The Man Who Will Become Pirate King

"Mmm, this feels amazing!" Feng Lan stood at the bow, gazing out at the sea. "This ship actually has special equipment to keep Dragon Slayer Mages from getting seasick. Guild Master, you really put thought into this."

Makarov wore sunglasses and sipped coconut juice in pure enjoyment. "It's nothing~ We've got so many Dragon Slayer Mages in our guild, so of course we have to look after them when we come out to have fun."

"What a relaxing time," Laxus said, reclining in a deck chair with headphones on as he listened to music.

"Laxus, would you like something to eat or drink?" Freed stood beside Laxus, holding an assortment of snacks and beverages.

Laxus glanced over. "Give me a glass of orange juice. Make it iced."

Mira and Erza were still bickering as usual.

"Mira, if you don't understand, then stay out of it!" Erza shouted at Mira, clenching her fists. "Strawberry cake is the best!"

Mira refused to back down. "Who doesn't understand here?! Chocolate cake is clearly the right choice! You Iron Plate Woman!"

Erza changed into a swimsuit upon hearing that. "Huh? What are you talking about?! You super-duper flat-chested woman!"

"Y-you... Why are you making personal attacks?! Want to fight?!" Mira looked at her own chest and Erza's. There really was no comparison.

Erza smiled faintly. "What's wrong? Nothing to say now, right? Flat-chested woman! Flat-chested woman! Flat-chested woman!"

Mira stomped furiously, her little face flushed red, but she could not force out a single retort. "Aaargh! Honestly, I can't be bothered talking to you!"

Lisanna and Levy sat beside Cana, watching her arrange stacks upon stacks of cards.

Lisanna tilted her head and asked, "Cana, what are those?"

Cana said smugly, "Hehe, it's a new kind of fortune-telling I recently learned~ Want to give it a try?"

Levy and Lisanna hurriedly nodded. "Sure! What can it tell us?"

Cana pursed her lips. "How about I read your romantic prospects?"

Levy scratched her head. "Romantic prospects? What's that?"

Cana looked at Levy as though she were a little kid. "Romantic luck. Your future destined relationship."

Lisanna asked curiously, "I want one! How does it work?"

Cana stacked the Tarot Cards together. "It's simple. Just randomly draw one card from here." (The author doesn't know either, just made it up.)

Lisanna turned around and called to Mira, who was still sulking. "Big Sis Mira, Big Brother Elfman! Come over! There's something fun here!"

Cana waved Erza over as well. "Erza! You should get a reading too. It's really accurate~"

Gray also wandered over curiously and took a look. "What's this?"

Levy explained to Gray, "I think it's fortune-telling, something about... destined relationships. You should try it too, Gray. It's pretty simple."

Once Cana saw that everyone had gathered, she began shuffling the cards. Then she spread the Tarot Cards out before them. "All right, draw one each and let me see."

Everyone selected a card from the spread and showed them to Cana one after another.

Levy handed her card over first. "Look at mine first!"

Cana took it and examined it. "Your card is {Blacksmith}. That means your possible other half may have something to do with ironware."

Elfman handed his card to Cana as well. "Please."

Cana looked at the card. "Yours is {Art}. Elfman's other half should be someone who loves art very much."

Erza handed Cana her card. "Cana, please take a look at mine."

Cana explained, "Erza's card is {Starry Sky}. Maybe Erza's partner will be an astronomer."

Gray held out his card to Cana. "What about mine?"

Cana said, "Yours is {Stream}. Gray's girlfriend should be related to water."

Lisanna handed her card over too. "Cana, hurry and look at mine!"

Cana took it and looked it over, her brows drawing together. "Lisanna's card is {Hell}, symbolizing flames... and darkness."

Lisanna tilted her head, clearly not paying attention to the latter half of Cana's words. "Hehe, if it's flames, then it must be Natsu! After all, I'm Natsu's future bride!"

Mira handed her own card to Cana. "Fine... look at mine." As she passed it over, her eyes flicked toward Feng Lan at the bow.

Cana took the card and explained, "This card representing your partner is {Deep Sea}, which means your partner is definitely related to water."

At that, Mira unconsciously relaxed and glanced at Feng Lan beside her.

Then Cana knitted her brows tightly. "But this card has another meaning..."

Mira asked in confusion, "Another meaning?"

Cana nodded. "The other meaning is oppression. In other words, your other half might often be crushed by all kinds of things until he can barely breathe... so hurry up and go keep Feng Lan company!"

Mira's face flushed red. "W-who says someone related to water has to be Feng Lan?! Then why can't it be Gray?!"

Everyone looked at Gray, their expressions becoming extremely strange.

Gray said dumbly, "What's with that? Let me make this clear first, I'm not gay! I'm straight! Don't spread rumors. If we're talking about gay... I think Feng Lan and Laxus might have something going on..."

"Water Dragon's Roar!"

Gray had barely finished speaking when two Dragon's Roars struck him head-on.

Feng Lan and Laxus roared in unison, "Gray, do you have a death wish?!"

Wendy asked innocently, "Big Brother, what does gay mean? Why is Brother Gray straight?"

Feng Lan suddenly felt like chopping Gray to death. He patted Wendy on the head. "Be good, Wendy. You'll understand that stuff when you grow up, so don't ask about it now, okay~"

Wendy nodded obediently. "Big Brother, but I'm hungry..."

Feng Lan rubbed his chin. "Hungry... Huh!?"

Just as Feng Lan was wondering what to make for Wendy, the ship suddenly began rocking violently.

Makarov shouted at everyone, "A Sea Beast attack! Hurry and get ready—"

Before Makarov could finish, Feng Lan shouted, "Get ready to eat! Laxus, Natsu, Gray, prepare yourselves!"

"Lightning Dragon's Breakdown Fist!" Laxus transformed into lightning and blasted the Sea Beast high into the air.

"Here I go, 'Onikiri,' 'Spider Sever'!" Feng Lan leaped into the air, jumping above the Sea Beast. "Twin Moon Sky Flow—Demon Dance!" Feng Lan swung his dual blades, slicing the Sea Beast into dozens of meat slabs.

"Roar of the Fire Dragon!" As the meat slabs fell from the sky, Natsu seized the chance and blasted them all with a fiery Dragon's Breath, thoroughly cooking them.

"Ice-Make: Plates!" Gray followed right after, creating dozens of plates from ice and catching the meat slabs one by one.

Then Feng Lan performed a flashy backflip, catching one plate of meat. He landed stylishly and handed it to Wendy.

Wendy looked at Feng Lan with utter admiration. "Big Brother, you're amazing!"

Feng Lan smugly wiped his nose. "Naturally. It was just a Sea Beast. I, Feng Lan, am the man who will become Pirate King!"

Natsu complained with a face full of dark lines, "Bro, you've read too many novels... Don't tell me you're going to drag us off to find One Piece later?"

Feng Lan said in surprise, "Damn, you read that novel too?"

Natsu nodded. "Yeah, I read some of it when I was at your house before... Anyway, bro, you're so childish."

"Shut up!" Feng Lan directly threw his own plate at Natsu.

Natsu caught the plate in one hand and stuffed the meat on it into his mouth. "Thank you for Feng Lan's generous gift!"

Natsu swallowed his own portion of meat in one bite as well, then turned and ran. "You threw it to me yourself!"

Feng Lan froze for a moment. "Huh? Natsu, you bastard!"