The passenger ship slowly docked, and as soon as the gangway was lowered, Natsu was the first to rush out.
The moment his feet touched land, he sprang up like a lit firecracker, tilted his head back, and spewed a roaring flame into the sky.
"Oh ho! Finally off the ship!"
Natsu raised his hands high above his head and spun around in place several times.
The group carried their luggage and walked along the coconut tree-lined path toward the hotel.
The sea breeze, carrying a salty, damp scent, brushed against their cheeks, and the sound of waves crashing against the reefs came from afar; the entire island was enveloped in a leisurely vacation atmosphere.
Arriving at the hotel reception, everyone lined up to check in.
The staff handed over a set of keys and an event flyer, printed with colorful patterns and eye-catching slogans.
One villa, three rooms.
Riyao and Mirajane naturally stayed in one room, while the other two rooms were given to Elfman and Lisanna respectively.
Lisanna hugged her small luggage bag, skipped over to push open the door, and let out a joyful cheer.
After everyone had settled in, a hotel staff member used a megaphone in the plaza at the center of the villa area to announce some news:
The vacation island was hosting a large-scale competition; groups could register by villa to participate in various recreational activities on the island, and the team with the highest final score would receive a generous reward.
"Two hundred thousand J and a lifetime membership to the vacation island!"
Two tangible golden lights appeared in Lucy's eyes, shining so brightly they could almost be used as searchlights.
She grabbed Happy's tail, held the cat upside down, and shook him back and forth frantically.
"Happy! Tell me this isn't a dream! Tell me!"
Happy was shaken until he saw stars, his two paws flailing in the air.
"Yes, yes, yes... it's not a dream... aye... I'm going to be sick..."
Lucy tossed Happy aside, cupped her cheeks with both hands, and immersed herself in beautiful fantasies.
"I never expected to get a reward just for coming on vacation!"
Riyao sauntered over, holding a freshly bought iced fruit juice. He took a sip and poured cold water on Lucy's excitement without haste.
"Your luck... is on par with mine."
Lucy's smile froze on her face instantly, the corners of her mouth twitching twice. She slowly turned her head to glare at Riyao, her gaze clearly saying, "No one will think you're a mute if you don't talk."
Happy climbed up from the ground, shook his head which was still seeing stars, and raised a paw to ask a question.
"In a situation like Riyao and Mira staying in one room, doesn't that leave an extra person in the villa?"
The staff member flipped through the rulebook and explained with a smile, "Only the highest score for each event counts toward the total, so having more people doesn't necessarily mean an advantage. The key is whether you can get high scores in every event."
Riyao and Mirajane exchanged a glance and shrugged simultaneously.
They had originally just wanted to have a Happy vacation; any competition or reward was just fleeting clouds.
However, the reactions of the other guild members were completely different.
Even Makarov got excited. He put his hands on his hips, tilted his head back, and let out a series of his signature laughs.
"Oh ho ho, it seems I'll have to get serious this time."
Fairy Tail's damn competitive spirit had already spread rapidly among the Fairy Tail members like a virus.
Makarov naturally formed a team with Macao and Wakaba.
The three old geezers, with a combined age of over 150, stood together with their arms crossed, striking a pose of being 'old but still vigorous'—the old-timer combo.
Lisanna tugged at Mirajane's sleeve, swaying from side to side while acting spoiled, her voice sweet enough to drip honey.
"Big sister, let's join this competition too."
Elfman poked his head out from the side, slamming one fist into his other palm with a loud "clap."
"A real man must win the championship!"
Mirajane looked down at Lisanna's puffed-out cheeks and couldn't help but reach out a finger to poke them; the soft sensation made the corners of her mouth curl up.
"Alright then, let's make a name for the Strauss family!"
Riyao stood to the side with his hands in his pockets. His gaze landed on the childish excitement on Mirajane's face, and a helpless yet doting smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.
Forget it, as long as she's Happy.
Everyone was full of drive and began searching for teammates to share their villas.
People were coming and going in the plaza, with shouting and laughter echoing one after another; it was as lively as a sports meet.
Jet and Droy simultaneously reached out with a dramatic, pleading gesture, their faces filled with the tragic sorrow of being abandoned.
"Levy! Is Shadow Gear disbanding?"
Levy turned back, playfully stuck out her tongue, and hugged Lucy's arm tightly, practically hanging off her.
"Sorry, but since I'm a girl, I naturally want to stay with other sweet-smelling, soft girls."
Jet and Droy's hands froze in mid-air, and as a sea breeze blew by, their figures appeared exceptionally desolate.
Alzack stood at the edge of the crowd, his gaze furtively glancing toward Bisca.
