Chapter 38: SWORD BOY!!!! ENTER NEW ASTA
After being fully restored by Magnus Baby5 leads the Pendragon crew through the city and down the maze of tunnels that lead to Joker City. Completely oblivious to the fact they all have half a mind to kill her, she looked as happy as could be pointing out traps and shortcuts.
"(Haha Galileo was right about something for once, she's really convenient to have around.)"
"I don't get you Big Brother, first you save the enemy and now you're trusting her to lead us to wherever? I thought you were smarter than this." Morgiana says running alongside Magnus.
"It's not that I trust her, I just trust my sources more. I figured it would be more simple this way. We can quickly get to Joker City and keep the destruction contained there. Otherwise I fear you guys would reduce my mountain to rubble before we even find the city."
"We're not that bad." Morgiana says pouting.
"You're the main one I worry about…"
After coming through a final hidden passageway Baby5 leads them to a vast clearing. The open space expanded to house a city flying Donquixote flags, illuminated by shining crystals. Aside from the setting it looked like any other big city with high buildings and people going to and fro. In the heart of the city was a black market selling almost anything one could ever want and even more things you shouldn't. From rare ingredients to weapons to entertainment and much more, traders bought and sold goods from all corners of the continent. There were even some people and magical creatures being sold on the market. At the far side of the city a raised platform holds the castle up high above the rest of the city. The biggest crystals adorned the platform and castle making it shine brilliantly in the cave. While the castle was definitely eye catching the most bizarre part of the city were the life-sized living toys all over the kingdom. They acted like normal people walking, talking, and interacting with the humans around. Galileo already informed him of Sugar's powers, and the state of these people turned into toys, unable to rebel no matter how strong they once were. A quick look with at them confirmed it, human and animal souls in toy bodies.
"Alright kids, here we are, Joker City! The others know you're coming so, you should be careful not to draw attention to-"
"Ok everyone we've made it to Joker City" Magnus cut Baby5 off. "Find and defeat the Donquixote crew. I do not care how you go about it but try and keep the property damage to a minimum, I want to see what treasures are here. I'll pay Doflamingo a visit myself. Baby5 you can join me to the castle or wait for us here, but if you help the enemy you die with them."
"(How can he say that so nonchalantly? These are really terrifying children.)" The baby of the bunch already showed what kind of monster she was, but what of her leader and older brother? "Understood."
"Now go." Asta, Noelle, Kirsch and Morgiana dispersed throughout the city to go find the officers of the Donquixote crew.
"Looks like we oughta' get in on the action too Jude." Bandit rushed off to go find himself a fight.
"Yeah yeah, I know." Jude follows after him.
"(I can use this time to decide on how I'll set up my sect.)"
"Are you really sure about letting them go off by themselves?"
"Don't worry about them, more importantly I'd like a tour of the city."
Across town in the New Corrida Colosseum, A large circular arena almost identical to the one in Dressrosa, complete with the fighting fish infested waters around the ring. Asta crashes down in the center stage mid-match. The impact of him landing blew several contestants into the water, where fighting fish were quick to pounce on them.
"What was that?"
"Something just smashed into the arena!"
"Was that a meteor?!"
"No it's some kid!"
"HAHAHA you were too slow this time Morgiana! I get the arena! Go fight somewhere else!"
"No fair you cheater! You had a head start!" Asta watched as she sulked off to find her own battleground before he paid mind to his own surroundings. "DONKEY DOFLAMINGO!!!! I'M HERE TO WHOOP YOU AND YOUR CREW!" Asta's bold declaration elicited laughter from the crowds and contestants that weren't in the water.
The only one who wasn't laughing was the man overseeing it all. "Donkey? What the hell, who is this runt?" Up in the VIP section of sits a freakishly tall lanky man on a diamond patterned throne. He had a vertical red and orange stripes of paint from forehead to chin going over his eyes. Long wavy brown hair fell from under his orange and black pirate hat bearing the Donquixote jolly roger. A bright cape with long leafy feathers around the collar fell over an open dress shirt and loud red leather tights. He stood up from his comfy seat pushing aside the two women leaning on him and grabbed a bull skull shaped microphone positioned in front of him. "Ahem, one two testing testing…"
"Look Diamante got up! He's gonna say something!"
