Recaps

Buggy and the Buggy Pirates witnessed the Goldfish Island Beast swallow three ships, then found themselves targeted by the giant creature. Maud arrived on the shore and split the beast in two, leaving Buggy, his crew, and the onlookers stunned.

• Buggy hid the newspaper mentioning Bagard Maud from his excited crew as the Buggy Pirates sailed toward Little Garden.
• Buggy ordered his crew to prepare for battle when three ships approached, but the ships passed without attacking.
• Buggy and his crew watched the Goldfish Island Beast swallow all three ships one by one.
• Buggy rallied his frightened crew by boasting that he could defeat the beast with a special cannonball, but the creature then turned toward their ship.
• Maud appeared on the shore and split the Goldfish Island Beast in two, leaving the Buggy Pirates and the coastal onlookers stunned.

Maud killed the Goldfish Island Beast with a slashing-form Funeral March, freeing the people stranded on Little Garden and accidentally saving the Buggy Pirates. After recognizing Maud as the feared Shichibukai, Buggy and his crew panicked when he suddenly appeared aboard their ship.

• Maud cleaved the Goldfish Island Beast in two, and the waves from its falling corpse flooded the shore and swept away the temporary base.
• The people on Little Garden and the Buggy Pirates celebrated their survival and regarded Maud as their savior.
• Buggy and his crew recognized Maud as the 500-million-Beli Shichibukai and feared the cold-blooded pirate hunter.
• Maud examined the rounded cut left by his slashing-form Funeral March and resolved to keep improving the technique.
• Maud noticed Buggy's ship, exchanged places with his shadow, and appeared on its deck.
• Buggy and his crew screamed in terror, and Buggy's body separated under the power of his Chop-Chop Fruit.

Maud encountered Buggy and the Buggy Pirates in Little Garden, reassured them, and invited Buggy to join his crew, but Buggy refused. Maud encouraged Buggy to search for John's treasure, unknowingly convincing nearby pirates that Buggy was a powerful prospect, then arranged for Goldfish Island Beast meat to be brought to his villa.

• Maud calmed the frightened Buggy Pirates and revealed that he knew Buggy's connections to Saul, Gaban, Shanks, and Rayleigh.
• Maud invited Buggy to join his crew, but Buggy angrily refused and insisted he would become a captain himself.
• Buggy told Maud that he had come to Little Garden to search for John's treasure, and Maud falsely assured him the treasure was there.
• Nearby pirates overheard the exchange and wrongly concluded that Buggy had a bounty exceeding three hundred million and was worthy of Maud's attention.
• Maud left the ship and used his shadow to tell the bounty hunters to bring meat from the Goldfish Island Beast to his villa.

After the survivors left Little Garden, Philo gave Cavendish medicine before Maud’s group departed. Elsewhere, Marine Admiral Aokiji met Issho at a port and brought him aboard his warship.

• The bounty hunters and pirates devoured the Goldfish Island Beast, then nearly a thousand of them left Little Garden while some stayed away from Maud’s villa.
• A month later, Philo gave Cavendish improved antibodies and antidotes for the Beautiful Pirates and told him she wanted to develop a panacea.
• Maud called the group to leave Little Garden, and Cavendish kept his promise to help Philo to himself.
• Issho read an old newspaper featuring Maud at a Grand Line port until Aokiji arrived on a Marine warship to meet him.
• Aokiji brought Issho aboard the warship, where Issho asked the Marines whether they had vegetarian noodles.

After the Battle of Monsters made Maud even more famous, he put the pirates trapped near Thriller Bark to work and kept Cavendish and the crew training. Two months later, the White Horse reached the waters off the Sabaody Archipelago.

• Maud stopped Lafitte from killing the captured pirates and used their shadows to control zombies before sending them away.
• Maud told Cavendish that the group would stay at Thriller Bark for two or three more months, then defeated him in a training match.
• Maud arranged for Cavendish to spar with Brook and the others while Lafitte taught them Armament Haki.
• Maud trained his Shadow-Shadow Fruit abilities and practiced Hakoku during the two-month stay.
• The White Horse sailed into the offshore waters of the Sabaody Archipelago.

