Chapter Summaries

Nefertari Vivi arrived at the Big Bird Spin-Spin Tavern on Whiskey Peak to meet her Baroque Works mentor, Ma Qiao, while secretly working to infiltrate the organization. After observing the tavern’s unusual staff and dangerous-sounding products, she concluded that Ma Qiao seemed kind, though the chapter hinted that his true intentions might differ.

• Nefertari Vivi recalled Igaram’s recommendation of Ma Qiao, a cautious lecturer whose interns had all survived their probationary periods.
• Vivi left Karoo to keep watch and entered the Big Bird Spin-Spin Tavern, where Garen entertained the patrons and Ashe served drinks.
• Vivi watched the tavern’s rowdy customers sing and learned from an elderly Pirate Hunter that its cigarettes and whiskey were popular with bounty hunters and pirates.
• Vivi read the whiskey label’s contract warning that excessive drinking would cost customers some of their lifespan, payable to the tavern.
• Vivi decided Ma Qiao seemed like a good-hearted person, though the narration suggested that Boss Ma Qiao’s perspective might change that impression.

Ma Qiao, a Baroque Works slacker who owned a tavern, collected customers’ lost lifespan and developed his Penguin-Penguin Fruit powers while keeping out of danger. After reading about Ace’s rising bounty, he focused on training through his summoned League of Legends heroes and left Garen exercising in his place.

• Ma Qiao collected lifespan from the tavern’s drinking and smoking bounty hunters, adding to his own long life.
• Ma Qiao read that Ace had earned a 30-million-Beli bounty and predicted he would soon head for the Grand Line.
• Ma Qiao reflected that ordinary people had to stay cautious in the dangerous Great Pirate Era, then ate a hamburger while ordering Garen to do more handstand push-ups.
• Ma Qiao explained that Garen could only level up through top-ups, but Garen’s exercise still increased Ma Qiao’s strength.
• Ma Qiao considered his summoned heroes loyal manifestations rather than fully living people because they lacked selfish desires and the urge to reproduce.

Ma Qiao learned that Nefertari Vivi had arrived as a Baroque Works trainee and was assigned to train her. The chapter ended with Vivi challenging him to prove he was still capable of fighting.

• Mr. 8 called Ma Qiao and told him to take charge of a new trainee, a cute girl sent to Whiskey Peak.
• Ma Qiao recognized the trainee as Vivi, Alabasta’s princess, and considered using their connection to build future wealth despite the danger posed by Crocodile.
• Ryze brought Vivi into Ma Qiao’s office, where Ma Qiao examined her and suspected Nico Robin might have allowed her undercover identity to pass screening.
• Vivi sized up Ma Qiao, then asked whether the veteran bounty hunter could still cut it.

Vivi scrubbed the tavern floor while Ma Qiao and his companions were away on a mission, then learned they had captured a pirate but kept his treasure. After Ma Qiao secretly stored the loot and confirmed Vivi would not report him, he descended into the tavern’s hidden base and reached a shop resembling the one from League of Legends.

• Vivi and Karoo scrubbed the tavern floor while Garen trained, and Vivi learned Ma Qiao, Ashe, and Ryze had gone on a mission without her.
• Ma Qiao returned with Ashe and Ryze, said they had captured a pirate with a three-million-Beli bounty, and denied that Ryze’s gold-filled sack contained treasure.
• Vivi chose not to report Ma Qiao and used a pocket Den Den Mushi to tell Igaram she was investigating Mr. 0’s identity.
• Ma Qiao confirmed Vivi’s loyalty and considered giving her more information, while keeping watch over the tavern with Vision Wards.
• Ma Qiao converted the pirate treasure into Q coins, entered the secret base beneath the tavern, and reached a League of Legends-style shop.

Ma Qiao explained his efforts to strengthen himself and his heroes while saving money for their growth. He had also developed several Penguin Style secret arts, including techniques for copying, acquiring, and injecting abilities.

• Ma Qiao reflected on the cost of Ashe's Recurve Bow and the money he had saved through side jobs.
• Ma Qiao explained that his three heroes were capped at level 3 until he recruited more heroes, and he suspected their level limits could rise far beyond 18.
• Ma Qiao described strengthening his body through Garen's push-ups, Ryze's meditation, and Ashe's archery practice.
• Ma Qiao dismissed developing penguin-based combat techniques after considering the limited abilities of other Bird-Bird Fruit users.
• Ma Qiao revealed Penguin Style secret arts for imitating an opponent's skill, buying a chance to gain one, and injecting factors into a target.

