"But first, I need to treat your injuries."
Sakura formed hand seals with both hands and pressed them against the ground.
Chakra activated the technique, manipulating the earth, stirring the tree roots buried beneath the surface into activity.
In the brief span of a snap of the fingers, the dust scattered in the air fell silent, replaced by pure white flowers.
Amidst the spreading vines, amidst the shattered wood and scattered, ruined earth and stones, flowers of pristine white color grew at a visible rate, unstained by the mud, blooming cleanly.
They propped up a sea of flowers like an illusion.
Dreamlike and illusory!
Countless flowers swayed in the wind, petals rising and falling. The sap surging beneath the vines began to flow, spraying out from within.
The mist-like tree sap sprayed onto the two giants, washing away the filth left in their wounds from battle, then the Yang Release power contained within slowly repaired their injuries.
"What powerful healing ability!"
Even with over a hundred years of sailing experience, Dorry and Brogy couldn't help but express admiration upon seeing the young girl's healing technique.
Perhaps one day, this power that could be used to pacify a turbulent world could also blossom in Sakura's hands into flowers that drive away illness and pain.
Of course, provided the newcomers don't intend to taste the tranquility and death lying beneath the sea of flowers!
"Now, that's much better!"
Amidst the endless pure white, Sakura looked around, lightly sniffing the floral scent carried by the breeze, no longer tainted by the smell of conflict and gunpowder.
"With my treatment and your own recovery abilities, I won't bandage the wounds, alright?"
Hearing Sakura's words, the two waved their hands repeatedly.
Under normal circumstances, after they finished fighting, they would just lie down anywhere, and get up the next day to fight again.
When had they ever received such good treatment, with medicine and bandages?
If they had known someone would treat them after the fight, they would have hit even harder earlier.
Right?
'Right your head!'
Without even needing to sense their emotions with Observation Haki, Sakura could already tell from the two giants who showed their thoughts on their faces, and couldn't help but roll her eyes.
A moment later, a huge bonfire was set up by the two giants at the foot of the volcano.
Several sharpened tree trunks skewered fresh dinosaur meat, the fat sizzling as it roasted, the enticing aroma spreading.
Everyone gathered around the fire, eating and speaking freely.
"So, uncles, why have you been fighting here for so long?"
Kuina, curious, climbed onto Dorry's shoulder and tapped his helmet.
"That matter-!"
Dorry and Brogy looked at each other, then both laughed simultaneously, "Who remembers that kind of thing anymore!"
"Eh?"
Kuina was dumbfounded.
'How could they forget something like that?'
'Wasn't that the reason for a century of fighting? Forgetting it would make such a prolonged battle meaningless, wouldn't it?'
"The reason is just the beginning. Enjoying the process is what should be done. Otherwise, wouldn't the long passage of time only leave the pain of seeking meaning?"
Sakura held a sake cup, looking at her reflection on the surface of the wine, sighing with the same sentiment as a long-lived species.
"Kabababababa, that's right!"
Brogy revealed two rows of steel-plate-like teeth. "The glory of Elbaf's warriors stands here!"
"Gyagagagaga, seek battle, seize victory!" Dorry also laughed, "Born in battle, raised in battle, and finally dying in battle… that is the most perfect life for an Elbaf warrior!"
"To battle!" x3
The barrels used as cups were clinked together, golden wine spilling slightly.
Watching the three inexplicably get fired up, the three pirate crew members looked at each other in confusion.
Kuina, chewing on a huge piece of meat, said casually, "Sakura-nee... can get this hot-blooded and impulsive too?"
Leviathan, who had been with Sakura the longest, shrugged at her. "Your Sakura-nee~ has always been pretty hot-blooded and impulsive~."
Back with Sakura and the others, Dorry put down his cup and asked, "By the way, how are the seniors of the Galleila doing?"
Recalling the outline of Elbaf in his mind, Dorry remembered the elders' instructions before their departure, asking them to keep an eye out during their voyage for those powerful giant shipwrights, the legendary warriors with hammers.
"This..." Sakura hesitated. "Unfortunately, I didn't meet them directly. I only learned the Giant combat techniques from the ruins they left behind in the West Blue."
"What a pity. I thought we could find their whereabouts through you."
Brogy was also regretful. He personally really wanted to meet the warriors who were legends even in Elbaf.
"Actually..."
Dorry glanced troubled at Brogy and spoke helplessly, "Hundreds of years ago, Elbaf received a call for help from them!"
"What!"
Even more shocked than Sakura's group was Brogy sitting nearby. "How come I didn't know about this?"
"Because the elders thought I had more brains than you!" Dorry glanced at him contemptuously.
"You bastard..." Brogy, grinding his teeth in anger, looked around for his axe.
"Calm down, calm down, let's talk about the matter first!"
Sakura, who was thoroughly enjoying the drama, hurriedly stepped in to mediate, jumping up to hold Brogy's hand.
With a cold snort, he crossed his arms and sat back down on the ground sulking.
Meanwhile, Dorry continued recounting what the elders had entrusted to him a hundred years ago when the two of them set sail together.
The Galleila had sailed to a place very far from Elbaf. Over a hundred giants, including ancient giants, were captured, frozen in ice somewhere.
"The elders entrusted me that if we ever found news of them, to lend them a helping hand within our capabilities."
Dorry put down his steak, casually wiping his greasy mouth.
"But the time span is way too big, isn't it?"
Kuina's unintentional question made the two leaders of the Giant Warrior Pirates simultaneously scratch their heads in embarrassment.
Absorbed in their own duel, they had completely forgotten about such an important commission.
Perhaps they could have done something back then, but now, it was all too late.
"In that case, I roughly know where they are!"
Sakura pondered for a moment and said, "If our journey to the New World goes smoothly, we should be able to save them!"
"That's wonderful! We swear in the name of Elbaf, you will be our friend forever!"
Dorry and Brogy turned grateful gazes towards Sakura. Both stood up simultaneously, raising their shields in a vow-making posture.
After the exchange, dinner continued.
Tiger tried to participate in the drinking party among the three giants and had already lost consciousness.
Sakura, Dorry, and Brogy kept drinking until the liquor she had taken from Whisky Peak was exhausted, with no winner decided.
Finally, as the night deepened, they slept on the ground under the starry night.
Until the next day, when a hum came from the volcano at the island's center, and the collision of giant sword and axe began to make the wind howl and dust rise.
"Again?!"
Kuina, in her sleep, opened her eyes to find herself already hanging from a tree hundreds of meters away.
Trying to rest further was impossible now. She could only cover her ears annoyedly to avoid getting tinnitus from the huge clanging sounds.
"Sakura-nee, are they really going to keep fighting like this forever?"
Fisher Tiger also nodded. "They've been fighting for nearly a hundred years. They're too familiar with each other's moves. Unless something unexpected happens, there won't be a result."
Sakura, sitting cross-legged on a nearby tree, crossed her arms.
"Alright then, let me give it a try!"