Chapter Summaries

After returning to Thriller Bark and visiting the rebuilt Dressrosa, Maud reflected on Sunny’s work with the Revolutionary Army and decided to support her dream rather than ask her to leave. He kept watch on world events and later received a call from Yamato.

• Luo finished helping the Revolutionary Army relocate the disaster-stricken islanders, and Maud’s group sailed back to Thriller Bark, arriving after eight days.
• Maud toured the rebuilt Dressrosa with Violet, learned how Lafitte, Tesoro, and Aokiji had helped complete the reconstruction, and considered finding territory for the Sky Island Project.
• Maud visited the Tontatta Tribe, saw a statue of himself, and accepted Princess Mansherry’s invitation to dinner, but left without discussing reviving Saul.
• Maud called Sunny and realized he wanted to help her fulfill her dream of abolishing slavery, then continued talking with her after she called back.
• Over the following week, Maud monitored reports of Bullet’s growing notoriety while the Straw Hat Pirates trained and Luo continued his Chimera Research; later, Maud received a call from Yamato.

Yamato asked Maud to help liberate Wano Country, but he initially refused, then offered to go if Rayleigh cared about Kozuki Oden’s dying wish. Yamato resolved to rely on her own strength while Kaido celebrated the mass production of Ancient Zoan Artificial Devil Fruits for Vinsmoke Family soldiers.

• Yamato called Maud using Kozuki Hiyori’s Den Den Mushi and asked him to help Wano Country, but Maud questioned her motives and refused.
• Yamato apologized for asking and vowed to liberate and protect Wano Country herself; Maud later told Rayleigh he would go if Rayleigh wanted him to honor Oden’s dying wish.
• Rayleigh accepted Maud’s decision, and Maud told him that the people around him mattered more than any shackles on his path.
• Hiyori mourned over Ame no Habakiri while Tama brought her food, and Tengu Yamato warned Yamato that she had little chance of defeating Kaido alone.
• Kaido learned that Ancient Zoan Artificial Devil Fruits had entered mass production and planned to give them to the Vinsmoke Family’s artificial soldiers.

Kaido’s Beasts Pirates took control of Judge and recruited his cloning technology to pair with Caesar’s Ancient Zoan Artificial Devil Fruit production line. Judge revealed that Jewelry Bonney’s ability could accelerate the growth of cloned soldiers, but she was aboard Maud’s ship, leaving Queen with the problem of taking her from a powerful rival.

• Kaido ordered Queen to collect the Vinsmoke Family after Charlotte Linlin arranged for them to be handed over to the Beasts Pirates.
• Queen received the Vinsmoke Family from Perospero, then confronted the imprisoned Judge and took him to Wano Country.
• Queen brought Judge to Kaido and Caesar, where he explained the plan to combine cloned soldiers with Ancient Zoan Artificial Devil Fruits.
• Judge rejected Queen’s demand to speed up soldier production, then realized Bonney’s ability might greatly shorten the cloning process.
• Judge told Queen that Bonney was aboard Maud’s ship, and Queen’s excitement turned to shock.

Caesar produced one hundred Ancient Zoan Artificial Devil Fruits, and fifty-two Beasts Pirates gained abilities from them. As Hiyori and Yamato set out to seek allies, they were confronted by hundreds of Beasts Pirates, many already transformed.

• Queen learned Bonney was aboard Maud's ship, but the Beasts Pirates proceeded with their plans to produce Ancient Zoan users.
• Caesar used SAD materials from Punk Hazard to make one hundred Artificial Devil Fruits, and fifty-two Beasts Pirates gained Ancient Zoan abilities.
• Kaido ordered Queen to find Yamato so she could test the new warriors' combat power.
• Ten days later, Hiyori left with Yamato to seek help in Kuri, carrying Ame no Habakiri and Enma.
• Yamato and Hiyori encountered hundreds of Beasts Pirates in the wasteland, and Yamato realized that more than half had transformed into Ancient Zoan forms.

Queen led more than a hundred Ancient Zoan users to subdue Yamato, who was protecting Hiyori. Yamato’s powerful attacks felled many attackers, but their durability and ability to keep returning to the fight left her facing a seemingly endless siege.

