Hearing cries of agony coming from the stolen ship, Tashigi (Smoker) began to grumble as he struggled to keep his composure. Not only was some of his men being massacred by Pisca, but Caméo also took malicious pleasure in spitting saliva, which forced Tashigi (Smoker) to shake his jitte in order to disintegrate them. Nevertheless, the worst was the presence of Smoker (Tashigi). Wanting to help him, the soldier had half turned her body into smoke, sending her upper body flying in all directions, without being able to control it.
"Smoker-san, how can I control this?"
"Stop trying to help me, you idiot! And go hide somewhere."
Not wanting to give him that chance, Cameo quickly found himself in front of Smoker (Tashigi), and landed a powerful hit with his tongue right in the abdomen. Unable to transform her body, the soldier allowed Cameo to touch her without the need for her haki.
" ARRRRRGGGGGHHH ! "
"TASHIGI!"
Falling to the ground, Smoker (Tashigi) began coughing up blood, under Cameo's disappointed gaze.
"It's not even funny."
"Captain!" shouted the nearest G-5 soldiers, beginning to surround Cameo.
"Huh? Oh, a little extra! I'm not against having a little fun."
However, just as he was about to attack them, one of the centaurs cried out.
"Cameo-san, look."
"Huh?" Caesar's general said, looking up.
Imitating him, Tashigi (Smoker, ) could only widen his eyes, seeing an imposing figure falling from the sky, in their direction.
" But that … ? "
"CAESAR!" shouted a voice that the vice-admiral immediately recognized.
In the form of a huge balloon, Luffy was hurtling towards them, while Robin and Franky were on his back, as were Natsu, Gajeel and Lucy.
"Mugiwara?"
"Happy!" Natsu called suddenly, while jumping back.
Catching him in the air, Happy then let himself go down gently, and was quickly imitated by Lily, while Gajeel had also left Luffy's body.
"Hey, don't forget me." Lucy shouted, as Luffy moved dangerously closer to the ground.
" WING !" she heard.
Grabbing her arms, Robin managed to grab her just before Luffy slammed hard into the ground, along with Franky.
"What…?" Lucy wondered, turning around. "Since when do you have wings?"
"I can transform my arms to make them look like a pair of wings.
"It makes no sense."
Finally putting a foot on the ground, she saw Natsu and Gajeel do the same, before seeing the G-5 soldiers as well as the centaurs in front of them.
"Huh…we should have found a better place to land."
"Why is that?" Gajeel asked, with a small smile. "Let's take advantage of this lovely welcoming committee."
"WOW! that was a GREAT shortcut." Franky affirmed, stepping out of the rubble.
"Hey, Caesar." Luffy roared, doing the same. "Come too! I must capture you."
" Luffy, it was supposed to be secret. " Robin retorted.
"The Strawhat Pirates?" A centaur wondered. "Cameo-san, what's going on?"
"No idea! But they seem to have come here to capture Caesar-sama! As if we were going to let them! Guys, forward."
Immediately, he abandoned his opponents to run towards Luffy, accompanied by other centaurs. Then leaping into the air, Cameo spat out his long tongue, which he coated in haki, while its tip took the shape of a spike.
"Shut up, Mugiwara."
Nevertheless transforming his arm into a sword, Gajeel managed to strike his tongue and was able to deviate his trajectory.
"In your dreams, stupid lizard."
Growling, Cameo dropped to the ground, before becoming invisible.
"Huh?" Lily wondered. " What … ? "
He didn't even have time to finish his sentence when Gajeel was kicked in the face. Yet the latter didn't back down, instead he smiled.
"What…?" Cameo wondered, still in his invisible form.
Widening his eyes, he couldn't hide his surprise, seeing the metal scales that protected Gajeel's face, where he had tried to hit him.
" IRON DRAGON'S CLUB ! "
Turning his fist, he then took advantage of Cameo's surprise, punching him in the stomach. Thrown back, the man-chameleon ends up rolling in the snow, before becoming visible again.
" You cabbage. "
"I'll take care of him." Gajeel assured, running towards him.
