Two full years have passed since the cataclysmic events of the God Valley Incident. In that time, the Kingdom of Elbaph entered a significant period of accelerated growth and unprecedented prosperity.
Thor, who had been away from his homeland for a long time, had returned with a wealth of knowledge and a new perspective.
He was now aggressively implementing changes that were proving to be incredibly beneficial for the future of Elbaph, dragging the ancient kingdom into a new era.
The production of the magical constructs, the dwarves that were created by Thor using his awakened Devil Fruit abilities, finally reached the maximum limit of his current capacity.
Thor had finished creating exactly one hundred dwarves. Each of these beings possessed a terrifying level of physical power.
According to Thor's personal estimate, every single one of them reached a strength level equal to a Marine Rear Admiral.
However, raw physical power was not the most shocking ability these dwarves possessed.
Surprisingly, they demonstrated an innate ability to manipulate the earth around them with limited control, almost as if they were earthbenders from legends.
This unique elemental affinity helped them accomplish the monumental task that Thor had ordered them to do.
They were tasked to build a massive defensive wall to protect the borders of Elbaph. It was a project that they all finished after a year of tireless labor.
The result was a marvel of engineering, as the height of the entire surrounding wall is nearly a hundred meters tall, surrounding every part of the largest kingdom in the world and turning it into an impenetrable fortress.
In the following year, Thor had pushed hard for the creation of an official training militia.
His vision was to create an institution that would not only teach military discipline to the adult warriors of Elbaph without dampening their famous warrior spirits but also educate them on the truth of the world outside.
Thor knew that they were extremely isolated from the rest of the Grand Line and needed to adapt.
However, when Thor first suggested this radical idea, King Harald strongly opposed it.
He viewed the concept of a regimented army as a backward way of thinking that contradicted their culture of individual strength.
"Do you not think this would only make our country appear as even more barbaric to the outside world? It would make us look like a nation that only knows how to fight and kill," Harald asked his son with evident concern.
He sat on his throne while a trusted advisor, Elder Jarul, stood by his side listening intently.
"Father, please understand the nuance here. This academy is the only solution I could think of where we could educate the older generation of our country regarding the values and politics of the outside world.
It will teach them to think about the consequences of their actions without dampening their warrior spirits and strength. Furthermore, other civilized nations also have soldiers.
Soldiers are known for their unwavering loyalty to their homeland as well as proper etiquette and discipline. This shift would subtly change the world's perception of us.
They would see us as an organized military force of giants rather than just a horde of barbaric brutes," Thor explained calmly to Harald.
Upon hearing this, Harald turned his gaze towards Elder Jarul. The old giant stroked his beard and nodded slowly, as he found some profound wisdom in Thor's arguments.
"By the way, Elder Jarul, how is the Devil Fruit working for you? Have you mastered its abilities yet?" Thor then asked, turning his attention to the advisor.
Jarul turned towards Thor with a pleased and serene expression on his weathered face.
"It is incredibly strong, young Prince. It is a great way to ensure the surveillance and protection of our entire country. It allows me to hear the needs of the people and resolve conflicts between villages without causing much damage," Jarul said gratefully.
Thor had given Jarul a very specific and powerful gift. It was the Devil Fruit that he had obtained from the pirate Ochoku himself, the Isle-Isle Fruit.
This Paramecia type fruit allowed Jarul to merge his physical body and consciousness with the entire Island of Elbaph itself.
At first, Thor wanted to give this immense power to Hajrudin. However, the young giant refused.
Hajrudin did not want to eat a Devil Fruit because he still harbored dreams of swimming and sailing the ocean freely. The other young giants shared his sentiment.
But as Thor mentioned the fruit's abilities, as well as how it would be incredibly beneficial for the protection of the entire country, the others started hesitating.
They wanted to help the country of Elbaph, but at the same time, they were kids who dreamed of the romance of the sea like Thor did.
They did not want to be anchored to the island forever as a burden of duty.
"I will do it. I will eat the fruit," Jarul, who was listening in on the conversation, had said. He stepped forward and directly carried the responsibility of eating the Devil Fruit to spare the children from sacrificing their dreams.
Borsalino had initially questioned Thor regarding this decision.
To the human, it seemed counterintuitive to grant such a powerful, long term ability to an elder who was already in his twilight years.
However, Borsalino quickly corrected his own line of thinking when he remembered the sheer vitality of this race.
The natural lifespan of a giant was centuries long. Even an elderly giant like Jarul would likely outlive a normal human in their prime, making him the perfect eternal guardian.
Now, Jarul became the literal guardian of the entire Elbaph. Whenever there is a war or a skirmish between two villages, Jarul is the first one to respond and intervene even before Harald could arrive. Jarul also enjoyed the new title of the All Seeing Elder.
He could literally plant his eyes and ears on any surface of the island, allowing Jarul to spy on most things and keep the peace.
The dwarves also worked hard on another project. They built a gigantic ship specifically designed for Thor and Borsalino. It was an engineering masterpiece that could accommodate the real, massive height of Thor in his giant form.
However, it also possessed the mechanical ability to be adjusted and condensed into a smaller fifty meter size, as Thor suggested, to allow for versatile travel.
The dwarves developed weapons by experimenting with blueprints from the memories of Thor. This was done as the two travelers started getting ready to continue their journey.
Thor was now satisfied with the current state of Elbaph's defenses and economy. Furthermore, Rocks had settled nicely in the realm of Elbaph.
He adapted quickly, much like how one would expect a local to live, except for his size.
He had even agreed to become the Head Instructor for the newly formed militia academy.
There, Rocks promised to teach the giants the proper way to use swords as well as the advanced applications of Haki.
Everyone is free to join this academy. Even Loki and his group of noble friends are allowed to enroll by Harald.
Additionally, Harald consulted Thor about creating a learning center for younger kids before they went to the militia academy.
This was to ensure that there is also foundational learning and literacy happening before martial training.
One day, as the massive ship that Thor had imagined was finally finished building, he and Borsalino were found drinking on the deck. They both discussed their plan for the future while overlooking the golden horizon.
"So, what are our next steps from here?" Borsalino asked Thor. He was nursing a drink while leaning against the railing.
Thor just smiled enigmatically at Borsalino, as if indicating that he should just let him handle it.
This reaction made Borsalino sigh loudly, as he knew from experience that there is something that Thor had been planning that would likely be troublesome or not fit his laid back tastes.
The two just sat comfortably on the unused ship that was docked at one of the massive new ports that the dwarves had added outside of the great wall.
Thor looked out at the sea, his mind already churning with ambition. Thor's plan is going to involve a lot of independent countries becoming allies with Elbaph.
He intended to build a network of influence similar to how the Yonko of the future would claim other territories under their banner.