P.S= #27: Yukijinki Island Part 1
[On the Ship Zekia in the bathroom]
The air inside the ship's bathroom was humid, filled with the sound of running water and the clatter of shampoo bottles. Naima, wrapped in a towel, was the first to express her shock.
"What the hell are you guys doing in the girl's bathroom?" she shouted, hastily adjusting her towel.
"Cory broke the pipe," Yamato yelled in defense.
"What? You bastard, come here," Cory retaliated, leaping at Yamato. The two of them engaged in a rolling scuffle on the bathroom floor, making Ava and Kiyomizu unfazed.
"Don't worry about it; we're family, and family takes baths together, don't they?" Kiyomizu chimed in, trying to ease the tension.
Elliott, seemingly unperturbed, swung the door open, stealing everyone's attention as he casually strolled in. "Plus, your bath is bigger than ours," he added, the towel around his waist covering his lower body.
He settled onto a makeshift seat, an upturned wooden bucket, under the showerhead. With a swift grab, he reached for the shampoo, pulling it free, and began soaping up his hair. Cory and Yamato rushed over to him, unable to contain their awe.
"Wow! You're amazing, Elliott," Yamato exclaimed, feeling the well-defined abs. Cory, seemingly envious, chimed in, "I only have four."
"Six-pack abs are overrated," Elliott joked, oblivious to the two's admiration.
"I'm coming out now," Naima announced, breaking the quirky bathroom camaraderie.
"But why?" questioned Cory.
"You guys are just special; I'll take a nice long bath later." Naima exited the bathroom, leaving Elliott to take his turn in the tub.
"Hmm, that's the stuff," Elliott sighed contentedly.
Back in the bathroom, Cory resumed his dance routine, while Yamato attended to his hair.
"Hey, you guys, are we friends?" Elliott asked.
"..." Ava remained silent.
"Huh?" Kiyomizu seemed puzzled.
Yamato turned around, Cory stopped dancing, and Naima paused in her clothing endeavors. A smile spread across Cory's face.
"Nope, we are a family," he declared.
"You heard the captain!" Naima echoed.
The rest of the crew joined in the smiles.
[In the Briefing Room]
Dressed and ready, the crew gathered in the ship's briefing room. Yamato stood before a monitor, facing everyone.
"So, I called this meeting to inform you about our new net worth and our place in this world," he announced.
"It's out already?" Ava questioned.
"But it's only been four days," added Kiyomizu.
Yamato activated the monitor, revealing the net worth of the crew. Cory's net worth was first.
CORYEIL SILVA = ₩☆14,790,610 Million Rank = Black
ELLIOTT AOIHI = ₩☆11,930,500 Million Rank = Red
NAIMA SUMMER = ₩☆5,231,140 Million Rank= Blue
AVA = ₩☆4,100,000 Million Rank = Silver
KIYOMIZU KIMZOKU = ₩☆100,000 Million Rank = White
"So Ava's and Kiyomizu's net worth didn't go up, but wait a minute, where's Yamato's bounty?" Cory inquired, prompting a moment of suspense.
"I guess because he didn't came with us to the kingdom of light." said Elliott.
As they scrutinized their net worth on the holographic display, a sudden update captured their attention. A new entry emerged, and its astronomical figure left Cory, Ava, Yamato, and Kiyomizu in stunned silence.
"KING THEODORE = ₩☆91,511,291,047 Million Rank = Diamond."
"His net worth is unbelievably high," Yamato remarked, breaking the silence.
"Well, not as high as Nathaniel's, but still impressive," Naima interjected.
"Yeah, I know, but, wow," Cory added, still trying to process the staggering amount.
"Who is King Theodore?" Cory asked, seeking clarification.
"You don't know?" Elliott responded with surprise.
"No, I don't," Cory admitted.
"He's one of the Heavenly Generals," Elliott explained.
"He's just like Nathaniel, then," Cory observed.
"No, he's not. He's the opposite of Nathaniel in every way. This man is rumored to rely solely on haku in battle. He doesn't use his magic drive for anyone who can't match his level, and the only individuals who can are the elders and the Heavenly Generals themselves," Elliott clarified.
"So, basically, he's a walking calamity," Naima added with a thoughtful expression.
Cory pondered for a moment. "I wonder if I could beat him in a fight. Maybe, if I do, Nathaniel will finally agree to fight me."
The others were quick to caution him against such a risky endeavor.
"Don't be stupid! Didn't you hear what Elliott just said?" Yamato warned.
"I did, that's why I'm going to beat him and take his title as a Heavenly General. Then, I'll fight Nathaniel and claim his title as the strongest," Cory declared with determination.
They all exchanged skeptical glances.
"You heard the captain," Elliott chimed in.
"Yeah, we did," they replied in unison.
"Mr. King Theodore, you're a stepping stone to my dream of becoming the strongest," Cory silently affirmed, gearing up for the challenges that lay ahead.
"Everyone, listen up! We have entered a snowstorm," Indi's voice echoed through the intercom from the bridge.
The urgency in Indi's tone prompted the others to rush to the room. Yamato, clearly surprised, asked, "Did you just say snowstorm?"
Indi affirmed, "Yes, look for yourself." She pointed to the window, and they all walked up to witness the unexpected phenomenon.
"What the?" Yamato exclaimed.
"It's snowing," Elliott stated, disbelief in his voice.
"But it's summer. How could this be happening?" Naima questioned.
Cory, seemingly finding the situation amusing, started to laugh. "BAYAHYAHYAH, it's snowing."
"But it wasn't snowing a couple of minutes ago, was it?" Kiyomizu observed.
"I guess things like this happen," Ava added nonchalantly.
Suddenly, a series of beeps filled the room.
"What's that?" Naima inquired.
"Don't worry; I built an Ayakashi tracker. It tells you if one's near us," Yamato explained as he walked over to it. His expression changed.
"What's wrong?" Elliott asked.
"Yamato, what's wrong?" Naima pressed.
"I think I know where we are," Yamato replied.
"Where?" Kiyomizu asked.
"We're at the Yukijinki Island."
"The what now?" Kiyomizu exclaimed.
"What the hell are you talking about? There's no island," Naima said.
Cory, still looking out the window, added, "Guys, I see an island that's made out of snow." The revelation left them all in a state of awe and confusion, surrounded by the surreal combination of a summer snowstorm and the discovery of a mysterious snow-made island.