"Keep him from going after Cameo-san." A centaur ordered, rushing towards the dragon slayer.
" STRONG RIGHT ! "
Hit by Franky's robotic fist, various centaurs were ejected.
Seeing the scene, as she held the collar of a half-dead soldier, Pisca began to curse. Finally throwing the man, behind her, and making sure that all the others were too injured to be able to slip away with the ship, the young woman ended up leaving the latter to go and help her companions.
Deciding to fight them as well, various G-5 soldiers were eventually greeted by Robin, as she grew arms around their shoulders, before snapping their necks. Hearing this, Lucy couldn't help but shiver.
"I hate that noise."
"Don't worry! They're just passed out."
"I still hate that noise."
"Hey, Natsu, do you have any idea where we can find the master?" Luffy questioned him.
"Probably in his lab." The dragon slayer assured, pointing at the building. "You just have to have the key."
Simply smiling, Luffy cracked his fingers, while retorting.
"I'm going to open it my way."
"You'll rather die."
Leaving the ocean, Pisca quickly ran towards the pair, grabbing her axe.
"Letting you touch a Caesar-sama hair is out of the question."
" CAPRICORN ! "
Suddenly appearing in front of Pisca, Lucy's spirit thrust her elbow forward and attempted to ram into her. Putting her ax in front of her in time, in order to protect herself, Pisca was able to block her blow, but had to stop her run nonetheless.
" Who are you ? "
"Lucy!" Natsu exclaimed, seeing Lucy running towards her mind.
" STAR DRESS ! "
Suddenly changing her clothes, Lucy put on a light purple dress accompanied by a pair of sunglasses, while horns appeared on her skull.
"We'll take care of her! Will you be okay, Capricorn?"
" Of course, Lucy-sama"
"Grrr, don't make me laugh." Pisca roared, running towards Lucy. "Do you think changing your clothes will change anything?"
Getting into position, ready to run, Lucy then ends up rushing towards the woman, with considerable speed. Barely able to see her, Pisca could only lower her gaze, as she could see her ending up just below her chin.
" LUCY KICK ! "
Hit then, Pisca found herself lifted somewhat, before landing a few yards back. Her face furious, she stared at Lucy, as a trickle of blood escaped her mouth.
"Thanks to the Star Dress, my magic gives me the speed and strength of Capricorn. " Assured Lucy, getting back into a fighting position! Don't underestimate me!"
"I advise you the same." Pisca assured, covering her axe with haki. "You're a dead woman."
Seeing them start to fight, Happy wanted to know.
"Will it be okay?"
"Don't worry." Natsu assured him. "Lucy is far from being like before! We have other things to do! Are you coming, Luffy?"
Getting ready to head towards the main door of the laboratory, the two comrades nevertheless stopped, while two people ran towards them.
"Mugiwara!" roared Tashigi (Smoker), with his jitte forward.
"You're under arrest." Smoker (Tashigi) assured, grabbing her sword.
Dodging the weapon, jumping backwards, Natsu dropped to his hands, and ended up igniting his feet, while performing a headstand. Then spinning around, he kicked Smoker's (Tashigi) direction.
" FIRE DRAGON'S CLAW ! "
Concentrating, the soldier managed to turn her head into smoke, allowing Natsu's foot to touch it, without taking any damage.
"Hmmm?" The dragon slayer said, stepping back.
"I made it." Smoker (Tashigi) rejoiced, making her face reappear.
Nonetheless, fear gripped her, as Natsu increased the heat around him, while swinging his next attack.
" FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR ! "
Seeing the huge column of fire streaking towards her, Smoker (Tashigi), could only throw herself to the side, failing to be able to turn her entire body into smoke. But already, like a ball of fire, Natsu shot towards her.
" FIRE DRAGON'S HORN ! "
Hit in the stomach, Smoker (Tashigi) dropped her sword, before falling backwards, while rolling in pain.
"AHHHH, it's burning! Dammit ! Who is he?"
"Tashigi!" Suddenly roared Tashigi (Smoker). "I forbid you to lose while being in my body."
