Wanokuni — The Island of Ghosts.
"Hahahaha!"
"Come on! Drink! Drink!"
"Think of this as tonight's Fire Festival feast—just a little early!"
Laughter and music filled the air. Pirates, samurai, and ninja alike reveled together, enjoying what might very well be the last banquet of their lives.
Then—
BEEP! BEEP!
A shrill alarm cut through the noise.
"What the hell now?!"
The massive man on stage—Plague Quinn, the third of Kaido's Calamities—paused mid-dance, glaring down with irritation.
"Lord Quinn!" a beast pirate rushed in, pale-faced and panting.
"Something terrible—terrible has happened!"
"What are you yelling about, idiot?!"
"The intruders—! Intruders have appeared!"
"The offshore fortresses—one after another—they're being destroyed!"
"Sea Kings! Massive Sea Kings are attacking us!"
"No—no, wait! It's not the Sea Kings—it's them!"
"Fairy Tail! It's Fairy Tail!"
"AAAAHHHHH!"
The last scream from the communication room echoed before the signal went dead. Every monitor went black. The entire offshore defense network had collapsed.
Quinn froze, staring at the dark screens in disbelief.
"How… how long has it been?" he muttered, trembling.
Just one day.
They had only declared war yesterday—and Fairy Tail was already here.
They thought they'd have at least a week to prepare…
But everything happened far too fast.
"Can anyone tell me what's going on here?!" Quinn bellowed, slamming his fist into the wall.
"The Whitebeard faction hasn't even arrived yet," said Wildfire King, his tone grim. "That means it's only Fairy Tail."
"Fairy Tail…!"
Doflamingo clenched his fists, the veins bulging under his skin. Behind his tinted lenses, his eyes glowed red with fury.
"What are you all panicking for?!" sneered Kurozumi Orochi, the serpent-like shogun. "If it's just Fairy Tail, that's good news! With our army, crushing them will be child's play! Heh heh heh!"
Wildfire ignored him. The flames dancing around his mask flickered with tension.
"Where is Lord Kaido?" he demanded.
"Kaido-sama was drinking earlier… he wandered off toward the rear of the fortress," a subordinate stammered.
"I'll bring him back. Until then, no one acts rashly!"
Without another word, the Wildfire Calamity spread his wings, transforming into a blazing pteranodon. With a thunderous roar, he shot off into the stormy sky.
Meanwhile, at the mouth of Wanokuni's inner sea—
A colossal ship soared upward, cutting through the clouds.
For the Fairy Tail, equipped with flight systems, the so-called "natural barriers" of Wanokuni meant nothing.
"President Sugisawa Yuuto!" shouted Ace, pointing southeast. "Bianka Village should be in that direction!"
Yuuto gave a curt nod. The Fairy Tail's bow shifted, engines roaring as the ship banked toward the village.
Although Ace was the direct client for this commission, the key figure behind it all was Xiaoyu. Before the mission officially began, they needed to meet with her—and with the former shogun of Wanokuni—to settle a few important matters.
Before long, the Fairy Tail passed over a small, ruined village.
"Woof! Woof!"
A strange-looking komainu barked wildly, startling the few armed villagers who stood guard.
Five thin, weary samurai brandished their blades, eyes wary of the massive airship looming overhead. Behind them, elderly villagers, women, and children peeked out from hiding, trembling.
"Everyone, it's okay! It's me!"
Ace leapt from the deck, landing amidst the villagers in a burst of flame.
The guards froze. For a moment, they couldn't believe their eyes.
"It's Ace…!" one whispered.
"Lord Ace has returned!"
Inside a small shrine, a young girl in patched clothes jumped up with joy.
"Ace! It's Ace!" she shouted, breaking free from her caretaker's grasp and running toward the square.
"Xiaoyu!" Ace's face lit up as he rushed forward, scooping her into his arms.
"Ace~~~!"
"Little Jade!" he laughed, spinning her around.
"Lord Ace!"
"Master Ace!"
The villagers crowded around, their faces filled with emotion. Among them were Feiche of Mount Tengu, the guardian warriors, and several of the elderly who had long prayed for this day.
"Xiaoyu, Mr. Feiche, everyone," Ace began, voice steady and resolute.
"I came here to fulfill my promise—to make this country a place where everyone can eat their fill!"
"Ace…" Feiche's eyes trembled. "But what about Kaido…"
"No problem!" Ace interrupted firmly. "I know I can't do it alone—but this time, we have Fairy Tail!"
As he spoke, the Fairy Tail descended gently, touching down outside the village.
Mira and the others quickly carried crates of food from the ship, distributing them among the starving villagers.
"Wow, they're amazing…" whispered Xiaoyu, eyes sparkling as she watched. "The big brothers and sisters of Fairy Tail are amazing!"
"Xiaoyu, you should eat too," Mira said warmly, handing her a steaming bowl of anko soup.
Since the moment they arrived, Xiaoyu had been helping distribute food, refusing to eat a single bite herself—even as her stomach growled.
Her kindness melted everyone's hearts.
"Come on, there's enough for everyone! Eat while it's hot," Nami said, pulling the girl close.
"Mm!"
Xiaoyu took her first sip—
and tears immediately welled up in her eyes.
"It's so good… it's really good…" she whispered, crying softly.
"This will be normal from now on," said Sugisawa Yuuto, resting a gentle hand on her head.
Even in a land as broken as Wanokuni, there was still light.
And this small, kindhearted girl was one of those lights.
"The hero of the sea who has saved so many…" murmured Feiche, falling to his knees before Yuuto. His voice trembled.
"If—if there's even a chance…"
"Mr. Feiche," said Ace seriously, "you should be the one to issue the commission to Fairy Tail."
After all, he wasn't a native of this land.
And this mission—Sugisawa Yuuto's agreement—wasn't just a personal favor.
Only the people of Wanokuni themselves could rightfully entrust Fairy Tail with the crusade against Kaido.
"President Sugisawa Yuuto, please… save this country!"
Led by Feiche, every villager of Bianka Village knelt down together, their voices uniting as one desperate plea.
"The cost of this commission will be high," Yuuto said calmly.
"It doesn't matter!" Feiche cried, removing his great tengu mask to reveal the tears streaming down his face.
"I've made too many mistakes already. As long as this country can be saved, I'll pay any price!"
He raised his head high, voice ringing out.
"I swear it… in the name of the Kozuki Clan!"
Yuuto's lips curved into a smile.
"Then it's a deal."
Half an hour later, the Fairy Tail took to the skies once more.
Five minutes after that—
CRACK!
A blinding thunderbolt tore through the heavens, obliterating the Beasts Pirates' torii outpost.
RUMBLE!
With a roar that shook the sky itself, the Fairy Tail advanced—
its soul blazing with the light of battle.