Recaps

Ares realized that learning to control lightning could strengthen him and Kaido, and he planned to ask Doctor Sanyang about the Mink Tribe’s electric abilities. When Sanyang failed to arrive, Ares went looking for him and found him at the palace during the celebration of the king’s newborn sons, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi.

• Ares told Kaido that mastering lightning might improve his strength and help toughen both their bodies, and Kaido eagerly agreed to become stronger.
• Ares and Kaido decided to ask Doctor Sanyang about the Mink Tribe’s electric powers the next day.
• When Doctor Sanyang failed to arrive by noon, Ares left a note and went to town to find him.
• A guard told Ares that Doctor Sanyang had gone to the palace to deliver a baby, so Ares headed there and waited outside the gates.
• Ares called out to Doctor Sanyang as the king’s party emerged with two newborns, and Sanyang explained that both of the king’s wives had given birth.
• The king announced that his sons were named Inuarashi and Nekomamushi and ordered the country to celebrate.

Ares celebrated the births of Inuarashi and Nekomamushi with the Mink Tribe, then asked Doctor Sanyang how they controlled electricity. After learning that friction between their fur generated static, Ares realized how he could control lightning and decided to stay with Kaido to grow stronger before returning to the Rocks Pirates.

• Ares approached the newborn Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, who stopped crying to stare at him, and the king invited him to join the celebration.
• Ares and Kaido feasted at the banquet, where members of the Mink Tribe welcomed Ares warmly.
• After the banquet, Ares asked Doctor Sanyang how the Mink Tribe produced and controlled electricity, and Doctor Sanyang demonstrated static electricity from his fur.
• Kaido decided to ask Ares to teach him slashing attacks so he could use his spiked club to achieve a similar effect.
• Ares deduced that lightning clouds generated electricity through collision and contact, then told Kaido they should stay and become stronger before returning to the Rocks Pirates.

Ares trained to control the lightning of his Azure Dragon Form while Kaido practiced with his kanabo, and Ares’s command over lightning steadily improved. Meanwhile, Rocks regretted believing Ares might be dead, discussed the Roger Pirates’ departure, and asked Ochoku about a treasure map.

• Ares agreed to teach Kaido swordsmanship so he could incorporate slashing techniques into his kanabo.
• Ares transformed into his Azure Dragon Form and practiced gathering thunderclouds and directing lightning while Kaido trained with his kanabo.
• After repeated attempts, Ares learned to direct lightning where he wanted during more than ten days of training.
• On Hachinosu Island, John told Rocks that the search for Ares had found no news, and Rocks regretted that Ares might have died.
• John told Rocks that the Roger Pirates had left the New World, and Rocks asked Ochoku whether he had deciphered the treasure map.

Rocks ordered Captain John to pursue the treasure map while tightening control of the Rocks Pirates and provoking the World Government. On Zou Island, Ares began painful fire-based body training, and Kaido injured himself with his spiked club to grow stronger.

• Captain John told Rocks the treasure map pointed to a Devil Fruit and treasure, but its location remained uncertain.
• Rocks ordered Captain John to keep investigating the map and to punish pirates who deserted the Rocks Pirates.
• Rocks planned to recruit more crews, attack the Marines, and arm people who hated the World Government.
• On Zou Island, Ares used the flames from his Flame Cloud to forge his body while Kaido watched in alarm.
• Kaido smashed his chest with his spiked club, and Ares extinguished his flames and rushed to stop him.
• Kaido insisted that he would risk his life to become stronger, just as Ares did.

Ares and Kaido continued their brutal training, leaving both of them grotesquely injured and terrifying Doctor Sanyang when they returned. After treating them, Doctor Sanyang examined Ares and warned that his rapid cellular growth required a massive, steady supply of energy.

• Ares encouraged Kaido to pursue his dream of becoming an immortal monster, while Kaido told Ares to continue his own training.
• Ares and Kaido endured another round of punishing training that left Ares withered and Kaido badly mangled.
• Doctor Sanyang mistook the injured Ares and Kaido for monsters until they identified themselves and asked him to treat Kaido.
• Ares told Doctor Sanyang that he wanted to forge his body into a Famous Sword stronger than the Twelve Kizuki Supreme Great Swords.
• Doctor Sanyang examined Ares and discovered that his cells grew at an extraordinary rate, requiring a massive supply of energy.