Marjo reviewed the skills and survival abilities he had bought, then used his savings and stolen pirate treasure to reach one hundred million Beli. He prepared to recruit his fourth hero for sixty-three million Beli, but rejected Aurelion Sol after concluding that newly summoned heroes were limited by their in-game early strength.

• Marjo recalled that his Sharingan had copied only Miss Monday’s Mighty Vajra Fist, while he had spent heavily to acquire summoner spells and Garen’s Perseverance and Courage.
• Marjo reflected that Pirate Hunters usually pursued only low-bounty targets and that his own savings had gone mostly toward leveling heroes and buying equipment.
• Marjo combined his accumulated savings with the pirate crew’s hidden treasure, bringing his wealth above one hundred million Beli.
• Marjo went to the shop’s fountain to recruit his fourth hero for sixty-three million Beli and planned to spend the remainder on strengthening himself.
• Marjo considered recruiting Aurelion Sol but decided the dragon would likely be weak at first, as Garen’s actual strength had followed his in-game level rather than his legendary lore.

Maqiao weighed whether to summon Gragas or Teemo for combat and business benefits, then used the summoning ritual and unexpectedly summoned Twitch. The chapter ended with Twitch kneeling before Maqiao and greeting him as his master.

• Maqiao rejected Cho'Gath, Nasus, Sion, and Veigar because their growth depended on conditions he could not reliably meet.
• Maqiao considered Gragas for upgrading his whiskey business, but worried that Gragas would add little to his immediate combat strength.
• Maqiao considered Teemo for ambush skills and his ability to grow mushrooms for Den Den Mushi feed.
• Maqiao decided to spend 63 million Beli on a hero summon and performed the ritual.
• Twitch emerged from the smoke, knelt before Maqiao, and greeted him as his master.

Ma Qiao learned that Captain Nezumi would visit Whiskey Peak to collect captured criminals and prepared an expensive whiskey for him. As he and his companions headed down the island to welcome the Marine, Ma Qiao privately considered the liquor Nezumi’s last drink before execution.

• Vivi reported that she had spent the morning doing chores, while Ma Qiao read about Red-Haired Shanks becoming one of the Four Emperors.
• Mr. 8 called Ma Qiao to check on Vivi, and Ma Qiao praised her role in capturing Karen Santini while warning her not to touch his belongings.
• Mr. 8 revealed that the same Marine would come to collect the captured criminals, prompting Ma Qiao to order Garen to fetch the finest whiskey.
• Ma Qiao took Garen, Ryze, Vivi, and Karoo down from the tavern to attend the Marines’ quarterly collection of wanted criminals.
• Ma Qiao brought a costly barrel of Big Mackerel Whiskey to welcome Captain Nezumi, whom he privately planned to execute.

Captain Nezumi arrived at Whiskey Peak before his transfer to the East Blue and took a bribe from Mr. 8. At a genuine welcome banquet, Nezumi boasted about his future post while Igaram felt relieved he was leaving and worried about the people he would prey on next.

• Nezumi prepared to leave the G-2 Branch for the Marine 16th Branch in the East Blue, where he expected to profit from commanding the region.
• Macho watched Nezumi's Seastone-hulled warship arrive at Whiskey Peak and recognized the infamous Marine captain.
• Mr. 8 welcomed Nezumi and accepted him as a guest, while Nezumi openly took a pouch of money from him.
• Nezumi and his Marines feasted at the banquet, and he bragged about Vice Admiral Comil's regard and his plans to make a fortune in the East Blue.
• Igaram reflected on Nezumi's corruption and felt relieved he was leaving Whiskey Peak, but worried for the East Blue's people.

At a Whiskey Peak banquet, Captain Nezumi demanded half the captured pirates’ bounties and ordered Ma Qiao and Vivi to lead him to the prison. They reached the Ring Finger Cell, where Nezumi began inspecting the captured pirates before arranging their transfer to Impel Down.

