"Ren, take care of yourself!"
"Two months at most… remember to pick me up, otherwise I'll rebel!"
"Next time we meet, I'll be stronger, Ren!"
Their voices echoed along the coast of Apayado, the Island of Gods, as the waves of white clouds rolled endlessly.
Ren laughed, raising his hand in farewell. "Don't worry. I won't break my promise. Wait for me—I'll come back!"
This time, he did not take the form of the unicorn. Instead, before the astonished eyes of Wyper, Raki, and Carina, flames burst forth from his back, condensing into blazing wings of fire.
The wings unfurled with a roar, each feather a stream of molten light. Heat shimmered across the shore, and the warriors instinctively stepped back, shielding their faces from the wave of power.
Ren had stayed three days on Sky Island, pushing himself to master the abilities he had long neglected. His innate fire control, combined with the Kirin's phantom beast flames, had fused into something new—wings of destruction and freedom.
Not only weapons for attack and defense, but wings that could carry him across the skies.
"Woo-ho-ho…"
The wings beat once, and Ren's body lifted into the air. In an instant, he became a red streak of light, soaring into the horizon. The blazing trail lingered for moments before fading into the endless sea of clouds.
Raki clenched her fists, her eyes wide with awe. "In just three days… to achieve this… amazing!"
Her heart burned with determination. She would not allow herself to fall behind.
Carina crossed her arms, her lips curling in pride. "You haven't seen his true strength yet. I have. When Ren fights without restraint… the world itself trembles."
Wyper's gaze followed the fading light, his face calm but his eyes burning with yearning. His fists tightened, his voice deep and resolute. "Ren grows stronger every day. We cannot fail his trust. We must keep up with him."
The others nodded.
In those three days, Ren had not only trained himself—he had trained them. He had taught them the advanced techniques of the Six Powers: Moon Step, Tempest Kick, Shave. He had guided them in the ways of Haki, patiently explaining, demonstrating, and correcting.
Sky Island called it the "mind guide"—the awakening of the heart's voice. Wyper himself had touched that power in battle against Enel's priests, though his mastery was still raw.
Ren had shared everything without arrogance, even teaching Kamakiri and Braham. If they could master these arts, their strength would rise to heights unimaginable.
At first, Wyper had agreed to follow Ren out of gratitude. But now, after seeing his generosity, his vision, and his strength, Wyper's conviction was absolute.
Ren was no longer just a benefactor. He was a leader worth following into the unknown seas.
Wyper's vow echoed in his heart: even if he must fight as a pawn, even if he must sacrifice his life, he would never regret it. To him, Ren was more than a benefactor—he was a man whose vision stretched far beyond the horizon, a man worthy of staking the glory of Kalgara upon.
The Shandia warrior clenched his fists.
I will never betray his trust.
The heat wave surged, gusts of wind whipping across the coast.
Ren's body blazed with power, but this time it was not the phantom beast Kirin—it was the dragon form that unfurled within him. His physique, already strengthened beyond human limits, now radiated the primal might of a mythical dragon.
From his back erupted wings of fire, vast and jagged, modeled after the legendary crimson comet dragon, Valstrax. Each wing was a living inferno, shaped like sharpened blades of flame, thrumming with explosive energy.
"Woo-ho-ho…"
The wings beat once, and the air itself roared. A shockwave of heat rippled outward, scattering sparks across the sky.
Ren rose into the clouds, his silhouette a blazing dragon streaking across Kukai's endless white horizon.
Traveling light, he carried only a shoulder bag at his waist—essentials like water shells, lamp shells, record pointers, and a few personal items. Nothing weighed him down. His true burden was ambition.
"Although it was only three days… the results are remarkable."
He chuckled, watching the clouds rush past. His mastery of flame and the dragon's power had fused perfectly. The Valstrax wings were not just for flight—they were weapons, shields, and symbols of his evolution.
Even Fire Fist Ace, with his Mera Mera no mi, could never sustain wings like these. Ren's control was precise, his resilience unmatched. He had turned fire into freedom.
The crimson wings blazed brighter, propelling him faster, sharper, like a comet tearing through the sky.
Ren turned his head once, gray hair whipping in the wind, his eyes glancing back toward the Island of Gods.
"Carina… don't let me down."
Then, with a final surge, the dragon-winged figure vanished into the horizon, a red comet streaking across the sea of clouds.
Ren's gaze lingered, meaningful and heavy.
His departure was not only a journey—it was a test. A test for Carina.
He had been weighing her place in his future, considering whether she could truly become his confidant. There was no denying her rare talent: sharp in wisdom, deft in strategy, and unmatched in intelligence gathering. She was an all‑rounder, a woman who could thrive in the chaos of the seas.
But Ren knew the truth of the world. The more beautiful, clever, and confident a woman appeared, the easier it was for her to deceive others. Many wore masks of loyalty, only to reveal false hearts when temptation struck.
Ren would not be foolish. He would not grant blind trust without proof.
The treasures of Sky Island—the Golden Bell, the Ark Proverbs, the sealed chest guarded by Wyper, even the coveted Devil Fruits like the Baku Baku no mi and the Goro Goro no mi—were temptations no thief could easily resist.
If Carina's hands remained clean, if she made no attempt at betrayal, then her loyalty would be confirmed.
And when he returned, Ren would not hesitate to cultivate her fully. He would sharpen her talents, elevate her strength, and perhaps, one day, entrust her with secrets that only a true confidant could bear.
For now, though, she remained untested.
Ren's wings of flame carried him farther into the horizon, but his thoughts lingered behind. Karina… prove yourself. Show me you are worthy of the path I walk.