• Queen arrived with several hundred Beasts Pirates, including 150 New True Hits who had Ancient Zoan abilities.
• Queen recognized Hiyori, then ordered his forces to attack Yamato after she took an offensive stance.
• Yamato transformed into her Okuchi no Makami human-beast form and used Raimei Hakke: Frozen Moon to knock down more than thirty New True Hits.
• Yamato defended herself against the surrounding attackers and countered by sending Ancient Zoan users flying.
• The New True Hits she had knocked down recovered and rejoined the fight, and Yamato realized their relentless assault was the real danger.

Yamato was overwhelmed by Kaido’s Ancient Zoan army while trying to protect Hiyori, but Maud arrived just as the Beasts Pirates were about to kill her. Maud declared that he had come to cut down Dragon, and Queen transformed to confront him.

• Caesar used the remaining materials to help Kaido create 150 Ancient Zoan users, who surrounded Yamato and wore her down.
• Hiyori was cornered by the Beasts Pirates’ elites, and Queen ordered them to kill her.
• Yamato unleashed Conqueror’s Haki and used Ice Fang to kill dozens of elites, but the Ancient Zoan users restrained her again.
• As the elites prepared to execute Hiyori, Maud appeared with Shusui and froze them in place.
• Maud said he had come to cut down Dragon, and Yamato broke free to reach Hiyori.
• Queen transformed into a giant brachiosaurus and challenged Maud for arriving alone.

Maud confronted Queen and Kaido after arriving to protect Yamato and Hiyori, then declared that the Beasts Pirates would become history. Aokiji and the Maud Pirates arrived as reinforcements, turning the confrontation into a battle between the crews.

• Queen attacked Maud with laser cannons, but Maud caught and extinguished them with his palm.
• Kaido arrived in his Azure Dragon form, and Yamato guarded the injured Hiyori while worrying about Queen and the Ancient Zoan users.
• Maud raised Shusui toward Kaido and declared that the Beasts Pirates would become history.
• Kaido transformed into his hybrid form and launched a Heat Breath at Maud, but Aokiji blocked it with ice.
• Thriller Bark descended from the clouds, and the Maud Pirates, including Tesoro, arrived to join Maud and Aokiji.

Maud and the Maud Pirates confronted Kaido and the Beasts Pirates, as Maud met Kaido’s strongest Thunder Bagua head-on and split the sky with their clash. While their crewmates prepared to fight, the chapter left Maud and Kaido locked in a battle whose outcome would decide their crews’ futures.

• Maud arrived in Wano with the Maud Pirates and declared that the Beasts Pirates would become history.
• Kaido launched his strongest Thunder Bagua, and Maud blocked it with Shusui, unleashing a clash of Conqueror’s Haki that split the sky.
• Lafitte moved to face Queen, but Cavendish and Shiryu also claimed Queen as their opponent.
• Tesoro tried to take on Queen, but Luo used Shambles to teleport him and the golden tide toward the Ancient Zoan army.
• The onlookers watched Maud and Kaido clash and wondered whether Maud would win.

Maud used Shadow Shift and a synchronized attack with his Shadow Clone to overpower Kaido in a direct clash, shocking both crews and spectators. Kaido recovered with minor injuries and launched another attack, leaving their battle ongoing.

• Kaido fired Heat Breath at Maud, who used Shadow Shift to appear behind him, but Kaido redirected his mace and blocked Maud's strike.
• Kaido blasted away Maud's Shadow Mark and recognized how troublesome Maud's shadow abilities were.
• Maud and his Shadow Clone unleashed Bringer of Storms: Barrier Breaker together, overpowering Kaido's Thunder Bagua and sending him into a trench.
• The Straw Hat Pirates, Bonney, Yamato, Hiyori, Rayleigh, Gaban, Shakky, and the Beasts Pirates watched in shock as Maud gained the upper hand.
• Kaido rose with minor injuries, decided not to face Maud's combined technique head-on again, and charged while sending Kazeblades toward him.

Maud and Kaido fought at close range, where Maud’s shadow-enhanced body let him match Kaido’s strength and speed. Maud’s hidden Shadow Slash wounded Kaido, then a wave of shadows swallowed him as Maud declared that Kaido had no chance of winning.

• Maud covered himself in shadows to boost his strength and speed, then clashed with Kaido in a close-range exchange of Haki-coated weapons.
• Brook startled Perona with his sudden appearance and frightened her again by sending his soul out of his body.
• Kaido realized he could not overpower Maud directly and planned to wear him down through endurance.
• Maud’s Shadow Slash struck Kaido twice, drawing blood and forcing him to retreat.
• Maud turned the ground into a roaring wave of shadows that swallowed Kaido whole.