Seeing him then fight against Luffy, trying to hit him with his jitte, Natsu could only be amazed.
"Hey! That's the woman from earlier."
"Yeah, the one Law defeated." Happy assured. "And the other guy is the one with no heart left! How come he can still fight? He should be dead."
Dodging with difficulty the blows that his opponent was trying to give him, Luffy ended up jumping back, while looking surprised.
"How come Glasses-girl is so strong? And why does she have Smokey's weapon with her?"
" Luffy, it must be because of Law. " Robin explained to him.
" Tra-o? " Luffy wondered, while starting to think.
Eventually then understanding, the pirate began to sneer, while pointing at Tashigi (Smoker).
"They swapped their bodies! Ha ha! So funny!"
"Grrr!" Tashigi (Smoker) roared, running towards him. "What are you laughing at, you fool?"
" GEAR SECOND ! "
Disappearing from the sight of the vice admiral, Luffy found himself behind him, while putting his hands on his shoulder.
"Sorry, Smokey, but we're going to have to postpone our fight."
" What ? "
"Yeah, because without your power, you're crippled, right?"
"ASSHOLE!" Tashigi (Smoker) roared, attempting to hit him again with his weapon.
Dodging it without the slightest problem, Luffy then runs away while affirming.
"We'll fight next time."
"Luffy!" Shouted Franky. "I will open the door."
Seeing him then position himself in front of the latter, Cameo ran towards him, while retorting.
" In your dreams ! "
Pulling out his two revolvers, he began aiming for Franky's back. However, changing shape, Lily positioned himself in front of him, and managed to parry all of his projectiles with her sword.
" What? "
" Don't run away during a fight. " Gajeel advised him, finding himself behind him.
"Grrr!" Cameo growled, watching Franky create his laser beam.
" FRANKY RADICAL BEAM ! "
Firing then, Franky's laser quickly knocked anyone out of his way, before crashing into the door. In a few seconds, it started completely pulverized, allowing anyone to enter the laboratory.
"What?" Cameo wondered, seeing that.
"Wow, so awesome." Natsu shouted.
"They've destroyed the gate."' Frightened a centaur.
Parrying a punch from Lucy, before managing to make Capricorn back down, pretending to cut him in half with her axe, Pisca, ends up running towards Cameo, while asking him.
" What do we do ? "
"Guys." Cameo shouted. "Drop the offensive! Everybody to the lab! I want an unstoppable line of defense! Let's also get all the centaurs in the lab to come help us! And somebody tell Caesar too- sama! Don't let anyone in the lab, you hear me?"
"Yes!" His comrades also assured, abandoning their fights with the G-5 soldiers, to run towards what was left of the front door.
"Hey, come back." A soldier ordered them, running after his former opponent.
However, pausing then, he looked up, to see again a figure falling from the sky.
" But that … ? "
"A new pirate attack?"
" Hmm? " Natsu said, looking up.
Seeing then what looked like a ball of purple jelly, he wanted to know.
"Hey, what's that thing?"
"Given the color, it really makes you not want to go near it." Affirmed Lucy. "Looks like poison jelly."
Frozen or not, the ball ended up falling right on the stolen boat, which was drifting now that all the soldiers on board were unable to maneuver it.
Then, seeing the ball begin to move, Lucy wondered.
"But... is it alive?"
"What the hell is that?" Cameo wanted to know.
"Do you want me to go see what it is?" Pisca asked.
"No, leave it! We have better things to do! Too bad if it damages the boat, the protection of the laboratory is…"
" CASTILLE ! "
A column of blue flames then appeared, to rush straight towards the boat. And no sooner did she touch the ball of jelly than it exploded. The explosion was so powerful that it completely destroyed the boat, killing everyone on board.
"GUYS!" Tashigi (Smoker) exclaimed.
"What… what just happened?" Happy wanted to know, as he clung to Natsu's clothes, from the powerful gusts the explosion created.
"That thing exploded on contact with fire." Robin understood. "Nevertheless, the question to ask is: who blew it up?"
" Shirororororo ! "
Suddenly smelling a new scent, Natsu turned around, to see a man standing in the air, sitting on a huge piece of the old G-5 boat.
