Day and night, Fairy Tail's ship cut across the waves, heading straight for Alabasta.
"Permanent pointer? How's this different from the log pose I'm holding?" Nami asked curiously, raising her wrist.
"The log pose records the magnetic field of an island," Vivi explained patiently. "Once it's full, it points toward the next island. But a permanent pointer keeps the magnetic signature of one island forever. It will always point to that one place."
"Ohh, that makes sense! No wonder this one looks a little different!" Nami nodded, satisfied.
"So then," Erza asked, intrigued, "where does our log pose say we're headed next?"
"Most likely… Little Garden, the Primordial Island," Igaram answered solemnly.
"I went there once while working for Baroque Works. It's not a place I'd ever want to return to."
"Oh?" Erza leaned forward, interest sparking in her eyes.
"If you wish to know," Igaram continued, lowering his voice, "Primordial Island lives up to its name. It has an ancient climate untouched by time. Dinosaurs long extinct elsewhere still roam freely. But…" His expression hardened. "There are beings far more dangerous than dinosaurs on that island."
"Eh? More dangerous than dinosaurs? What, like… real dragons?" Nami gasped.
"No—giants. Two of them. Titans, in fact. A hundred years ago, they were the infamous captains of the Giant Pirates, known for their cruelty. Each carries a bounty of one hundred million."
Gulp.
Nami and Vivi swallowed in unison.
"The titans of this world, huh? That sounds like a battle I'd love to experience someday," Erza said eagerly.
"There'll be time for that in the future. For now, we'll let it go." Sugisawa Yuuto's calm voice cut through her excitement.
Erza glanced at him, then nodded obediently.
"Good morning, everyone… ah, my head… it hurts so much."
A hungover Juvia stumbled down from the deckhouse, clutching her temples.
But the moment her eyes landed on Vivi, her expression changed completely.
"You…!" Juvia froze, her gaze turning sharp.
Tears of jealousy welled up as she recalled the image of Vivi leaning in Yuuto's arms the night before.
"Woo… it's you! The woman who stole the president from me! I challenge you—fight me right now!"
Her voice cracked as her aura flared.
"Juvia, wait! Calm down!" Erza quickly stepped in.
"Princess Vivi is our client," Mirajane added firmly, moving to block Juvia from the other side.
Five minutes later, after much explanation, Juvia finally pieced together what had really happened.
"So… all of that happened while I was drunk?" Juvia's eyes widened in disbelief.
After a long pause, she pressed her lips together, then walked toward Vivi.
Her cheeks burned, but her voice was steady.
"Miss Vivi… I deeply apologize. I was rude to you earlier."
"No, no, please don't apologize. I acted improperly too, Miss Juvia." Vivi waved her hands quickly, flustered.
"Miss Vivi," Juvia said, standing tall now, "I'll give my all to support your commission."
"Eh…?" Vivi blinked in surprise.
"Don't refuse," Yuuto interrupted. His tone was calm, but there was a weight behind it. "To resolve your country's crisis, Juvia's strength will be essential."
Vivi's lips parted slightly, then she gave a small nod.
A week later, Fairy Tail's ship entered a sea where the magnetic field and climate were steady. That meant a large island was near.
Half an hour passed before land finally broke the horizon.
Grand Line's desert kingdom—Alabasta.
During their voyage, they had already planned the strategy for what awaited them.
Vivi still didn't know who stood behind Baroque Works. The only lead was the boss's partner—Miss All-Sunday.
The plan was simple: Vivi and Igaram would lead Fairy Tail to a hidden Baroque Works stronghold in Alabasta. Then, under the pretense of valuable intelligence, they would lure Miss All-Sunday out. Capture her, and the path forward would be revealed.
Everything depended on her.
Soon, the summons was sent.
"Don't worry, Vivi," Nami said, noticing the princess's worried expression. "With our president here, no matter who shows up… they won't be leaving."
"No, Nami… that's not what I fear." Vivi shook her head, frowning deeply. "Miss All-Sunday isn't just dangerous—she's cunning. She can manage Baroque Works with flawless precision. She may see through our plan at a glance."
"It's useless to fret," Erza replied. "We'll simply wait. And if all else fails… we have the president."
When the plan had first been suggested, Erza had noticed the subtle shift in Sugisawa Yuuto's expression. She realized then that Yuuto likely knew far more than he let on.
And indeed, he did.
He knew exactly who was behind Baroque Works.
Yet even so, Yuuto pressed forward. Because there was someone he wanted to meet—
Miss All-Sunday, Nico Robin.
Time ticked by. Night fell once again. Vivi was on the verge of giving up hope when—
Tap, tap, tap!
Hurried footsteps echoed outside the hidden base.
A massive tortoise lumbered into view, pulling an ornate carriage upon its back.
"That's Banchi the turtle!" Vivi gasped, her voice trembling with relief and tension. "Miss All-Sunday is here!"