After Doctor Sanyang treated Ares and Kaido, Ares developed his body-tempering training and spent a month training with Kaido. Their spar showed that Ares’s fiery training had made his body tough enough to crush Kaido’s Club Aura barehanded, and Ares planned to temper himself with lightning next.

• Doctor Sanyang treated Ares and Kaido, explained how their powerful vitality aided recovery, and advised Ares to replenish his energy with food.
• Ares considered storing food in his body and wondered whether he could learn to control his internal organs as he controlled his muscles.
• Ares and Kaido stocked up on food and trained for more than a month before sparring to test their progress.
• Kaido fired a powerful Club Aura at Ares, who crushed it with his bare palm without being injured.
• Ares declared that fiery body tempering was only the beginning and planned to use lightning next, while Kaido resolved to seek a powerful Devil Fruit.

Ares and Kaido continued training on the island, where Kaido improved rapidly and learned that Ares perceived the world differently. Meanwhile, Whitebeard worried over Ares’s disappearance until Ochoku summoned him to a meeting about the Reverie.

• Ares praised Kaido’s growth after beating him in a long spar, and Kaido thanked Ares for his guidance.
• Ares explained that he could observe events in extreme slow motion, while Kaido asked when they would return to Hachinosu Island.
• Kaido proposed that he and Ares become Rocks Pirates officers and recruit Mink warriors, but Ares chose not to disturb the Minks’ peaceful lives.
• Ares and Kaido clasped hands and agreed to turn the world upside down together.
• Two months after Ares disappeared, Whitebeard still worried about him, while the Rocks Pirates shifted their focus to the Reverie.
• Ochoku told Whitebeard that Captain Rocks had summoned the officers, and Whitebeard recognized that the meeting concerned the Reverie.

As the Rocks Pirates’ attacks plunged the New World into war, seven-year-old Douglas Bullet fought as a child soldier, while Roger searched Ohara for answers about the Poneglyphs. A year later, Ares finished his training on Zou as Kaido told him they would leave the next day.

• Whitebeard and Ochoku hurried to the meeting room, where Rocks briefed the officers on plans to counter the World Government during the Reverie.
• The Rocks Pirates launched attacks on World Government member nations, spreading war and chaos throughout the New World.
• Douglas Bullet joined a child suicide squad tasked with destroying enemy cannons in exchange for military merit and freedom.
• Roger and Rayleigh visited Ohara, met Olvia, and left a rubbing of a Poneglyph for the scholars to decipher.
• In July of 1483, Ares completed his year of training on Zou, and Kaido told him they would leave the island the next day.

After a year with the Mink Tribe, Ares and Kaido said goodbye to Inuarashi and Nekomamushi and left to resume their pirate journey. Lost at sea, they spotted a World Government ship and decided to seize it for directions before its crew could call for reinforcements.

• Ares told Inuarashi and Nekomamushi that he and Kaido had to leave, encouraged them to train, and promised they would meet again at sea.
• Inuarashi and Nekomamushi argued over who would defeat powerful foes and said they wanted to become pirates like Ares and Kaido.
• The next day, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi cried as Ares and Kaido departed, while Sanyang wished Ares success in surpassing the Supreme Great Sword with his body.
• Ares and Kaido flew away on an orange Flame Cloud but realized they did not know where they were or how to get back to Hachinosu.
• Kaido spotted a ship bearing the World Government symbol, and Ares chose to approach it to get directions.
• Kaido warned Ares to stop the crew from contacting the World Government or Marines, and Ares agreed to take control of the ship quickly.

Ares and Kaido landed on a World Government ship and confronted Saint Charlos, whose guards Ares knocked unconscious with Conqueror's Haki. Two powerful figures emerged, including a man Ares recognized as one of the Five Elders, and a masked fighter attacked Ares, who blocked his blows.

