... Some time has passed ever since the Luma found Mario on the vast sea, and during that period, it told him everything about the conversation between Bowser and his commanders.

- " I see" Mario said. "So Bowser has already made his move and sent his 'commanders' to try and stop me."

- "That's right" the Luma replied. "Well, at least that's what the big spiky monster said. Also, they seem to be residing in some islands somewhere."

- "Hold on! Who's this... Bowser guy think he is!?" The old Noki said angrily. "Smoothskin Archipielago is such a beautiful and sacred place for him to just come here and use it as a base for an army or... something like that!"

- "Believe me, that is not something you have to be amazed about" Mario explained.

- "So that Bowser guy was behind the invasion in Tartufo Island" the old Noki said on his mind.

-"You've said you've got out of a castle... can you describe what did you see after you've got out?" Mario asked the Luma.

- "Well... All I know is seeing a dark place with a dark river and some creepy trees. Other than that, I haven't stop to look where this place is exactly... I was so scared that I've thought of nothing more than running away from that place and find you..."

-"Hmm... can't say I can blame you" Mario confessed.

*Mario stands up and fixes his hat*

- "At any rate, your mission has been completed. You can relax now, little Luma. We will take it from here."

- "Hm? You seem too confident" the Old Noki noticed. "Aren't you worried a bit?"

- "hahahaha! Bowser is capable of anything, but is not like this is the only time I have dealt with him and his schemes. I will surpass them like I have done many times before... then again, I wouldn't like your grandson and you to get involved in all of this..."

*The old Noki stares silently at Mario*

- "No my son" he replied. "Don't worry about that. It was I who wanted to come with you in the first place. My grandson and I will take care of ourselves somehow... but if anything happens to him, then I will take the blame for that."

- " Still, do not doubt of leaving us behind if you two ever feel in danger."

*The old Noki remained silent*

- "......... Well, I gues my job here is done" the Luma said relieved. "So I guess I wi--"

- "Mario!" Toadette yelled from the rudder. "We have company! Is more of those battleships from before!"

Battleships were approaching from behind the yacht, but instead of carrying flags with Bowser's insignia, it had a drawing of a Goomba with a crown.

- "AAAAAAH!" the Luma yelled before flying away from the place.

- "Not good at all!" Toadette said worried. "If the yacht gets destroyed again, then we--"

- "Hahahaha! No need to worry, miss!" The young Noki replied confidently. "Do not forget what yours truly right here did to your precious sailing machine. Hey Mario! Help me out here! Prepare the cannon from your side, and I'll take the one from the stern!"

-"Okay!" Mario agreed before jumping behind the cannon from his side.

- "I will be with your pink friend!" The old Noki warned. "I will be able to be of some assistance from there!"

Everybody was ready: Toadette will drive the yacht, and the old Noki will use a panel with buttons to help his grandson and Mario, who would be controlling the two cannons located on the yacht's bow and stern.

***************************

-"Here they come! Brace yourselves!" The young Noki warned.

Two of the battleships approach the yacht, ready to sink it into the bottom of the ocean. The young Noki had them in sight and pointed the cannon to one of them. He then fired a black iron ball and hit it, destroying it right away. The second one suffered the same fate as well.

- "Woohoo! Did you see that!?" The young Noki shouted.

-"Hey! Don't get distracted now!" His grandfather warned.

Two more battleships were approaching. This time, they have escaped the young Noki's sight and went to the yacht's bow, where Mario was located.

-" Hey Mario! Those two escaped from me! Take care of them, will ya?" He said.

- "I've got it!" Mario confirmed.

He started firing at the battleships, but he couldn't hit any of them.

- "Agh! I've missed all shots!" He said frustrated.

- "Don't give up! Keep trying!" The old Noki told him.

Mario tried once again, and this time, the battleships were destroyed.

- "Yahoo! I did it!" Mario shouted happily.

Suddenly, one of the remaining battleships fired a Bullet Bill, which exploded close to the yacht's right side.

- "Whoa whoa!" Toadette lost control of the yacht for a while.

Due to Toadette been distracted, the yacht was surrounded by the battleships afterwards, out of the line of sight of Mario and the Young Noki.

- "No good!" The young Noki reacted worried. "The cannons can not point on the yacht's side!"

- "Hohohoho! You can leave them to me grandson!" The old Noki said loudly.

He immediately pushed a button that activated some five rockets on each side of the yacht.

- "Try to avoid this!" The old Noki shouted before firing away.

All of the rockets gets every nearby battleship, destroying them on the act.

- "Whoa! That was amazing!" Mario reacted shockingly.

- "Ahahaha! Nothing in this vast sea will stop us, son!" The old Noki replied.

Suddenly, all the remaining battleships tried to surround the yacht once again, but they were all careless, giving Mario, and both the young and old Noki a chance to destroy them all once and for all.

- "Yahoo! Targets eliminated!" The young Noki said happily.

*Both the young Noki and Mario goes to Toadette and the old Noki to celebrate*

- "Wahoo! We did it!" Mario shouted happily.

- "What did I told you!? With this new upgraded yacht, you have a chance of fighting back the bad guys!" The young Noki replied excitingly.

- "Hohohoho! Both of you did a very good job out there!" The old Noki complimented.

- "Um... guys?" Toadette called them terrified.

- "Hm? What's wrong Toadette? Why aren't you-- oh oh" Mario said.

Celebration ended after everyone witness a big ship with the face of a Goomba on the bow; The same could be say on the ship's sails as well. The ship was also surrounded by tons of battleships, way more than before.

-"Mama... Mia..." Mario said worried.

- "What are we going to do? The yacht is not equipped to fight that high number of battleships" Toadette explained.

*The old Noki notices an island nearby*

- "Look Mario! That is the island I talked to you about: the one that comes before the Noki Atoll!"

-"Huh? You mean Smoothskin Park?" Mario replied.

- "Yes! I suggest we hide there before we are seen! We can think of a way to bypass them afterwards!"

- "If that is our safest course... then I guess we have no choice" Toadette agreed disappointed.

*Toadette changes her course and sails to Smoothskin Park*

It was at this moment that E Gadd and the Pianta Captain were closing in on a island with the mysterious black smoke, mentioned by the captain himself...