The sea rumbled beneath the traveling ship as it pushed deeper into the endless waters. Salted winds whipped across the deck, snapping the sails and carrying the metallic scent of Renshi flowing faintly from the man standing at the bow. Miyamoto's sharp gaze pierced through the horizon, watching as the waters grew darker, heavier, and more alive with unseen forces.
"Are we good to go now?" Miyamoto asked coldly without turning, his voice steady like steel.
"Not yet, sir… we need to get closer," Peaches replied nervously, clutching the map in his hands.
Miyamoto scoffed, his patience thinning. "Screw this. Come on—lead the way."
Before Peaches could protest again, Miyamoto's bloodline technique burst into motion. Range Domain. The very air warped, Renshi flooding like an unseen tide as three figures were lifted into the air, hovering above the ship. With a single thought, Miyamoto propelled them forward across the ocean skies, moving at blinding speed.
Peaches gasped, his voice rising over the rushing wind. "This is a bad idea, sir! They'll notice your Renshi aura if you don't stop—!"
"Shut up, boy," Miyamoto cut in, his tone edged with arrogance. "I can hide my Renshi aura without leaving a trace. Inside this domain, no one can sense or see us. To them, we don't exist."
Lucy, clinging to the rush of wind, narrowed her eyes at him. He was reckless, but she couldn't deny his control. He had perfected the art of suppressing himself until even strong would hesitate to detect him.
Minutes later, the barren form of an island rose out of the ocean mist. Its sheer size dwarfed entire kingdoms, a colossal turtle shape sand island embedded into the sea.
Peaches' eyes widened, his heart pounding. "I think… we found it."
Lucy smiled, unable to hide her excitement. "Finally. The Avengers' hideout…"
Miyamoto's voice snapped her back to reality. "Don't be too excited. We don't know if Amanda's here… or if this is a trap. Never forget—they are predators. They want us to walk into their jaws."
"Oh, sir, you still don't trust me?" Peaches muttered, his voice trembling but defiant. "I've done the digging myself—across the country. My father already knew one of their hideouts was somewhere in the North Sea, but he never knew where. After they took him and my family… I figured it out. This has to be it."
Miyamoto studied the boy, silence weighing heavy in his eyes before he turned away. "Hmph. I'll force myself to believe you—for now. First, let's get to the island."
With a sharp motion, he pulled them down from the sky, landing on the massive, barren expanse of Turtle Island.
The ground stretched endlessly—sand, dust, and stone, no grass or trees, like a desert sculpted in the sea.
Miyamoto frowned, crossing his arms. "Tch. Nothing. Just as I thought. A waste of time."
"No, no—it has to be here!" Peaches cried out, spinning desperately. "Maybe… maybe that's why they call it Turtle Island. Because the island… is inside the island!"
"You're not making any sense, boy," Miyamoto muttered, disappointment creeping into his tone. "We've wasted enough time. Lucy, come. We have work to do."
But the instant he turned back toward the sea—his entire body froze. His eyes narrowed. A leakage of Renshi aura, powerful and sharp, flashed across his senses. It was gone just as quickly, but the weight of it was undeniable.
Peaches and Lucy looked at him in confusion. Neither of them had felt a thing.
Miyamoto's lips curved into a rare smirk. "Turns out the boy was right."
He walked toward Peaches and leaned close, whispering into his ear. "Thanks… for bringing us this close to Amanda."
Peaches blinked in shock. "W–what are you talking about, sir? Did you figure something out?"
"They're here," Miyamoto said darkly, his eyes glowing. "Right below us. An army."
The air grew heavier as his tone sharpened into command. "Here's the plan. I'll find the door to their hideout. Both of you sit down, replenish any Renshi you've lost. You'll need to be at your best. From here forward… it's going to get rough."
Lucy immediately sat cross-legged, closing her eyes. "Just do as he says, Peaches. Don't make trouble."
Exhaling deeply, Peaches followed, forcing himself into meditation.
Miyamoto stepped away, his presence vanishing into nothingness as he activated Switch Mode. His body flickered across the barren sands, searching. Thirty seconds was all it took before his hand pressed against a spot on the ground.
"Found it. Too soon, even. Which means…" His eyes sharpened. "They're already watching us."
He raised his voice. "Come here, both of you! No time to waste!"
Lucy and Peaches rose quickly, running toward him.
Then the sky itself turned against them.
Clouds darkened in an instant, a storm roaring alive overhead. Black lightning cracked from the heavens, slamming into the ground around them with earth-shattering force. The three scattered in unison, their bodies flickering through Switch Mode as bolts rained down mercilessly.
"MOVE!" Miyamoto shouted, his movements flawless as he weaved through the bombardment.
Then, as suddenly as it began—the lightning ceased. The clouds cleared.
A massive Renshi circle appeared before them, glowing with furious energy. From it, a deep voice boomed:
"Who dares trespass into the home of OUR LADY?!"
A towering man stepped out, bald head gleaming, his presence suffocating.
"Both of you, stay back," Miyamoto ordered, stepping forward. His aura thickened like a crushing tide. "I'll handle this."
"Master, be careful," Lucy warned, her eyes sharp. "He looks strong."
"Shut it, Lucy," Miyamoto snapped, never slowing his stride. "Don't underestimate your master. I've faced worse than this insect."
The bald giant sneered, gripping his enormous sword. "insect. You've no idea who you're talking to." His voice thundered like a beast's roar.
"And you," Miyamoto said coolly, "have no idea who you just provoked."
The man charged, blade swinging down like a guillotine, aiming to split Miyamoto in half. The sheer weight of the strike cracked the earth beneath them.
Miyamoto didn't flinch. His hand rose, Renshi pressure exploding outward like an invisible wall. The blade froze inches from his head, locked mid-air.
Peaches' jaws dropped.
"Amazing," Peaches whispered. "Your master's too powerful. With him here… maybe we can actually win."
Lucy smirked faintly. "Don't get carried away. He'll scold you for losing composure."
Miyamoto flicked his finger—and the massive warrior's body lifted off the ground, dragged into the air by sheer force.
"If that's all you've got…" Miyamoto's voice was cold as steel. "…then I overestimated the Avengers."
The giant man roared in disbelief, thrashing helplessly. "Who… who IS this man?!"