Chapter Summaries

Imu revealed the immense Haki and swordsmanship behind his Domain of God as he fought Rayleigh at Mary Geoise. Rayleigh fell in battle, reflecting that his adventurous life had been wonderful.

• Imu welcomed Rayleigh as a chance to test his abilities and dismissed the threat he posed.
• Rayleigh unleashed Underworld Prison, but his Flying Slash slowed before Imu and shattered against the invisible Haki supporting him in the air.
• Rayleigh realized Imu had merged the forms of Haki and swordsmanship into the Domain of God, while Imu called him an ant and prepared to kill him.
• Imu filled the sky with golden lightning-wreathed sword energies and sent them raining down on Rayleigh.
• Rayleigh's blade broke, and he fell pierced by the sword energies, thinking of Roger and the life of adventure he had enjoyed.

After Rayleigh’s death briefly drew the world’s attention, Laskey and Mata continued exploring the Kabane world and discovered a human city’s armed forces fighting the Living Dead. They watched a soldier destroy his own heart, leaving them stunned by the force’s tactics.

• Rayleigh’s death drew brief attention, while Shanks was shocked and Dragon noticed that Shakky had disappeared.
• Construction and research continued around the Star Gate as scientists studied the Kabane and Vegapunk requested samples of their heart membranes.
• Laskey and Mata traveled west along the railway, killing Kabane and hearing gunfire ahead.
• The pair concealed themselves on a hill and spotted a city and its soldiers fighting Kabane with a train, mortars, and motorcycles.
• Laskey and Mata watched a soldier pierce a Kabane’s heart and then blow through his own heart.

Laskey and Mata infiltrated an armored train carrying captured Kabane while the Five Elders ordered a major Army deployment to the New World. Douglas Bullet led two thousand soldiers through the Star Gate, reporting for duty.

• Laskey and Mata watched the black-clad soldiers capture live Kabane and decided to follow them onto their armored train.
• Laskey and Mata caught up with the train, boarded its rear carriage unnoticed, and planned to capture a soldier and blend in.
• Mata pointed out that she and Laskey were much taller than the train’s soldiers, complicating their plan to disguise themselves.
• The Five Elders decided to send Bullet to the New World and ordered Army Headquarters to assemble a regiment.
• Bullet led two thousand armed Army soldiers through the Gates of Justice and into the New World.

Bullet learned about the Kabane and their vulnerabilities, then overruled the scheduled departure and led the Army toward a fallen city at night. The Army began its first mission to eliminate the Kabane there.

• Addison explained that Kabane could be stopped by striking their heart membranes twice or cutting off their heads, and Bullet proposed disabling them and capturing them for their heart membranes.
• Bullet complained that Crocodile had arrived before him and told an Army Colonel to prepare the troops and motorcycles.
• Bullet rejected the order to depart the next morning and asserted his command over military operations in the area.
• Twenty minutes later, Bullet led the Army column out of the Star Gate Base and north toward the fallen city.

Crocodile entered Yatsushiro Station by leaping onto its city wall, intimidated the guards, and headed for the night market in search of food. He ordered chicken skewers and liquor, asking the vendor for ingredients to make ketchup.

• A soldier spotted Crocodile approaching Yatsushiro Station and reported him to Shinishi Takuya.
• Crocodile leaped from outside the moat onto the city wall, asked for directions to food, and tipped a soldier with Koban Gold.
• Shinishi Takuya tried to confront Crocodile but faltered under his intimidating presence, then learned that Crocodile had crossed a field of Kabane corpses.
• Shinishi Takuya ordered the soldiers to watch Crocodile from a distance while he went to inform the chief steward.
• Crocodile followed the smell of food to the night market and ordered chicken skewers, liquor, and ingredients to make ketchup.

Crocodile considered joining Yatsushiro Station’s army so he could eventually challenge Whitebeard and make Douglas Bullet his subordinate. When a Black Mist attacked the city, he flew over the wall to confront it.

• Crocodile recalled Tian Jiang’s offer to make him a Samurai Superintendent and decided he would join the army to pursue his ambitions.
• Cannon fire erupted at Yatsushiro Station’s eastern gate as a massive Black Mist advanced toward the city.
• Crocodile approached a frightened young soldier and asked about the creature.
• The soldier explained that the Black Mist formed when many Kabane fused around a core and warned that it could break through the city wall.
• Crocodile transformed into a whirlwind of sand and flew over the wall toward the Black Mist.