"YOU LITTLE BRAT WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!? How dare you fly in here and disrespect THE Donquixote Doflamingo in his own New Corrida Coliseum! Listen up all fighters! Whoever brings me his head will get double- no ten times the original prize!" As he's talking the gangplanks lower and more gladiators fill into the arena surrounding Asta. Once they're all on board and the gangplanks have gone back up. The arena separates itself into smaller parts and underwater gates open. "I've decided to make this our special event! RELEASE THE BOSS FIGHTING FISH!" From the cages emerged fish two to three times larger a than the current ones attacking the fighters. "These may not be as big as the ones in the wild but with a few mods from us, they're much, much deadlier… You insulted the Doflamingo family little brat, this is the price you pay for it Uahahaha!"
"No offense, but this isn't nearly enough" Asta stated blankly.
"Let's see how long you can keep talking like that, KILL HIM!" The horde charged but stopped when their mark disappeared. Before anyone could react the people were sent flying in all directions a black blur moved through the crowd swiftly dispatching anyone in it's path. Asta broke bones and cut ligaments with each strike so all of his foes were unable to keep fighting but he didn't kill anyone( he had no control over who the fighting fish snatched up however). Asta reappears standing in the center of the ring.
"These guys are so weak it almost feels wrong to use anything too high level…maybe I didn't really beat Morgiana?" Asta's disappointment was almost more than he could bear. Even the boss fighting fish had become wary of him, waiting cautiously at a distance. "I guess I should finish up here."
Diamante was becoming increasingly furious listening to Asta ramble. "Hey that lil' shit's looking down on my fighters, I don't like that at all. Dellinger! Lao G! Senor Pink! Machvise! Get in there and crush him!"
"Consider him dead hahaha!" Dellinger was an effeminate looking blonde haired boy, half fighting fish fishman. wearing a white cap over two big bull horns laughed devilishly. He wore hoop earrings, stilettos and a tight giraffe print long sleeved shirt over shorts.
"I never thought we'd have to team up aG!ainst a child." Lao G a decrepit little old man wearing an orange and blue jumpsuit with a G design on the belt, white gloves and boots snapped awake striking several martial arts poses finishing by making his hands into a G shape. His old body looked like it could barely stand as he trembled weakly.
"Jumping a kid? How uncool…" Senor Pink, a tanned husky middle-aged man who was dressed up like a baby. His outfit was complete with a diaper, bib, pacifier, and bonnet plus a short scarf and aviator shades. Despite his weird appearance his name was heard the loudest from among the adoring female fans. The words 'hardboiled' and 'manly' were used a lot.
"You got it boss-in" Machvise an obese ape shaped man in a red leotard was last to go. His long blonde hair flowed in the wind as the giant man seemed to float in the air.
"That brat's gonna get it now!"
"All four combat officers are fighting?! They can't lose!"
"When fighting together their victory rate is 100%!"
The fans were thrilled to see all four of the officers fighting at once.
"100%? This might actually be fun after all." Asta came back to life hearing this. "Alright all of you come at me at once!"
"Don't cry when we tear you to pieces!" Dellinger was the first to attack with far more speed and ferocity than Asta anticipated. His fangs and horns were even more deadly than his hands and feet. Before Asta could adjust the old man again surprised him with his speed and skillfull technique. Still they were no match for his martial arts, after all he trained daily against the sharingan. As soon as they realized he took the upper hand both retreated. Asta heard a loud "IIIINNN" from above as a Machvise crashed down weighing many tons.
"Lightning style: Devil's Hunting!" A column of black lightning shot up from Asta's raised hand. The last thing Machvise saw was a grinning black devil face to face with him. Asta jumped up to narrowly dodge two hands coming from inside the ground below. "Cero." From the tip of Asta's sword black beam going straight down left a smoldering senior pink at the bottom of a deep hole center stage.
"Whoa he got two of the officers in the blink of an eye."
"What is this kid?!"
"I don't know but he's badass, maybe even the strongest contender I've ever seen in the coliseum."
Diamante was beyond pissed at this random kid who not only disrespected his leader, but stole the hearts of his fans own too! The entire kingdom could hear the coliseum chanting for the mysterious sword boy. "Don't lose dammit! I don't care if you gotta use the damn books, BRING ME HIS HEAD!"
Lao G was the first to oblige "You are indeed stronG!er than we expected boy. To sinG!le handedly best not one but two of my comrades is no easy feat. Now behold the power of a G!rimoire used by the a member of the DoflaminG!o family." He produced an Orange and blue grimoire, instead of a clover was the Doflamingo family jolly his roger surrounded by four golden G's.
