Hatchan pulled Camie and Pappag into a massive, six-armed embrace. There were tears welling in his eyes. "I am so glad you both are safe, nyu," Hatchan cried as he squeezed them tight.
Zoro and Brook stood guard nearby. Suddenly, the skeleton collapsed onto the docks, panting heavily. "I am exhausted, I think I pulled a muscle," Brook wheezed. "But wait, I don't have any muscles to pull. Yohohoho," he added.
"You were pretty enthusiastic, Brook," Zoro remarked. He had a rare look of approval on his face. "You took out quite a few of those Flying Fishmen on your own," he added.
"I am simply glad to have been of help," Brook replied. "But please, let me rest my bones for a moment," he added.
"Sure. It's time I took a few out myself," Zoro said as he stepped toward the edge of the pier. He gripped his katana. His gaze locked onto a squadron of riders diving from the clouds. "36 Pound Phoenix," he added.
Zoro held his blade horizontally above his shoulder before unleashing a powerful circular swing. A compressed projectile of air spiraled forward like a drill and slammed into the lead riders. The flying fish were sliced clean through. They spat blood and plummeted into the ocean.
"So amazing, Zoro-chin," Camie cheered. Her eyes were sparkling.
"This doesn't even count as a workout," Zoro grunted. He leaped into the air as a rider breached from the ocean beneath him. Zoro moved his hand and sliced him. The pirate's chest was sliced open. There was blood spraying into the salt air as he crashed back into the depths.
Watching from the side, Hatchan was stunned. He thought this is the power of the Straw Hat Pirates. He remembered how the Love Pirates had once stood against the Arlong's crew. He thought together these crews could cause total havoc across the Grand Line.
Back on the ship, Nami stood alone on the mast. A group of Flying Fishmen circled above and leered down at her.
"I'm right here," Nami shouted. She had a confident, playful smile.
"A woman?" one pirate sneered. "We have orders to kill everyone on board! Prepare to die!" he shouted.
"Can you really kill me?" Nami asked innocently.
The pirate roared and drove his flying fish forward. He swung a heavy mace at her head. The weapon passed right through her, and Nami's form vanished into thin air.
"What?!" the pirate gasped.
"Mirage Tempo," Nami's voice echoed from below on the grass deck. She stood safely as she twirled her Clima-Tact. The confused riders clustered together and she pointed her weapon at a massive, swirling black cloud she had conjured above them.
"Beware of thunder," Nami warned. "Thunderbolt Tempo," she added as a massive discharge of electricity erupted from the cloud. It electrocuted the pirates and their steeds in a blinding flash of blue light.
"Pretty Baton Bash," Porche cried out nearby. She swung her baton upward with a sharp crack. She struck a rider's fish right in the snout and sent the pair tumbling into the sea.
"Strong Hammer," Franky bellowed from the foredeck. His massive metal fist punched a Flying Fish Pirate clean off his mount. They both crashed into the water.
Meanwhile, back on the island, Luffy suddenly came sprinting through a nearby wall. "Run. Get out of the way. There's a huge guy coming," Luffy yelled.
"Luffy?" Zoro asked. "What are you talking about?" he asked.
"That mask guy. And his cow," Luffy replied.His eyes wide with excitement and alarm.
"A cow?" Zoro repeated.
At that exact moment, the main building exploded outward. A massive, yak-like creature crashed through the debris. It was a shaggy beast with thick black fur and a wide, mischievous grin that showed off a full row of white teeth. Its had intimidating horns and the dark, visor-like headpiece.
"The Boss is here," Flying Fishmen said.
"Motobaro is here," the remaining Flying Fishmen cheered.
Usopp looked from the deck of the Thousand Sunny. "He destroyed his own house," he remarked.
"I do not need this base anymore, as long as I can kill the Straw Hats," Duval hissed. "I don't need you all, you mermaid, octopus," he added.
"I did not enter the slave trading because I wanted to," Duval said. "What a good day. The man I want to kill so badly is right here," he added. "Beacuse of you, I was suddenly thrown into the depths of hell of that man," he remarked.
"Hey is he not looking at us while he is talking?" Usopp asked.
"Today, I will you here even if it mean I have to kill myself," he said. "Black Leg..." the man hissed, his voice vibrating through the metal visor. "I have searched every corner of the sea for you. Today, I will tear the life from your body and trample your soul into the dirt," he said.
Sanji stood on the deck, a cigarette dangling from his lip. He looked genuinely baffled. "Me? Do I know you, you bucket-headed freak? I don't remember ever picking a fight with a guy who dresses like a medieval chimney," he said.
At that moment, Duval's hand gripped the trigger of his massive mechanical gauntlet. "Scorpion's Poison Harpoon," he said as he unleashed a volley of jagged, purple-tipped arrows directly toward the Thousand Sunny.
The projectiles hissed through the air like angry vipers. Nami saw the arrows coming towards her.
"Nami-san, look out," Sanji shouted as he vaulted over the railing. He kicked the arrow out the way.
"I don't know him," Sanji roared
Luffy tilted his head and squinted at the masked man. "I have seen what is underneath that mask," Luffy said.
"Really who is he?" Zoro asked.
"Dont be surprised," Luffy said. "You have seen his face too," he added as he ran towards Duval. He jumped into the air and stretched his leg and kicked his mask off.
The crew stood frozen. They all looked to see that the man beneath the mask had a messy mop of blonde hair, unkempt and wild. His right eye was wide and filled with thick, streaming tears, while his left eye was hidden by a familiar, swirly brow. His mouth was contorted in a raw display of grief and pain, light stubble dusting a chin that was pulled back in a grimace of total distress. A large white bandage was plastered across his cheek. He picked up the bounty poster of Sanji. He looked exactly like him.
