Stussy ultimately chose York.
It was surprising to some, inevitable to others. The Rocks Pirates loved gossip, and they tried to use this to drive a wedge between Whitebeard and York.
But Whitebeard was unmoved. He didn't care. And York, as the victor, simply enjoyed the spoils.
Every night, Stussy would drag York to bed, drowning herself in intoxication to forget the pain of rejection. Her fervor was intense, bordering on desperate, making even Gloriosa feel a twinge of jealousy.
Fortunately, Gloriosa was an understanding woman—or perhaps, a resigned one. She knew Stussy needed an outlet.
A month passed.
Stussy's frantic desperation subsided into a comfortable routine. Gloriosa moved back in.
And so, York began to fully enjoy the bliss of having two of the world's most beautiful women in his bed every night.
Rocks D. Xebec never gave up on a target.
He gathered the core crew and set sail for Elbaf again. He was determined to break King Harald's neutrality.
This time, he brought a bargaining chip.
He ordered Shiki to use his Float-Float Fruit to lift the massive Frozen Research Facility from behind Skull Mountain and carry it all the way to the land of Giants.
Elbaf. The Coast.
Harald was waiting near Ida's Tavern. He watched the massive steel structure float down from the sky, his expression cold and unwelcoming.
"Yo! Harald!" Rocks jumped off the ship, grinning. "I've brought you a housewarming gift! Come and see!"
Harald said nothing. He followed Rocks into the cold steel facility.
CLICK.
The lights flickered on. Cold air hissed from the vents.
Rows of massive, cryonic pods illuminated the darkness. Inside them stood frozen titans—Giants clad in ancient armor, their faces preserved in icy slumber.
"This... this is..."
Harald's pupils constricted. His breath hitched.
"Is this..."
"Ah~ The legendary Great Hammer Battle Group," Rocks confirmed, his voice echoing in the chamber.
"Guess where I found them?"
Harald's face darkened. He knew.
"Wahahaha!" Rocks laughed, cruel and loud. "It was in a World Government black site! A forbidden lab unknown to the public!"
Rocks pointed at the frozen ancestors of Elbaf.
"Harald! Seeing this... do you still want to join them? Do you still think they respect you?"
Harald's eyes narrowed. The hostility he held toward Rocks faded, replaced by a deep, weary sorrow.
He let out a long sigh.
"I received orders from the World Government," Harald admitted quietly. "They said if I wanted my application approved... I had to kill you."
Rocks grinned. "So that's why you were radiating killing intent earlier?"
"You've been used, Harald! The Government has no sincerity! To them, the Giant Race are just weapons of war! Slaves for the battlefield!"
Harald led them back to Ida's Tavern.
Plates of giant-sized delicacies filled the table, but Harald didn't eat. He sat at the bar, head in his hands.
"What should I do..."
"Our violent history... the title of 'Warriors'... it has become a shackle. We aim for peace, but the world only remembers the terror of Elbaf."
"Without the permission of the Celestial Dragons, Elbaf will never be accepted into the civilized circle..."
Rocks sat on the counter next to him.
"So Harald! Join me! We overthrow the Celestial Dragons, destroy their rules, and then Elbaf can have whatever peace it wants!!"
Harald shook his head.
"No! That is just another cycle of violence!"
"I am responsible for my people! I cannot risk their lives in a losing war with a madman like you!"
Rocks snorted, genuinely annoyed by the King's stubbornness.
THUD.
York jumped from a nearby table, landing gracefully on the bar counter. He looked down at the Giant King.
"Harald. Since you believe we are bound to lose... why not listen to my suggestion again?"
Harald looked up. He remembered York—the young man with the sharp mind and the scary reputation.
"I'm all ears."
York paused, letting the silence build.
"In my homeland, there were two proverbs."
York raised a finger.
"One: Dignity exists only on the edge of a sword."
"Truth... exists only within the range of a cannon."
Harald frowned.
"Two: Seek peace through struggle, and peace will endure. Seek peace through compromise, and peace will perish."
York leaned forward, his eyes burning with intensity.
"Peace is precious. But there are too many foolish people in this world who do not understand reason. They only understand pain."
"Why? Because they have never stepped onto a battlefield. They have no reverence for death."
"They are the victors. The superiors. They are used to people begging them for peace. They never discuss it as equals."
York pointed at the door, towards the sea.
"So, Harald. Appeasing the World Government is meaningless."
"They cannot hear your ideals of peace because the roar of their own power is too loud."
"The only way to make them sit at the negotiating table... is to put a sword to their throat."
York's voice dropped lower, darker.
"Furthermore... you lack understanding of your own history."
"Elbaf and the World Government were sworn enemies 800 years ago."
Harald froze.
"You were enemies from the start! Since the Void Century!"
"There is no middle ground! Either the World Government is destroyed... or Elbaf kneels like a dog! Like a slave!"
"The peace you desire does not exist in their world!"
Silence engulfed the tavern.
Harald, Rocks, Ida, and the crew stared at York.
"How... how do you know?!" Harald stammered. "The history of the Giant Race... how do you know about that era?!"
York couldn't say he read the manga.
"The Void Century..." York said calmly. "History erased by the Government."
"I don't know why the long-lived Giants didn't pass this down orally, but I know one thing."
York looked Harald in the eye.
"During the Void Century, the Giant Race followed a Leader."
"A man who fought against the ancestors of the Celestial Dragons. A man whose name was erased, but whose will remains."
"Harald! If you truly want to pursue peace... first, understand who your ancestors fought for. Then decide if you want to shake hands with their murderers!!"
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