Crocodile destroyed the Black Mist threatening Yatsushiro Station and removed the Blue-Light Kabane at its core. The soldiers hailed him as the God of Sand, while he prepared to take the core as a gift to the World Government's Army.

• Crocodile flew above the Black Mist and split its enormous body in two with a Sand Blade, prompting the soldiers to worship him as a god.
• The Black Mist reformed and attacked Crocodile, but its blows passed through his Logia body as he used Observation Haki to sense its core.
• Crocodile unleashed a gigantic Sables that tore apart the Black Mist and exposed a Blue-Light Kabane inside its head.
• Crocodile grabbed the Blue-Light Kabane by the neck and tore it free, causing the Black Mist to collapse into Kabane, wreckage, and corpses.
• Crocodile used the Sand Tornado to sweep the fallen Kabane away from Yatsushiro Station.

Crocodile seized General Manager Tian Jiang and took him away to gather information, while Douglas Bullet’s Army Heavy Motorcycle Mobile Unit began clearing Kabane outside the Fallen Dead City. The battle took a turn when a powerful Kabane rallied nearby creatures and resisted the unit’s gunfire, drawing Bullet into the fight.

• Crocodile let the people on the city wall believe he was a god, introduced himself, and ordered them to open the gates next time he visited.
• Crocodile obtained maps from General Manager Tian Jiang, asked about Kabane and local ore, then carried Tian Jiang away in a sandstorm.
• Douglas Bullet’s two battalions of motorcycle troops used rifles and grenades to draw out and reduce the Kabane swarming from the city.
• A large Kabane used other Kabane as shields and projectiles, while its roars attracted more of them.
• Bullet left his motorcycle in a blur and appeared above the unusual Kabane, bringing down his palm.

Crocodile returned to Star Gate Base with Administrator Tian Jiang and a blue-glowing Kabane, then officially joined the Army as a lieutenant general. The base began preparing to interrogate Tian Jiang and study the Kabane as Crocodile took up his new identity as “Sand Crocodile.”

• Bullet crushed the special Kabane and ordered his troops to move toward the city within two hours.
• Addison contacted the homeland base to request an interrogation expert and told Dr. Fritz to prepare for the blue-glowing Kabane.
• Crocodile arrived at Star Gate Base with Administrator Tian Jiang and the Blue-Light Kabane.
• Addison introduced Dr. Fritz, who took charge of the Kabane, while a Black-Clad Man carried Tian Jiang away for interrogation.
• An Army Major General welcomed Crocodile and presented him with a black Coat of Justice.
• Crocodile put on the coat, accepted a cigar, and was welcomed as Army Lieutenant General “Sand Crocodile.”

The World Government staged a worldwide broadcast of the liberation of slaves in Mary Geoise, winning public praise while secretly relocating most of them to crude settlement districts. After the broadcast ended, officials named the former slaves citizens of Saint Grace City and Saint Gift City and ordered them to build self-sufficient lives under government surveillance.

• The Navy continued its campaign against the slave trade while the Publicity Department broadcast the liberation of slaves in RL0002 District.
• The broadcast showed tens of thousands of freed slaves, persuading most of the world that the World Government had performed a great act of mercy.
• The Publicity Department concealed that only a little over ten thousand selected slaves were truly freed, while the rest were moved to basic settlements in RL0003 and RL0004 Districts.
• After the broadcast ended, an Administrative Department official told the relocated people they were citizens of Saint Grace City and Saint Gift City and outlined the supplies and support they would receive.
• The official told a subordinate to have undercover agents report anyone who expressed hatred toward the World Government or Celestial Dragons.

Imu ordered stronger surveillance of Mary Geoise after intruders exposed its weak defenses. In South Blue, the Yanade king and Pericles discussed ending slavery and the South Blue Alliance, while Marines and CP2 seized the Saint Margery royal family.

• Imu concluded that the Holy Land Garrison could not stop skilled intruders and ordered Cipher Pol agents to patrol Mary Geoise in rotating pairs.
• The Yanade king told Pericles that the South Blue Alliance had disbanded after its members were frightened by the One Piece Great Sea Battle broadcast.
• Pericles warned that the Saint Margery Kingdom and the other alliance members could face punishment, and the king thanked him for preventing Yanade from joining.
• Six Marine warships from South Blue Branch 125 sealed Saint Margery Kingdom’s ports while CP2 agents captured the king and his family.
• Lieutenant Colonel Haros watched the royal family being escorted away and reflected that his son Gasparde had advanced to ensign after receiving the Candy-Candy Fruit.

