Honey, Robin, Mikita, Saphir, Nojiko gathered on the deck for the Miss Love Duck. Nojiko had come running out.
"Everyone is fine," Mikita reassured, her voice steady.
"But the Miss Love Duck got hit," Honey reported as she saw the hit from the Divine Soldiers.
"Yeah, I felt it," Nojiko confirmed, her expression thoughtful. "HQ said it was nothing and that the Miss Love Duck can take a lot more, maybe just a paint or wood scratch," she added.
Kaya gracefully landed on the Miss Love Duck and transformed back into her human form. Vivi and Marianne, landed back on the deck. They got off Fuza. Vivi, Marianne and Kaya approached their crew, their fellow sisters. Their expressions reflected a mixture of resolve and tension.
"Is the Miss Love Duck okay?" Marianne inquired, her concern evident in her voice as she glanced around the deck. She saw the Divine Soldiers attack the ship.
"Yes, she is," Nojiko replied with a reassuring smile.
"I am so..," Mikita began, her words tinged with a sense of guilt.
"No, don't apologise. You've done your best, and it's no one's fault," Nojiko interjected firmly.
"I agree with Nojiko. It's unfortunate," Kaya added.
Saphir saw Vivi had a large lance in her hand. "Is that the weapon from him?" Saphir asked.
Vivi showed the weapon to Saphir. "Yes, it was me and Kaya who worked together and defeated him," Vivi said. She did not have much memory of the battle however she knew they won.
"Good job you both," Mikita said.
"It was a team effort," Kaya added. She also did not have much memory of the battle. However she felt Vivi was different, she was Vivi but she felt closer, it was like bonded over something, someone to serve. Ben came into her mind. She smiled.
"Those Divine Soldiers have those Shooters. They're incredibly agile, which makes them hard to hit," Robin explained.
"They are annoying," Marianne remarked, her annoyance evident in her tone.
"They may not be strong, but their speed is a challenge," Honey added, as her eye brows furrowed.
"We just need to keep up with them," Saphir asserted.
"Vivi was already on it. She had used those Shooters," Nojiko interjected, a note of admiration in her voice. She smiled at Vivi.
"Amazing," Marianne remarked, her admiration for Viv. There were sparkles in her eye.
"Princess is the best," Robin joked.
Vivi blushed. "It was nothing," Vivi said. The girls chuckled.
"It was something for sure," Kaya added as she nodded. She knew Vivi was strong and capable.
"We should stop here and collect those Shooters," Mikita said.
Everyone nodded and agreed. At that moment, the Miss Love Duck started to sail towards the river bank. "Looks like HQ is on it," Nojiko remarked. The Miss Love Duck sailed and stopped. The anchor dropped.
"I can go and fetch some of those from the river," Saphir volunteered.
"I feel like stretching my legs, so I can go to get from the land," Nojiko chimed in.
"I will go with you. We have Fuza who can fly us around," Marianne suggested.
"Are you sure Marianne? You just came from a battle," Kaya asked.
"I am fine," Marianne replied. She had a determined look.
"Sounds like a plan. The rest of us will stay near Miss Love Duck, inspect her, and defend her. Kaya, you take Vivi, just do some health inspection since you had a big fight," Mikita concluded. Kaya and Vivi nodded as they headed downstairs.
Nojiko and Marianne jumped onto Fuza`s back and they flew away.
Once more, Saphir propelled herself into the river with a graceful leap, her form slicing through the surface of the white, cloudy waters. With a fluid motion, she disappeared beneath the surface, her silhouette merging seamlessly. She swam in the white ocean and saw sparkling objects. The reflections of the glasses that the Divine Soldiers were visible. She grabbed the shooter from their feet and then the Axe Dial from their hands.
She saw the other men who attacked them before. She grabbed their Shooters only. Saphir repeated this for another 15 minutes as she swam away further and further from the Miss Love Duck.
Saphir got to the last man, she noticed, she had 6 pairs of Shooters in total and 3 Axe Dials. Saphir thought that was good. She swam to the top. As she emerged from the depths, the warmth of the sun greeted Saphir. The gentle caress of its rays against her skin was a welcome sensation. It reminded her of Ben hugging her.
"So you are part of the people who took my brother down," a man said.
