The Marines were closely guarding the Going Tiger in the spotlight shining down, four warships on patrol along with several rowing boats and watchmen on every single vantage point.

Of course, the ship falling from the sky was on everyone's lips, and the fact that people have been calling is a ghost ship.

"Is what they say about this ghost ship falling from the sky really true?"

"I don't buy it."

"But if Navarone is supposed to be this really great impenetrable fortress how else can one little pirate ship have gotten in here if it didn't fall from the sky?"

"I heard there was a single crew member on board, but the table was set for coffee, and it was still warm my people had been there until that very exact moment. But that's not all, inside the cargo hold…"

"They found gold?"

"Shh," the Marine hissed.

"They found gold all right, ancient gold dug up from some old ruins somewhere."

"I don't know about you guys, but that's the previous story I've ever heard."

"S-so it's a ghost ship?"

"Those poor saps must have been cursed for stealing all that gold."

Inside the base, itself Marines were scrambling in all different directions.

"Attention units 4, 6 and 10 under Lieutenant Commander Drake! Assume battle stations for yellow alert!" said a Marine over the loudspeakers.

The Marines in the barracks were desperately getting their uniforms on.

"I don't care what kind ship it is, nobody picks a fight with our fortress," said a Marine as he adjusted his collar.

"Hurry up!" said a Marine grabbing the back of his collar and dragging him along.

Hiccup and Ragnar were currently hiding the event and watching the Marines run by.

"I think I know where we are, and it isn't good," said Ragnar gravely. "If I'm right, and I hope I'm not, we landed right in the middle of an invincible fortress the Marines call Navarone."

"I've heard of that place," said Hiccup. "There have been quite a few attacks on this fortress, and none have succeeded."

"So what are next move, Captain?" Ragnar asked.

"I suggest that we get some sleep," Hiccup suggested.

"Sleep?" Ragnar stared. "At a time like this?"

"There's not much we can do in the dark and besides do you want to run around half ragged in daylight?" Hiccup asked.

"Point taken."

It was soon mourning, and almost immediately the Marines began towing the Going Tiger to one of their ports.

"We'll moor the pirate ship at dock 88 and run a full forensics sweep," said Drake as he stood on the balcony with Jonathan.

Then they heard a knock on the door and a Marine entered carrying a transponder snail.

"We have a situation," he said saluting. "Sir, some marine vessels outside the Seagate are demanding entry."

"Demanding?" said Drake.

"Since we're in a state of emergency, I'd advise them to stand by, but—"

"Sir, we barely made it out of that storm in one piece," said a Marine through the transponder snail. "Please allow us to dock. I don't know how much longer we can stay afloat."

"I don't care how badly their ships are damaged, there is a possibility that pirates have infiltrated this fortress," said Drake, though he loathes saying it. "So they have to find help elsewhere, if we let them in now it will cause confusion—"

"Open the gate," Jonathan ordered much to Drake's surprise. "Permit their entry and immediately assign a medical team to them as well."

"Yes, sir," the Marine saluted happily.

Drake watched as the Marine Corps as the door behind and looked back at Jonathan. "Commander…"

"What a terrible thing it is to be helpless in the middle of the Grand Line, even someone like you can understand that feeling. Can't you, Lieutenant Commander?"

"Of course I understand," he said with his fists clenched.

"To tell you the truth it's been quite some time since I've gotten is riled up about anything," Jonathan smiled. "They can't get out of the fortress of the problem becomes finding them." He then picked up the wanted posters on his desk. "But why do they even come to Navarone in the first place… Hiccup D Haddock."

At the Seagate, the Marines were getting prepared to open the main gate.

"We've got ships coming through!"

"Proceed with caution, we're now at red alert!" said the commanding officer.

"Ready the boarding expansion bridge!"

Toothless and the twins chose that point to enter the Seagate, but all the Marines were so busy that somehow they failed to notice them. It may have also been that they were walking behind some larger gears that hide them from the view that prevented their discovery.

"Something seems to be going down," said Toothless as he saw the Marine scrambling.

"This place is huge," said Ruffnut.

"And where the hell are we?" Tuffnut asked.

"I have no clue, and why decided to follow you too I have no idea?" said Toothless.

