Gurd had been staying in the Fengyuan residential area for several days.
Except for Ace, who couldn't stay idle and was out every day battling Pirates who dared challenge Whitebeard, the other division commanders were thoroughly enjoying their current lifestyle. Several of them were even showing signs of budding romances.
As homeowners in the Villa Zone, they received special attention from the property management. With the girls showering them with care and attention, resisting temptation was nearly impossible.
For the girls, the chance to be with one of the commanders in the future was an opportunity too good to pass up. In these chaotic times, a stable life was already a luxury. Both sides had suffered hardships, giving them plenty to bond over.
"Who would've thought I had a talent for matchmaking!" Gurd mused with emotion.
That casual move he'd made back then had turned out to be the right decision. In another year, Whitebeard might just become a grandfather.
Hachinosu Island, harbor.
The Groudon Ship stood docked beside an enormous Viking Warship belonging to the New Giant Warrior Pirates.
"We'll take you to Elbaf!" Hajrudin declared with visible resentment.
After several days of deliberation, he'd ultimately decided to invite Gurd to Elbaf—mainly out of fear that Gurd might cause trouble otherwise. With them keeping watch, any potential incidents could be swiftly addressed.
"First rule: no causing chaos in Elbaf!" Hajrudin warned.
"No problem, you have my word," Gurd agreed with a smile.
He knew almost nothing about Elbaf, and neither the Beasts nor Stussy had much relevant intelligence on it. Having the giants as guides would save him considerable trouble.
As for his goal?
Of course, it was to stir up trouble!
"Set sail!"
The Viking Warship took the lead, with the Groudon Ship tethered behind by massive chains like a lifeboat. Only then did the crew learn their destination.
"To Elbaf?!" Yamato's eyes sparkled with excitement.
She'd heard of Elbaf—the land of giants, reputed as the "World's Strongest Nation." Wow, this was thrilling!
Others weren't as optimistic. Elbaf was one of the most dangerous islands in the New World, where countless strong warriors had met their end. Its environment was said to be hellish.
Page One, recalling the events in the Nation of Labor, paled slightly. "Brother-in-law, is Elbaf Red Hair's territory? Are we going there for revenge?"
"More or less," Gurd replied with a nod.
Technically, Elbaf wasn't under Red Hair's control—the proud giants would never accept protection from a Four Emperor—but to outsiders, it appeared that way. Only the Red Hair Pirates could freely enter Elbaf.
Hearing her brother's words, Ulti frowned. "Pagey, what's this about revenge on Red Hair?"
"Sis, before..." Page One recounted the incident of Red Hair's invasion.
"What?!" Ulti erupted in fury, flames of anger bursting from her body. "That damn Red Hair dared to cut up my boyfriend?! We're gonna kill him!"
"Calm down, sis!" Page One hurriedly tried to soothe her.
This was exactly why the crew had been too afraid to report the incident earlier!
"Hahaha, no need to worry," Gurd chuckled, shaking his head. "I've already checked the Red Hair Pirates' movements. They're not in Elbaf right now."
"That's a relief," Page One sighed.
He'd genuinely feared Gurd might do something reckless.
A battle between the Four Emperors was no trivial matter. Even if the Beasts Pirates could win, they would pay a heavy price.
Gurd chuckled.
There was one thing he didn't say—the Red Hair Pirates would definitely return.
The chances of an encounter were high!
It was only proper to return the favor. Since Red Hair had visited the Beasts' territory, it was only natural for him to reciprocate.
This was crucial to Gurd's real estate plans.
Currently, in the New World, apart from the territories of the other Four Emperors, the acquisition of other islands was progressing steadily. Though slow, there were no major obstacles.
Next were the territories of the Four Emperors.
Whitebeard's territory was off-limits for now. Gurd didn't want to overstep and create a rift, especially since Whitebeard was still around—and his territory would eventually be his anyway.
Big Mom's territory, aside from Totto Land, consisted of few and scattered islands, making them less ideal targets.
That left only Red Hair.
After several days of sailing, the surroundings grew increasingly eerie.
Page One stared at the enormous fish he had just caught—one that was even larger than their ship—utterly dumbfounded.
"This fish is way too big!"
Normally, giant fish like this dwelled in deep waters, but for the past few days, he hadn't seen a single small fish.
Everything was absurdly huge.
His passion for fishing was burning fiercely!
Gurd walked over to Page One and glanced at the colossal fish. "This means we're nearing Elbaf."
"Elbaf!"
Page One's eyes gleamed with excitement.
He wanted to see for himself just how powerful the so-called "Strongest Country in the World" truly was.
Gurd pointed toward the thick fog ahead, where a massive shadow loomed faintly.
"Look over there!"
"It's enormous!"
Everyone gathered on the deck, gazing at the colossal island ahead and the towering tree that stood upon it.
"It's even bigger than Wano Country!"
Yamato's eyes widened.
In her memory, Wano Country was already the largest island, but compared to this one, it seemed like a child's plaything.
Hajrudin leaned over the ship's railing and shouted at Gurd and the others.
"Hey, humans!"
"We're about to reach Elbaf!"
"Once we're on the island, don't wander off. It's extremely dangerous there. If you get eaten by the ferocious beasts of the Underworld, I won't be responsible!"
"Understood!"
Gurd waved in acknowledgment.
Behind him, his crew members trembled, their teeth chattering.
The Underworld? Ferocious beasts?
They had already faced multiple dangers on this journey—massive Sea Beasts and gigantic fish appearing one after another.
And now, even more terrifying monsters awaited on the island?
They wanted to go home!
Several miles behind them, the surveillance warship came to a halt. The officers stared at the perilous waters ahead, their expressions grave.
They didn't have a giant battleship to pave the way.
"Going any further would be too dangerous for us!"
"Report to headquarters immediately!"
"Earth Calamity Gurd has arrived at Elbaf!"
The news quickly reached Marine Headquarters.
Bang!
The desk's HP -1.
"That guy again!"
Sengoku's face twisted with frustration.
The last thing he wanted to hear was news about Gurd, yet the man never seemed to rest.
Now he was provoking Red Hair.
"How's Kuzan doing?"
"Still recovering, sir."
The officer nervously reported.
After days of treatment, Admiral Aokiji was no longer in critical condition, but the defeat had clearly taken a toll on him.
Garp entered the office.
"Sengoku, let me handle this one!"
"..."
Sengoku frowned and slowly shook his head.
He was afraid Garp would act recklessly.
Nothing has happened yet, so we only need to observe for now. If action is truly required, we can't casually send out Garp.
Garp is our final trump card!
The three Admirals cannot be deployed. Based on the intelligence we have, Earth Calamity's abilities counter the three Admirals to varying degrees.
Aside from the Admirals and Garp, there's only one option left.
To deal with Earth Calamity, it's best to send a master of Martial Arts or a special ability user. According to the Navy's current intel, Earth Calamity has a clear weakness.
"We'll observe for now, but if it becomes necessary to act—!"
Sengoku took a deep breath, his gaze turning icy.
"Summon the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea!"