OP: My Aircraft Carrier Evolves#53+54: A Trip Around the World, and a Duel on Little Garden! I'll Take You Both On!

Ten days later, the Munch-Munch Fruit had refined nearly fifty thousand tons of steel and other metals, all of which were now stored in its sub-space. It was more than enough. The next upgrade only required two thousand tons. The rest was for reserves.

Jin had other uses for it. He wanted to try his hand at weapons manufacturing. Modern firearms would undoubtedly be far superior to the flintlocks and smoothbore cannons of this world. As a military enthusiast who had built his own model aircraft carrier, given enough time, he was confident he could even build an AK-47.

But the AK was a bullet-hose. Jin figured a modern sniper rifle would be more effective against stronger opponents.

After another three days, they had finished refining the other minerals.

Jin checked the stats.

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[Next Evolution Requirements: Soul Crystals (1345/2000) | Refined Steel (50,000/2000 tons) | Gold (12/10 tons) | Silver (35/30 tons) | Rare Earth Metals (300/300 tons) | Biological Matter (1/10)!]

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He had also collected a good amount of copper, lead, and aluminum. He was going to try and use the Munch-Munch Fruit to create some valuable new alloys. If Wapol could do it, so could he.

"That's enough," he said. "Let's go."

The demonic carrier crossed the northern part of the island and arrived at the western coast, where Mr. 1 was waiting. He handed Jin a box containing a Devil Fruit and a Log Pose for Little Garden.

When Crocodile had mentioned the Bomb-Bomb Fruit, Jin had remembered the two giant powerhouses on that island. They would make perfect gatekeepers. And Baroque Works just happened to have a Log Pose for Little Garden.

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Three days later.

The demonic carrier was anchored at the mouth of a river.

Jin, Maya, and Robin were preparing to go ashore. The island was a jungle of ancient, towering trees and climbing vines. The roars of giant beasts could be heard from within the forest.

A giant "bird" swooped low over the trees, the wind from its wings bending the forest below.

"Is that... a dinosaur?" Maya gasped. "This is Little Garden? What's so little about it?"

"There's an injured tiger over there," she said, pointing. "It's as big as a ship! It's in a lot of pain. King Jin, can I go bandage it?"

After getting Jin's nod, Maya leaped from the ship and bounded through the trees, landing in the grass in front of a giant, white-furred sabertooth.

The sabertooth bared its fangs, its expression ferocious.

'Isn't she afraid of getting hurt?' Robin wondered.

But then Maya clasped her hands to her chest, as if in prayer, and began to speak in a low, soothing voice.

The tiger's expression softened, and it let out a gentle purr, allowing Maya to approach.

Robin was amazed. Maya could tame beasts?

"She is a shamaness," Jin said. "She has a connection with nature. And everything in nature has a connection with her."

He looked around at the primeval forest, at the giant ferns and other prehistoric plants. Predators were lurking in the shadows.

Little Garden wasn't a garden for humans. It was a garden for the giant creatures that had survived since the prehistoric age.

The age of dinosaurs had been preserved on this island.

"There are prehistoric creatures here," Jin mused. "There must be some unique fungi. I should have Kuma collect some samples for the gene bank. And some ingredients. If I ever get a craving for dinosaur meat, Kuma can just 'paw' himself over here."

He called for Kuma.

When Robin saw the man who had been cooking their meals emerge from the cabin, without his bear costume, she was speechless.

Kuma the Tyrant.

She shot a look at Jin. Are you really the king of a nation affiliated with the World Government? Because everything you do screams 'traitor'.

Kuma slung a large basket over his back and went ashore.

Robin, shaking off her surprise, realized that she needed to show her own value.

"The various islands of the Grand Line have all developed different civilizations due to the difficulty of travel," she began, her scholarly nature coming to the fore. "Some are prosperous, some have been isolated for years, some are highly advanced, and some are primitive."

"Louis Arnote's book, Brag Men, tells the story of Little Garden," she continued.

"This place was originally called 'Giant Island'," Jin said with a smile. "It was because of him that it came to be known as 'Little Garden'."

"Giant Island?" Robin said, surprised. She hadn't known that. She was a little annoyed. She'd been trying to show off her knowledge, and he'd interrupted her. "So there are giants on this island?"

Jin's gaze shifted to the jungle.

"There are," he said. "And he's coming this way."

The trees splintered, and the ground trembled, the sound growing closer.