Maud brought the Beautiful Pirates to the Sabaody Archipelago, where newspaper reports suggested Ace had begun pursuing Blackbeard and the Summit War was approaching. After landing in the lawless zone, Maud approached a slave-hunting team, whose members suddenly lost control of their bodies and prostrated themselves before him.

• Cavendish and the Beautiful Pirates arrived near the Sabaody Archipelago, while Beli teased Perona about serving as a maid.
• Maud read reports about the Revolutionary Army, Ace’s pursuit of Blackbeard, and the Blackbeard Pirates’ attack on Drum Kingdom, then inferred that the Summit War was drawing nearer.
• The White Horse landed at Tree Island in the lawless zone, and Maud led the group ashore to find a coating shop.
• Maud saw slave hunters unloading enslaved people and walked toward them, prompting Cavendish and the others to watch in surprise.
• The slave hunters suddenly lost control of their bodies, knelt, and prostrated themselves before Maud.

Maud killed a group of slave traders on Sabaody Archipelago and returned to hunting pirates in the Lawless Zone. As Perona watched from beside him, Maud began shooting targets from afar using a rifle formed from Beli.

• Maud used his ability to force the slave traders to bow, then snapped his fingers and killed them by twisting their necks.
• Cavendish had his crew free the slaves, then stopped following Maud as Maud continued toward Tree Island 13 with Perona and Beli.
• Pirates and slave traders in a bar on Tree Island 26 panicked after hearing that Maud had returned to the Lawless Zone.
• A bullet killed a pirate beside the scar-faced pirate, and a second shot struck the scar-faced pirate as the bar watched.
• Maud sat on a Shadow Throne at Tree Island 13, fired a rifle formed from Beli, and called the scar-faced pirate his first target.

Maud used a rifle from afar to kill several pirates on Sabaody Archipelago, revealing that he had returned. The killings spread fear across the islands, while Cavendish recalled the Supernovas’ defeat months earlier.

• Maud shot Ferrold and other pirates inside a bar on Tree Island 26 without revealing his position.
• Edgar examined the bullets and tried to block a shot, but Maud killed him and then shot Trollope.
• Maud named his technique “Ghost Bullet,” leaving Perona confused and wary.
• News of the shootings spread across Sabaody Archipelago, and pirates realized Maud had returned.
• The Beautiful Pirates discussed the killings, and Cavendish recalled the Supernovas’ crushing defeat months earlier.

Maud’s Ghost Bullets terrorized the Sabaody Archipelago, drawing attention from the Marines and former pirates alike. As Garp and Tsuru considered the implications of Maud’s actions, Rayleigh revealed to Saul and Gaban that Maud had eaten the Shadow-Shadow Fruit.

• Over three days, Maud killed eight more pirates with Ghost Bullets, prompting many pirate crews to flee Sabaody and newspapers to dub him the Ghost Gun.
• At Marine Headquarters, Garp praised Maud for killing pirates, while Tsuru and the other Vice Admirals discussed the danger of his skills and the Marines’ reputation on Sabaody.
• Chaton reported that Maud had requested intelligence on active rookie pirates and had already killed several of them.
• On Mongmong Island, Saul excitedly showed Rayleigh and Gaban the newspaper reports about Maud’s Ghost Gun reputation.
• Rayleigh explained that Maud had eaten the Shadow-Shadow Fruit, and Saul proudly celebrated his former student’s talent.

Blackbeard dismissed the idea of targeting Maud for now, while Usopp revealed to Luffy and Nami that Maud was his master. The Straw Hats then spotted the sea restaurant Baratie.

• Blackbeard studied a newspaper report about Maud, and Oka said Maud was not a pure gunman like himself.
• Blackbeard rejected Oka’s suggestion to challenge Maud and said there was a more suitable target.
• Usopp showed Luffy Maud’s photograph and revealed that Maud was his master.
• Nami recognized Maud’s photograph and reacted with surprise when Usopp claimed Maud was his master.
• Luffy smelled food, and the Straw Hats saw the sea restaurant Baratie.

For nearly a month, Maud had kept pirates away from the Sabaody Archipelago, improving life for its residents and Fish-Man Island while frustrating the Marines. After Maud killed the Heavy Fist Pirates before they could land, he read news of the Straw Hat Pirates’ arrival and smiled.

