"It's so hot here."
Robin, wearing a dress with her long hair tied into a ponytail, dabbed her forehead with a handkerchief to prevent sweat from dripping onto the nautical chart in her hands.
"An unnamed island—marked on the chart but without any notes."
Nautical charts usually included annotations about an island's name and purpose.
The absence of notes either meant the island's details hadn't been investigated yet...
Or that the island before them held no value whatsoever.
No scenery to admire, no towns to rest in, not even any food or supplies to replenish.
She glanced toward the shore—a stretch of sandy beach near the water, beyond which lay cracked, parched earth.
A place like this hardly seemed capable of sustaining crops. It was even questionable whether there were any living people here.
"Well, since we're already here, we might as well take a look."
Dier changed into a floral shirt and loose shorts, slipping on flip-flops before pulling out a camera from his Storage Space.
Not a Photographing Den Den Mushi—just an ordinary camera that could be stored inside.
One of his dreams was to travel the world.
Now that he had free time, stumbling upon an island naturally meant exploring it.
He turned to the others on deck and asked,
"Anyone want to come along?"
Hina pinched the collar of her wine-red suit jacket, frowning slightly.
"I'm going to take a bath. It's too hot here—I hate feeling sticky from sweat.
Hina hates it."
Though her suit wasn't particularly thick, the high temperature made it unbearable.
Rather than breathing in the scorching air on the island, she preferred washing up and curling up in bed with the latest issue of her favorite manga.
Perona wasn't enthusiastic either—she and Lami were heading to the kitchen to learn dessert-making from Aunt Leia.
In the end, only four chose to go ashore:
Dier, Robin, Madson, and Law.
As dusk settled, Dier stored two large tents and plenty of supplies in his Storage Space, preparing for a camping trip.
His body emitted a soft glow, illuminating the path beneath their feet.
The cracked, yellowish earth crumbled underfoot, stirring up dust with each step. A few withered blades of grass struggled through the fissures, swaying weakly in the evening breeze—as if they might snap at any moment.
Madson, with a small pouch at his waist, scanned the surroundings behind his square-framed glasses.
But the more he looked, the more disappointed he became, eventually sighing under his breath.
Though the Platinum Lead in his family's bodies had long been purged, he hadn't given up searching for a cure for Platinum Lead Disease.
When surgical methods failed, he turned his focus to internal remedies.
Coming ashore now was in hopes of finding medicinal herbs.
But judging by the arid landscape, it seemed unlikely any would grow here.
"Let's check the hill over there. The vegetation looks a bit denser."
Dier offered some comfort. Not far ahead of them stood a small hill.
Compared to the barren surroundings, the plant life there was indeed relatively lush.
The trees nearby had no leaves—but at least the ones on the hill had a few.
Unfortunately, leaves didn't guarantee medicinal herbs.
Upon reaching the hill, Madson abandoned his search after just a glance.
The leaves were yellowed, the low-lying grass seemingly on the verge of spontaneous combustion.
This island truly had nothing to offer.
"Not even a single small animal. Good thing we brought food in advance."
Dier found a clear spot and sat down, disappointed.
Along the way, there wasn't a single human figure or scenic view—not even a living animal in sight.
He didn't bother setting up a tent, simply retrieving some meat from his Storage Space. After eating, he planned to fly back to the Storm Petrel to sleep.
Law and Robin gathered materials from their surroundings, breaking off numerous branches from the trees.
Unlike ordinary trees, these were almost completely devoid of moisture, making them excellent fuel.
Before long, a bonfire was assembled.
Just as Dier was about to ignite it with his Flame Power, Law suddenly raised a hand, his small face serious as he declared:
"Let me do it!"
He stepped up to the bonfire and extended his right index finger toward the base of the pile.
There, he had placed crushed weeds and dried leaves—kindling he had deliberately collected.
Dier's Flame Ability didn't need such flammable tinder. A single fireball could easily set the entire sparse forest ablaze, let alone a mere bonfire.
But Law's flames required it.
With solemn focus, he silently recited in his heart: "Spark·Whirl."
The power of Germa 66 Sparking Red. Though his favorite was Sola, the Sola from the comics didn't possess any fire-based abilities.
Fwoosh~
A tiny flame flickered to life at his fingertip, licking at the tinder before swiftly spreading to engulf the entire bonfire.
"Hah~"
Law exhaled, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, but his face wore a satisfied smile.
The Flame Ability Dier had granted him was so weak it was practically nonexistent. Even straining with all his might, he could only produce a flame the size of a lighter's spark.
And there was no room for growth—unless Dier continuously raised his limits, no amount of training would allow him to improve.
Despite its many shortcomings, he was still pleased.
At nine years old, he was at that rebellious, idealistic age, yearning for extraordinary powers.
Tilting his head up, he wore a proud expression, as if he had accomplished something grand.
"Alright, time to grill the meat."
...
No response.
Law turned around to find Dier and the other two staring at him with stiff expressions, utterly silent.
"HAHAHA!!"
Madson suddenly burst into laughter, slapping the ground so hard it kicked up dust.
Robin's lips curled into a smirk as she teased,
"Law, that was pretty cool just now."
Dier retrieved the camera floating mid-air with his telekinesis.
"I used telekinesis to take a picture. I'll develop it later and show Lami."
As he spoke, the smile on his face abruptly vanished, replaced by a solemn expression as he raised his right index finger.
"Spark·Whirl!"
Law froze, his face gradually turning red.
Did I actually say it out loud just now...
"Y-You—I didn't say anything!"
"Yeah, yeah, of course you didn't. And there's definitely no photo in the camera."
The camera orbited Law via telekinesis as the air filled with cheerful laughter.
...
After the teasing, everyone got to grilling.
The flames licked at the skewers, dripping fat causing the firelight to flare brighter.
The island offered no scenery to speak of, but the night sky was clear, and grilling under the moonlight had its own charm.
Grilling meat wasn't particularly difficult—as long as it was cooked and seasoned properly, it wouldn't taste bad.
The enticing aroma filled the air, breathing a bit of life into the desolate forest.
"Law, the meat's ready. Come have some."
"Shut up, stupid old man! You were the one laughing the loudest earlier!"
Hearing his son's resentful reply, Madson chuckled awkwardly.
Normally, Law carried himself like a little adult—mature and composed.
Upon seeing such a childish and immature side of him, it was hard for the father not to burst into laughter.
Gurgle—
The sound of a drumming stomach echoed.
Madson approached once more with roasted meat in hand, chuckling:
"Listen to your stomach growling. Come eat. I promise not to tell Lami about today."
"It's not..."
Law, standing with his back to the bonfire, denied it outright, but suddenly, Dier's figure appeared before him.
"Indeed, it's not Law."
Dier narrowed his eyes slightly, gazing at a withered tree as a fireball materialized beside him.
"Stop hiding. Come out!"
Hearing this, Madson immediately stepped forward, shielding Law behind him, his eyes filled with vigilance as he stared at the dead tree.
Rustle—
A girl emerged from behind the tree, dressed in a tattered sackcloth dress, her hair tangled in multiple places, her entire body covered in grime.
Head bowed, she stumbled after just a few steps, collapsing to her knees before Dier, pleading softly:
"F-Flame Devourer-sama... please devour me!"