"Th-then… that… what the hell is that!!!"
Nami and Vivi stood frozen, staring wide-eyed at the cascading waves of sand surging toward them.
"A sandstorm as massive as a tsunami? This kind of thing shouldn't even exist!"
Vivi's lovely face turned pale as her heart thudded violently in her chest.
"The desert truly gives a terrifying advantage to one who commands sand. This attack… is troublesome indeed."
Erza's expression tightened, her tone heavy with concern.
"Miss Erza, the president… he'll be fine, right?"
Nami swallowed hard, her voice trembling.
"No problem," Juvia answered firmly without hesitation.
"Indeed. His control of thunder is overwhelming. With the president's speed, he can easily avoid such an attack," Mirajane added calmly.
"Fortunately, this battlefield is an empty desert. If a city were behind him, he couldn't simply dodge. He would have no choice but to face it head-on," Erza said solemnly.
The words eased their fear. Nami and Vivi finally breathed, the weight in their chests lifting a little.
But reality rarely unfolds as one expects.
As the monstrous sandstorm bore down, Sugisawa Yuuto did not dodge—just as Erza and Mirajane had predicted he would. Instead, he planted his feet firmly in the sand.
A true man never retreats.
The first one to back down is nothing more than a cowardly dog.
BOOM!!!
Yuuto unleashed his full power.
Lightning surged wildly as Dragon Slayer magic roared to its limit. Blinding bolts of thunder erupted like a boundless ocean, crashing forward with unstoppable force.
"Turn to bones in the desert!!!" Locke Dahl bellowed, his voice sharp as steel.
The desert tsunami swallowed forward.
Yuuto neither flinched nor faltered. His expression showed neither joy nor sorrow.
His hands swept outward. The sea of thunder churned violently.
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art—Radiant Thunder!!!"
The Lost Magic—an ultimate technique of the Thunder Dragon Slayer—erupted for the first time in this pirate world.
Golden lightning, vast as an ocean, smashed head-on into the colossal desert tsunami.
The world itself seemed to pale.
For an instant, even time and space held their breath.
No one knew how long that frozen moment lasted—perhaps only the blink of an eye.
RUMBLE!!!
The heavens seemed to collapse with the sound.
CRACK!!!
The fiercest, purest lightning pierced the surging tide of sand. Electric serpents spread through the desert, lashing out indiscriminately across the battlefield.
A Logia user's elemental body was not untouchable.
Mere physical attacks could scatter sand. But elemental destruction—true thunder—could annihilate it completely.
Even if Locke Dahl buried himself within the endless desert sea, it was useless. Yuuto's secret art targeted the sand itself.
"Im… impossible… aaaaaahhh!!!"
From the collapsing sandstorm, a charred figure screamed as it was blasted into the air before crashing into the earth. He did not rise again.
The battle… was over!!!
Shichibukai Locke Dahl—defeated!!!
Shua~!
A flash of lightning streaked across the battlefield.
Yuuto reappeared aboard the Fairy Tail's deck, calmly lifting his teacup—still warm—and taking a slow sip.
For a heartbeat, silence gripped the crew.
Then—
"OHHHH!!! The president won! He won!!!" Nami cheered, throwing her arms up.
"I never thought he would choose to take the attack head-on… The president of our guild is truly fearless," Erza exhaled in awe.
"As expected. After all, he's the master of Fairy Tail," Mirajane said with a gentle smile.
"President…" Juvia whispered, her arms already spreading to rush forward—
But before she could, another figure darted past.
Vivi flung herself into Yuuto's embrace.
"Thank you so much, President Yuuto. You saved this country!" she cried, her voice choked with gratitude. Her soft lips brushed his cheek, leaving a clear kiss-mark behind.
This time, it wasn't like Whiskey Peak—
Not an act to provoke, nor a move to stir Juvia's jealousy.
This time, Vivi followed her heart.
A kiss of true thanks.
"Wow~!"
The sudden bold gesture made Nami, Erza, and Mirajane stare in shock.
Then, as if on cue, all three turned their eyes toward Juvia.
"What are you looking at me for?" Juvia asked with a calm, almost smug smile.
She showed no signs of outrage or jealousy.
Of course—why would she?
Vivi may have kissed Yuuto's face, but Juvia had already given him far more. She had shared everything with him. She had tasted the memory of that unforgettable night.
Everything about Yuuto was already engraved into her body and soul.
Compared to that, Vivi's fleeting gesture was meaningless.
The thought filled Juvia with a quiet sense of superiority.
"Juvia, you really don't mind?" Nami asked uncertainly.
"It's fine. I'm an adult. I'm not the same as you little girls," Juvia replied with an almost angelic smile.
Nami: "…"
The words, combined with her serene expression, made Nami want to scream—but she could only clench her fists in frustration. No matter what, she couldn't bring herself to do what Juvia had.
Her thoughts scattered wildly—
Click! Click!
The bright flashes of a camera strobe filled the air.
"Hahahahaha! Subarashii! Absolutely subarashii! Such a spectacular fight! This will be news that shakes the entire world!!!"
The booming laughter drew every gaze.
Erza's head snapped upward, her sharp eyes locking onto the source.
"A… bird?" she muttered, baffled.
"A bird… wearing a suit?" Mirajane tilted her head.
Nami, Vivi, and Juvia all stared wide-eyed in shock.
Only Yuuto recognized him immediately.
The birdlike man in a tailored suit.
He knew this figure's identity at once.
And though he didn't know why the man was here, Yuuto realized instantly—this was the perfect chance for Fairy Tail to make its name known to the world.
With a flap of wings, the birdman glided down gracefully, landing neatly upon the deck.
"Ahem. A pleasure to meet you, Fairy Tail. I am Morgens, president of the World Economic News. Please… grant me an interview!"