• Maud’s Gatekeeper Plan brought peace and more tourists to the Sabaody Archipelago, while also benefiting Fish-Man Island and leaving the local Marines frustrated.
• Norris led the Heavy Fist Pirates toward the archipelago, confident his Copper-Copper Fruit made him immune to Maud’s shots.
• Maud shot Norris and the rest of the Heavy Fist Pirates before their ship reached shore.
• Aiden arrived with Marines to confront the pirates, then found their crew dead and realized Maud had acted first again.
• At Grove 13, Maud read a newspaper report and bounty posters for Luffy and Usopp and said they had finally arrived.

After seeing Usopp’s new bounty, Maud prepared for the coming war while the Straw Hat Pirates reached Loguetown and were attacked by a crowd targeting Usopp. Dragon and Smoker watched the bizarre fight, with Smoker unaware that Dragon was nearby.

• Maud saw Usopp’s twenty-million bounty in the newspaper and wondered whether he could master Armament Haki.
• Perona mistook Maud’s fond look at Usopp’s poster for a fatherly gaze, and Shakky teased Perona about her figure.
• Maud used a white Den Den Mushi and decided to begin preparations to make the coming war more intense.
• The Straw Hat Pirates arrived in Loguetown and fought nearly a hundred black-market figures who seemed intent on killing Usopp and telling him to change his name.
• Dragon watched the battle from a building while Smoker arrived and recognized the attackers, but failed to notice Dragon.

Bartholomew attacked the Straw Hat Pirates over Usopp, then turned against Smoker after learning Usopp was Maud’s disciple. Maud called Usopp’s Den Den Mushi, and Nami spoke to him as Dragon watched the crew from a rooftop.

• Bartholomew confronted Usopp and fired a hidden shot, but Usopp used Observation Haki and his marksmanship to shoot the bullet down.
• Bartholomew recognized Usopp as Maud’s disciple and broke down in remorse for attacking him.
• Smoker charged the Straw Hat Pirates, but Bartholomew used his Barrier-Barrier Fruit to knock Smoker into the ground.
• Usopp answered Maud’s call on the Den Den Mushi, and Nami interrupted to speak with Maud.
• Dragon watched the dark clouds from a rooftop and considered using strong winds to send Luffy and the others to their ship.

Maud spoke with Usopp and the Straw Hat Pirates in Loguetown, warning Smoker and arranging to meet Usopp at the Sabaody Archipelago. Bartholomew asked to board Luffy’s ship, while Trafalgar Luo received a call from Maud on a distant island.

• Luffy interrupted Nami’s call with Maud, and Usopp took the Den Den Mushi back to speak with his master.
• Maud learned the Straw Hat Pirates were in Loguetown and warned them about Smoker, then threatened to come to town if Smoker caused trouble.
• Maud told Usopp to keep training and said he would wait for him at the Sabaody Archipelago before ending the call.
• Bartholomew decided to follow the Straw Hat Pirates and begged Luffy to let him board the ship.
• Trafalgar Luo was shown protecting a town from pirates, and he answered Maud’s call with heightened anticipation.

Law agreed to meet Maud at Sabaody Archipelago, where Maud revealed that a war involving the Shichibukai would give Law a chance to attack Doflamingo. Maud continued preparing for the coming Summit War, planning to involve Law and possibly the Revolutionary Army while trying to develop a shadow space to conceal the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.

• Maud called Law and arranged to meet him at Sabaody Archipelago, then revealed that a large-scale war involving the Shichibukai was coming.
• Law realized Maud planned to use the war as an opportunity to attack Doflamingo, but postponed further discussion until they met.
• Law prepared to sail for Sabaody Archipelago with his crew and resolved to watch for news during the journey.
• Maud decided not to call Sabo yet and considered how Sabo's recovered memories could bring the Revolutionary Army into the war to rescue Ace.
• Maud tried to store his Den Den Mushi in a shadow box, but the ability failed, so he continued practicing to conceal the Tremor-Tremor Fruit during the Summit War.

Maud agreed to learn Life Return from Shakky while she taught Perona, and he continued monitoring the Straw Hat Pirates as he considered how their movements might affect the Summit War. Nico Robin noticed Maud’s connection to Usopp and began considering how she could involve him in the secrets of Alabasta.