Dellinger brought out his fighting fish grimoire, a black book sporting the same jolly roger with sharp teeth on the top and bottom edges.
"Oooh grimoires! What kind of magic do you two have!?"
"Watch and see boy…G! MiG!hty maG!ic: Power form!" The old geezer's body began to swell and bulge with muscles, in seconds he'd turned into a hulking figure several times his original stature. "Come!" He and Asta began trading blows with extreme speed, their every clash parted the waters here or a tremor there.
"Hahaha let me in on the action! Fighting fish magic: Bull charge!" Dellinger came flying at Asta horns first and his magic formed a fighting fish around him. He gored Asta and smashed him into wall, leaving a crater several meters deep. Looking at his handiwork he noticed a lot of smashed up wood, and no blood. "Huh?"
"Fire style: burning blade dance!" Asta reappeared behind Dellinger and unleashed a combo of flaming slashes on his open back. A giant haki coated fist comes at Asta but he meets it with a fist of his own. The overwhelming strength of Asta's full power punch breaks Lao G's hand and a second punch leaves him sleeping next to a speechless Diamante. Even the crowd was speechless, for all four officers to get knocked out so quickly was shocking to say the least, but by a small child? That's just absurd. Asta jumped up on the VIP section railing looking eye to eye with the man in charge. "I guess that leaves you."
"I gotta do everything myself around here…." The head of the coliseum looms over Asta with mic in hand "Alright boy, time for the grand finale. You die by my hand."
"Kick his ass Diamante! You're so strong and cool! The hero of the Coliseum!" The women keeping him company showered him with praise.
"Uahaha no no I'm really not all that." Diamante modestly laughed the praise off.
"You're the best Diamante!"
"No maybe not the best."
"Yes you are!"
"Nah not really."
After a little back in forth they got tired of complimenting him. "Ok fine you're not the best."
Oddly that's when he finally accepted the praise. "Uahahaha, see that boy? Everyone here knows I'm the best and soon you will too."
"I don't get what just happened but if you're ready to go then come on!"
"Don't get ahead of yourself boy." The microphone in Diamante's hand went limp like a whip. With a single lash it wrapped around Asta's arm before he knew what was going on. Diamante swung him around smashing into walls and the floor before he was thrown back into the arena. Diamante fixed the mic and was about to say something when another cero flew straight at him. He calmly put a hand out and the blast itself went limp when he grabbed it. "Uahaha this is the power of my flag magic enhancing my devil fruit, even my opponents energy is a weapon for me now!" He swung the laser around like a whip then lashed it back at Asta who deflected it with his sword. Each lash had the force of his own cero added to them leaving huge craters everywhere. Asta flew towards Diamante who straightened the whip and launched it like a javelin, midair it regained it's original form as a ray of energy.
"NICE!" Asta used another cero to match the first and continued at Diamante. "What else can your magic do?!"
"You won't reach me." Out of his pockets he pulled a rag out and returned it to the original shape of a confetti cannon. When it fired Asta was surprised to see not paper but iorn spiked balls flying around him. He deflected most with his Kusanagi sword but many still made contact cutting him up. "Careful boy, this is a special blend!"
"What!?" Some of the spiked balls were actually bombs and they started going off around him.
"Uahaha you're fireworks now Uahahahahaha!"
"THAT ATTACK SUCKED!" A smoking but otherwise unharmed Asta burst out from the cloud of smoke full speed at Diamante.
"Huh?! what's this kid made of?!" Diamante waved his steel cape like a matador, blocking Asta's attack. From behind his cape's cover he drew his rapier and thrust it at Asta who reacted fast enough to block it but somehow he was still cut on his shoulder. Diamante took to the offensive and repeatedly swung his sword as it switched from flag to solid it kept hitting Asta at impossible angles.
Asta was more confused than hurt at this point. "(Every time I read his attack it does something different. This flag magic is tricky!)"
"Uahahaha what's the matter boy? Can't keep up?"
"I haven't even warmed up yet! Lightning blade zero!" Black lightning danced along the end of the Kusanagi sword and Diamante's rapier went to pieces. With one final cut black lightning blasted Diamante out of the coliseum and across Joker city planting him in the castle pillar. "Was that really it? I thought he'd have more tricks at least…" Asta sat in Diamante's seat again disappointed with the Coliseum's fighting power. On the other hand, the spectators unanimously elected a new hero of the Coliseum. SWORD BOY! SWORD BOY!