Are you done?
This is how you use a whip!
It hurts, doesn't it? But it's punishment, so it's supposed to hurt!
Stop it!
Forget it! Take that! And that! What's the matter?!
Piri! Here I am!
Piri! Over here!
I've never felt so irritated!
I have no idea what they're gonna do.
Piri-piri! These two are no fun at all!
No fun, no fun!
Piri-piri! Pikkiri!
What is this power?!
There will be three matches. Whoever wins two first is the victor. Agreed?
Sure.
Seen in this light, the scenery's actually pretty atmospheric.
I have to admit, my fighting spirit is building up.
We're both soldiers.
I figured that as long as we're going to be fighting, I should set the mood.
I see. You're the type that starts from the style.
I sense a similarity to me in you.
Let us have a supreme showdown in a superlative setting.
I have no objections to that.
I just wish we had an audience.
I couldn't bear to let other people see you lose so ingloriously, Erza-dono.
I have at least that much sympathy for you.
Those are fighting words.
Then let us have a fair...
...fight!
Why don't you take it easy?
You think I can take it easy in a situation like this?!
Forget the fact they caught me off guard, I let them turn me into a furry! Dammit!
I can't let anyone else in the guild see me like this!
Still, running yourself ragged on a hamster wheel is no help!
Running or sitting, I can't stand it here!
Right when we've gotta figure out a way to close that gate, and fast!
Piri! Look! He's running on it!
How cute!
They are cute!
Erza vs. Sagittarius! Showdown on Horseback!
Piri-piri!
Enough with the "piri"! Just get us out of here!
Hey, return us to our original forms and fight us!
It looks like he's in a bad mood, Mini. Piri!
I bet he's hungry, Gemi. Piri!
I'll give you some food. You like this, right?
Wha...?!
Piri-piri!
C-Cut it out! What the hell are you doin'?!
I pulled these weeds from over there, piri-piri!
Like I can eat this crap?! At least give me some iron!
Beggars can't be choosers! Shut up and eat your weeds, piri!
You'll never grow if you're a picky eater, piri!
I ain't a picky eater! I'm just not gonna eat weeds!
They're totally treating us like pets. Gimme a break!
I wanna touch his tail, piri!
I wanna pet him, piri!
Knock it off, dammit! Ow!
He's fluffy!
Let us pet you some more!
Piri-piri!
Cut it out! You're gonna tear me in half!
Those two should not be allowed to have pets...
When you take care of animals, you must treat them gently and with consideration.
Otherwise, they'll get ill from the stress.
Don't just watch, do something!
It hurts my pride a bit, but this isn't the time to worry about that.
Look! This one's starting to run, too!
Cute! I wanna touch him!
Piri-piri!
Now!
One of them got away! We've gotta catch him!
It's okay.
There are a lot of scary animals outside, like bears and wild boars.
He won't get far.
Gajeel... Go for it!
Hang in there, Lily! I'll save you soon!
Wait, wait!
Gemi Mini
Piri-piri! Pikkiri!
Now I'm a frog?!
You're not getting away!
Frogs aren't that cute!
Then how about this?
Ribbit-ribbit-ribbit!
A snail?! I can barely move!
That's cuter, right?
Yeah!
But he's not fluffy enough!
I'll make you even cuter!
What the hell?! I can't fight like this!
I need to get back to my real form!
Bearrr!
Growl!
Grrr!
Get outta my way!
Hey, bear.
Bear?
I need your help.
Bear...
Where did he go? This is aggravating.
It is aggravating.
Fluffy!
There he is!
Piri-piri!
We found you!
Bear?
Piri?!
You're wide open!
That's playing dirty-piri!
That hurt! You're terrible!
Now I'm mad! We'll just have to teach you a lesson!
Piri!
Pikkiri!
Piri-piri! I'm a mongoose!
Piri-piri! I turned into a snake!
What should I do? Mini looks tasty to me, piri!
I don't wanna be eaten, piri! No!
Sheesh. What a bother!
Club of the Iron Dragon!
Piri?
Piri!
What the hell? If I can still use magic in this form, tell me from the start!
I'm closing the gate!
Piri!
I'm finally back to normal.
You did it, Gajeel.
Yeah!
If you could use magic, shouldn't you have used Club of the Iron Dragon from the start?
Shut up! I just assumed I couldn't use it.
The globe is with Leo.
Certainly, that's a strong possibility.
In other words, if we know where the celestial globe is,
we can determine Leo's location and maybe even what he's doing.
Wait a moment.
Portable Lacrima Vision. I can't guarantee the sharpest picture, though.
Thank you. I'll try to use it.
It looks like the battles are still going on.
But I don't see Leo.
He's probably hiding somewhere in Astral Spirytus.
Actually, there's one more thing that bothers me.
What is it?
The Celestial Spirits who appeared before us were Zodiac spirits,
but I also had the preconceived notion that there were only 12 of them.
Actually, there should be one more around, the Serpent Bearer Celestial Spirit.
That's right...
What is the Serpent Bearer Celestial Spirit trying to do?
Maybe that's the key to everything. That's the feeling I get.
I'm a Celestial Spirit Wizard myself.
Besides, I'm responsible for creating this situation.
I have to do something to solve it fast.
Princess...
Don't hide! Come out and play!
This isn't fun!
Come out, or I'll make the punishment ten times worse!
I don't want to fight Virgo.
But she's right that hiding like this accomplishes nothing.
Mayo! Mayo!
This would be the best room to hide in.
Crap!