Gaban and four former Roger Pirates visited Crocus to discuss investigating Mary Geoise and uncovering the source of the World Government’s changes. Shakky arrived seeking fighters to help avenge Rayleigh and continue his investigation, then explained the World Government’s policy shift as Taro wondered whether it was a good thing.

• Gaban and Taro, Doringo, Petermoo, and Eye Dragon visited Crocus at Twin Capes and told him they planned to finish Rayleigh’s investigation of Mary Geoise.
• Gaban explained that Mire Pine, Max, and Rangram would join them, while Spencer, Sambel, and other former crewmates had declined for personal or political reasons.
• Crocus warned that Mary Geoise would be more heavily guarded and that the group risked dying without finding what they sought.
• Shakky entered Crocus’s house and declared that she intended to avenge Rayleigh and learn what he had gone to Mary Geoise to discover.
• Shakky described the World Government’s shift to gentler policies and its planned reforms to the Heavenly Tribute system, prompting Taro to ask if the changes were a good thing.

Shakky recruited Gaban and several former Roger Pirates to build a revolutionary force against the World Government, while Crocus declined to join and stayed to care for Laboon. After hearing a familiar song bring Laboon joy, Crocus encountered Senior Director Coulson of the World Government and feared their secret had been discovered.

• Shakky proposed using her intelligence network to stir oppressed people into rebellion and preserve Roger's and Rayleigh's ideals, and Gaban, Eye Dragon, Petermoo, and Taro agreed to help.
• Crocus declined to join because he needed to care for Laboon, but offered medical aid and a secret base at Twin Capes.
• Shakky left with Gaban and the others to meet Mire Pine, Max, Rangram, and potential recruits.
• After waking, Crocus heard a group singing Binks' Sake as Laboon joyfully swam near a black-clad figure.
• Senior Director Coulson introduced himself to Crocus as an official of the World Government's State Council, and Crocus feared they had discovered what happened the previous day.

Coulson brought Brook to reunite with Laboon and recruited Crocus for the World Government’s new Medical Academy. Crocus accepted and learned that Brook would become a Publicity Department artist while Laboon would be moved near Drum Kingdom, as Coulson waited for something spectacular to arrive.

• Coulson reassured Crocus that the World Government had not come to punish him, then explained how Brook had survived the Rumbar Pirates’ destruction and wandered the Mist Sea.
• Crocus thanked Coulson for bringing Brook back to Laboon and explained that he had believed the Rumbar Pirates abandoned their promise.
• Coulson invited Crocus to join the Medical Academy in Drum Kingdom, then warned that refusing could leave him liable for treating Roger’s illness.
• Crocus read Doctor Kureha’s letter urging him to come help, hesitated, and agreed to join the academy.
• Coulson said Brook would join the Publicity Department and proposed moving Laboon near Drum Kingdom, then waited for an approaching arrival that Crocus did not understand.

Brook reunited with Crocus and Laboon at Twin Capes, where an enormous island-sized Marine vessel arrived as the new G-0 Branch base. With Vice Admiral Kizaru stationed there to guard Reverse Mountain, Crocus realized the Marines would take over the Lighthouse and protect the passage.

• Brook thanked Crocus for caring for Laboon and reunited with his old friend and the whale.
• Two pirate ships raced down Reverse Mountain and prepared to fight after reaching the sea.
• Two golden streaks destroyed both pirate ships in explosions as Coulson recorded the scene.
• Crocus and Brook saw an enormous island-sized ship approach Twin Capes with warship escorts.
• Coulson explained that the vessel was the Marine G-0 Branch base, which would inspect ships and arrest pirates under Vice Admiral Kizaru's command.
• Crocus felt relieved that the Marines would take over the Lighthouse, while Brook and Laboon watched the new base arrive.

The Five Elders reviewed Crocodile’s map and intelligence about Hinomoto, its Kabane threat, and the Shogunate’s forces. They decided to focus on the nearby stations, study the Hunters’ movement, and find a way to process Kabane Heart Membranes more efficiently.