• Beli mocked Perona’s flat chest, so Perona used her Negativity Ghosts and beat him while Maud went into Shakky’s bar.
• Shakky offered to teach Perona Life Return and invited Maud to learn the technique; Maud eagerly accepted.
• A week later, Maud read the newspaper for news of the Straw Hat Pirates and worried that their movements could affect Vivi, Crocodile, and Blackbeard’s plans.
• Maud decided not to contact the Straw Hat Pirates because he needed to remain on Sabaody Archipelago to learn Life Return.
• Nico Robin noticed Maud’s master-disciple relationship with Usopp and considered drawing him into the secrets behind Alabasta.

Maud received Sabo’s report on the Straw Hat Pirates and found that they had reached Alabasta, met Vivi, and recruited Chopper despite the changes he had caused. The report ended with news of the Donquixote Family, leaving Maud alert to their involvement.

• Shakky spent a month teaching Maud, Perona, and Beli Life Return, but Maud only barely reached its threshold while the others made little progress.
• Maud sensed a fleeting presence outside the bar, found a note from the Revolutionary Army, and read Sabo’s intelligence about the Straw Hat Pirates.
• Maud learned that the crew had reached Alabasta and met Vivi, and he wondered how his actions had shaped their journey.
• Maud was surprised that Chopper had joined the crew despite the Red Ogre’s death, then considered whether fate or the butterfly effect had guided events.
• Maud saw the Donquixote Family named at the end of the report and narrowed his eyes.

Maud learned that the Donquixote Family had sent Pica to kill Usopp and the Straw Hat Pirates in Alabasta, and he planned to leave the Sabaody Archipelago with Perona. Meanwhile, the Straw Hats struggled through the desert toward Rainbase, where Bartholomew’s attempt to cool Chopper ended in disaster.

• Maud discovered that Doflamingo had targeted the Straw Hat Pirates because Usopp was his disciple, and decided to make a long trip with Perona.
• In Dressrosa, Doflamingo and his officers discussed Pica’s mission to kill the Straw Hat Pirates and imagined Maud arriving too late to stop him.
• In Alabasta’s desert, Luffy and Bartholomew tried to eat water-filled cacti, but Nami stopped them and Chopper identified the plants as poisonous.
• Vivi told the group they still had about five days to reach Rainbase, and Chopper collapsed from the heat.
• Bartholomew tried to cool Chopper with a fan-shaped barrier, but he fell and slammed it into the sand beside Chopper, who promptly fainted.

Maud met Kuma on Sabaody and asked him to send him to Alabasta, where the Straw Hat Pirates were. After learning Doflamingo was targeting them because Usopp was Maud’s disciple, Kuma agreed to help, and Maud offered to leave Kuma a glimmer of hope before his remaining time ran out.

• Captain Gurid’s pirates arrived at Tree Island 9, where Brigadier General Aiden led Marines to seize them for credit, but Kuma made the ship and its crew vanish.
• Kuma reached Shakky’s bar, where Maud appeared and asked to speak somewhere private.
• Atop the Yoruean Red Tree, Maud asked Kuma to send him to Alabasta, where the Straw Hat Pirates were, and Kuma confirmed he could.
• Maud explained that Doflamingo was targeting the Straw Hat Pirates because Usopp was his disciple, and Kuma agreed to help him leave at once.
• Maud offered to use his abilities to leave Kuma a glimmer of hope before Kuma ran out of time.

Vivi and the Straw Hat Pirates ran out of water while crossing the Alabasta desert and took shelter in a rocky valley, where Pica attacked them in a gigantic stone form. The chapter ended as Pica’s huge palm descended on the group and Bartholomew stumbled before he could protect them.

• Vivi led the thirsty group toward nearby rocks, while the others blamed Luffy for wasting their water.
• The Straw Hat Pirates rested in the valley, where a giant lizard charged toward them.
• Pica crushed the lizard with a palm formed from the surrounding rocks and revealed himself as a Donquixote Family executive seeking Usopp.
• Pica transformed the rocky cliffs into a stone giant hundreds of meters tall and confirmed Usopp’s identity.
• Pica brought his enormous palm down toward the Straw Hat Pirates, and Bartholomew tripped as he tried to protect them.

