In the grand castle of Elbaf, within the chamber where the current queen resided, echoes of labor filled the air.
The queen, Estrid, was giving birth—not to a single child but to two giants, both bearing the blood of the ancient line.
It was a difficult and exhausting ordeal, her cries mixing with the rhythmic murmurs of attendants rushing around her.
When the final cry of Queen Estrid rang through the room, it was soon followed by the sharp wail of a newborn.
Yet to her confusion, only one voice cried out. She had been expecting two.
Moments later, an attendant approached with both infants in her arms. Estrid, though drained, forced herself to look. Her weary eyes widened in disbelief.
One of her sons had slit-like eyes, sharp and narrow, while the other possessed pupils shaped like small stars with dark sclera surrounding them.
The two babies held each other's hands tightly, refusing to let go. The one with the slit eyes raised his hand weakly toward his mother, almost as if seeking her touch.
"WAAAHHHH! IT'S HORRID!" Estrid screamed, her voice filled with panic and disgust. She recoiled at the sight of the child with slit eyes, her trembling hands reaching as though to push him away.
"Your Highness, please!" the attendant pleaded, stepping forward to calm her. As Estrid tried to separate the twins, the baby with the star-shaped pupils struck her hand.
The blow landed with shocking force—enough to break her wrist. Estrid cried out in pain, staring at her sons in terror.
To her, they were monsters. Her voice quivered as she ordered the attendant to remove them from her sight immediately.
Before their birth, Estrid and King Harald had decided on names: Loki and Thor. But when asked which name belonged to which child, Estrid refused to speak of it.
Left without her guidance, the attendants chose on their own.
The stronger infant who had broken Estrid's hand was named Thor, as a symbol of might. The other, with the slit-like eyes and quieter presence, was named Loki.
That night, while the attendants slept, Estrid crept into their quarters. Her expression was empty, her steps deliberate.
She lifted both babies in her arms and walked silently toward the edge of the castle balcony.
Beyond it was a sheer drop—the great height of Aurust Castle, reaching deep toward the misted underworld below. Without a word or tear, she released them.
When morning came and the attendants discovered her standing by the railing, Estrid wore a strange, blissful smile.
"Your Highness, where are the children?" one attendant asked cautiously.
Estrid answered without hesitation. "No more misfortune will come to Elbaf. Tell the king… it was a stillbirth."
Before the attendant could respond, a faint sound echoed from below. Both turned their heads over the edge.
From the darkness beneath, two small figures were visible—two infants clinging to the branches of the giant trees below. One was crying loudly, while the other looked furious.
The angry one was Thor. The crying one was Loki. The sight froze the attendant in shock, and Estrid's face turned pale with horror.
The twins began to climb, their tiny limbs gripping the vines and roots until they reached the castle grounds once more.
The attendant, trembling, rushed to pick them up. But Thor's unnatural strength manifested again.
With a single motion, the infant struck the attendant's back, breaking it instantly.
Estrid screamed and fled as Thor turned toward her, his eyes glowing faintly with rage.
Unbeknownst to Estrid and everyone in Elbaf, Thor's existence was never meant to be. He was not a native of their world.
In truth, Thor was once a man from Earth, an ordinary individual who had answered an otherworldly survey and was chosen for reincarnation.
He was reborn as Loki's twin—the same Loki who would one day recount the tale of ancient giants and their connection to the Rocks Pirates.
Upon rebirth, Thor received two extraordinary blessings. The first was the talent and physique of Big Mom, merged seamlessly with his own ancient giant blood.
This did not merely stack power like one added to another; it multiplied it beyond measure. Thor's body, already destined for greatness, evolved into something monstrous.
The second blessing was the Essence of Sound Mind and Soul, granting him unshakable focus and immunity to any mental affliction—fear, madness, even boredom.
When Thor and Loki fell from Aurust Castle, Thor's past life memories were awakened after he struck his head.
By then, both blessings had already fused perfectly into his being. The two brothers, though infants, survived the fall.
Now, Thor climbed onto the soft bed, his small limbs moving with effort, yet guided by instinct and the faint remnants of his past life's awareness.
He settled himself down comfortably and closed his eyes for a moment.
Life in his previous world had been far different from what awaited him here, and that contrast made him feel a quiet sense of excitement—not for the grand adventures or battles that might come, but for the simple luxury of rest.
After years of constant stress and long hours in his old job, the thought of being able to sleep without worry felt almost like a reward.
Beside him, Loki was not as calm. The younger twin squirmed restlessly, still reaching toward the direction where their mother had once been, as though some instinct told him to seek her warmth.
His soft cries and movements began to disturb Thor's attempt at peace. With a small sigh, Thor opened his eyes again.
Despite being in the body of a baby, he used his unnatural strength to lift Loki gently and place him closer by his side on the bedside.
Thor then wrapped an arm around his twin, pulling him close in a light cuddle. He understood who Loki was and what his story would become.
In the world he knew, Loki's life was already written as one of tragedy and misunderstanding—a story seen many times before, where someone cast away as a monster later found acceptance and belonging, often among those destined for greatness, like the Straw Hat crew he remembered from his old life.
Loki continued to wriggle weakly for a while longer, his tiny hands clutching at Thor's blanket, until finally, exhaustion overcame him. His breathing slowed, and his movements ceased.
Seeing this, Thor allowed himself to relax as well. He closed his eyes once more, a faint, content smile on his face.
For the first time in what felt like years—even if only in another world—he could finally sleep in peace.