The world of pirates was full of wonders and surprises.
Ten thousand meters above the sea, there was the fabled Golden Town of Skypiea.
Deep beneath the ocean lay the mysterious Fish-Man Island.
And yet…
Even after witnessing countless marvels, the scene before Sugisawa Yuuto was enough to take his breath away.
A cluster of floating islands hung suspended in the open sky—each one drifting gently, unsupported by anything. They varied in size and height, scattered across the clouds like fragments of a dream.
Mountains rose proudly from their surfaces, rivers wound through valleys, and waterfalls cascaded down into the endless blue. There were crimson maple forests, ancient ruins half-buried in moss, and strange beasts roaming freely across the land.
The cries of those creatures mingled with the clash of battle as fierce duels played out between them.
If nothing else, this place could have been the ultimate tourist paradise.
Yuuto couldn't help but smile inwardly.
If Fairy Tail ever decided to build a vacation resort someday—this would be the model.
"Wow! This is incredible!" Yamato exclaimed, her eyes shining like a child's. "All those islands floating in the air—it's amazing! Is this the Sky Island recorded in Oden's logbook? Is this the Golden Town?"
"Idiot Yamato," Runti sighed, rolling her eyes. "Didn't the president already tell us before we came here? This is the base of the Flying Pirate, Golden Lion Shiki. All these islands are floating because of his Lion-Lion Fruit ability!"
"By the way," Runti added, her tone suddenly eager, "there seem to be all sorts of fascinating beasts here. President, can I capture them all?"
"Sure," Yuuto replied with a calm smile. "But let's take care of our main goal first."
"Got it!" Runti's dragon claws gripped the flame clouds beneath her as she surged upward through the sky.
In moments, the three of them—Yuuto, Runti, and Yamato—landed atop the Golden Lion's floating base.
Dark clouds swirled ominously around a grand, lavish palace suspended high above the world.
Their sudden arrival did not go unnoticed.
"Master Dr. Indigo! Something's wrong—terribly wrong!" A panicked voice echoed through the corridors. "A… a dragon! A dragon's coming!"
"Dragon? What nonsense are you—" Dr. Indigo, the eccentric scientist of the Flying Pirates, didn't even finish his sentence before—
BOOM!
A deafening explosion rocked the palace. Flames burst outward as Runti's heat blast tore through the walls, shaking the floating island to its core.
"D-Dragon! A real dragon!"
Half-buried under rubble, Dr. Indigo struggled to lift the debris off himself. When he finally looked up, he froze at the sight of the pink dragon hovering above the ruins—eyes blazing, scales shimmering like molten rose gold. His jaw dropped; words failed him.
"Golden Lion Shiki!" Runti roared, her voice echoing across the sky. "Flying Pirate of the Old Era—get out here!"
Her voice crackled with Haki, like thunder splitting the heavens.
But there was no response.
"What's this? The legendary pirate too scared to show his face?" she taunted. "If you don't come out, I'll burn this whole palace to the ground!"
"Stop!"
"Boss Shiki isn't here right now!"
"Who the hell are you people?"
"This is the territory of the Golden Lion himself—show some respect!"
"When Lord Shiki returns, you'll regret ever stepping foot here!"
The Flying Pirates shouted furiously from every direction, though their trembling voices betrayed their fear.
"Pathetic worms," Runti hissed, baring her teeth. "You've really got on my nerves."
She opened her jaws wide. Boom—boom—boom! A storm of blazing energy bombs rained down, blasting the Golden Lion's base into chaos.
"President," Runti called, "it looks like the Golden Lion really isn't here. What should we do?"
"In that case," Yuuto said calmly, pointing to a nearby island, "we'll just wait for him."
"Understood~" Runti chirped.
Moments later, the pink dragon descended beside a shimmering, mirror-like lake.
"Wow! What a beautiful lake!" Yamato gasped, eyes wide in awe.
"Stupid Yamato, we're not here for sightseeing," Runti scolded, hands on her hips. "We're here for a showdown!"
"Fine," Yamato replied cheerfully. "How do you want to compete?"
"There are plenty of beasts on this island," Runti said, grinning. "Let's see who can catch the most—and the biggest—prey!"
"No problem!" Yamato grinned back.
Under Yuuto's watchful eye as referee, the two girls launched into their contest.
The island, where Golden Lion Shiki had bred his rarest and most ferocious beasts, became a battlefield.
Within just a few hours, nearly every creature on the island had been subdued—heaped into two enormous piles on either side.
"Hm… looks about even," Yuuto judged, surveying the results with a neutral expression.
"It's not over yet!" Runti snapped. "Let's settle this once and for all!"
For the next two days straight, Runti and Yamato engaged in dozens of challenges—flying across the floating islands, fighting, racing, competing in every absurd way they could think of.
By sunset on the second day, their rivalry had reached a stalemate.
"Still want to keep going?" Yamato sighed, rubbing her forehead.
"Of course!" Runti declared proudly. "But we've already compared everything we can think of…"
She frowned for a moment, deep in thought—then suddenly, her eyes lit up mischievously.
"I've got it! This time, we'll see who can last longer—and who can get the president's milk first!"
Yamato tilted her head, blinking in confusion. The innocent expression on her face said it all—she didn't quite understand what Runti meant.
"What's wrong, Yamato? You scared?" Runti taunted smugly.
"Although I don't really know what you're talking about… I accept the challenge!" Yamato said confidently.
"Then come with me!" Runti said, marching off toward where Yuuto was relaxing in a natural hot spring nearby.
A few moments later—
When Yuuto heard the two girls explain their "new competition," he was left speechless.
"…Are you two serious?" he asked flatly.
"Of course! Please cooperate, President!" Yamato pleaded earnestly.
Yuuto sighed. "Fine, fine…"
Since it had come to this, he had no choice but to humor them.
A short while later—
"Huh? What… what is this?" Yamato gasped suddenly, her eyes widening. "I… I feel weird!"
"Hahaha! Can't even last five minutes, huh, Yamato?" Runti crowed triumphantly. "Looks like I picked the perfect contest this time!"
Compared to the naive Yamato, Runti had clearly done this sort of thing before—and she was reveling in her lead.
However—
"Runti… are you feeling okay?" Yamato asked with a teasing smile. "Because I'm not done yet."
"What—?!" Runti stammered.
"Next challenge!" Yamato declared boldly.
And so, from sunset to sunrise, their ridiculous rivalry continued.
By the dawn of the third day—
A thunderous roar shook the skies.
"Damn it! Who the hell dares make a mess of my territory while I'm away?!"
The furious voice echoed across the floating islands, rolling through the clouds like a storm.
The Great Flying Pirate—Golden Lion Shiki—had returned!