The Straw Hat Pirates were trapped beneath Pica’s giant stone hand until Bartholomew shielded them, but Pica turned the barrier against them and left them scattered and injured. Maud and Perona arrived in time, and Maud’s two Hakai slashes split Pica’s stone giant apart, leaving Zoro stunned by the gulf between their strength.

• The Straw Hat Pirates attacked Pica’s enormous stone palm, but their strongest moves failed to stop it.
• Bartholomew raised a barrier that blocked the palm, but Pica struck the barrier from the side and sent it crashing into the Straw Hat Pirates.
• Pica prepared to crush the injured crew, but Maud and Perona arrived and Maud stepped forward to face him.
• Pica attacked Maud with the stone giant, and Maud’s first Hakai slash cleaved through its body while his second shattered its head.
• Zoro watched Maud’s attacks in disbelief and recognized how far he remained from the world of the strong.

Maud defeated Pica after destroying his stone giant and overpowering him with Hakoku, a gunshot, and a final surprise slash. Pica died, strengthening Maud through the Hunter's Notebook, while the stunned Straw Hat Pirates watched.

• Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Usopp, Bartholomew, Vivi, and Luffy reacted to Maud splitting Pica's stone giant, while Pica tried to rebuild it and then pushed its remains toward them.
• Maud shattered the falling rocks with a powerful Hakoku, then used Bait to shoot at Pica and exchange places with its shadow to attack him in midair.
• Maud wounded Pica with Shusui and peppered him with bullets, but Pica survived and roared that he would kill Maud.
• Maud used another shadow exchange to appear beside Pica and deliver a fatal slash, killing him despite Pica's attempt to understand the attack.
• Maud received substantial Hunter's Notebook rewards from Pica, raising his Haki to six stars and his Devil Fruit mastery to four stars with a fifth Star Frame; the Straw Hat Pirates stared at him in shock.

After defeating Pica, Maud demonstrated his shadow powers to the Straw Hat Pirates before binding Luffy and declaring he would take him to Marine Headquarters. As Zoro prepared to resist, a man emerged from the smoke and declared that Luffy was his little brother.

• Maud's attack sent Pica's shattered rock body crashing down, and the Straw Hat Pirates gathered around Maud as Perona shaded him with her umbrella.
• Bartholomew rushed to Maud for an autograph, but Luffy pressed him into the sand and asked Maud how his teleportation worked.
• Maud explained his Shadow-Shadow Fruit ability and demonstrated how his solid shadow could copy people, become a dinosaur, and transform into a blade or chain.
• Maud wrapped Luffy in a shadow chain, lifted him into the air, and said he would take him to Marine Headquarters as part of his duties as a Shichibukai.
• Luffy realized he had been captured, Zoro drew his sword, and a man emerged from the smoke and said Luffy was his little brother.

Fire Fist Ace arrived and demanded that Maud release Luffy, leading the two powerful pirates to clash. Maud freed Luffy but had Perona sap his will, then met Ace’s Fire Fist with a shadow-made imitation as the Straw Hat Pirates watched in disbelief.

• Ace emerged from the dust, recognized Luffy as his brother, and demanded that Maud let him go.
• Maud taunted Ace while holding Luffy, and Ace revealed his Logia powers and challenged him to a fight.
• Maud released Luffy from his shadow chains, but Perona used a Negativity Ghost to keep Luffy from intervening.
• Ace fired a Fire Fist at Maud, who countered with a Shadow Fist that copied its fiery shape.
• The two attacks collided into a huge black-and-red tornado, leaving the Straw Hat Pirates stunned by the fighters’ strength.

Maud and Ace exchanged powerful attacks, but neither could seriously harm the other. Maud began a new assault with his blade and pistol, ending with a strike aimed at Ace’s shadow.

• Maud and Ace tested their fire-based attacks, and Maud countered Ace’s Flame Emperor with Heaven’s Majesty, sending a wave of flames back at him.
• Ace survived by gathering the scattered flames and reforming his body, while Luffy rejoiced at seeing him safe.
• Maud tossed Luffy toward Zoro and the others, then explained that the fight had only been a probe.
• Ace recognized Maud’s battle intent and eagerly continued the fight as Maud fired an Armament Haki bullet and appeared behind him.
• Maud’s blade cut through Ace’s elementalized head, and he reversed the strike toward Ace’s shadow.