One Piece: Rayquaza of the Beasts Pirates

Wow! That's amazing!

Cologne's eyes immediately lit up with admiration as he excitedly looked at Yamato: "Can you take me to sea? I want to be a pirate too! A pirate as powerful as you guys!"

"No!" Yamato said bluntly, without the slightest hesitation.

Kane was somewhat surprised and nodded to himself.

Yes, Yamato has grown up. He knows he can't just agree to take little kids on sea adventures. He's learned to be more discreet.

He was about to say something to praise Yamato when he heard her add in a disdainful tone, "You're too weak! Bringing you along will only be a hindrance!"

Kane's smile froze instantly, and he helplessly rubbed his forehead.

Indeed, one should not have any unrealistic expectations of Yamato's thought process.

He had no doubt that if baby Loki had said those words, she would have agreed without even thinking.

"Ugh... Damn it."

Cologne, who was bluntly told he was "too weak," pouted like a deflated balloon, but the little guy clearly didn't give up easily.

He tilted his head and thought for a moment, a spark of hope rekindling in his eyes. Undeterred, he pressed on, "When I become strong, when I become extremely powerful, can you take me out to sea?"

Compared to Shanks always rejecting him with the excuse that "you're too young," Yamato's condition of "becoming stronger" sounds more practical and easier to achieve.

Cologne clearly didn't realize that once he truly became stronger, he wouldn't need anyone to take him out to sea anymore.

"Sure."

Yamato readily agreed this time, accepting a reserve underling with a wave of her hand.

Is this considered Shanks being awesome?

Kane rubbed his chin, almost wanting to laugh.

Logically speaking, given the connection between Cologne's father and the Red-Haired Pirates, he shouldn't have joined the Beasts Pirates at all.

However, on this vast and untamed sea, fate and choice are the most illogical things.

Upon receiving Yamato's explicit promise, Cologne's face instantly lit up with an incredibly bright smile. He clenched his small fist tightly and loudly vowed, "I will become stronger!"

"Then you must eat well and not be picky! Eating more will make you stronger! You also need to keep exercising and don't be lazy!"

Yamato put her hands on her hips, striking a bossy pose, and earnestly gave her instructions.

"Yes! I've got it!"

Cologne nodded repeatedly, like a chick pecking at rice.

Reading stood quietly to the side, watching everything with a smile, without interfering with Kane and the others' conversation with Cologne.

In the culture of the giants, going to sea to become a pirate is a perfectly normal thing, and even an essential experience for many giant warriors in their growth process.

In the past, this was one of the most important ways for giants to survive.

"Cologne, why are you thinking about going to sea again? That's so dangerous!"

"Exactly! What's so great about going to sea with these little humans? It's so much safer and more comfortable staying in Elbaf!"

The friends in Cologne all tried to dissuade him.

"You just don't understand! Going out to sea on adventure, seeing the vast world, and challenging powerful opponents—that's the true romance of a man!"

Cologne gripped the short sword at his waist, his eyes gleaming with a hopeful light that was so different from his companions'.

Despite Cologne's unusually serious expression, his friends clearly couldn't understand his dream.

Just then, three giant girls stepped forward and criticized the boy who had spoken so recklessly: "Hey, you can't use terms like 'little humans,' it's very impolite!"

The powerful aura emanating from the three girls instantly overwhelmed the boys, causing them to instinctively shrink back and obediently apologize.

"sorry."

"It's ok."

Kane watched this scene, somewhat amused and exasperated, and waved his hand to indicate that he didn't care.

Is this a common problem among giants?

There is a natural fear of women.

Hiyori Kozuki, standing to the side, gently tugged at Kane's sleeve and whispered her doubts: "Lord Kane, these giant children seem quite different from the descendants of the Warrior Kingdom that I imagined."

Elbaf is a country known for its bravery and warlike nature.

But the children in front of me are not only afraid of going to sea and fighting, but even their language has become so civilized?

"Because Elbaf today is not the same as it used to be."

A gentle yet clear female voice came from the side.

As everyone looked, they saw a female giant with a neat ponytail, a face painted with a symbol of warrior's honor, and a heroic and beautiful appearance walking towards them.

She explained with a smile: "'Violence,' 'plunder,' 'war'... these barbaric labels have been abandoned by us under the leadership of His Majesty King Harald."

"Ms. Lippley!"

"mom!"

When the children saw her, they immediately surrounded her affectionately, and Cologne shouted happily.

Lipley smiled and patted the children on the head, responding to their greetings one by one.

Then, she gracefully bent down, her curiosity undisguised, and carefully examined Kane: "Hmm, quite handsome. He doesn't seem like the vicious pirates Shanks described."