• Captain Nezumi demanded half the pirates’ total bounty, while Igaram urged the Pirate Hunters to hold back their anger.
• Captain Nezumi singled out Ma Qiao and Vivi and ordered them to lead him to the prisoners.
• Ma Qiao reassured Vivi and guided Captain Nezumi toward the Ring Finger Cell, while Nezumi rode Karoo and plucked his feathers along the way.
• Captain Nezumi explained that the Marines would transfer the prisoners to Impel Down if their numbers and identities checked out.
• Ma Qiao, Vivi, and Captain Nezumi entered the cave prison, where hundreds of captured pirates shouted from their iron cells.

Ma Qiao and Vivi confronted corrupt marines at the G2 branch, where escaped pirate Karen Santini revealed his Drill-Drill Fruit powers. The chapter ended with Santini facing Ma Qiao after the marines failed to stop him.

• Lieutenant Nezumi tried to extort Ma Qiao and Vivi, but he fell while attempting to kick Ma Qiao.
• Marines reported that a prisoner had escaped through a hole in his cell floor, and Santini burst up from beneath them with Nezumi impaled on his head.
• Santini recognized Ma Qiao as the Pirate Hunter, while Ma Qiao identified him as Karen Santini and recalled his three-million-Beli bounty.
• Santini transformed his arm into a tungsten-steel drill and knocked aside the marines, who realized he was a Devil Fruit User.
• Santini explained that he had eaten the Drill-Drill Fruit, and Ma Qiao’s suggestive question prompted Vivi to scold him.

Ma Qiao and Vivi faced Karen Santini, who attacked them after failing to secure a hostage exchange for his friend Laqiuba. As Santini’s drill threatened to kill Vivi, Ma Qiao used Flash to carry her away.

• The marines fled the cave and distracted Karen Santini by claiming Captain Nezumi was on his head.
• Santini learned Nezumi was only a captain, but kept him as a hostage after Nezumi claimed to have a connection to a Vice Admiral.
• Santini demanded that Ma Qiao return his treasure, then attacked Ma Qiao and Vivi with his drill.
• Vivi used her Peacock Slashers against the drill, but the weapon was shredded and the attack kept coming.
• Ma Qiao scooped up Vivi and activated Summoner Skill · Flash, making them vanish.

Ma Qiao volunteered to negotiate with the pirate holding Captain Nezumi and entered the prison cave alone. Vivi learned that Ma Qiao could not use his teleportation technique again yet, but trusted he had other tricks and shouted for him to return alive.

• Ma Qiao left Vivi with Miss Monday and urged the marines to rescue Captain Nezumi from the pirate holding him hostage.
• Sergeant Major Qiangsen asked Ma Qiao to negotiate, while Mr. 8 objected that sending him into danger was unjust.
• Ma Qiao volunteered to enter the cave, promising to persuade the pirate to release Captain Nezumi, and the crowd was moved by his resolve.
• Vivi asked Miss Monday about Ma Qiao’s teleportation, and Miss Monday explained that the Flying Thunder God Technique required time to recover.
• Vivi decided to trust Ma Qiao and shouted toward the cave, telling him to come back alive.

Ma Qiao confronted Santini in the prison cave and refused to negotiate, even as Santini used Lieutenant Nezumi as a hostage. Outnumbered after Santini freed the other prisoners, Ma Qiao summoned backup with a Dragon Slayer Ward.

• Santini searched the cave for Ma Qiao and Vivi while planning to recruit Ma Qiao for his treasure-finding ability.
• Ma Qiao returned with Lieutenant Nezumi as Santini's hostage and refused Santini's demands, attacking him instead.
• Santini drilled a hole in Lieutenant Nezumi's shoulder and freed three of his officers and dozens of other imprisoned pirates.
• The escaped pirates advanced on Ma Qiao, who planted a Dragon Slayer Ward and activated its summoning power.
• Garen, Ashe, and Ryze appeared as Ma Qiao's reinforcements.

Ashe, Garen, and Ryze fought off the Santini Pirates while Ma Qiao faced Santini in a duel. Ma Qiao crushed Santini with a critical Mighty Vajra Fist, leaving the pirate embedded in a shattered rock wall.

• Ashe used a fan of icy arrows to kill or slow the charging pirates and create distance.
• Garen killed a pirate officer with Decisive Strike and tore through the enemy formation with Judgment, while Ryze attacked the pirates with close-range magic.
• Santini broke Captain Nezumi’s legs, then challenged Ma Qiao to fight without using his escape ability.
• Ma Qiao activated Courage and met Santini’s spinning drill head with Mighty Vajra Fist.
• Ma Qiao’s punch landed a critical hit, flattening Santini’s head and hurling him into the rock wall.

