CHAPTER 628: CHAPTER 147: THE GARDEN’S OATH OF BROTHERHOOD

"I’ll slice!"

"I’ll cleave!"

Cold light flashed, a gale followed, and two sizable peaks vanished in an instant, shedding avalanches of boulders down their flanks.

Dorry and Brogy gripped their new weapons with feverish delight, twirling the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade and the Serpent Blade like children who’d found the perfect stick and set upon the nearest hills and woods. Grass didn’t dare stand where they passed.

"Gegyagyagya! These weapons are incredible! Even the name—Azure Dragon Crescent Blade—sounds badass!" Dorry slammed his blade into the ground, setting the earth to trembling. "Brother Darren, this beats anything Elbaf’s smiths could make!"

Brogy, no less entranced, worked his Serpent Blade until steam puffed from his nostrils. "Yeah! A million times better than my old axe! Gababababa!"

For a warrior of Elbaf, there is no richer gift than a weapon that fits the hand like fate—a mark of true respect. With every swing, they felt the grim weight and keen edge of steel built for giants. In truth, these two blades had raised their fighting strength by at least a third—perhaps even more.

"I’m glad you’re satisfied," Darren said, smiling.

He wasn’t a master bladesmith, but with the Magnet-Magnet Fruit, forging at this scale was simple enough. He couldn’t match the legendary craftsmen who forge Meitō, but these two didn’t need that sort of finery. At heart, they wanted heavy, brutal, sharpened clubs.

The forms—Azure Dragon Crescent Blade and Serpent Blade—were Darren’s private joke. Even if they’d begged for Meitō, who could forge weapons this large? The size alone was monstrous.

"In my homeland, there’s a saying: a treasured blade for a true hero. As Elbaf’s mightiest, you deserve them," Darren said. "Truthfully, my smithing’s crude. If I were better, sea-braving warriors like you would merit finer still."

Color rose in the giants’ faces. Brogy’s eyes even shone. Praise like that—and an apology for not making them grander?

"No, Brother Darren! This is already a priceless gift," Dorry declared, clasping his hands in a formal bow. "To receive such a blade... we don’t know how to thank you. Enough with ’sir’—from now on, let’s call each other brothers."

He paused, then brightened. "In fact—why not swear brotherhood, blood or no blood?"

"I agree!" Brogy nodded so hard his beard shook.

Darren frowned, feigning dilemma. "But brothers... I’m no Giant. I’m human."

"That doesn’t matter!" Brogy waved, roaring with laughter. "If you can get big, it’s the same thing!"

"Exactly!"

Darren: "..."

That simpleton...

He turned to Dorry, who was watching him with solemn expectation. "Well? Let’s seal it with an oath."

"At first we didn’t see eye to eye, but now we’re old friends—it was meant to be," Dorry said.

"Nothing else matters," Brogy added.

"Even if you aren’t Giants, your will and spirit are worthy of Elbaf," Dorry finished.

"Please, Brother Darren!" He bowed again.

"Ah... if you insist, I won’t refuse," Darren sighed theatrically, then smiled.

"Excellent! Gegyagyagya!" Dorry punched the air.

"Gababababa! Who’s eldest, then?" Brogy’s eyes gleamed. "If it’s by age, Brother Darren, you’d be the youngest!"

Darren’s mouth twitched.

Thankfully, Dorry chuckled. "We’re a warrior race—age is nothing. Brother Darren is stronger than us—and bigger..."

He faltered, as if recalling something unspeakable. Brogy looked equally abashed.

"So..." Dorry bowed again, grave as stone. "We ask you to be our elder brother."

"From this day on," the Blue Ogre swore in Elbaf’s name, "I’ll follow you through fire and water."

"Me too!" Brogy echoed, bowing until his forehead nearly scraped the earth.

Moved despite himself, Darren clasped hands with them and laughed. "Good!"

Dorry stooped for the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade; Brogy hefted the Serpent Blade. Both looked to Darren. "Your weapon?"

Darren snapped his fingers.

A black streak knifed down from the sky, and he caught it between two fingers. The demon blade Enma—drinker of countless warriors’ blood—looked like a toothpick in his giant grip.

"Magnify," he murmured.

Enma shivered, then surged into a ten-meter ebon sword before their astonished eyes.

"Incredible! Your weapon grows too!" Brogy blurted.

Darren swung Enma onto his shoulder while the two giants lifted their blades in one hand. The three weapons kissed high in the air, a discordant clang rolling like thunder.

Darren refilled their cups and raised his. "I, Rogers Darren—"

"I, Dorry, the Blue Ogre—"

"And I, Brogy, the Red Ogre—"

"—today, witnessed by Little Garden and under Elbaf’s glory, swear to be sworn brothers!"

Clang!

Their colossal cups crashed together, amber sake swirling with the warmth of kinship. On the ancient ground of Little Garden, three towering figures threw back their heads and drank, laughing like thunder.

"Big Brother!"

"Second Brother!"

"Big Brother!"

"Third Brother!"

"..."

---

By the next day, the bonfire had dwindled to ash.

Along Little Garden’s coast, merchant ships nosed in one by one. Crews offloaded casks of strong drink, provisions, and supplies into neat stacks.

When all was set, the caravan leader approached Darren with a bend at the waist and a merchant’s smile. "Mr. Darren, everything you ordered has arrived. Anything else we can do for you?"

Back in human form and dressed in a black swallowtail coat, Darren smiled. "That’s all. I’ll have payment sent later."

"Oh, no need!" The man bowed lower, voice trembling with deference. "It is Doflamingo-sama’s will. Serving him is an honor."

Darren glanced at him, chuckled softly, and waved him off. "Very well."

The caravan leader took the hint and signaled his ships to depart.

"Gegyagyagya! Big Brother Darren, you’re leaving already?"

Dorry’s vast frame parted the trees. Brogy peered around him.

"Yeah. I’ve got a dinner to attend," Darren said, smiling.

"Gababababa! Invited by a woman?" Brogy’s grin turned sly.

"Of course," Darren replied, amused.

"So jealous!"

"Can Marines really live like this?"

"Freer than pirates!"

Darren laughed. "After a lifetime of fighting, can’t a man enjoy himself a little?"

He squinted toward the distant sea, his smile turning foxlike.

You must be getting impatient by now, Your Majesty.

To be continued...