Maud used his awakened shadow powers to suppress Kaido, but Kaido abandoned his defensive strategy and launched a reckless counterattack. Maud escaped the blow with Shadow Shift, leaving Kaido to face an opponent he considered the most troublesome of his life.

• Maud attacked Kaido with Shusui and White Ferret as the shadow tide restrained and disrupted him.
• Kaido blocked Maud's repeated attacks, relying on his Observation Haki and regenerative power to withstand the accumulating wounds.
• Kaido recognized that he had abandoned his usual love of fighting under pressure and switched from defense to a fierce offensive.
• Kaido endured a slash to strike Maud with Three Realms. Ragnarok, but Maud escaped with Shadow Shift and wounded him again.
• Kaido stared at his blade wounds and realized he had met the most troublesome enemy of his life.

Maud and Kaido clashed with Conqueror’s Haki, each recognizing the other as a rival on the path to the summit. Maud used his shadows to evade Kaido’s counterattacks and landed a powerful final slash, leaving Kaido bleeding in the air.

• Kaido realized his injury-trading strategy failed against Maud’s Shadow Shift and released his Conqueror’s Haki.
• Kaido and Maud declared that the battle’s winner would gain the key to reaching the summit.
• Maud attacked with a tide of shadows, while Kaido burned them away with Heat Breath and charged at him.
• Maud split Kaido’s Heat Breath, fired a shadow bullet, and used Shadow Shift to appear before Kaido and cut him.
• Kaido swung his Wolf Fang Mace at Maud, but Maud raised a shadow pillar to launch Kaido upward and struck him with Demon Seal. Absolute Shadow Slash.

Maud pressed his attack on Kaido, using his Shadow abilities and weapons to bypass Kaido’s defenses and land another series of wounds. The chapter left Kaido with a severed horn as the onlookers watched Maud’s relentless assault.

• Kaido recovered from Maud’s earlier wounds, but the damage from Maud’s Conqueror’s Haki strike continued to affect him internally.
• Maud launched a rapid sword attack, and Kaido smashed through the barrage with his Wolf Fang Mace.
• Kaido drove back Maud’s shadows and fired Kazeblades at him, but Maud countered with his Fire Dragon Cannon and sniper rifle.
• Kaido deflected Maud’s Conqueror’s Haki shock wave with Thunder Bagua, while Maud exchanged places with his bullet and struck Kaido from behind.
• Maud teleported away from Kaido’s counterattack, then stabbed toward Kaido’s neck and severed one of his horns.

Maud kept Kaido under pressure as their battle became a contest of endurance, while the Maud Pirates fought the Beasts Pirates elsewhere. Kaido realized that Maud could match the advantages of his Mythical Zoan and remained unfatigued, making Kaido’s defeat inevitable.

• Maud severed one of Kaido’s horns, dodged his point-blank Heat Breath, and challenged him to stay on his feet.
• Maud hurled Shusui at Kaido, teleported behind him with Shadow Shift, and resumed slashing as Kaido blocked and counterattacked.
• Kaido chose to wear Maud down in a prolonged battle, while Maud accepted the war of attrition and kept adding wounds with shadow slashes.
• Aokiji, Jinbe, and the others watched Kaido’s Mythical Zoan endurance, while Lafitte, Shiryu, Tesoro, and Cavendish attacked Queen and Yamato guarded Hiyori.
• Rayleigh, Gaban, and Shakky recognized endurance as the deciding factor, but Kaido realized Maud showed no fatigue and possessed the same advantages.

Maud defeated Kaido, ending the battle between the Four Emperors and leaving the Beasts Pirates on the brink of collapse. As his allies celebrated and captured Queen, Maud approached the unconscious Kaido, intending to take his Devil Fruit and experience.

• Queen was defeated by Tesoro, but Lafitte stopped Tesoro from killing him because Maud needed him alive for the time being.
• Maud overwhelmed Kaido with his attacks, then defeated him with a final slash after Kaido's strength gave out.
• Maud's allies celebrated his victory as Rayleigh, the Straw Hat Pirates, and others watched; Aokiji grew more confident in Maud.
• Luo subdued Queen by placing a stone in his mouth and removing his heart to keep him from acting out.
• Maud approached the unconscious Kaido and planned to extract the Fish-Fish Fruit, Azure Dragon Form, and harvest his experience before he recovered.

After the Beasts Pirates were defeated, Maud prepared to kill Kaido, Queen, and Black Maria and claim their Devil Fruits. He gained a surge of strength from their deaths and declared his intention to rise to the top, while Yamato and Hiyori faced Maud’s plans for Wano Country.

