Chapter 412: Little Games
Jaguar D. Saul, the giant Vice Admiral from the original story, was a close ally of Monkey D. Garp and later became a mentor-like friend to Garp’s protégé, Aokiji. During the Ohara Incident, he let archaeologist Nico Olvia escape, defected from the Navy, and ultimately sacrificed himself to save eight-year-old Nico Robin. Killed by Aokiji’s hand, he was 105 years old at the time.
King Harald gazed at Saul, whose bitter expression revealed a man torn between duty and compassion. In the end, Saul was just another tool of the World Government—a manipulated member of the D clan.
Harald, having lived for two centuries, had seen every era’s most notorious pirates, and the D clan was always among them. Now, there was Rocks, the so-called King of the New World, dominating the seas. And word was spreading of a young upstart named Roger, another D, whose crew was rising fast, already rivaling the two great overlords.
No wonder the World Government was rattled. Their strategy? Recruit D clan members into the Navy to pit them against their pirate kin—a cunning ploy.
"Jax, you want Saul to return to Elbaf, don’t you?"
King Harald’s tone was calm, almost indifferent. Saul’s family might’ve been Elbaf’s ruling class, maybe even royalty, a millennium ago. But dynasties had changed over 800 years, with new kings crowned through battle. Traditions had shifted, legacies faded. Saul, a descendant of a bygone era, had no claim to glory here—unless he proved his strength.
The Giant Kingdom was long gone. No throne awaited him. If Saul wanted respect and status in Elbaf, he’d have to earn it with raw power.
John Jax, for all his recklessness and susceptibility to Navy propaganda, was a legend in his own right. Known as the one-on-one king of his generation, he’d once ripped a tooth from the Beast Nashron in Elbaf’s Howling Forest, cementing his name.
"All I want is for him to have a home, a place to belong!"
John Jax locked eyes with Harald. He didn’t just want Saul to be an Elbaf giant—he wanted him to be part of the tribe, not some wandering outcast.
"Fine. But first, a test of courage." Harald’s voice carried a sly edge. "Come with me to deliver some branches of the Adam Tree to the New World overlord, Brook."
Harald’s plan was deeper than it seemed. Taking a Navy man to meet a pirate like Brook could draw the attention of Navy Headquarters. With any luck, they’d send troops or weapons to deal with the Hell Pirates.
"King, why? Are you working with Brook?"
John Jax’s voice boomed, bordering on a challenge. True to his reputation, the man had no filter.
"Hmph! Brook’s holding Thalrik hostage, and he’s got the Kratos War Axe. I’m going to ransom him back!"
Harald feigned rage, playing up his "humiliation" at Brook’s hands with theatrical flair.
"Then let’s drive that bastard out and take Thalrik back!"
Jax’s fury matched his king’s, his hatred for pirates—especially a New World overlord like Brook—burning hot.
"No way!" Harald snapped. "I’ve made a deal with Brook to get Thalrik back. You, you reckless idiot, stay out of it! If you mess this up, Brook might kill Thalrik. Wait until we’ve secured him before you pick a fight. And frankly, if Thalrik couldn’t beat him, what chance do you have? Call for Navy reinforcements!"
Harald shut Jax down, but his true goal was clear: goad the hothead into rallying a Navy armada to drive Brook’s Hell Giant Fortress out of Elbaf.
"We’ve gotta report this to Navy Headquarters and stop the Hell Pirates’ invasion!"
Jax stormed out of King City, sprinting toward the warship that brought him, hoping its Den Den Mushi could still reach the Navy.
...
Saul stayed behind, his face more sour than ever. He felt out of place among Elbaf’s battle-hungry giants, their eager glares practically begging to spar with him and test the Navy Commodore’s strength.
John Jax’s son, John Giant, was especially itching for a fight. At 60, he was a true giant warrior, and his father’s return meant a push to join the Navy. In the original story, Giant was one of the giant Vice Admirals crushed by Whitebeard Newgate at Marineford. Now, brimming with youthful bravado, he challenged Saul, confident he could take on the Commodore.
As a giant, Giant could skip the grunt ranks and start as a Lieutenant, climbing the Navy ladder from there. Saul, overwhelmed, was dragged to the dueling grounds by a pack of young giants eager to test him.
King Harald, meanwhile, ordered his men to prepare Treasure Wood Adam and the prized Gungnir Steel. He also planned to bring the Spear of Elbaf.
As a warlike giant, how could he resist clashing with Brook, the new overlord? Knowing his enemy’s true strength was the key to smart decisions.
...
Hell Giant Fortress.
Sniper Silva, using his Glare-Glare Fruit, spotted a Navy warship docked at a village port on Elbaf’s far side and reported it to Brook.
Elbaf’s few active ports were under the Hell Pirates’ watchful eye, every movement tracked.
"So the Navy’s back, huh?"
Brook chuckled, his focus fixed on securing the Gungnir Steel. With the Kratos War Axe already in his possession, he held the upper hand. Even if things went wwrong and he had to burn bridges, he could take the fortress’s hundreds of giants and call it a win.
Still, Brook wasn’t done playing the game with King Harald and the Navy. It was a no-lose deal—scheming a bit longer was worth the gamble.
His eyes glinted red as he surveyed the 22 elite warriors sent from King City. Their minds shifted subtly, now loyal to him.
A squad of undercover agents deep in enemy territory. King Harald better appreciate the gift!
As for General Thalrik, he was a tough nut to crack. Even after ten days, Brook couldn’t bend the giant nation’s second-strongest warrior to his will. Unlike lesser giants, Thalrik resisted Brook’s overwhelming power and mental influence.
What a perfect specimen for Vegapunk to tinker with!
This only fueled Brook’s desire to find the Memo-Memo Fruit. If the Charlotte Family could snag it, so could the Hell Pirates. With that fruit, he could rewrite memories at will—loyalty would never be an issue again.
The Memo-Memo Fruit was a god-tier power, far surpassing the Memory Seahorse’s ability to merely erase memories.
"If King Harald wants to play dirty, don’t blame me for fighting fire with fire!"
Brook smirked, justifying his scheming—though, truth be told, he’d been planting spies and pulling strings from the start.
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