Cultivation in the Pirate's World

The first sign that they were approaching Hikari Isle came in the form of an unusual glow on the horizon. Despite the late hour, a persistent golden light painted the clouds in perpetual sunset hues.

"Strange weather?" Xiao Yan inquired, standing beside Benn Beckman at the ship's helm.

"Hikari Isle," Benn explained, adjusting their course. "The island of eternal daylight. Nobody knows why, but the sun never sets there."

From his perch on the crow's nest, Xiaojin perked up noticeably at this information. The phoenix's feathers began glowing brighter in anticipation, casting dancing shadows across the deck.

"Wonderful," Xiao Yan sighed. "Now we'll never get it to sleep."

"SHAHAHAHAHA!" Shanks emerged from his cabin, Uta close behind. "Wait till you see it! The whole island glows like it's made of gold!"

"More importantly," Benn added, "it's known for rare herbs that only grow in perpetual sunlight. Though lately, there have been rumors of problems..."

Before he could elaborate, Xiaojin launched itself from its perch, soaring toward the growing light with an excited trill. Its golden flames seemed to merge with the island's radiance, creating a spectacular display.

"Show-off," Xiaolong grumbled from the water, sending a small lightning bolt that narrowly missed the phoenix's tail feathers.

"Now, now," Xiao Yan chided. "We've discussed the appropriate times for attempted fratricide."

Uta giggled, sitting cross-legged on a barrel as she watched the display. "Your companions are always so lively! Though..." she peered around, "where's Xiao Gui?"

A distant crash from the storage hold answered her question.

"Lucky Roux!" Shanks called out. "How's our inventory doing?"

"We're down three more compasses, captain! But on the bright side, the turtle's finally finished with the navigation section and has moved on to our cooking utensils!"

"Progress," Xiao Yan noted dryly.

As they drew closer to the island, its unique nature became more apparent. The entire landmass seemed to glow from within, its beaches shimmering like crushed diamonds. Forests of golden-leafed trees covered the hills, their foliage reflecting the eternal light.

"Beautiful," Uta breathed, her eyes wide. "It's like something from a dream!"

Xiaojin had apparently reached the same conclusion, as it was now performing increasingly elaborate aerial maneuvers through the glowing airspace. Each loop and dive left trails of golden flames that merged with the island's natural radiance.

"Your phoenix seems happy," Shanks observed, grinning as he watched the display.

"Ecstatic," Xiao Yan agreed. "Though I fear this may set a dangerous precedent. It already has enough of an ego."

As they approached the harbor, signs of the rumored problems became visible. Despite the eternal daylight, many buildings appeared shuttered. The few people visible moved quickly, their expressions worried.

"Something's wrong," Benn muttered, lighting a cigarette. "The harbor's usually busier than this."

Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly as he extended his senses. The island's energy felt... unbalanced. Like a pot about to boil over.

Their arrival drew attention, though not all of it welcome. While some locals waved at the familiar sight of Shanks' ship, others quickly retreated indoors.

"They're afraid," Uta noted softly, her usual cheerfulness dimming.

"Not of us," Shanks assured her, though his own expression had grown more serious. "Something's changed since our last visit."

As they docked, a small delegation approached the harbor. Their leader, a tall woman with silver hair that seemed to capture and reflect the eternal light, stepped forward.

"Captain Red-Hair," she called out, her voice carrying both relief and tension. "Your timing is either blessed or cursed. We're in need of help, though I fear you may have arrived just in time to witness our island's doom."

"Dramatic," Xiao Yan murmured, while simultaneously preventing Xiao Gui from sampling the dock's support beams.

"Elder Lucia," Shanks replied, jumping down to the dock. "What's happened?"

Before she could answer, a tremor ran through the island. The eternal light flickered, momentarily dimming before flaring back to its usual brilliance. Several locals cried out in alarm.

"That," Elder Lucia said grimly. "The heart of our island, the source of the eternal light... it's becoming unstable. And if it fails..." she gestured to the worried faces around them, "everything here dies with it."

"Fascinating," Xiao Yan said, his voice carrying just enough interest to make Shanks glance at him curiously. "Perhaps we could discuss this somewhere more private? Preferably before Xiaojin attempts to adopt your entire island as its personal playground."

Indeed, the phoenix had already attracted a small crowd of amazed onlookers as it danced through the eternal light, its flames creating patterns that seemed to resonate with the island's glow.

"Of course," Elder Lucia nodded, though her eyes widened slightly at the sight of Xiaolong emerging from the water, his scales reflecting the golden light like living mirrors. "Though I must ask... what manner of companions do you travel with?"

"The troublesome kind," Xiao Yan replied simply, while behind him, Xiao Gui attempted to eat what appeared to be a ceremonial anchor.

Another tremor shook the island, stronger this time. The eternal light flickered again, and Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

This, he decided, was going to be an interesting problem to solve. Assuming his companions didn't accidentally destroy the island before he got the chance.