"What a prodigious explosion! Decidedly, the power that Smiley can bring me is infinite."
Then, looking up to see new balls of jelly falling from the sky, he sneered.
"Yes! In a few hours, none of these intruders will be alive! I will become a legend in the history of the scientific world."
"Who is that?" A soldier wanted to know.
"He's the one who blew up this strange beast?"
"Caesar!" Roars Tashigi (Smoker).
"Caesar-sama!" Cheered Cameo, Pisca and the rest of the centaurs.
"Caesar?" Luffy wondered.
"The master of this island." Gajeel understood.
"The bastard!" Natsu roared.
"Dear Straw Hat Pirates, G-5 Soldiers and Fairy Tail Mages, welcome to my island! Or rather, should I say, the island where you will soon die! Shirororororo! I don't know yet, I introduce myself! I am the greatest scientist in this world! My name is Caesar Clown! And soon, you will only be my guinea pigs for my ultimate experiment! None of you will survive this."
Hearing this, Natsu clenched his fist, before walking towards the scholar.
"Natsu?" Happy wondered, seeing him do it.
As they walked, Natsu thought back to the state the kids were in when they got out of control… he remembered the moment he heard Chopper say they had been drugged… he remembered the how Caesar had betrayed Brownbeard...
Raising his gaze to Caesar, only to show anger, he ends up letting flames envelop his body and roars.
"I'm Gonna Spray It"
"I urge you to keep quiet." Retorted a voice.
A cup of tea in hand, an imposing man sat on a stone, not far from Natsu. Drinking as quietly as possible, despite the fact that the first balls of jelly began to fall all around him, he showed a certain elegant side, while he was dressed in a white blouse.
"Who are you? Another scientist?"
"I am Doctor Fronk! Scientist at your service! Or not, should I rather say, at the service of Kaido."
" Kaido ? "
"Yes! But right now, I'm more like Caesar's assistant! And our new mission is to hunt down three people! The three dragon hunters on the island! You understand where I'm coming from, don't you? right? Natsu Dragnir."
" Do you know me ? "
"Teru has given us a report on you and your buddies! In exchange for our help in capturing you and the other two, Caesar can do what he sees fit with the others! So surrender without resisting, it would make it easier to stain. "
"Because you really think I'm going to let myself go without reacting?"
Then heaving a sigh, Doctor Frank finally got up, while affirming.
" Alright ! "
Suddenly, his blouse tore, while his body began to grow. Tripling in size, it swelled in muscle, while the man's skin turned green. Pulling back, wondering what was happening to him, Natsu could see long fangs sticking out of his mouth, his arms looking like real tree trunks and his eyes turning red. The whole thing transformed the man into a horrible monster.
"I ate the Ogo-ogo no mi." Doctor Fronk told him, picking up a large piece of wood, resembling a club. "The Ogre's Mystical Fruit."
Taking a step towards Natsu, he shook the ground as he towered over him from the waist up.
"Tsss! Decidedly, the guys of this world are real fairground freaks."
"Instead of talking, come attack me."
" No problem. "
Running towards the ogre, Natsu charged his fist with flames.
"I'm going to end it in one fell swoop! FIRE DRAGON'S IRON FIST !"
Remaining motionless, Doctor Fronk then only tilted his head slightly to the side, at the last moment. Surprised to find nothing but emptiness, Natsu was carried away by his momentum, and could not be stopped until Doctor Fronk threw his club in his face. Covered in haki, the latter pulverized the face of the mage, and sent him crashing into one of the pieces of the old G-5 ship.
" Natsu ! "
His nose bleeding, the mage reappeared, groaning.
" Asshole ! "
Then running towards Doctor Fronk, he jumped in the air before spinning on himself.
" FIRE DRAGON'S WING ! "
Ducking to dodge his first arm, his opponent then parried the second with his club, before slamming the latter in his face again. Rolling on the ground, Natsu nevertheless got up quickly, and returned to the fight, while chaining the blows.