Zoro`s hand gripped on his sword. His face turned pale. "I thought it was a joke," he said.
Nami covered her mouth with both hands. She trembled.
"How?" Usopp asked as his knees knocked together.
"Yohohohoho," Brook doubled over as he clutched his ribs. "I can't believe it. The drawing came to life," he said. "It's the same piece in the pod. My eyes are watering, though I don't have eyes! Yohoho," he laughed.
Sanji's face turned red with fury. He jumped forward and landed on the settlement. "You piss me off," Sanji said as he launched towards Duval and grabbed his neck.
At that moment, the Flying Fish Pirates came out of the water and caught Sani in a massive steel net.
"Gotcha, Black Leg," a pirate cheered. The heavy net ensnared Sanji, and with a powerful heave, the pirates dragged him off the land and deep into the sea.
"Sanji!" Luffy shouted as he started to run forward.
Zoro quickly stopped him. "Wait, you don't go," Zoro added.
"Now suffer and drown," Duval shouted.
Without a word, Camie dove into the water. Her green tail blurred as she swam deeper than any human could, slicing through the net with a shard of coral and pulling a gasping Sanji back toward the surface.
"Wait, I will go and save him," Hatchan shouted as he ran forward.
"Fool, Flying Fish are the fastest animals in the sea, " Duval said.
"That is where you are wrong," Pappag said. "The creatures at the very top of that top class are the merfolk," Pappag added. "In this ocean, there are no creatures that can outrun a mermaid under water," he stated.
Without a moment's hesitation, Camie vaulted over forward. She cut into the water with the speed of a torpedo. She dove deep and swam fast. With a powerful flick of her lime-green tail, she reached the submerged cage. Her small, delicate hands gripped the thick iron mesh, and using her strength, she grabbed Sanji by his suit jacket and kicked upward with all her might.
"I've got you, Sanji-chin!" she cried as she swam upwards.
Meanwhile, the Flying Fish Pirates got into position. Several members were holding a large iron anchor over the Thousand Sunny.
"What is that?" Usopp asked.
"It is a big anchor," Porche shouted.
"We are going to die," Chopper said.
"No we are not," Franky barked. He raced to the helm and pressed a button. He opened the "mouth" of Sunny's lion figurehead. "Gaon Canon," Franky shouted as deep within the ship's belly, the sound of pressurized cola roared like a hurricane. The entire hull began to vibrate. A hum of pure energy built around the mouth of the figurehead. The air around the lion's mane distorted with heat.
"Fire," Franky said as a colossal blast of compressed air and energy erupted from the cannon. The recoil was so immense that the Thousand Sunny vaulted backward through the water and the massive iron missed the Thousand Sunny.
The shockwave hit the base first and pulverized the wooden shacks into splinters. Within seconds, the Flying Fish Riders' entire island headquarters was leveled. It disappeared into a cloud of debris and spray.
At that moment, Camie surged out of the water. She hauled Sanji's limp body out of the water.
"Sanji-chin! Wake up," Camie cried out. She noticed red liquid staining his face and gasped. "Oh no! He's bleeding from the nose," she said.
Chopper rushed over and leaned out of the ship railing. "Nosebleed?" he asked.
Nami looked at them. She watched as Camie, in her frantic worry, leaned forward and unintentionally pressed Sanji's face right against her chest to keep him steady. Sanji's eyes immediately rolled back into his head.
"He's hopeless," Nami sighed.
"Motobaro, Kill them all," Duvual shouted as he watched his entire base get destroyed.
The giant yak lowered its horns and charged at Luffy.
Luffy looked at the yak coming. He stood his ground. His eyes narrowed into a cold, powerful stare. The beast suddenly skidded to a halt. Its eyes rolled back in fear as it sensed the sheer pressure of Luffy's spirit.
Luffy grabbed Motobaro and stopped him. "There is no point fighting us," Luffy stated.
Motobaro stared into Luffy's cold, unwavering eyes. A shiver ran through his massive, shaggy frame. The giant yak's pupils dilated in terror. He began to sweat profusely. He took a heavy, hesitant step back.
"Hey, What are you doing?" Duval barked as he kicked his heels into the beast's sides. "I told you to trample them," he added. "Charge," he said.
Motobaro had completely overwhelmed it. Motobaro's breath came in ragged, panicked huffs as he began to hop and buck wildly. His hooves clattered against the dock.
"Wait, whoa! Stop," Duval said. "Calm down," Duval screamed. His iron-clad grip slipped from the reins.
With one final, massive leap of terror, Motobaro arched his back. The momentum was too much. Duval was launched into the air like a ragdoll.
"Gwaaah," Duval shrieked as his limbs flailed as he was thrown off. He soared over the wreckage before crashing face-first into a pile of splintered timber. His cursed face ate the dirt while his own mount scrambled away in the opposite direction.
Usopp blinked. "Did that giant cow just give up because Luffy looked at it funny?" he asked.
Zoro smirked as he rested his hand on his sword. "The beast had better instincts than the master. It knew when it was outmatched," he said.
"Out of the way, Luffy," Sanji said as he blurred past his captain. He flew through the air. His foot connected directly with Duval's face.
"Mouth!" Sanji roared as his heel slammed into Duval's lips.
"Nose," he followed up instantly. Sanji spun a kick connecting with the bridge of Duval's snout with a sickening crack.
"Jaw!" Sanji screamed as he delivered a brutal vertical kick. Sanji then launched a barrage of kicks. His head snapped back.
The last impact landed with a bone-deep crunch. The force of the barrage was so intense that Duval was launched backward like a cannonball. He soared clean off the ground. He tumbled through the air and smashed through a support beam and disappeared into the smoking, crumbling ruins of his own home