• Luo removed Kaido’s heart while Kaido was unconscious, and Maud told Luo and the others to return to Thriller Bark without him.
• Yamato did not try to stop Maud from killing Kaido, and Hiyori thanked Maud for saving Wano Country.
• Maud told Hiyori and Yamato that he would build a new nation centered on Wano Country and intended to inform, not consult, Hiyori.
• Hiyori said she believed Maud would not become another Kaido, and Yamato agreed that Wano Country needed to open its borders.
• Maud killed Kaido, Queen, and Black Maria as Luo and Lafitte prepared to extract their Devil Fruits, and Maud gained a massive amount of experience.
• Maud sensed his Haki, Devil Fruit ability, and physique growing stronger, then unleashed an astonishing aura that shook everyone aboard Thriller Bark.

Maud and Luo successfully turned Shusui into a living weapon by making it absorb Kaido’s Azure Dragon Devil Fruit. The newly transformed little black dragon tried to fly to Maud, but Beli knocked it away, leaving Shusui furious.

• Maud’s aura erupted after his promotion, forcing Lafitte and Luo against the wall as three Devil Fruits formed from the fallen Kaido, Queen, and Black Maria.
• Maud chose Kaido’s Azure Dragon Fruit and asked Luo to make Shusui absorb it, trusting Luo despite the risk of failure.
• Luo crushed the Azure Dragon Fruit inside his Room and trapped its Devil soul until it entered Shusui.
• Shusui transformed into a small black dragon and flew toward Maud on flame clouds.
• Beli reverted to his original form, knocked Shusui onto the table, and claimed he had been swatting a mosquito.

Maud welcomed Shusui, who had become a black-and-red Azure Dragon after eating a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit, while Beli tried to make him acknowledge him as a senior. Later, Maud learned that Caesar Clown had mass-produced Ancient Zoan Devil Fruits and recognized the danger of the technology.

• Maud named the newly transformed dragon Shusui, and Lafitte and Luo watched as Shusui and Beli were sent off to play.
• Beli tried to make Shusui call him Senior, but Shusui's elemental powers startled him before Beli transformed into a Fire Dragon Cannon and demanded the title again.
• Arthur reported finding a seemingly empty factory near the Flower Capital, so Lafitte and Arthur questioned a surviving Beasts Pirates member.
• Lafitte reported that Caesar Clown had made Ancient Zoan Devil Fruits in connection with the Vinsmoke Family, and Maud realized the technology could pose a serious threat if it fell into the wrong hands.

Maud planned to establish his territory in Wano Country and build Sky City, while considering the threats posed by Caesar, the Vinsmoke Family, Bullet, Charlotte Linlin, and the World Government. Meanwhile, Hiyori returned to the Flower Capital and approached its residents to see how Maud would tolerate her.

• Maud and Luo wondered whether surgery could remove Artificial Devil Fruits from Gifters and Headliners, but the Beasts Pirates had left no survivors to test.
• Maud announced that he would build Sky City in Wano Country, and his companions eagerly discussed what they wanted in their new territory.
• Maud reflected that the territory would give his family and companions a place to live freely, and decided it was time to begin the operation to save Kuma.
• Yamato escorted Hiyori back to the Flower Capital, where she looked at Kaido's castle and said that a ruler's position high above everyone else was no longer necessary.
• Hiyori told Yamato she wanted to see how much Maud would tolerate her, then approached the gathering residents and introduced herself as Kozuki Hiyori.

Maud settled on Wano Country as the location for his territory and assigned Violet to build its surveillance network. He then considered the preparations needed to rescue Kuma from Mary Geoise, where he expected the World Government to be ready for a much harder fight.

• Maud considered whether Wano Country's four climates might have been created through human intervention, then focused on moving Dressrosa and Onigashima there.
• Maud assigned Violet to establish the territory's surveillance network, and she accepted the task.
• Maud assessed the World Government's defenses in Mary Geoise and concluded that rescuing Kuma would require preparing for a brutal battle.
• Maud considered upgrading Thriller Bark with Tesoro's gold and better weapons, possibly taking Franky to Vegapunk's former homeland to improve his knowledge.
• Maud considered using Sky Island Shells with Sea Roar's Sound-Sound Fruit ability as weapons and thought about waiting for Luo's chimera research.
• Maud noticed Violet looking at him with a flustered expression.