Astrid and Fishlegs were still sneaking around inside the fortress, but there were getting turned around.

"Who decided that a fortress had to be a maze?" Astrid grumbled.

They quickly press themselves against the wall as they heard Marines running by.

"The place is so big I can't map it out," said Fishlegs looking at her.

"We have to get out of here and soon," said Astrid as they approached the door. "The more time that passes, the more lost we get."

"But what about the others?" Fishlegs asked.

Before Astrid could answer, they found themselves on the balcony and right in front of them, they could see a large bridge spanning from the fortress to the large rock formation in the centre of the bay.

"No way," Astrid stared. "What in the world is that thing? Geez, it's enormous."

"Hey, where's the Going Tiger?" Fishlegs frowned, noticing that the bay was empty.

"You're right, it's gone," said Astrid.

"What did they do with our ship?" Fishlegs asked.

Astrid then noticed several ships sailing in a nearby dock, and they looked rather battered. "Battleships?"

Fishlegs leaned over. "They weren't here before."

"Start new ships coming in, that means this place is no gigantic lake after all," Astrid smiled. "This means it is connected to the open sea."

"Then the only thing to do is to find the others and take back the Going Tiger," Fishlegs beamed. "If we disguise ourselves, we can find them and gather more information."

"That won't be easy," said Astrid folding her arms. "Hiccup, Toothless and myself are known by the Marines."

"Yeah, but no one knows what I look like," Fishlegs pointed out. "Besides, I doubt that every single person has seen every single wanted poster. All you have to do is just keep a low profile."

Then suddenly, the door opened, and two large men stood there on the other side. One was tall and rather thin while the other one was short and fat with a beard.

"This fortress has a terrible layout," said the fat one.

"It's like a maze," the been one agreed.

Astrid and Fishlegs just looked at the two of them blankly.

"Excuse me, do you know where the kitchen is?" the fat man asked.

Astrid couldn't believe it, neither of them seem to recognise her, which probably proved Fishlegs' theory.

"We just arrived on the battleships down there," said the thin man.

"And of course the first thing we do is get lost."

"Sorry to hear that," said Fishlegs nervously.

"Yeah, but there's a lot of that going around," Astrid muttered to herself.

"Would you please take us to the kitchen, we beg you to be such an embarrassment if we had to ask any of the cooks here for help?" said the fat man

"We just came from Meridian, it would hurt you to do one little favour," said the thin man.

"Please say that you'll help us."

Astrid and Fishlegs looked at one another, it was clear that these two were not the brightest kitchen knives in the kitchen. Clearly, they didn't think it was strange that neither of them were wearing any kind of navy uniforms. Unfortunately, they couldn't exactly say no as that would be rather suspicious.

"Sure, no problem," said Astrid.

Astrid and Fishlegs began to guide them down a series of corridors, but they have no idea where they were headed.

"So what do you know about our little fortress?" Astrid asked curiously.

"My brother and I am asked of the culinary arts, but we know nothing about this fortification," said the thin cook.

"As a matter of fact, we are Marine chefs of some renown," said the fat cook.

Astrid wasn't entirely certain they were telling the truth, because if they did came from Meridian, the capital of the World Government, why would they be posted to a faraway fortress.

"Really," said Astrid.

"My brother and I have been assigned to take over as head chefs of this kitchen," said the fat cook proudly.

"On Meridian, we satisfy the pallets of nobles that expect nothing but the finest," the thin cook nodded. "We brothers are far from the kind of cooks who excrete insignificant meals in the middle of nowhere, and we must prove to them that we are from a different league."

Astrid rolled her eyes, she had the impression that they had been kicked out of Meridian and been transferred here was a form of punishment.

'We really need to ditch these guys and find a disguise right now, or we'll never get out of here,' she said to herself.

"Well, I'm sure the Navy know what they're doing," said Astrid as they came to a stop in a junction. "Now all you have to do is go straight ahead and take a right, then take two lefts and your first right and you'll be there."

"Merci beaucoup," said the thin cook.

"Okay," said the fat cook.

"Take care," said Fishlegs as he and Astrid made a quick getaway.

The two cooks then came to the first right and looked at one another confused.

