Trader In The World Of Pirates!!!

Although Kaido had only recently traveled to this world and was still too weak to fend for himself, he became somewhat of a rare treasure in the Fairy Tail Guild—protected by a group of powerful magicians like a prized giant panda. 

However, despite his vulnerable state, not a single member of Fairy Tail looked down on him. 

They all knew very well... 

Just how powerful a Dragon Slayer wizard could be! 

Especially one whose body had partially transformed into a dragon due to the 'overuse' of Dragon Slayer magic.

Thus, Kaido, a newcomer from another world, was warmly welcomed into the Fairy Tail family. 

And thanks to the rowdy, carefree atmosphere of the guild—so reminiscent of the pirate crews in his original world—Kaido felt no discomfort or estrangement. 

He blended in almost immediately, acting like a veteran magician who had been part of Fairy Tail for years. 

He got along with everyone effortlessly.

However... 

As Kaido became more familiar with the world and the guild's magicians, he made a startling realization: 

He couldn't find any suitable trading partners! 

The magic system in this world was unimaginably diverse and robust. 

From elemental magic, spiritual magic, physical magic, transformation magic, costume-change magic, to summoning magic... 

The sheer variety of approaches and techniques was overwhelming. 

There was even guild-exclusive magic developed uniquely by each Mages Guild. 

This vibrant, multifaceted magic system left Kaido dazzled. 

He couldn't figure out what to offer these magicians. 

None of the items in his dimensional shop seemed rare or unique enough to catch their interest. 

Even Pokémon or advanced evolution mechanics—concepts that were revolutionary in other worlds—didn't seem to pique the curiosity of this group. 

For a long time, Kaido struggled to find the right entry point to initiate his first dimensional transaction since arriving in this world. 

---

Time slipped by, and before he knew it, nearly half a year had passed since Kaido first arrived in this world. 

During this time, Kaido gradually recovered some of his lost strength. 

Even though he hadn't made any trades yet, Kaido hadn't been idle. 

Using the Fairy Tail Guild's vast resources and expansive intelligence network, he managed to piece together a comprehensive understanding of the world. 

He even documented many fascinating magical abilities, planning to use this wealth of knowledge in future trades. 

---

"Worororororo!" 

"You're a hundred years too early to try and defeat me!!!" 

Kaido, slightly tipsy, stood atop the table, shouting arrogantly. 

Due to the lingering effects of his original power, he now appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen years old. His height, which barely reached two meters, was far less imposing than his former, towering stature. 

Yet despite his youthful appearance, he carried himself with the same boldness and arrogance as before. 

His antics caused a ripple of dissatisfaction among some of the more competitive magicians in the guild. 

"Damn it, Kaido! Don't get too cocky! Next month, I'll beat you in the drinking contest!" 

"Try it if you can!" Kaido smirked, his sharp grin exuding confidence. 

During his time in the Fairy Tail Guild, Kaido felt a sense of youthful energy he hadn't experienced in years. 

It reminded him of his early days sailing the seas, surrounded by rough, rowdy companions. The carefree atmosphere of freedom that he once knew seemed to have returned, filling him with a renewed zest for life.

Just as Kaido was basking in the cheers of the magicians around him... 

The doors of the Fairy Tail Guild suddenly burst open. 

A young man with short cherry-red hair strode into the guild with a confident swagger, kicking the door open as he entered. 

It was none other than the boy who had saved Kaido from the flame rabbit months ago... 

The powerful magician who wielded Fire Dragon Slayer Magic—Natsu Dragneel. 

Seeing the lively scene in the guild, Natsu, who had just woken up, immediately grinned and greeted everyone with a boisterous laugh. 

Without knowing exactly what was going on, he raised his hands and joined in the cheers, his enthusiasm uncontainable. 

"Hey! It's great to see everyone so fired up this early in the morning!" 

"You idiot! Do you even know what time it is right now!?" 

A boy standing nearby, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, noticed Natsu squeezing into the crowd and burst out laughing in exasperation. 

This was none other than Gray Fullbuster. 

A mage proficient in powerful ice-shaping magic, Gray could craft intricate weapons and constructs from ice with ease. 

Though talented and driven, he also had a peculiar quirk—an almost compulsive tendency to take off his clothes. 

In terms of age and magical ability, Gray was on par with Natsu, making them natural rivals. 

One wielded the fiery magic of a dragon slayer, the other the frosty precision of ice magic. 

And so, like oil and water, they were constantly at odds. 

Whenever the opportunity arose, they would bicker or outright clash, their rivalry as intense as their opposing elements. 

But much like Zoro and Sanji from the world of 'One Piece', their squabbles masked a deep bond. 