Ma Qiao defeated Santini, who revealed his hidden Devil Fruit ability and asked him to pass along a message to Laqiuba before dying. After Santini’s death, Ma Qiao reflected on his choices and wondered whether he should stop Ace from eating the Flame-Flame Fruit.

• Santini admitted that he had hidden his Devil Fruit ability and praised Ma Qiao and his subordinates before asking him to tell Laqiuba that Karen Santini would never forget his kindness.
• Ma Qiao asked Santini whether he would give up his power and return to ordinary work, and Santini said he could no longer live that way.
• Ma Qiao tried to revive Santini with a life potion but deliberately stopped, and Santini died.
• Garen used [Ignite] on Santini’s body while Ma Qiao resolved not to underestimate future opponents and considered his summoner skills.
• Ma Qiao wondered whether Ace had eaten the Flame-Flame Fruit yet and whether he should try to dissuade him.

After scattering Santini’s ashes, Ma Qiao resolved to pass Santini’s last words to Laqiuba and give him a dignified death, but first he dealt with the injured Lieutenant Nezumi. Twitch killed Nezumi as he tried to escape, and the group burned his body to ash.

• Ryze and Ashe scattered the pirates’ ashes while Ryze prayed for the dead.
• Ma Qiao decided he would convey Santini’s last words to Laqiuba and later execute him before he could face enslavement.
• Ma Qiao and the others ignored Nezumi’s pleas for help, and Nezumi injected himself with a stolen drug to escape.
• Twitch appeared behind Nezumi and stabbed him through the heart with Doran’s Blade.
• Ignite burned Nezumi’s body to ash, and Ryze prayed over the dead again.

Ma Qiao arranged for Twitch to replace Captain Nezumi and become an undercover Marine, opening a path for his business plans. After Nezumi’s warship departed, Ma Qiao and Vivi headed home from the beach.

• Twitch impersonated Nezumi and told the Marines that Santini had escaped, while defending Ma Qiao as the man who saved his life.
• Twitch struck a Marine who tried to blame Ma Qiao and demand a penalty, earning the Marines’ cheers.
• Nezumi and his men left Whiskey Peak without accepting Mr. 8’s invitation to stay.
• Ma Qiao reflected on the money he had taken from Nezumi and how Twitch’s Marine identity and Seastone-base warship could aid his trade plans.
• Ma Qiao raised his cola to wish Twitch well, then followed Vivi toward Middle Finger Mountain as Karoo and Garen trailed behind.

At Marine G2, Vice Admiral Momonga asked Comil to look after his nephew Nezumi, unaware that Nezumi was secretly Twitch, Ma Qiao’s planted Marine. After Momonga struck Twitch during a disciplinary test, Twitch stood back up with a faint green glow, surprising him.

• Momonga visited Comil at the G2 Branch and asked him to summon Nezumi before Momonga left for a Marine Headquarters meeting.
• Ma Qiao learned that Nezumi had a Vice Admiral uncle and decided to pair Twitch with Garen as his support.
• Vivi struggled with her steak while Ma Qiao noticed something and reacted with surprise.
• Momonga punched Twitch, knocking him to the ground, then criticized his lack of strength.
• Twitch rose with a faint green glow, and Momonga turned back in surprise.

After Twitch replaced Captain Nezumi, he convinced Momonga and Comil that he had reformed and arranged for Ma Qiao to be recruited as a Marine negotiation expert. Twitch secretly planned to use Nezumi’s connections for Ma Qiao’s smuggling schemes, then stole Nezumi’s savings and set sail for Whiskey Peak.

• Twitch used [Heal] after Momonga tested his strength, then pretended to be exhausted and declared that he wanted to become a good person.
• Momonga urged Twitch to grow stronger, while Comil offered Ma Qiao a paid place in the G-2 Branch’s talent pool as a negotiation specialist.
• Twitch agreed to invite Ma Qiao to the base and began cultivating an image as a reformed Marine while privately planning to use Nezumi’s remaining associates for smuggling and recruitment.
• Twitch searched Nezumi’s home, found about 130 million Beli, and sold most of its contents, presenting the money as part of his fresh start.
• Three days later, Twitch packed his valuables and sailed for Whiskey Peak with Nezumi’s stolen wealth.