"ROARRRRRRRRRR!" The sabertooth struggled to its feet and stood protectively in front of Maya, its body low to the ground, letting out a warning roar at the jungle.

Robin was on alert.

A pair of trees was pushed apart, and a giant head, wearing a horned helmet, peered out at them.

"A giant!" Maya gasped.

He had a bushy beard and a stocky build. He wore a fur tunic and a dark green cloak.

"Hello, Mr. Giant!" Maya said, calming the sabertooth. After awakening her Observation Haki, she could not only hear the "Voice of All Things," but she could also sense the good or ill will of others. This giant meant them no harm.

The giant grinned, a friendly, simple smile. "Hello, friends from afar. It's been a long time since anyone has come to this island. Do you have any booze? I'll trade you for information, food..."

"Booze?" Jin said. "We have..."

"GAHAHAHA! WONDERFUL!" the giant boomed, dancing with joy. "I am the strongest warrior of Elbaf, Brogy! Welcome!"

"Brogy?" Robin, who had a soft spot for giants because of a friend she had made in her childhood, was surprised to hear the name. "Could he be... one of the captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates from a hundred years ago, Brogy the Red Ogre? Bounty: 100,000,000 Berries. The other captain was Dorry the Blue Ogre."

"That's us!" Brogy laughed. "We were arguing about whose catch was bigger, so we decided to settle it with a 'glorious duel'. We've been fighting here on this island for a hundred years. The winner gets to go home."

BOOM!

Suddenly, the volcano in the distance erupted, spewing a plume of smoke into the sky.

Brogy turned. "GAHAHAHA! I'll have to get that booze later. The volcano is the signal for my duel with Dorry. A warrior's honor is more important than booze."

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THUD! THUD! THUD!

On Little Garden, the earth trembled and the forest swayed.

The giant Brogy turned, hefted his battle-axe, and charged into the trees.

From the distance, another giant figure came running, a massive sword in his hand. He wore the armor of a warrior, a helmet on his head, and a long, flowing beard. He seemed even more battle-hardened than Brogy.

"BROGY!"

"DORRY!"

They roared each other's names, and then they clashed, the force of the impact like an avalanche, absolutely unstoppable.

They traded blows, their movements surprisingly agile for their size, their strength immense. It was a battle of pure, raw power.

The Giant Tribe were born warriors. But Dorry and Brogy were too evenly matched. A hundred years of fighting, and they were still at a stalemate, unable to break through the other's defenses.

"In that case," Jin said, "I think I'll play, too."

He pushed off the ground, leaped into the air, and, using Moonwalk, shot toward the two giants.

Deeper in the forest, Kuma heard the commotion. He glanced over, but he had no interest in fighting. He picked a large mushroom and placed it in the basket on his back. He was much happier being a quiet, mushroom-picking bear. If it weren't for Ginny and Bonney, he would have stayed in his village in the Sorbet Kingdom and been a pastor for the rest of his life.

"Hey! Brogy! Dorry!" Jin shouted from mid-air.

At the same time, he caught a massive log that had been sent flying by their battle and hurled it at the two giants.

WHOOSH!

The sound of something tearing through the air.

Dorry and Brogy both stopped. The log flew between them and then... exploded.

The massive shockwave sent both giants stumbling backward, their feet plowing deep furrows in the earth before they finally managed to stop.

The Paramecia Bomb-Bomb Fruit.

'Now that's a useful ability,' Jin thought, pleased with the destructive power of the attack.

"A human?!" Dorry roared, his voice a mixture of anger and confusion as he looked up at the figure in the sky.

Brogy was just as furious. "Human. What do you think you're doing?! Are you trying to interfere with our honorable duel?!"

"Brogy, you know him?" Dorry demanded. "Anyone who interferes with our honorable duel becomes our enemy until death!"

Faced with the wrath of the two giants, Jin hovered in mid-air, completely unfazed. "I wish to join this glorious battle."

Dorry stared at him, stunned.

Brogy also had a look of utter disbelief on his face.

Did we hear him right?

"I'm going to follow the rules of the giants," Jin declared. "I'm going to fight you in an 'honorable duel,' and I'm going to defeat you."

Dorry and Brogy both felt a surge of indignation.

"A TINY HUMAN CANNOT DEFEAT US!" they roared in unison. "We are the strongest warriors of the Giant Tribe!"