The more they argued, the closer they became. 

Though they wouldn't openly admit it, they regarded each other as fierce rivals and trusted friends.

"Who the hell are you calling an idiot!?" 

Natsu's reaction was instantaneous. His temper flared, and flames erupted around his body, roaring like his own emotions. 

On the other side, Gray smirked as cold air began to radiate from him. "Who else? I'm talking about the idiot standing right in front of me!" 

"You bastard! Do you wanna fight!?" 

"Bring it on! Who's afraid of you!?" 

BOOM! 

Without warning, their fists collided—one blazing with fire, the other frozen with ice. 

The clash sent waves of scorching heat and bone-chilling cold surging through the guild hall. 

In an instant, the magicians, who had been cheering for the drinking competition moments ago, stepped aside to clear the battlefield. 

But instead of intervening, they eagerly gathered around, their eyes alight with excitement as they watched the fight unfold. 

"Yeah, that's it, Natsu! Teach that exhibitionist a lesson!" 

"Fight back, Gray! Don't let that hothead walk all over you!" 

Everyone cheered them on, jeering and shouting encouragement, all while casually sipping from their mugs. 

This was the Fairy Tail Guild—a place where chaos was the norm, and troublemakers thrived.

However, just as Natsu and Gray's fight was heating up, the guild doors swung open once again. 

A man with a monkey-like face strolled in, unfazed by the fiery battle taking place. 

He weaved his way through the chaos until he reached Natsu, who, at that moment, was pinned to the ground with Gray's knee firmly on his back. 

Before Natsu could retaliate, the monkey-faced man squatted down in front of him and said, "Hey, Natsu!" 

"I just heard from the guild next door—someone spotted the Fire Dragon in Hargeon." 

"What?!" 

A small, floating blue cat zipped into view. 

This was Happy, Natsu's loyal companion and a talking Exceed. 

Happy's eyes widened with surprise and joy. "Are you serious?!" 

Even Gray, who had been locked in combat with Natsu seconds ago, immediately stood up and released him. 

The guild members who had been cheering on the brawl also fell silent in an instant. 

Everyone knew... 

Just how much the Fire Dragon meant to Natsu. 

Max aka Max nodded at Happy and said, 

"The folks from the guild next door told me. I even confirmed it with them specifically." 

"There shouldn't be any mistake." 

"They wouldn't dare lie to Fairy Tail!" 

Whoosh! 

A red flame burst to life around Natsu, his body igniting with excitement. 

A spark of eagerness lit up in his eyes as he turned to Happy, their gazes exchanging silent understanding. 

Then, looking back at Max, Natsu said, 

"Thanks Max!" 

"If there really is a fire dragon, I'll come back and treat you to a feast!" 

With those words, he turned on his heel and started striding toward the guild door. 

But before he could leave, a voice suddenly called out to him. 

"Wait a minute, Natsu!" 

"Huh?" 

Natsu stopped in his tracks and turned around, only to see Kaido pushing his way through the crowd, waving his hand to catch Natsu's attention. 

Reaching him, Kaido grinned and said, 

"I'm coming with you!" 

His eyes gleamed with excitement, his whole demeanor charged with curiosity. 

Over the past few months, Kaido had pieced together bits of knowledge about this world, and if there was one thing he'd learned, it was this: 

Dragons were considered the strongest creatures in this realm. 

As someone who had once been regarded as the "strongest creature" in the pirate world, Kaido was itching to witness this world's top power firsthand. 

And while he was at it, he wouldn't mind comparing notes... 

Were the dragons of this world stronger, or would Pokémon take the crown? 

If these dragons truly lived up to their reputation... 

Perhaps, once his strength fully recovered, he could even capture a couple as gifts for Sir Leo. 

Despite not having regained his full power yet, Kaido estimated his current strength to be at least around level 80. 

With the added advantages of bond evolution and the support of Kommo-o, he was confident he could hold his own against even level 90 opponents. 

If nothing else, he was certain he could escape unscathed if things went south. 

This confidence was why Kaido had decided to stop Natsu and join the mission. 

Natsu and Happy exchanged a surprised glance at Kaido's sudden declaration. 

"You want to come too?" Natsu asked, his tone curious. 

Then, as if recalling something, both Natsu and Happy's expressions shifted. 

They remembered the guild master's theory—Kaido had likely overused dragon-slaying magic, leading to his body's current weakened state and his loss of memory. 

It seemed natural to assume that Kaido, desperate to regain his memories, would jump at any lead involving dragons. 

Understanding this, Natsu didn't hesitate. 

"Alright! Let's go together!" Natsu said with an enthusiastic nod. 

