Meanwhile Luffy, Sanji and Usopp were staring at white spherical balls that were floating in every direction. "Where are we?" they all asked.
"This is Satori's domain keep your guard up he also uses dials as weapons." Link warned putting his shield away so he could put on a device. The device fit on his arm like a glove only there were two chambers that had dials fitted within.
"What is that thing, Link?" Usopp asked interested in the invention.
"These are impact dials they absorb a forceful blow into the shell and then you can release that force, but it can damage your arm if you only use one. This thing is meant to use a second dial to absorb the force of releasing the energy and then switch them." Link explained pointing to a small crank meant to switch the dials. "That way the force gets absorbed without hurting yourself and then you have an infinite supply."
"I think I get it you're using the second dial as a shield essentially." Usopp exclaimed excitedly. Luffy was sitting picking his nose not paying attention and Sanji was still on watch steering the waver.
"The only problem is I haven't tested it in combat yet." Link said.
"I also have my invention the Usopp AHAGAAHAH it launches a rope with a claw attachment for getting across long distances." Usopp showed Link his fancy belt proudly.
"UM, how do you get it to let go after you launch it?" Link asked pulling out some gears and rope from his pack and giving some suggestions on improving the mechanism. Usopp was happy for a fellow inventor to encourage him for once.
A big ball floated in front of the waver just as they finished talking. Sanji leaped up to kick it away before Link could shout a warning. The ball made a small explosion in all their faces singeing everyone.
"These balls are boobytrapped!" Link finally warned.
"HO HO ho you never know what's inside them! They're surprise clouds." A happy annoying voice echoed through the forest. Satori was extremely round wearing a white suit and a black bowling hat. He also had long purple hair and wings on his back.
Luffy laughed loudly as he pointed at the man "You look like a ball yourself!"
"He does look kind of stupid." Usopp commented.
"Idiot that's Satori Eneru's Vassal." Link shouted already drawing his sword.
"Hey, dumpling Nami and Robin better be okay." Sanji yelled.
"HO HO HO You mean the hostages I don't know. You're better off worrying about yourself you have to get out of here alive." Satori sang mockingly as he leaped from ball to ball.
"All right I'll shoot him down." Luffy declared watching the man jump closer into range.
"Ho, so you can stretch." Satori muttered just before Luffy tried to punch him easily dodging the strike. Not only that he used a glove to touch Luffy's face and make an explosion that blew him away. The force was enough that he was knocked out while he landed on the forest floor.
"Damnit Mantra and an impact dial!?" Link muttered he had never actually fought a vassal before.
Usopp turned angerly to the floating vassal slingshot at the ready "Leadshot!" he shouted aiming for the ball the man was floating on. Usopp worriedly glanced at Luffy making the mistake of being distracted "No way could a simple blow like that hurt you! Luffy?" he yelled.
"HO HO HO A sniper no need to worry here's a flower from the surprise. Head kick right leg, attack from above." Satori said as he grabbed a flower in midair from the ball and then leaped forward again to make another explosion. Just as he predicted Sanji tried to kick the vassal away which was dodged again just as Link came in from above "Skydive strike!" one of Link's favorite moves was skydiving from above with a sword slice ready. All three boys were caught with a glove to the face enduring a similar explosion. "Mantra is a power granted only to the faithful." The priest boasted.
Just before the men landed Crimson dropped below them and cushioned the landing just enough that they stayed conscious. Fortunately, Luffy woke too coughing "You're okay!"
"I rule over the forest of no return I'm afraid your boat will be lost in this great forest. You have no hope of reaching the altar without it. Behold the challenge of the ball only ten percent survive. Hoo oho ho" Satori laughed at the boys beat up bodies.
"We have to stop that ship!" Usop said as he ran towards the disappearing boat.
"It'll be just as disastrous if we get separated." Sanji countered.
"You three take care of the ship, I'm going to bust that ball guy's bubble." Luffy cracked his shoulder in readiness.
"I'll go back and forth between you guys I'm probably the fastest in the air right now." Link replied leaping onto Crimsom's saddle.
"We'll be back as soon as we stop the ship!" Sanji yelled back trusting his captain with the fight.
"Gum Gum Pistol!" Luffy shouted launching another fist toward the vassal missing again. The man danced around only to grab Luffy's outstretched arm twirl around in a whirlwind and hit Luffy's body into a tree making his head get stuck buried in the trunk.
As Luffy struggled Satori soon spotted Sanji running along the ground, Usopp was climbing the trees and vines trying to spot the ship. Link was hovering near by looking behind them just as Usopp called "It's straight ahead of you climb the second tree and jump from the branch."
Sanji began trying to climb just as Satori arrived again trying to kick a surprise ball toward him. "Sanji, look out!" Link yelled. He held his sword aloft letting energy collect into the blade and releasing it just as the ball ricocheted into another. "Skyward strike." The attack managed to slice the first balls in two, but the chain reaction had already reached Usopp who could not dodge in time. His long nose poked the ball as he prepared for another explosion only for it to sprout a flower. Unfortunately, the ball still caused Usopp to let go out of reflex falling to the now empty saddle of Crimson. Link had leapt off to let the much faster bird catch his friend, he then used his sailcloth to float to the ground.
"You'll pay for that." Luffy shouted having finally managed to keep up. "Gum Gum Gatling Gun." Luffy punched so quickly that multiple arms seemed to appear in the air and hit everything in sight.
"Stop Luffy the balls will just fly randomly." Sanji yelled too late to stop a giant chain reaction of billiards went off. Everyone was horrified by everything coming in from all directions.
"Ho Ho HO Isn't this fun everyone?" while Satori was having a grand time.
Sanji barely dodged some spiked balls while four balls headed to Usopp. Each ball comically revealed a bird of a different color pecking and scratching the pirate. Even Link could barely keep up slicing a few balls that exploded near his face but dodging the rest.
Luffy got the worst of it with some flames that were tearing at his clothes. He headed to the cloud river just managing to doge the skymonster trying to take the opportunity of free food. While dodging though he fell through the cloud managing to grab a vine on the way down remembering that here the river was bottomless. "a aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah" he gave the traditional yell.
That gave Usopp an idea "Now its my turn to show of my invention the Usopp Ah awah aw h!" he said pushing a button on his belt launching a long rope with a claw attachment onto a branch near the ship.
"Not bad just aim for the ship and drop right in." Sanji commented from a nearby tree the chaos from the balls had finally slowed down.
"Call me the king of the jungle! Usop aawaadawwwwwwwwwwww." Usopp yelled as hew swung down thanks to Link's help he could now press another button to retract the rope when he was ready landing perfectly in the waver.
"Alright Usopp good job!" Sanji and Luffy celebrated as Satori tried to take advantage of the distraction. Instead, his glove hit Link's own gauntleted hand the explosion disappearing in a wisp of smoke leaving both men standing without a scratch. Link grinned at the man "Rapid Impact." He said blowing back the force with the dial and attempting to switch with the crank, but it got stuck.
Satori singed and boiling mad lined up several balls in row for his most powerful attack "Ball Dragon!" he yelled.
Author note hopefully my invention made sense any name suggestions would be appreciated in reviews. some major non-cannon things are coming soon hopefully with my extra backstory a certain fight will have more of an impact. Zelda and Groose will appear later too.