stronger now.
Rona despised him.
The plan to betray Elbaf and bring in slavers was his idea.
"Shut up, Grindewin."
Her face showed clear disgust.
"I don't attack those who can't fight back."
"Tch. Fine, fine."
Sensing her killing intent, the masked man raised his hands in mock surrender.
"So tell me, Admiral Rona — do you think White Wolf Magnus will come?"
"He won't."
She answered flatly.
"Why not?"
Grindewin was curious.
"Because he's not stupid enough to walk into death."
You can only gain more if you're alive — if you're dead, you have nothing.
Knowing it was a trap…
Rona didn't believe Magnus would step into it.
"I see."
Grindewin nodded. He'd fought Magnus a few times, but never as many as Rona had. She ought to know him best.
But then he noticed Rona's expression shift slightly.
A moment later, his own kenbunshoku haki (Observation Haki) sensed a tremendous aura approaching from the horizon.
Grindewin's lips curled into a grin.
"Well, well… it seems, Admiral Rona, that you were wrong this time."
(End of Chapter)
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