I have no intention of letting you shut the gate!
I'm gonna take that key!
Etoile Whip!
This is the one thing I can't let her have!
I'll save the mayo for later!
It's about time for you to say your prayers!
I didn't want to fight you if I could help it, but you've given me no choice.
I'll fight! For your sake!
Sagittarius, there's something I want to ask you before we begin our fight.
What is it?
I've heard that even if you succeed with the Liberum rite and attain freedom,
you'll only receive a mere 12 days.
After that, you'll die.
Even so, do you still seek freedom, Sagittarius?
Even if it is only 12 days,
if I gain the freedom of release from a human's contract, then I will have no regrets.
Before you changed into these forms, all of you
were bound to Lucy by a friendship that transcended contracts.
Don't you think you're making a mistake?
I have no memories of the past.
Right now, friendship with a human only sounds like a falsehood to us.
Even now, Lucy wants to save all of you!
Say what you will, I will not be stopped now!
That is the way of the warrior!
You're immovable, huh?
There will be three matches.
Whoever wins two first is the victor. Agreed?
Yes!
The first match will be over there.
Horseback archery? Interesting.
Very nice. That is a beautiful steed.
Form is important in all things.
Now, let us have a fair field with no favoritism.
That is the way of the warrior!
I will go first.
Not bad.
It is your turn next.
I lost this one.
You're being a good sport about it.
I, who desired this match, will not behave disgracefully. That is the way of the warrior.
However, there are two matches left! This showdown is still up in the air!
So the second match is about speed.
Indeed. The one who races to the finish line first is the winner.
Then on your mark, get set...
Go!
He's fast!
This weight puts me at a disadvantage...
Goal!
I'm impressed. And I'm happy to compete against a worthy opponent.
I am thankful for the praise,
but it is still one to one.
The third match is... this!
A competition between two armed warriors on horseback. This is the decisive battle.
Land mines are buried here and there on this beach.
I do not know their exact locations myself.
Let us both be careful.
I appreciate the warning. Then I'll also...
Begin!
Here I come!
You parried well! But how about this?!
Is it not getting harder to hold that lance?
You are skilled. But not as skilled as me!
If you come at me with strength, then I'll use speed to win!
This is mine!
Losing your steed guarantees inevitable defeat! Have the good grace to surrender.
This is nothing!
Moving carelessly will only make you fall prey to the mines!
He's not supposed to know where the land mines are, either.
So why isn't he setting any of them off?!
Horses are very sensitive animals!
My wild animal instincts help me dodge the explosives!
Oh, no!
No steed, no weapon, and surrounded by land mines.
You dare not even take one step!
No, there is one place I can go. A safe place.
That's...
...on your back!
How insolent! I do not care to have women riding on my back!
This isn't working with my heavy armor!
It's easier to ride this way!
Get down! Get down, I say!
If I get down, I'll step on another land mine! You're stuck with me for the time being!
Run, run! Full speed ahead!
I believe we're in the clear.
There are still mines here...
That's the game, Sagittarius.
You not only beat me, you rode on my back.
I am completely defeated.
I will not act disgracefully. Do as you will to me.
Eventually, we'll have the chance to compete against each other again.
I hope when that time comes, you'll be back to your original self.
I'll close the gate.
Are Natsu and the others okay?
What's this?
An operating table?!
It isn't just any old operating table-denasu!
It's an operating table that can strap down the patients itself-denasu!
Wendy! Carla!
What are you going to do?!
I can't move!
It's your turn next-denasu!
Natsu-san! Happy!
Dodge it!
This two-bit contraption ain't gettin' me!
How naive-denasu!
I told you before. As the administrator of Astral Spirytus,
I can control anything here-denasu!
Natsu!
Uh oh-denasu!
Happy, charge!
Roger!
Iron Fist of the Fire Dragon!
Thank you, Natsu-san!
You saved us. I don't want that psycho nurse performing surgery on me!
In that case...
That's enough, Ophiuchus!
Loke!
You finally came out!
The ceremony is ready to go.
There's no need to hold them up any longer.
You can go.
Understood. See you later.
Ready to go?
Unfortunately,
I'm sure your comrades are being sent back to the Celestial Spirit World just about now.
You can't do the ceremony!
Now what's happening?!
The power of darkness gave me another chance at Liberum!
No matter how many times you try to discourage us,
our will that seeks freedom is indomitable and thus indestructible!
I shall throw off my yoke of oppression,
grasp true freedom with my own hands,
and rise up again and again!
What the...?!
Outside? But this smell...
He keeps changin' the location!
Ophiuchus! Show them your true form!
True form?
H-Huh?
So I guess this is another way she oversees this place, huh?
That's right. I'm Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer,
and this, becoming one with a serpent, is my true form.
But also, Astral Spirytus and everything in it is my body!
You have been battling inside my body all this time.
Everything is going exactly as we planned it.
Liberum is the ceremony that releases Celestial Spirits from their contracts with humans!
And this time we are going to complete it!
You are diligent in everything...
...king of the Celestial Spirits.
Wha..?! Ophiuchus merged with a snake!
Natsu, what should we do?! How can we fight that giant thing?!
Calm down, Happy! Loke's the priority here! I'm gonna kick his ass and stop the ceremony!
That's right! We have to stop Liberum first, right?
Let's go, Happy! I'm gonna have it out once and for all with Loke!
Aye, sir!
Next time: Natsu vs. Leon!
I'm gonna stop the ceremony! Bring Loke back to normal!
And tie up all the loose ends!
Do it, Natsu!