"I've got a feeling this time we'll find Igneel!" 

"When we do, maybe Igneel can help you out too—figure out what's wrong with your memory and fix it." 

Kaido smiled but said nothing, suppressing a chuckle at Natsu's optimism. 

As for Natsu's so-called 'premonition'... 

Kaido couldn't help but recall the countless times Natsu had uttered those words over the past six months. 

And just as many times, those premonitions had landed them in hot water, leading to missions where Kaido had barely made it back in one piece. 

Still, Kaido's eagerness to see the dragons of this world outweighed his skepticism. 

For once, he hoped Natsu's premonition would come true. 

  ...

  ...

A few hours later… 

Natsu and Happy led the still-inexperienced Kaido to the town's station, purchased tickets for the three of them, and began their journey to Hargeon Town. 

However, right at the start of this journey, Kaido and the others ran into a particularly troublesome problem. 

That problem was... 

As the leader of this operation, Natsu had a major weakness: he couldn't handle 'any' form of transportation. 

The moment he set foot on a vehicle, he'd become helplessly weak, regretting every life decision that had brought him to this point. 

---

Inside the moving train, Kaido leaned back in his seat, watching Natsu sprawled pathetically across the opposite bench, barely clinging to consciousness. 

"Hey, hey, hey! No way, Natsu! You can actually faint like this!?" Kaido exclaimed with disbelief. 

"A guy like you wouldn't even survive a single boat trip—you'd be abandoned by the sea!" 

Natsu groaned weakly in response, his face pale and his body limp. 

Kaido couldn't help but roll his eyes. Here was someone undeniably strong, yet reduced to this state by something as mundane as transportation. 

It was almost more absurd than the Devil Fruit users in his old world, who couldn't even swim in the sea. 

"In the pirate world," Kaido muttered, "if you couldn't handle a boat, you wouldn't even 'dream' of becoming a pirate." 

"Why would I ever need to go to the sea?" Natsu mumbled, glaring feebly at Kaido. "And anyway... why are 'you', a dragon slayer, totally fine with transportation?" 

As far as Natsu knew, motion sickness was practically a universal trait among dragon slayers. Even the guild master's bratty grandson couldn't escape it. 

So why was Kaido, who also claimed to be a dragon slayer, completely unaffected? 

"Me?" Kaido smirked, clearly enjoying the opportunity to tease Natsu. Looking at the younger man's pitiful state, he shrugged and said, "Maybe it's because of my amnesia. Who knows? Maybe I've forgotten all about the times I've fainted on vehicles." 

"Wait... there's such a 'thing' as forgetting motion sickness!?" Natsu gasped, his voice faint but full of astonishment. 

Apparently, he bought Kaido's casual excuse without hesitation. 

Kaido, on the other hand, stared at Natsu's miserable state and couldn't help but have a flash of inspiration. 

It seemed... 

He might have just found a potential way to conduct a trade with Natsu and his group. 

However, upon further thought, Kaido held back from acting on the idea immediately. 

As a dimensional merchant, Kaido held the concept of interdimensional trade in the highest regard. Transactions were to be treated as sacred and extraordinary, shining with prestige and grandeur! 

If he were to make a deal with Natsu now, it might come across as nothing more than an ordinary magical exchange. 

It wouldn't convey the magnificence of the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce, nor would it help build its image as a power that transcends countless dimensions. 

No, he needed to plan carefully and think long-term to ensure that every transaction upheld the Chamber's lofty reputation. 

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Kaido let the train car fall silent. 

He turned his gaze to the scenery outside the window, letting his mind focus on the future and devising strategies for his next steps. 

---

A week of long, uneventful travel passed. 

The trio—two people and one flying cat—finally crossed half the Kingdom of Fiore, arriving at a bustling coastal city near the sea. 

---

Meanwhile, inside the sole magic item shop in Hargeon, a girl with light blond hair stood at the counter, her demeanor ordinary but her sharp tone betraying a fiery temper. 

She clutched a silver key in her hand, locked in a heated argument with the shopkeeper. 

"You want '20,000J' for a Canis Minor key?!" she demanded incredulously. "That's outrageous!" 

The shopkeeper sighed, clearly accustomed to complaints like this. 

"There's nothing I can do, miss," he said. "This is Hargeon. Fishing is more popular than magic here, so magical items are pretty rare." 

"Even so, a key of this level shouldn't cost 20,000J!" she retorted. 

"Hey now, young lady," the shopkeeper said with mock seriousness. "Aren't you worried about how the celestial spirit on the other side of that gate might feel if you don't value their key?" 

"You...!!!" 

The girl's face flushed with frustration, her grip tightening on the silver key.