His heart rate accelerated a little, and taking a deep breath, he just gathered the courage to take the first step.
Erza walked past with Cana, striding quickly; one on each side, they grabbed Bisca's arms and dragged her away without a word.
As Bisca was being dragged away, she looked back and only saw Alzack's half-extended hand and his face full of disappointment.
The girls' team-building speed was astonishing; they divided into groups in no time, and everyone's face was beaming with the joy of finding their group.
As for the boys... it was a bit chaotic.
Natsu and Gray were arguing about who should be the captain, Gajeel was nearby chewing on a screw and watching coldly, and Jet and Droy were still wailing over Levy's "betrayal."
After Riyao's group put away their luggage, the four of them went out to look around and see what activities the island had to offer.
Sunlight filtered through the coconut leaves, casting dappled shadows, and the roar of a roller coaster rushing past and the screams of tourists came from afar.
The four followed the sound to the entrance of the roller coaster, where a huge signboard stood next to the queue area, displaying the project introduction in exaggerated fonts.
Lisanna stood on tiptoe and read it out word for word, her voice growing more and more excited.
"Three hundred kilometers per hour! Maximum height drop of twenty meters!"
Elfman clenched his fists and shouted to the sky.
"A real man must ride the roller coaster!"
Just as he was about to rush into the queue, Riyao reached out and grabbed him by the back of his collar, nodding his chin toward the front of the line.
"Let's let Natsu and the others finish first; I'm afraid of rain."
Mirajane tilted her head, looked up at the cloudless blue sky above, and the sunlight made her squint slightly.
"Hm? Isn't it a clear, sunny day right now?"
Riyao didn't explain, just smiled meaningfully, crossed his arms over his chest, and assumed a posture of waiting to see a good show.
The four of them stood outside the fence, watching Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Gajeel get on the roller coaster.
The rules for the roller coaster challenge were simple: gain event points based on volume; the louder you scream, the higher the score.
Gajeel just figured he had a loud voice, which is why he dragged his two roommates along.
He sat in the first row of the roller coaster, arms crossed, a cold, confident smirk on his face.
The roller coaster started slowly, the friction between the gears and the track emitting a low roar.
Natsu's face had already started to turn slightly pale, his hands tightly covering his mouth, his cheeks puffed out like a frog.
Gray, sitting next to Natsu, caught a glimpse of Natsu's appearance out of the corner of his eye. His pupils shrank sharply, and a strong sense of foreboding welled up in his heart.
Without a word, he clapped his hands together, ice magic condensing in his palms, and instantly created a thick ice helmet, which he slapped onto Natsu's head.
The roller coaster began to accelerate, the wind whistling past his ears, and the track twisted rapidly before his eyes.
The carriage rushed through one bend after another, getting faster and faster.
Gajeel took a deep breath, his chest expanding to its limit, and then opened his mouth wide; a sound wave imbued with magic power erupted from the depths of his throat.
[Iron Dragon's Roar: Sound Version]
"Shubidubi!"
The massive sound wave echoed between the roller coaster tracks, and the score counter jumped frantically.
Gajeel grinned triumphantly, preparing to let out another one.
Just then, the roller coaster charged into a death loop, and the carriage hung suspended at the highest point for a brief moment.
It was at this very moment that the ice helmet on Natsu's head slipped off due to the violent shaking.
Natsu's mouth was exposed.
Encountering a rainbow, eating the rainbow.
Natsu's mouth was like an opened faucet, and a brilliant rainbow traced a perfect parabola in the air, following the trajectory of the roller coaster.
The richness of the colors and the breadth of the range could be called the most spectacular scene since the roller coaster began operations.
When the roller coaster finally returned to the lowest point and slowly came to a stop, Gajeel was still holding the pose of his mouth wide open, "aah"-ing.
Then he tasted an indescribable flavor.
"Mmm? Damn Fire Dragon! Blegh!"
"Blegh!" × 26
All the tourists on the roller coaster, having been wreaked havoc upon by this chain reaction, vomited collectively, forming an even more spectacular, undulating rainbow group in the roller coaster stop area.
Riyao stood outside the fence, watching this tragic and horrendous scene expressionlessly. He was silent for two seconds, then slowly turned around.
"Let's go play something else; this roller coaster is dirty."
Mirajane nodded like a pounding pestle, her smile somewhat stiff.
"Mm-hmm, let's go play something else."
Elfman rarely put away his 'manly' slogans, his tone carrying a hint of awe.
"A real man doesn't ride dirty roller coasters."
Lisanna covered her face with both hands, peeking through the gaps between her fingers.
"Natsu is so pitiful."
Riyao walked forward without looking back, adding faintly.
"The others are more pitiful, I'd say."