• Saint Shepherd Ju Peter showed the Five Elders Crocodile’s map and explained that Hinomoto lay near the Star Gate Base, with the Europa and Asia continents overseas.
• Saint Shepherd Ju Peter described the three nearby post stations and the Shogunate’s use of armored Station City trains to move people and supplies through Kabane-infested territory.
• Saint Shepherd Ju Peter explained that Biba Amatori led the Hunters, had once commanded a campaign against the Kabane, and was betrayed by his father, Shogun Keisuke Amatori.
• Saint Shepherd Ju Peter reported that Laskey and Mata had boarded the Hunters’ train toward Shitori Station, while Saint Topman Warcury said they should not rush to intervene.
• Saint Topman Warcury proposed designing equipment to strip Kabane Heart Membranes, and Saint Marcus Mars agreed to notify Dr. Vegapunk about the research.

Dr. Fritz studied the Kabane core, concluding that it absorbed and amplified the power of other Kabane’s hearts, and named it Blue Heart. He planned to seek help awakening its consciousness and to test whether a Haki user could control its power after receiving its blood.

• Dr. Fritz observed that the core attracted ordinary Kabane, suppressed their consciousness, and bound them into a growing body with black mucus.
• Dr. Fritz theorized that the core temporarily absorbed and strengthened the power of other Kabane’s hearts, while their consciousness returned when they were separated from it.
• Researchers brought Blue Heart a box of Kabane blood, and Dr. Fritz watched it pull the box closer with black mucus and drink the blood.
• Dr. Fritz named the core Blue Heart and decided to report his plan to awaken its consciousness to his superiors.
• Dr. Fritz asked for a strong-willed test subject who had mastered Haki to test whether they could resist Blue Heart’s negative emotions and control the virus’s power.

Laskey and Mata secretly followed the Hunters into a city, where they observed Biba Amatori and several people emitting Kabane-like auras. Laskey identified the group surrounding Biba as a key target and planned to report what he had learned to his base.

• Laskey told Mata that he had sensed a powerful, disturbing aura among the Kabane aboard the train and suspected Biba Amatori had plans for them.
• Laskey and Mata jumped off the train before it entered the station and hid in the city as the Hunters received a jubilant welcome.
• Laskey and Mata agreed to contact their base, gather intelligence, and report the unusual auras they had detected.
• Laskey spotted a Red-Clad Girl and a grayish-green-haired boy who also seemed to give off Kabane auras.
• Ayame introduced herself to Biba Amatori as leader of the Yomogawa family, and Laskey marked the group around Biba as a key target.

Laskey and Mata tracked Kokujo while Laskey reported the Hunters’ Kabaneri and a disturbing spiritual presence to Star Gate Base. Professor Fritz identified the Hunters’ researcher and a possible Black Mist core as valuable targets, and CP9 prepared to converge at Iwato Station.

• Ayame and Ikoma told Biba Amatori about the God of Sand who had defeated Black Mist at Yatsushiro Station and taken Administrator Tian Jiang.
• Biba Amatori considered the report alongside missing supplies on Kokujo and his sense that someone had been watching him.
• Laskey told Senior Director Addison that he had seen four people with the aura of Kabane, and Professor Fritz ordered him to watch them and identify their researcher.
• Laskey identified a gray-green-haired researcher traveling with Biba Amatori, and Dr. Fritz declared the researcher an especially valuable target.
• Laskey reported a spiritual source filled with fear and killing intent, and Dr. Fritz concluded that Kokujo carried a Black Mist core fed by imprisoned Kabane.
• Addison ordered other CP9 teams to meet Laskey and Mata at Iwato Station, where they would await further orders.

Mata and Laskey discovered that Shitori Station's conservatives had lured Kabane toward the city and planned to exploit the Hunters' response. As Biba Amatori's forces fought the horde, Laskey noticed the Short-Haired Blonde Woman's unusually powerful blade.

• Mata saw Samurai kill farmers and a horse outside the city, leaving their bodies near the Kabane, and warned Laskey that something was about to happen.
• Laskey told Mata to watch Biba Amatori and the white-robed researcher, then they headed for the black train when the alarm sounded and found it had left the city.
• The Kabane crossed the moat as conservatives watched from a tall building and planned to use the Hunters' response to their advantage.
• Biba Amatori ordered Hunters to fire incendiary mortar rounds, then sent motorcycle riders and infantry out to attack the Kabane.
• The Red-Clad Girl and the Short-Haired Blonde Woman worked together to kill a giant Kabane, and Laskey noticed that the blonde woman's blade pierced two Kabane hearts at once.