"Shanks? You know him?"

The group of friends looked at each other in bewilderment.

Oh, right, that giant kid also mentioned Shanks' name.

Could it be that Shanks had already established a very deep and good relationship with the giants of Elbaf long before they did?

Lipley seemed to sense their confusion and said frankly, "My husband and Shanks sailed side by side on the same ship for a long time."

"Same, same boat?!"

His companions' eyes widened in shock.

Shanks has only ever been on two ships in total: the Red Fox and the Oro Jackson, which was the ship of the Pirate King Roger!

Could we run into members of Roger's pirate crew here?

"Judging a person's character solely by their appearance is not a wise habit."

Kane smiled faintly, showing no sign of anger in the face of Shanks's "negative review".

"Very composed and confident."

A hint of surprise flashed in Lipley's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure: "I already know about your help to Captain Donley and his men. As long as you have good intentions towards Elbaf on this trip and do not do anything to harm this place, my family will not be an obstacle to you."

"Thank you very much then." Kane nodded calmly.

Lipley said no more, turning her gaze to her son, her tone becoming gentle yet firm: "Colon, now that you've made up your mind to go to sea, you must train hard, eat well, and study hard."

At first, Cologne nodded obediently, but when he heard the word "study," his little face instantly fell, filled with despair.

"Why do pirates have to study...?"

He had to study when he wasn't a pirate. Now that he's a pirate, he still has to study. What's the point of being a pirate if he's just wasting his time?

"Fool!"

Lipley was both amused and annoyed. She tapped her son's head with her finger: "If you don't learn navigation, you'll get lost at sea! If you don't learn about the cultures of different islands, you won't even know when you've angered someone! If you don't learn about medicine, you won't know how to treat your injuries!"

"Think about it, without this important knowledge, how would you survive at sea?"

The love from his mother left Cologne stunned, and he could only nod blankly.

Kane now understood why the giants were afraid of their mothers.

While Lipley and Coron were enjoying a loving mother-son moment, a figure quietly emerged from the shadows of the classroom and silently approached Kane and the others.

It was a giant with large burn scars on his face and body, standing on a wooden prosthetic leg.

He moved carefully, trying his best not to make a sound with each step, while putting a finger to his lips to signal to those around him not to make a sound.

But he didn't notice that Robin, who was facing away from him and seemed completely unguarded, had a smile on his slightly lowered face, a smile that was a mixture of excitement and longing.

"Whoa—!!!"

Judging that the distance was about right, Saul suddenly turned to the side and came to Robin's side. He opened his big hands, made an exaggerated gesture of baring his teeth and claws, and shouted loudly.

"Hehehe... How about that, did I scare you?"

He smiled smugly.

However, Robin simply gazed calmly at Saul, her beautiful eyes, which had always been as serene as a deep lake, now brimming with tears.

Her gaze greedily swept over Sauro's massive body, inch by inch, until it finally settled on the hideous scars on his face and his wooden prosthetic leg.

Tears could no longer be held back, and like a flood bursting its banks, they rolled down silently, large drops, "plop," "plop," hitting the solid ground of Elbaf, leaving small, dark marks.

Saul's feigned mischievous smile and exaggerated movements froze instantly, and he hurriedly and awkwardly restrained himself.

He awkwardly but very gently bent down and carefully lifted Robin up. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know what to say.

After a long silence, he forced a warm smile and said softly, "Robin, you've grown up. Seeing you like this reminds me of Olvia."

"I miss you so much, Saul!"

Robin could no longer contain the emotions that had been surging within her for fifteen years. She suddenly stretched out her arms and hugged Saul, burying her face in his cheeks and bursting into tears.

It was as if all the emotions that had been building up over the past fifteen years were being released completely at this moment.

"Hehehe...Me too, Robin!"

Saul could no longer maintain his smile; huge tears, like beads from a broken string, rolled down his cheeks, mingling with Robin's sobs.

Witnessing this deeply moving reunion, the sensitive Hiyori and Violet couldn't help but quietly wipe away their tears. Yamato, Reiju, and the others were also touched, silently watching this profound friendship that transcends time.

At that moment, an elderly giant with a thick beard and a unique appearance resembling a walrus, formed by his long teeth and cheekbone structure, slowly walked up to Kane.

He looked at Saul and Robin, who were embracing each other and crying, and his eyes showed relief and emotion: "It's been a long time since I've seen Saul so excited."

Upon seeing the visitor, Reading greeted him respectfully, "Principal Chiba, how have you been lately?"

"Hahahaha! Good! Of course..."