• Ares and Kaido crashed onto the ship's deck, where Saint Charlos ordered his guards to kill them.
• Ares released Conqueror's Haki, knocking out the guards and terrifying Charlos.
• Ares sensed two dangerous survivors, and Kaido feared they were protecting the Celestial Dragon.
• A bald swordsman and a masked man appeared; Ares recognized the swordsman as one of the Five Elders.
• The masked man identified Ares and Kaido as Rocks Pirates and attacked Ares with Finger Pistol—Tenfold Rapid Fire.
• Ares blocked the attack with Blood-colored Armament—Red Scales and rejected the masked man's offer to spare him in exchange for his Haki knowledge.

Ares and Kaido confronted CP0 Chief Cloud and a bald World Government agent, who ordered Cloud to capture Ares alive. Cloud revealed overwhelming Armament Haki, and Ares and Kaido attacked him together, but he dodged their strikes and countered at incredible speed.

• The bald agent identified Ares as a 220-million-Berry pirate and asked why Ares had called him one of the Five Elders.
• The bald agent ordered Cloud to keep Ares alive and allowed him to do as he wished with Kaido.
• Cloud attacked with a powerful Tempest Kick, but Kaido blocked it with his club and challenged him to fight.
• Cloud covered himself in Armament Haki marked with purple spiral patterns, and Ares recognized it as an advanced level of Haki.
• Ares used Mudo Style—Pluto's Sorrow while Kaido launched Thunder Bagua at Cloud.
• Cloud dodged both attacks and vanished using Soru in midair, shocking Ares.

Ares survived being thrown into the sea and revealed that seawater did not restrain him, drawing the attention of CP0 Chief Cloud and Saint Christine. After Cloud attacked again, Ares struck him down, leaving Saint Christine wary of Ares’s Admiral-level combat power.

• Ares sent Ares flying into the sea, while Cloud blocked Kaido’s club and threw Kaido onto the deck.
• Cloud and Saint Christine believed Ares would die in the sea, but Ares emerged and stood on a flame.
• Ares refused to explain how he escaped seawater’s restraint and challenged Cloud to fight.
• Cloud used Shave—Voidless Art to attack Ares, who smashed Cloud’s mask and knocked him unconscious with a punch.
• Saint Christine caught Cloud and warned that the Navy and World Government had outdated information about Blood Hand - Ares’s strength.

Ares battled Saint Christine and CP0 Chief Cloud as both revealed formidable abilities. Cloud attacked with his Cloud-Cloud Fruit, but Ares evaded the lightning before Kaido threatened to kill a Celestial Dragon.

• Saint Christine set the unconscious Cloud down and attacked Ares with a hidden sword slash, cutting his cheek.
• Ares counterattacked, but Saint Christine dodged before Ares’s dragon-scaled tail struck him and sent him crashing into the ship’s cabin.
• CP0 Chief Cloud appeared in the thunderclouds and revealed that he possessed the Logia Cloud-Cloud Fruit.
• Cloud sent down dozens of lightning bolts, but Ares dodged them all, leading Cloud to suspect that Ares could see the future.
• Kaido shouted at Cloud to stop and threatened to kill a Celestial Dragon, prompting Cloud to plead with him not to act rashly.

Kaido held Saint Charlos hostage and forced CP0 Chief Cloud to choose between obeying the Celestial Dragon and falling into the sea. Ares saved Cloud so he could fight him at full strength, and Kaido reaffirmed his loyalty to Ares.

• Saint Charlos begged Kaido and ordered Cloud to jump into the sea in exchange for his life.
• Cloud dispelled the clouds beneath his feet and fell toward the sea, choosing to obey Saint Charlos.
• Saint Christine caught Cloud before he hit the water, while Ares explained that he wanted to defeat Cloud in a proper fight.
• Cloud asked Saint Christine not to interfere, and Ares challenged Cloud to use all his strength.
• Kaido recognized Ares's love of battle and declared that he would follow his big brother without hesitation.

Ares fought Cloud, the CP0 Chief, who used the Cloud-Cloud Fruit to vanish, misdirect attacks, and shape clouds into weapons. Ares countered Cloud’s barrage of Haki-coated spears with his Swordless Style, but the battle remained unresolved.