"Wait, is this the first right?" the thin cook asked.

When they turned around, they saw that Astrid and Fishlegs had gone and they just looked at one another confused.

Thankfully Astrid and Fishlegs had reached a locker room, and as luck would have it, they have some spare uniforms. So they quickly changed into janitors uniforms and made their way out of the locker room.

"This will do just fine," said Astrid as she tapped her hair into her.

"Toothless, that so-called ghost ship belongs to Dragon Conqueror Hiccup and his crew," said a Master Chief as he made his way down the corridor with a group of Marines. "We have been given the secret mission to track down and apprehend the infiltrators. Among them is one considered to be extremely dangerous."

There are opposing both Astrid, and Fishlegs, who were busy mopping the floor and Astrid did her best to make sure they did get a good look at her face.

"You mean Toothless?" said one of the Marines.

"The great swordsman that used to be feared as a Pirate Hunter? Doesn't he use the three sword style?"

"Well, we're going to make him and his friends regret ever coming here."

The moment they turn round the corner Toothless and the twins appeared around the corner they just passed.

"That was a close one," said Toothless.

"What were they saying about regretting?" Tuffnut asked.

"I think we're definitely going in circles," said Ruffnut.

Astrid then immediately punch the twins. "How can you two idiots just stroll around a fortress?" She then glared at Toothless. "And why did you let them?"

Toothless turned and saw Astrid and Fishlegs standing there. "Astrid? Fishlegs? What are the two of you doing here?"

"Aren't you even trying to keep a low profile?" said Fishlegs pointing at his swords. "I mean couldn't you have found a safe place to store them before wandering around?"

"You can't expect a swordsman to give up his swords," said Toothless, looking insulted.

Then suddenly they heard footsteps coming down the corridor.

"You three need a high now," said Astrid grabbing Toothless' swords.

Astrid ignored him and quickly guided everyone through a door that led to an observation deck.

Fishlegs watched as two Marines walked by. "They're gone."

"Now I'm getting tired of all this sneaking around," said Tuffnut.

"Why can't we just bite?" Ruffnut asked.

Toothless rolled his eyes. "I doubt that even we can take on an entire fortress field with Marines."

"And decide we don't even know where the others are," Astrid pointed out. "Hiccup wanted us to split up to avoid getting caught."

"And now we got the added problem with the Going Tiger missing," said Fishlegs.

"I suggest that the three of you stay put while Fishlegs and I try to locate the others," said Astrid as she hid Toothless' swords in a nearby tree.

Toothless eyes widen as he immediately rushed towards the tree. "What do you think you're doing?"

"They're probably very few Drakes here so clearly a disguise is not going to work so just stay here and do nothing," said Astrid plainly.

"Hey, you two!" a voice yelled behind them. "What are you doing over there?"

'Oh no, game over,' Fishlegs panicked.

They turned around and saw the head janitor glaring at them. "Enough slacking off, now get back to cleaning!"

"Aye, sir!" they said saluting, feeling rather relieved.

Hiccup and Ragnar had been sleeping in the vents the entire night, and now they were wide awake. They looked down and saw two Marines walking by.

"I tell you what these ghost ship shenanigans, have really got me beat."

"Better get some chow and then back to work."

Once they turn round the next corner, Ragnar removed the vent. "Ghostship, huh?"

"So they're not looking for us?" Hiccup frowned.

"Yeah, I don't get it either," said Ragnar.

"We need more information before we can make any other moves," said Hiccup.

"It sounds like the dining hall is close by, and you will be amazed by how loose-lipped kitchen staff are," Ragnar smiled.

"Sounds like we need a couple of disguises," said Hiccup.

As luck would have it, they were actually very close to a storage locker where there were plenty of spare uniforms.

"They're not gonna find us now, because we blend in like millions of the kitchen," Ragnar smiled.

"This is your territory, you take the lead," said Hiccup.

Ragnar nodded and moved the door ajar. "This is it, this could be interesting."

The cooks will busy getting the meal prepared and as Ragnar predicted began talking about today.

"Hey, I heard a couple of battleships docked today."

"What? That means those pompous brothers have arrived then."

"Yep, as a matter of fact, they should be here any minute."

