Two massive figures lay on the scarred earth, laughing heartily, completely ignoring the bleeding wounds on their bodies.
Just as the laughter subsided slightly, a faint sound of footsteps rang out, breaking the atmosphere of the battlefield's aftermath.
Ryoma stepped slowly from behind a cracked boulder, his clothes spotless, looking completely out of place in the desolate surroundings.
"Oh? Little guy, you're still here."
Dorry was the first to notice him. He struggled to sit up, but the soreness throughout his body made him grimace. Ultimately, he chose to give up for the moment and simply turned his head to speak.
Brogy also looked over at the sound. Seeing that a tiny person like Ryoma hadn't been scared away by the aftershocks of their battle, he couldn't help but feel interested.
"Gabababababa! You've got some guts, kid!"
"Come, Ryoma! Let me introduce you!" Dorry enthusiastically pointed his finger toward his best friend on the other side. "This is my rival, Brogy!"
"Ryoma, where's the alcohol you brought?" Dorry's booming voice made the air vibrate.
"Alcohol?"
Brogy's eyes lit up instantly. His fatigue seemed to fade at the mention of the word. He sat up abruptly, his movements so swift it didn't look like he had just finished a life-and-death struggle.
"Dorry! You bastard! Why didn't you mention the alcohol earlier!"
Ryoma looked at the two jokers and spoke calmly, "The alcohol is over at the camp."
"Then what are we waiting for! Let's go!"
Brogy leaped to his feet and strode toward Dorry's camp, temporarily ignoring his axe stuck in the distance.
Dorry also scrambled up grumbling, picked up his sword and shield, and followed, complaining incessantly, "You bastard! All you think about is eating and drinking!"
Ryoma followed behind them. The two mountain-like figures took long strides, each step causing a dull vibration in the ground.
He could clearly feel an invisible lingering spirit emanating from them—a spirit honed by a century of combat and unyielding conviction. It was as heavy as two moving mountains, making the surrounding air feel thick.
'Fighting to the death during a duel, then putting their arms around each other's shoulders to drink together afterward... the logic of Elbaf warriors is truly eccentric.' Ryoma commented silently in his heart, though he quite admired this purity.
Soon, the three returned to Dorry's previous camp.
The massive bonfire was still burning. The Tyrannosaurus Rex leg propped over it was roasted to a crisp, grease dripping into the flames with a sizzling sound.
Brogy couldn't wait. He stepped forward and tore off a large piece of charred dinosaur meat. Ignoring the heat, he stuffed it into his mouth and chewed vigorously, his face covered in grease.
"Hey! Brogy! That's for my guest!" Dorry yelled, jumping in frustration.
"Gabababababa! What belongs to a friend belongs to me!"
Brogy responded unclearly, tearing off another large piece of meat and throwing it to Dorry.
"Don't be stingy. Let's eat together."
Dorry caught the roasted meat. Although he continued to complain, he took a massive bite.
Ryoma shook his head slightly at the scene, then had a thought.
Bang! Bang! Bang...
One giant oak barrel after another appeared out of thin air, crashing onto the clearing with a series of dull thuds, kicking up clouds of dust. In the blink of an eye, over a hundred barrels of various alcohols were piled into a small mountain.
Dorry and Brogy's chewing movements stopped simultaneously. Their eyes widened as they stared blankly at the mountain of barrels.
"Gabababababa..."
Brogy was the first to react. He dropped the roasted meat and let out a louder laugh than ever before, throwing an arm around Ryoma's shoulder. Of course, given his size, that massive palm was merely "resting" lightly on Ryoma.
"Ryoma! I've decided you're a friend for life!"
Dorry was also shocked, then laughed with wild joy. "Gegyagyagya! Excellent! Ryoma! You're a generous fellow!"
The two giants could no longer contain themselves. Each grabbed a barrel of rum, pulled the cork, tilted their heads back, and gulped it down. The spicy liquid flowed down their beards, but they didn't care. Their faces were full of delight and satisfaction.
Ryoma walked to the bonfire, casually condensed a crystal-clear ice blade, sliced off a perfectly roasted piece of dinosaur meat, and slowly put it in his mouth.
"Ryoma! Catch!"
After finishing one barrel, Brogy casually tossed another giant barrel toward Ryoma.
The barrel traced a parabola in the air, whistling through the wind as it hurtled toward Ryoma. Just before it hit him, a gentle chill appeared out of thin air, softly supporting the barrel and placing it steadily on the ground beside Ryoma without kicking up a speck of dust.
This exquisite control made both giants pause in their drinking. They exchanged a glance, seeing the surprise in each other's eyes.
This little guy was much stronger than they had imagined.
After three rounds of drinks and plenty of meat, the atmosphere of the bonfire banquet reached its peak.
Ryoma put down his ice blade and looked at the two slightly tipsy giants, speaking calmly, "Dorry, Brogy, actually, I came to this island because I have a favor to ask of you two."
"Gegyagyagya! Just say it!" Brogy patted his chest and promised grandly. "As long as we can do it, I don't mind!"
Ryoma stated his purpose directly. "I would like to ask you two to help me train my Observation Haki."
As the words fell, Dorry and Brogy's eyes lit up instantly, and their intoxication cleared by thirty percent.
"Observation Haki?"
Dorry grinned. "Gegyagyagya! We brothers learned that long ago. We can use Armament Haki too."
"That's right. If you want to learn, we'll teach you." Brogy echoed proudly.
However, their expressions turned somewhat embarrassed in an instant.
Dorry scratched his thick beard, and Brogy rubbed the back of his head. The two looked at each other, suddenly at a loss for words.
They could use both types of Haki skillfully through combat instinct, but if asked how they specifically trained... they had long since forgotten.
The scene became a bit awkward for a moment.
A friend had brought so much alcohol, yet they couldn't even help with this small favor. If word got back to Elbaf, they would lose all face.
Ryoma saw their expressions and immediately realized they had misunderstood.
He couldn't help but chuckle and quickly explained, "Don't be troubled. I'm very clear on the theory of Haki. I just lack an opponent who can provide enough pressure to force me to break through that bottleneck."
He looked at the two giants and said sincerely, "I hope to stimulate my Observation Haki through the pressure of battling you two."
Hearing this, Dorry and Brogy immediately breathed a sigh of relief, their hearty smiles returning.
"So that's it! Gabababababa! No problem!" Brogy slammed his axe into the ground. "Just sparring with you? Simple."
"Gegyagyagya! But not today."
Dorry pointed at the sky. "We just finished a fight, and it's almost dark. We need a good night's rest. Tomorrow we'll start this special training."
"Alright." Ryoma smiled and nodded in agreement, raising a small keg of ale. "Then tonight, let's drink until we drop."
The bonfire continued to burn brightly. The laughter and clinking of glasses of the three echoed far into the night of Little Garden.