• Kaido killed Saint Charlos and threw his body onto the deck.
• Cloud declared he would defeat Ares and take him to Mary Geoise, then vanished using his Cloud-Cloud Fruit.
• Ares misread Cloud’s position, but wrapped his tail around Cloud’s steel spear and flung him away.
• Cloud bound Ares’s wrist with a cloud and summoned thousands of Haki-coated spears around him.
• Cloud launched the spears from every direction, and Ares countered with slashes from his claws, tail, and feet using Swordless Style.

Ares endured Cloud’s attacks with swordless slashes, then escaped a snaring cloud net by burning it with dragon flame. As Cloud began a third technique, Saint Christine weighed whether to eliminate Ares or use him against Rocks, while Kaido recognized the vast gap between their strength.

• Ares held off Cloud’s endless Haki-coated spears with powerful swordless slashes, and Cloud praised his skill.
• Cloud trapped Ares in elastic cloud ropes, but Ares burned them away with Dragon Flame.
• Saint Christine considered killing Ares or using him to undermine Rocks and the Rocks Pirates.
• Kaido judged Cloud’s combat power to be greater than a Marine Buster Call and acknowledged his own weakness beside Ares and Cloud.
• Cloud began Heavenly God Descends, declaring that Ares would like the move.

Ares fought CP0 Chief Cloud as Cloud formed enormous cloud fists and feet, but Ares matched his attacks with Dragon's Roar Wave. Cloud then trapped Ares in an airless enclosure, and Ares searched for a way through before he ran out of oxygen.

• Cloud turned the sky into a vast sea of clouds and attacked Ares with a giant Armament Haki fist called God's Hand.
• Ares countered with Dragon's Roar Wave, and the attacks collided in a draw.
• Cloud sent down more giant fists and feet, while Ares repeatedly shattered them with Dragon's Roar Wave.
• Cloud sealed Ares inside the World of Clouds and began stripping the air from the enclosure.
• Ares's flames vanished, and his sword slash struck explosive cloud bubbles without breaking through the wall as he struggled to breathe.

Cloud trapped Ares in an airless cloud prison, but Ares transformed into an enormous dragon and broke through its explosive walls. Ares emerged into the sky, leaving Saint Christine dissatisfied with Cloud’s promise to end the fight quickly.

• Kaido nervously watched Cloud’s cloud prison while cheering for Ares, and Saint Christine reconsidered his plan to infiltrate the Rocks Pirates with Cloud.
• Saint Christine ordered Cloud to finish Ares quickly, and Cloud claimed that Ares would soon suffocate in the airless prison.
• Cloud explained that explosive cloud bubbles and the lack of oxygen prevented Ares from escaping or using his attacks effectively.
• Ares transformed into an azure dragon and used his body as a massive sword to pierce through the thick cloud wall and escape.
• Ares roared as air returned to his body, while Kaido celebrated his escape and Saint Christine challenged Cloud over his failed prediction.

Ares broke through Cloud’s World of Clouds, forcing Saint Christine to abandon the operation and retreat with Cloud. Ares and Kaido remained aboard the wrecked World Government ship, searching for a way back to Hachinosu Island as another pirate ship approached.

• Cloud admitted to Saint Christine that he could not defeat Ares quickly, while Ares continued attacking him with Dragon Flame.
• Saint Christine received word that Ochoku and Silver Axe had entered the Sword Sea, canceled the operation, and ordered Cloud to retreat with him.
• Saint Christine told Cloud that Ares had become strong enough to contend with a Marine admiral and directed him to take them to Mary Geoise so he could report his plan to the Five Elders.
• Ares let Saint Christine and Cloud escape, then told Kaido he wanted Newgate and Big Brother Shiki to help him train his Observation Haki.
• Kaido said he had killed everyone aboard, including the Celestial Dragon, and went searching the cabins for a map as another pirate ship approached.

Ares reflected on his battle with Cloud as Ochoku and Silver Axe found him aboard the World Government ship carrying the Heavenly Gold. The Rocks Pirates reunited with Ares and Kaido, who confirmed the treasure was still aboard, while Ares warned Ochoku about the powerful enemies who had escaped.

