Chapter Summaries

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.

Maud used his Shadow-Shadow Fruit abilities, Haki, and Beli to overwhelm Ace with a barrage of attacks, while Ace struggled to defend himself. A stray Armament Haki bullet wounded Luffy, and Maud’s relentless fire finally shot Ace as his defenses began to fail.

• Maud failed to land Shadow Slash on Ace, then used Armament Haki and Conqueror to counter Ace’s flames and force him to evade.
• Maud exchanged places with the Shadow Bird and fired at Ace, then turned his bullets into shadow butterflies to launch the teleporting barrage he called Daytime Fireworks.
• Perona warned the Straw Hat Pirates to leave the battlefield, and most of them retreated while Luffy stayed because he believed bullets could not hurt him.
• A stray Armament Haki bullet pierced Luffy’s side, leaving Nami and the others alarmed as Luffy cried out in pain.
• Ace faltered after hearing Luffy scream, and an Armament Haki bullet struck him through the opening in his guard.

Maud stopped fighting Ace after proving he could defeat him, then helped the Straw Hat Pirates recover from their wounds and dehydration. When Vivi said they were going to Yuba, Maud offered them a ride.

• Maud halted his fight with Ace after shooting him with an Armament Haki bullet, and Ace hurried to check on the wounded Luffy.
• Maud gave the Straw Hat Pirates water, and Chopper treated Luffy's and Ace's wounds.
• Maud told Usopp that taking Luffy to Marine Headquarters had been an offhand remark, not a real plan.
• Maud considered whether Luffy's injury could affect the Straw Hat Pirates' campaign against Crocodile and decided to watch them for now.
• Vivi said the group was headed to Yuba, and Maud offered to give them a ride.

Maud joined the Straw Hat Pirates on their journey to Yuba after saving them from Pica, one of Doflamingo’s top officers. Before they set out, Maud used his Shadow-Shadow Fruit to enlarge Beli’s tank form enough to carry the group.

• Nami, Usopp, and Bartholomew accepted Maud’s offer to accompany them, while Luffy protested through their hands over his mouth.
• Maud explained that he had arrived to save the group and revealed that Pica had attacked them because of Maud’s grudge with Doflamingo.
• The group realized that Usopp had been targeted by several enemies since entering the Grand Line, and they beat Bartholomew into silence when he praised Maud again.
• Maud noticed that Zoro’s swords did not appear to include Sandai Kitetsu or Yubashiri and felt guilty while looking at Shusui.
• As the group prepared to travel to Yuba, Beli transformed into a small tank, and Maud enlarged it by injecting his shadow into Beli’s shadow.

Maud brought the Straw Hat Pirates to the ruined oasis of Yuba, where he sensed two people and went to investigate the powerful aura. Meanwhile, Smoker and Tashigi arrived in Nanohana and spotted a Donquixote Family ship as Smoker continued his pursuit of Luffy.

• Maud transformed Beli into a battle tank, and the Straw Hat Pirates climbed aboard and rode it toward Yuba, pulled by lizards made from Maud's shadow.
• Two days later, Maud and the others found Yuba buried beneath sand, and Vivi realized the Rebel Army was no longer there.
• Maud used Observation Haki to detect two auras in the ruins, then went alone to meet the powerful presence and found a tall man in a dark green hooded cloak.
• A telegraph from Dressrosa rang aboard the Donquixote Family ship anchored off Nanohana while its communications crewman wondered why Pica had not returned.
• Smoker and Tashigi arrived in Nanohana, saw the Donquixote Family ship, and Smoker told Tashigi to ignore it as he headed into town to pursue Luffy.

Maud met Dragon and the Revolutionary Army in Alabasta, where Dragon used a sandstorm to separate the Straw Hat Pirates from the approaching revolutionaries. Maud reunited with Sunny, while Dragon’s intentions toward Alabasta remained unclear.

• Maud recognized Dragon in the ruins and wondered why the Revolutionary Army’s leader had come to Alabasta.
• Dragon said Alabasta’s long history deserved respect, then raised a sandstorm that isolated the Straw Hat Pirates.
• Betty and around thirty Revolutionary Army members arrived, prompting Maud to question whether they planned to intervene in Alabasta’s civil war.
• Betty mistook Maud for the man Molly loved, and Sunny corrected her by saying Molly was thinking about Beli.
• Maud used Shadow Step to embrace Sunny, and the two happily caught up while the Revolutionary Army watched.