"No way… Elder Nyon?" the captain of the Kuja Pirates said.
Traditionally, the captain of the Kuja Pirates is appointed by the Queen of Amazon Lily, but since the throne is currently vacant, she was temporarily in charge.
Amazon Lily itself was overseen by Elder Nyon, who managed the nation both administratively and militarily.
"You saw that dragon just now. Its strength could rival an Admiral. Do you think its rider would be weak?" Elder Nyon shook her head.
"Admiral!!"
The Kuja Pirates' captain trembled. She had understood that Slifer the Sky Dragon was powerful, but she hadn't expected it to reach such a level. An Admiral represents the pinnacle of Marine strength—there are only three publicly recognized Admirals.
Each Admiral's power can rival that of an entire nation.
Suddenly, the captain understood why Elder Nyon hadn't tried to drive Hunter away earlier.
It wasn't that she didn't want to—she simply dared not.
Angering an Admiral-level being would be disastrous for Amazon Lily.
Elder Nyon sighed, watching the now-vanished red streak in the distance. "I don't know who that person is, but their mount… it's Admiral-class."
The Kuja Pirates' captain could only shake her head in resignation.
Elder Nyon turned to the captain. "Go prepare the Devil Fruit. We'll wait for his return."
She had no doubt Hunter would succeed.
While the Celestial Dragons were under the World Nobles, their true power wasn't overwhelming. And with Hunter's Slifer at his side, rescuing Boa Hancock would be straightforward.
All they needed to do was wait.
Beneath the vast, blue sky, a streak of red light shot forward at incredible speed.
That red streak was Slifer the Sky Dragon.
Hunter sat atop Slifer's head, holding the newspaper Elder Nyon had given him.
It contained not only the Celestial Dragons' route but also a map from Amazon Lily to their current location.
"Land of Wano."
A small nation in the first half of the Grand Line, and Hunter's current destination.
Every year, allied nations of the World Government must pay tribute to the Celestial Dragons. The Celestial Dragons' fleet escorts these valuables, staying in each nation for three days.
The Celestial Dragons had been in Wano for two days already. That meant they would leave the next day.
Once they left Wano, finding them in the vast sea would be much harder. Hunter instructed Slifer to fly at full speed to arrive before they departed.
Slifer, as the Sky Overlord and one of the three gods of the Yu-Gi-Oh world, flew at extraordinary speed. Scenes below blurred like a movie reel.
Their speed had surpassed the sound barrier.
Hunter's small frame wouldn't normally withstand such force, but Slifer's divine body projected a protective barrier over him. He felt no discomfort from the flight.
"Boss! Red comet!" A pirate aboard a ship on the open sea shouted, pointing at the sky.
The captain looked up, saw nothing, and punched the pirate in the head. "Red comet in broad daylight? Are you dreaming?"
"But… it really…"
"Silence, or no dinner tonight!"
"Yes, sir." The pirate immediately clamped his mouth shut. No dinner was a harsh punishment.
Slifer's full-speed flight caused quite a stir, even making the newspapers.
"System, how do I obtain another random exchange?" Hunter asked idly as they approached Wano.
"Through special energy," the system replied.
Hunter blinked. "Special energy… what's that?"
The system didn't explain further. "Something like a Devil Fruit."
Hunter smiled. A Devil Fruit! He had already experienced the sweet taste of a random exchange—trading a nest of birds for a dragon! He couldn't wait to try again.
Of course, he understood that getting Slifer before had been pure luck. But what if the next exchange went similarly?
Luck was unpredictable.
With that problem solved, Hunter now had a clear goal: collect as many Devil Fruits as possible.
But relying on Slifer alone wouldn't suffice. This world was full of hidden strong warriors, from the Four Emperors to Admirals to the Five Elders. Hunter's tiny frame would be crushed by even a low-ranking Marine.
He needed to strengthen himself.
After some time, Slifer slowed its speed. Soon, it hovered above a city, turning its head to let out low roars at Hunter.
"Are we there?" Hunter slowly stood, looking below.
A sprawling city of buildings appeared. Among them, a towering structure stood out. At its peak, a flag fluttered in the wind.
"WANO." The massive character was emblazoned on the flag.
They had arrived in Wano.