Saphir looked and saw a giant ball shaped man wearing a white jumpsuit, with a white sash. He had orange shoes and orange gloves as well as yellow sunglasses that covered up his eyes completely.
"A Divine Soldier," Saphir remarked.
"Yes, I am a Divine my Soldier, Kotori, who serves God Enel. My twin brother has seen your friends and we made a bet to see who could take down the quickest," Kotori laughed.
"I have one target but I will take you down so fast I will take more of your friends," Kotori added. He laughed.
Saphir looked crossed. She threw the Shooter onto the land. She also threw two of the Axe Dials. She kept one of them in her hand. "I will not let you hurt them," Saphir stated.
"Shoryo no Mizu," Saphir said, as she cupped her hand and scooped up a handful of water from the river. With a swift and practiced motion, she flung the water towards Kotori.
Kotori saw the attack coming. "Too slow," Kotori taunted, a smirk playing on his lips as he effortlessly sidestepped the incoming attack.
Saphir then aimed her Axe Dial at Kotori. She pressed a button like she saw. A X-shaped compressed air blast went towards Kotori. Kotori smiled and put his hand forward. He pointed towards the attack.
Saphir saw a dial in his hand. Kotori took the hit in his hand. "It's the best you have, using our weapons?" Kotori asked.
"You have to be resourceful," Saphir replied. Kotori smiled. He then pressed the button on the Impact Dial and a wave was sent towards Saphir. Saphir immediately jumped into the air. The wave hit the water and caused an explosion knocking Saphir forward onto land.
She saw Kotori approaching her. Saphir quickly got up and grabbed her spear. "You are certainly stronger but I will not lose," Saphir stated.
Kotori smiled. He had shown his other hand. There was another dial. "Take this," Kotori said as he pressed the button. As the dial activated, an unpleasant and pungent odor permeated the air, assaulting Saphir's senses with its repulsive stench. Instantly, she recoiled, her nose wrinkling in disgust as the smell invaded her nostrils. Her eyes stung with tears, watering in response to the noxious smell, while her stomach churned.
She moved away. "That was disgusting and horrible," Saphir remarked.
Kotori laughed. "That was the Flavor Dial filled with my farts," Kotori said.
Saphir looked mad. "You disgusting pig," she shouted.
"That is rude," Kotori shouted.
Kotori took offense at being called that. Saphir charged at Kotori. "Bleu Whirlwind Jab," Saphir said as she spun her spear and launched a powerful series of jabs at Kotori. Kotori was not expecting this speed or power. He got hit with the spears. Saphir repeatedly stabbed Kotori. She hit his chest, his stomach a few times. Each stab punctured his body and blood could be seen leaking from the hole.
Kotori quickly used his Impact Dial and pressed the button. A shock wave hit Saphir and Kotori where they both went back in opposite directions. Kotori hit a tree and stopped. He spat blood out. He fell down to the ground and slowly tried to get up. He could feel intense pain from his body. He thought she was weak.
Saphir slid backwards, as she came to a stop. Breathing heavily, she leaned forward slightly, spitting out a mouthful of saliva as she tried to catch her breath. The blast had taken her by surprise. It did hurt but she was okay. She looked at Kotori who looked in bad shape. He could barely stand.
"I will not lose," Kotori said as he got the dial in his hand and pressed the button. The Flavour Dial sprayed something on his face.
"Yes, I am ready to go again," Kotori shouted. He ran up to Saphir and attempted to punch her. Saphir dodged the punch. She thought how did he get so much speed. Kotori repeatedly tried to punch Saphir. He went for a left jab, followed up with a right jab. He tried to slap her face. However all attempts were futile as Saphir just dodged.
"Stay still," Kotori shouted. He was getting frustrated.
At that moment, Saphir launched her counter attack. "Bleu Tempest Thrust," Saphir said as he thrusted her spear with full force at Kotori. She aimed for his stomach and stabbed him. Kotori screamed in pain as he went down.
Saphir took a step to the side as Kotori fell to the ground with a loud thud. She let out a breath of fresh air. She thought he was overconfident and let his guard down. Saphir walked over and turned and took the two dials in his hand. She smiled as she walked to her other pile of equipment. She thought she should head back and warn the others however, she knew they could beat his brother.