"First impressions are important," said the soup chef. "Show no mercy."

Hiccup looked at Ragnar. "Do we go in?"

"Beats working out here," Ragnar shrugged.

With that, they entered the kitchen, and immediately everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at them.

"So you're the new chefs," said a cook. "Well, are you the Marely Brothers or what?"

Hiccup and Ragnar looked at one another, they didn't like how the cooks were looking at them.

"Uh, hi," said Hiccup.

"So you're those arrogant fancy pants cooks from Meridian," said one of the cooks.

"You're the guys that said that you would do us a favour by coming out to this crap fortress in the boonies!"

"And you said that we excrete insignificant meals!"

"You sure got a lot of nerve!"

"This entire kitchen has mistaken us for a bunch of other guys," Ragnar whispered.

"Yeah, and unfortunately they sound like a bunch of jerks," Hiccup nodded.

"So you're here," said a voice. The coat immediately parted, revealing Jessica, who was busy grilling some meat. "The world-famous kitchen snobs, who made million Gil meals every night for all the big shots over in Meridian." She then immediately turned round to face them, holding the two pans. "I don't care that headquarters sent you, this is the most sacred place in all of Navarone, and if I don't approve of you you'll never set foot in here again, do I make myself clear?"

All the cooks immediately cheered.

"You tell them how it is Jessica!"

"There are no less than 1000 brave Marines stationed at the stronghold," said Jessica she flipped the meat of the pans. "And we show our respect to each and every one of them by preparing their meals with all our might so they can stay strong. In order for us to achieve this great feat, we worked day and night and we never even for an instant lose focus. We're not like those cooks who depend on expensive food, we rely on skill."

The steak she had been cooking landed perfectly on each and every single plate of prepared dishes to prove her point.

"Around here we can't forget, that great food comes from a special place in all of our hearts," said Jessica placing a hand directly over her heart.

"In other words, you would presume to tell me what real cooking is right?" said Ragnar.

"No, I'm not trying to say anything as dramatic as that. I just want you and your brother to show us that pride you talk so much of. I'll give anyone a chance to prove themselves, no matter how pretentious they might be. However, there will be trouble if I think if you lack anything at all in skill or attitude. Let me make this clear unless you satisfy me you'll never be able to call yourselves cooks in Navarone."

"I see," Ragnar smiled. "That sounds like a challenge, mademoiselle."

In the dining room, the Marines were wondering what the hold-up was with the food.

"What is it? What's going on?"

"Looks like the cooks are going to have a cooking fight."

"I've got to see this."

The Marines then immediately began looking over the counter watching as Ragnar step up to the plate.

"Is that the ship they said that headquarters?"

Directly in front of Ragnar and Hiccup was an assortment of food.

"You're allowed to use any ingredients you like," said Jessica looking at the two of them. "The rules are simple, each will have their meals for 100 people, and the Marines themselves will decide the contest winner."

Hiccup looked at Ragnar. "You ready, bro?"

"Start whenever you're ready," said Ragnar.

Then a cook band a ladle on a saucepan signalling the start of the cook-off. Immediately the Navarone began sorting out the ingredients.

"We can't lose this one, boys. Cook as if your life depends on it."

"We'll cook using only the best part of the ingredients we've got."

Jessica watched as her cooks began preparing their meal, but notice that neither Ragnar were making a move.

'Is he admitting defeat by not preparing anything?' she said curiously.

Soon all the cooks had created all 100 dishes.

"Finished!"

"100 meals!"

"Do you like that?"

"Of course normally we are 1000 for each meal."

"And we're fast like sharks starting to prey."

"That is the essence of being a chef here."

Jessica then noticed that Ragnar was picking up all the leftovers.

"How terribly wasteful you all are," said Ragnar as he picked up a pair of kitchen knives.

Everyone was looking rather confused.

"What's that guy up to?"

Ragnar then began cutting up the remaining fish at lightning-fast speed.

"He can't be?"

"No way."

"He's using all of our leftover parts."

"Pulverised the tuner's bones along with its head…" said Ragnar as he began cutting at the tuner's head. He then put the fish guts into a ball began mixing it. "Next mix in the guts, and veggie scraps and roll the paste into balls…"

He then began rolling up the paste which was now mixed with fish guts and vegetables into little balls. He then placed all of them within a pad that he had set over the cooker field with oil.

