Elbaf, Harbor.
The Groudon Ship slowly docked.
"We can only take you this far."
Hajrudin didn't want to spend another moment with Gurd. Without even disembarking, he called out to his companions.
"Gerd, you handle them."
"Leave it to me!"
Gerd cheerfully leaped onto the shore, waving at the Groudon Ship.
Gurd's group disembarked one after another.
Ulti grumbled angrily, "Did you all see that just now? That big oaf didn't look strong at all, yet he acted so cocky!"
"Don't underestimate him."
Gurd shook his head with a smile.
Hajrudin wasn't particularly strong now, but he was at least a potential powerhouse who might have remarkable performances in the future.
Gerd led the way ahead.
"This way!"
"Alright."
There were only a few wooden houses by the shore, each absurdly large, with doors over twenty meters tall.
A giant's tavern.
Outside the tavern, a crowd of humans had gathered. When they saw Gurd's group, they all tensed up as if facing a formidable enemy.
"Halt, Beasts!"
"If you want to cause trouble for our leader, you'll have to get through us first!"
"Don't... don't underestimate us!"
"We won't let you succeed!"
The group stopped in their tracks.
"Are these idiots trying to block us?!"
Ulti planted her hands on her hips, glaring fiercely at them.
One of them, a little girl who seemed to be the captain, burst into tears on the spot.
"She... she's so scary (*)!"
"Be brave, Princess!"
Her crew quickly tried to comfort her.
Gurd's group collectively facepalmed.
Where did this bunch of weaklings come from? They'd heard the Red Hair Pirates' subordinates were famously weak, but this group wasn't even fit to be called cannon fodder.
Cannon fodder~ cannon fodder!
"Just ignore them."
Gurd shook his head and led everyone into the tavern.
Though they shouted bravely, not one dared to actually stop them, some even trembling under the Beasts' menacing aura.
Only after the group had fully entered the tavern did the Red Hair Pirates' subordinates dare to speak up.
"Are we... useless?"
"Yes, you idiot!"
"But they seemed so strong!"
"And the leader isn't here!"
"Well... we tried."
As cannon fodder, they were very self-aware when their leader wasn't around. Shouting a few threats at intruders was enough—if that didn't work, there was nothing else they could do.
Their leader wouldn't want to see them throw their lives away either.
Inside the tavern.
The layout was similar to a regular tavern, but everything was oversized, with wine bottles taller than a person.
"Make yourselves at home."
Gurd gave the order before leaping onto the counter and sitting cross-legged, turning his gaze to Gerd, who was sneakily watching him.
"Gerd, could you tell me about this place?"
"Of course!"
Gerd clasped her hands happily.
"This is the lowest level of Elbaf. You're free to move around here, but try not to go deeper, especially into the snowy mountain area."
"Why?"
Gurd narrowed his eyes.
Gerd patiently explained, "That place is called the Underworld. It's home to countless ferocious and powerful beasts—a prison and execution ground for criminals. Even we giants don't dare enter casually."
"I see."
Gurd's eyes lit up. He'd thought it would take some time, but he'd gotten the most crucial information right after arriving!
Ferocious beasts, prison, execution ground!
The giantess was truly his wings too!
Gurd lifted the oversized wine bowl, downing its contents in one gulp before hopping off the table and calling to his subordinates.
"Ulti, Page One, Speed, and Chikara—all of you, follow me!"
"Yes!"
The four of them followed Gurd.
Seeing this, Yamato quickly pointed at herself.
"What about me? What about me?"
"Go play by yourself."
Gurd waved her off and led the group out of the tavern, heading straight for the snowy mountains without hesitation.
The air grew colder, and heavy snow began to fall from the sky.
Ulti rubbed her hands together, her breath forming little clouds of mist.
"Gu Jiang, where are we going?"
"To warm ourselves up!"
Gurd pointed at the snowy peaks ahead.
"See that?"
"Yeah!"
Ulti nodded vigorously.
Gurd grinned from ear to ear. As they drew closer, he could already sense the presence of some ferocious beasts.
"For the next year, you and Page One will be training in these snowy mountains!"
"Huh?!"
Ulti's eyes widened.
Training in this godforsaken place?
Gurd smirked dismissively.
"What, are you scared?"
"Hah?! As if I'd be scared!"
"Hmph, just some snowy mountains!"
Ulti and Page One snorted in unison.
They were dinosaurs!
Dinosaurs!
The apex predators of the wild!
A little snow, a little cold—nothing to fear at all!
"Boom!"
Suddenly, the ground shook violently.
"What was that?!"
The siblings gulped in unison.
The next moment, a snow rabbit larger than a house leaped out from the forest, its crimson eyes locking onto them.
"A r-rabbit?!"
The siblings stared in shock.
A monster that big was just a rabbit?
Before they could react, a fierce gale swept through, accompanied by the rabbit's high-pitched squeals of terror.
When the wind settled, a towering wolf, dozens of meters tall and as massive as a small hill, stood before them, the rabbit clamped in its jaws.
"Gulp!"
The wolf swallowed the rabbit whole.
"Hey!!!"
Gurd pulled Speed and Chikara aside, then waved and shouted at the giant wolf. After catching its attention, he pointed at the siblings.
The wolf's gaze shifted to them.
The next instant, the earth trembled.
"Waaahhh, help!!!"
The siblings transformed into their dinosaur forms and sprinted for their lives, tears streaming down their faces as they felt the wolf closing in behind them.
Even in their transformed state, they were still smaller than the rabbit!
Listening to their screams, Speed shrank back, horrified. "Gurd, will Ulti and Page One be okay?"
"You should worry about yourself first."
Gurd glanced at Speed. "If we encounter any ferocious beasts from now on, I won't intervene. You'll handle them yourselves."
"Huh???"
Speed and Chikara were dumbfounded.
Why did they have to train too?!
"Let's go. Our destination is deep in the mountains. I can already sense his presence."
Gurd strode forward.
In his perception, an overwhelmingly powerful aura lurked at the heart of the island—stronger than any beast.
If he wasn't mistaken, that was his target.
The "Cursed Prince," Loki!
Two years ago, Loki, who had wreaked havoc in the New World, was defeated by Red Hair and brought back to Elbaf.
His bounty? A staggering 2.6 billion Berries !
If he were to release Loki, this Cursed Prince would surely seek revenge against Red Hair, potentially even disrupting the balance among the Four Emperors!
What he needed to do was rebuild civilization upon the ruins left by Loki's destruction!
Heh heh heh~~
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