"Is that so?" Jin said. "What if you lose?"

"Impossible!" the two giants bellowed, glaring at him.

Dorry raised his sword, the massive blade humming in the air. He pointed it at Jin. "Human, are you challenging us to a duel to the death?"

"To the death?"

"That's right!" Brogy roared, brandishing his axe. "You’re not the first human to try to stop our duel—and they all ended up dead. Are you afraid? Only the weak fear death. On the Grand Line, you must be ready to die."

"Then let's make a bet," Jin said. "I hope your strength is as great as your courage."

"Very well, the God of Elbaf watches over the just and grants them victory—" Dorry declared.

"Hey, Dorry! I saw him first!!" Brogy insisted, grabbing his massive hand-axe and a round, metal-banded shield and stepping forward.

"Both of you, at the same time," Jin said. "I'll take you both on."

"INSOLENT!!!" Brogy roared in fury.

He stomped his foot, swung his right arm, and brought the massive, mountain-like axe crashing down, the force of the blow unstoppable.

Jin, his figure long and slender, didn't dodge. He kicked up, his foot connecting squarely with the axe blade.

CLANG!

The sharp, clear sound of the impact echoed through the forest. The giant axe vibrated, held in mid-air by a single foot.

"WHAT?" Dorry's eyes widened in shock. He knew Brogy's strength. That axe could split mountains. "Is he from some special race?"

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From a distance, Robin's heart was pounding. "This is insane..."

The size difference was immense. Jin wasn't even as tall as the axe blade.

But he had blocked it.

"The king is very strong, Miss Robin," Maya said. "He has subdued a divine weapon. He is the legendary warrior who became a God!"

In Maya's eyes, Jin, who had lifted her tribe's curse and defeated a divine weapon, was a god.

A God?

Robin looked at the young man, facing down a giant, his posture almost arrogant, radiating an aura of absolute, invincible confidence.

"WUUUAAAAH!"

Brogy lifted the five-ton axe and swung it again and again, a dozen strikes in a row, each one aimed at Jin.

CLANG!!!

Jin met each blow with a kick, blocking the massive axe.

The Giant Tribe was known for its strength. He had to meet them head-on, to show his own power. That was the only way to earn their respect.

Seeing his axe strikes being kicked away again and again, Brogy roared in frustration.

He was getting desperate.

The muscles in his arms bulged.

Ki!

Jin's senses were sharp. In an instant, he felt the flow of "ki" within Brogy's body, coiling around the axe blade.

A red glow enveloped the axe as it came crashing down.

Jin sidestepped, dodging the blow. Brogy was clearly using a special move. He wasn't stupid enough to take that head-on.

The axe slammed into the ground, leaving a massive crater, the earth splitting open in a long, straight line that stretched for several kilometers, parting the forest like a comb.

Robin held her breath. The destructive power was terrifying.

Even the giant axe couldn't withstand the force of the blow and shattered.

But she didn't see Jin vanish in an instant, reappearing at Brogy's right side.

Brogy caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of his eye. A hundred years of fighting Dorry had honed his instincts. He knew where the attack was coming from.

"Block!" he roared, raising his shield and twisting his body from left to right with incredible speed and power.

But Jin was faster.

His punch was a thunderclap, the force of the blow almost tangible.

WHAM!

The fist slammed into Brogy's side, the Armament Haki-infused blow also unleashing a crackle of Conqueror's Haki.

Jin had been taking Brogy's attacks, waiting for an opening. And when Brogy, in his eagerness to prove his strength, had made a rash move, Jin had seized the opportunity.

He didn't just strike. He unleashed a storm.

A searing pain shot through Brogy's body. He staggered, his eyes wide with disbelief. An unstoppable force washed over him. Even with his immense strength, he couldn't withstand it.

Was this human's strength even greater than a giant warrior's?

"NO WAY!!" Brogy roared, forcing himself to stop and bringing his shield crashing down.

"Sun Shield!"

The shield began to glow, like the sun, the air around it crackling with power.

Jin threw another punch. This one was like black lightning, breaking the sound barrier, the air around it vibrating violently.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The fist, like a spear, slammed into the shield.

And what Brogy didn't expect was that behind the immense force of the blow was an even more terrifying shockwave of explosive energy.

The shield shattered.

Jin's fist passed through the fragments and smashed into Brogy's face. The massive body tilted backward and crashed to the ground with a thunderous boom.