"Then they'll be deep-fried," he said, and while that was cooking, he then began working on the source which was fat he got from the meat. "Boiling fat trimmed from the meat and to become soft and tender…"

He then tasted it and nodded approvingly. Once the paste balls had been fried, he placed them on the plate and then began pouring the meat sauce over them. "…Provides the perfect complement to a source meat made shellfish. The bitterness of the guts whets the appetite, and a powerful flavour puts new life to a tired body."

He then began adding seasoning onto the vegetables. "This brings us to the preparation of the vegetable dish. The skin of burdock roots and potatoes by humans and minerals than their insides which makes them an ideal new nutrient source. Finally, broccoli stems can be used to create a soft sweet sensor dressing."

He then began splintering it directly over the dishes he prepared. "Voilà!"

Everyone was absolutely stunned wherever there were Marine or cook.

"This is a battlefield, right?" said Ragnar. "It's important that the food tastes good, but more important that is making sure that your food stores last. It doesn't matter if you spend 1000 Gil or a million you should never waste not even a single scrap of food. It's our duty as crooks to utilise every bit of ingredients with love and skill, a wise old man once told me that."

The Marines can hold themselves anymore and immediately rushed in to try his food and jetting how they were scoffing it down they seem to like it.

"I've never tasted anything so tasty!"

"This is delicious!"

"Amazing!"

On the other hand, the cooks were somewhat disheartened as they had tried to show up the new cooks and ended up being shown up themselves.

"How stupid of us. We tried to impress the famous cook, and he turned around and beat us with our own first-class cuisine. We did exactly what we shouldn't have done and try to show off."

"The food in Meridian is different for the food prepared for the officers. It's food for Marines who live day-to-day, that was Jessica's belief anyway."

"To think we, the cooks in Navarone, were picky about the ingredients."

Jessica then looked at Hiccup. "Are you a skilled is your brother?"

"Sadly I cannot match his culinary skills, but you can rest assured that I'll do anything to help even if it means washing dishes," said Hiccup

Jessica smiled. "I like your spirit as of right now you too are part of the team."

All of the cooks immediately cheered.

Jonathan was currently out on a rowboat with the Chief Petty Officer, and he was looking through the surrounding area with his telescope.

"If there's one thing fishing teaches its patients," said Jonathan.

"Patient is right, sir. It is a valuable attribute," said the Chief Petty Officer. "They may be ignorant pirates, but don't you think they would be hiding somewhere little less conspicuous? This place is in plain sight of everything."

"There are is concerned that choose to high when there's no possibility of escape," Jonathan admitted. "But among pirates among that calibre, it is certain there will be one or two who would find the act of hiding cowardly."

"You think so?"

Jonathan looked at his telescope and spotted Toothless trying to hold back the twins.

"Well, it looks like we have our first catch of the day," Jonathan smiled. "Or should that be three?"

Toothless was trying to hold the twins back as the two of them were eager to go on a bit of a rampage.

"We're in enough trouble without you two causing a ruckus," said Toothless.

"But it's boring out here," said Ruffnut.

"Where's your sense of adventure?" Tuffnut asked.

"It doesn't exist so long as we're in an impenetrable Marine base," said Toothless.

The twins were struggling so much they had accidentally knocked Toothless' swords from out of the tree.

"My swords!" Toothless panicked.

Panicking all three of them then jumped down the cliff chasing after the swords and pretty soon all of them fell into the sea. The twins remain on the surface while Toothless dived down with his swords. He had managed to grab two of them, but just as he reached the third, a huge boulder slammed into the back of him and pinned him to the ground.

He quickly used his sword to slice right through the boulder, he then picked up his third sword and swam back towards the surface. He joined up with the twins, and I discovered several rowboats were now surrounding them with several Marines pointing their rifles at them.

"Welcome to Navarone," said Jonathan smiling as he looked down at them. "A fine catch indeed."

The Marely Brothers brothers were still trying to find the kitchen and were now completely lost thanks to Astrid's directions.

"What's going on here?" said the thin brother.

"Beats me," said the fat brother.