Inside the resplendent royal palace of the Ilusia Kingdom—
Wearing a purple-gold crown and draped in luxurious royal robes, the aging King Topuka III lay sprawled across his throne, fast asleep.
Beside him sat the elegant and mature Queen Sophia, her noble aura undeniable.
Listening to the king's occasional snores, Sophia blinked her beautiful eyes before letting out a helpless sigh, her gaze filled with quiet resentment.
On both sides of the grand hall, the nobles and ministers could only shake their heads inwardly.
The annual competition was about to begin—
And their king was still sleeping…
"Your Majesty."
Finally unable to hold back, Sophia stood and walked over to Topuka III. In a gentle voice, she called out, "The marathon is about to begin. Please wake up, Your Majesty. The ministers and contestants are all waiting."
"Ah—ha!!"
At her voice, the previously snoring king suddenly rolled over and sprang to his feet in one swift motion. Wiping the drool from his mouth, he waved his hand boldly.
"Begin! Start it now!"
"…!!!"
The ministers were all stunned.
Had their king… been pretending to sleep?
Well, whatever.
As long as he was awake, the competition wouldn't be delayed.
Clearly not speaking nonsense, Topuka III wiped the corner of his mouth clean, then turned to Sophia with a mischievous grin.
"My queen, let's go!"
Seeing the hand he had just used to wipe drool reaching toward her, Sophia felt a wave of disgust. She feigned annoyance and walked past him, heading straight out of the hall.
Topuka III didn't mind in the slightest.
This newly crowned queen of his was someone he adored deeply—so much so that even if she slapped him, he'd consider it a blessing of love.
Soon, Topuka III and Sophia, followed by nobles and ministers, stepped out of the palace and onto the elevated platform overlooking the square.
"The king has arrived!"
"Long live the king!!"
As soon as Topuka III appeared, the already packed square erupted into cheers. Tens of thousands of participants roared in unison, each eager to rush forward and pay homage.
Clearly pleased, Topuka III stepped forward and raised a hand. Once the crowd quieted, he took a microphone from a guard and loudly declared:
"Citizens of the Ilusia Kingdom! The annual Ultra-Long Marathon is about to begin!"
"Since previous races were rather dull, this year's competition will be far more exciting. Of course, the rewards will also be even more generous!"
"The champion will not only dine with the king and queen—but will also be personally awarded a knighthood by me!"
"ROAR!!!"
Although everyone already knew about the rewards, hearing it directly from the king sent the crowd into another frenzy.
Tens of thousands roared together, as if they could shatter the sky.
"Now this is the kind of atmosphere I like. Hahaha!"
Standing in a corner of the square, Arashi felt his excitement rising. Turning to Robin beside him, he said:
"Once the race starts, you're not allowed to stop—you've got to run with me! If I get tired, you use your Devil Fruit to massage me! Or better yet, just carry me with your ability—that would feel amazing!"
Robin, dressed in her maid outfit, instantly had black lines across her forehead.
What kind of logic is that?!
Carry him… with her powers?
What a beautiful fantasy.
Before she could respond, Topuka III's voice rang out once more:
"Now… I declare… this year's Ultra-Long Marathon—BEGIN!!!"
Boom—!
The moment the king finished speaking, tens of thousands of participants surged forward like a tidal wave toward the northern exit of the square.
The sheer momentum rivaled that of a battlefield charge.
"Whoa, whoa, it's started!!!"
Arashi hadn't expected such a straightforward start—just a few words, and the race was on.
Watching the crowd flood forward, he didn't hesitate and immediately dashed ahead.
Seeing this, Robin smiled.
This traveler, who was about her age, was becoming more and more interesting.
"Ah—!"
Suddenly remembering that Arashi had told her to run as well, Robin's eyes widened, and she quickly followed after him.
Fortunately, Arashi wasn't using any extraordinary speed—just that of a normal person.
Before long, Robin caught up and ran alongside him.
"Mr. Arashi, at this pace, you won't win the championship."
She pointed toward the group far ahead. "I'm not sure if they're Devil Fruit users, but they're clearly not ordinary people. If you keep running at a normal speed, forget first place—you won't even get second."
"Heh… participation is what matters."
Arashi glanced at the dozens of figures ahead, sprinting faster than leopards, and said calmly:
"It's all about participation—"
Before he could even finish the word "participation,"—
Whoosh!
A figure suddenly shot past Robin, disappearing ahead in the blink of an eye and instantly taking the lead.
Participation my ass!
This race was directly tied to Travel Point rewards—how could Arashi let some random nobodies snatch first place?!
"Hehehe…"
Watching Arashi suddenly burst forward at an astonishing speed and appear at the very front of the race, Robin couldn't hold back her laughter.
This was the first time since leaving Ohara—
That she had smiled so freely, so naturally.