" FIRE DRAGON'S IRON FIST ! FIRE DRAGON'S CLAW ! "
Starting to run backwards, Doctor Fronk only dodged or parried each of his attacks, without really appearing to be going all out.
"I can tell you! Your attacks seem powerful! Nevertheless, in front of my power, you are nothing."
Eventually doing a backflip, Natsu put some distance between them, before asking.
"Your power?"
"I have two forms of haki! The first allows me to read your movements while the second allows me to increase my body's defenses considerably! You understand, don't you? down like you and using maximum energy to launch attacks, I'm the worst opponent."
"Grrr! Don't make me laugh!" Natsu roared as he leapt into the air, before creating two fireballs in his hands! FIRE DRAGON'S BRILLANT FLAME ! "
Thus merging his two fireballs, to create a bigger one, he swung the latter towards Doctor Fronk.
The latter, still so calm, ends up crossing his arms in front of him, before covering his whole body with haki. Hit just then, he disappeared in an explosion of flames.
"Tsss!" Natsu said, while looking in front of him.
"You did it Natsu." Happy noticed then, flying towards him.
"No!" His friend retorted, staring at the cloud of smoke in front of him. " He is still awake. "
" Huh ? "
Pushing the smoke away with a simple wave of his arm, Doctor Fronk pointed to a body unscratched.
"The Ogo-ogo no mi not only gives me an increase in my strength! My defenses have also increased, as has the endurance of my body! This, with my haki, allows me to be invulnerable! Now you understand ?"
Stepping forward to face Natsu, he roared.
"That's it, the New World!"
Staring at him Natsu lowered his gaze. Then, suddenly, a smile appeared on his face.
"Huh? What are you laughing at?"
"Do you want to know? It's simple, you're a really funny guy."
"Huh? Why?"
"Because you are powerful."
Suddenly kissing her body, Natsu affirmed.
"I was scared! Yes, I was scared that I would no longer meet people who could match my power! But with you, I will be able to use my power to the fullest."
"Huh? Are you trying to bluff?"
"That's up to you." Natsu affirmed.
Simply staring at him, Doctor Fronk questioned him.
" For what ? "
" What ? "
"Why this alliance with Mugiwara? Is it because he's the first person you met here?"
"Not really! If I see him as an ally, it's because I feel like we look alike! That's it! He's cool and determined."
" Huh ? "
"Hey, what are you doing?" Suddenly someone shouted.
Turning around, Doctor Fronk was surprised to see Caesar captured in Luffy's arms.
" That … ? "
"I've got you." The pirate assured, grinning broadly.
"Luffy, too, deserves his place in the New World." Natsu assured him.
"That fool!" Roared Doctor Fronk, making a move towards them.
"Hey!" Natsu stopped him. "Where are you going? Our fight has only just begun."
"Huh? Because you really think you can defeat me?"
For answer made appear golden flames, all around him, before running towards Doctor Fronk.
" DRAGON SLAYER 'S SECRET ART ! "
Feeling an immense rise in temperature, Doctor Fronk immediately covered his body with haki. Then, doing the same with his weapon, he swung it towards Natsu, while thinking that it would be best to knock him out right away.
" CRIMSON LOTUS : EXPLODING FLAME BLADE ! "
A huge explosion occurs at this moment. Like the flames of hell, a powerful whirlwind of fire shot out of Natsu's body and struck Doctor Fronk's club. Each time one of them touched the weapon, an explosion occurred. Eventually, much to the ogre's surprise, it ends up cracking, before bursting into pieces.
" How ? "
"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Natsu yelled, before slamming his fist in the face.
This time, too flabbergasted by what was happening, his opponent's haki was too disturbed to allow him to dodge the attack. Feeling the fist hit him, he could only grit his teeth, before feeling his feet leave the ground. Ejected like this, he flew for several tens of meters, before passing through the opening, where the old door of the laboratory was. Disappearing inside the latter, he continued his race, until a huge shock could be heard.
"Doctor…Fronk?" Pisca wondered.
As surprised as she was, the centaurs ended up looking at Natsu, who was only smiling, while letting his flames surround him.
"So who's next?"