• Ares reviewed his fight with Cloud and studied the CP0 Chief’s abilities as lessons for his own growth.
• Ochoku and Silver Axe spotted the damaged World Government ship and sailed toward it to investigate.
• Ochoku recognized Ares aboard the ship, and the two shouted greetings across the sea before reuniting on deck.
• Ares told Ochoku and Silver Axe about his past year, and Kaido emerged and happily greeted them.
• Kaido revealed he had found a large amount of treasure in the cabin, and the pirates celebrated learning it was the Heavenly Gold.
• Ares told Ochoku that Cloud and Saint Christine had escaped, describing their strength and warning that both were formidable.

After Ares and Kaido returned to the Rocks Pirates with Ochoku and Silver Axe, the crew celebrated a huge haul from the Heavenly Gold ship. Meanwhile, Saint Christine proposed a scheme to the Five Elders: make Rocks believe Ares had become a World Government agent.

• Ochoku praised Ares for contending with the CP0 Chief, while Kaido boasted about his and Ares's training and hoped to become a Rocks Pirates officer.
• Ochoku told Ares that Newgate and Shiki had missed him and that Captain Rocks would reward him for disrupting the ambush; Ares said he wanted to see Newgate and Shiki again.
• Silver Axe reported that the crew had seized treasure worth 20 billion Berries, and Ochoku stopped him from taking Ares to indulge in women and wine.
• Ares and Kaido boarded the pirate ship and returned with Ochoku and Silver Axe to Hachinosu Island.
• Saint Christine reported his encounter with Ares to the two Five Elders, who noted Ares's admiral-level strength, Mythical Zoan ability, and potential.
• Saint Christine proposed making Rocks believe Ares was a World Government agent, and one of the Five Elders asked him to explain the plan.

Saint Christine persuaded the Five Elders to let him lead a plan to sow distrust between Ares and Rocks and fracture the Rocks Pirates. Meanwhile, Ares trained aboard the returning ship, astonishing Ochoku and the other pirates with his fire-based regimen.

• Saint Christine proposed exploiting Ares's disappearance to make Rocks suspect that Ares was a World Government spy and provoke conflict within the Rocks Pirates.
• The Five Elders approved the plan, promised Christine a seat among them if he succeeded, and discussed carrying it out alongside their other schemes against Rocks.
• Aboard the ship returning with Ochoku and the others, Ares trained inside roaring flames, driving Silver Axe and the other pirates into the cabin.
• Ochoku worried that the flames would permanently damage Ares, but Ares and Kaido assured him that the training was safe and had greatly improved Ares's strength and heat resistance.
• Kaido reflected on how far Ares had surpassed him, and Ochoku advised him to focus on living as himself.

After returning to Hachinosu Island from months of brutal body-quenching training, Ares set out with Wang Zhi to ask Rocks about using Conqueror's Haki. Charlotte Linlin intercepted the group and asked Kaido to have children with her.

• Wang Zhi and Kaido admired Ares's progress as he continued tempering his body in flames and estimated he would need another year or two to finish the process.
• After several hours of training, Ares cooled himself in the sea, then returned to Hachinosu Island with the others four or five days later.
• Ares noticed Hachinosu Island's new patrol ships and fortified harbor, and saw that Whitebeard and Golden Lion had not yet returned.
• Wang Zhi led Ares toward Skull Castle so he could ask Rocks about techniques for using Conqueror's Haki, while Kaido waited to hear what Ares learned.
• Charlotte Linlin stopped Ares, Wang Zhi, and the others, then asked Kaido to come have children with her.

Kaido refused Charlotte Linlin’s demand to go with her and pledged to follow Ares, prompting Linlin to attack Ares at Skull Castle. Ochoku blocked her first blow, but Linlin summoned Fire Hozmi—Prometheus, leaving him in danger.

• Charlotte Linlin pressured Kaido with her Soul-Soul Fruit and demanded that he go with her.
• Ares encouraged Kaido to refuse, and Kaido declared that he would follow Ares for the rest of his life.
• Linlin grew furious at Kaido’s refusal, while Ochoku tried to calm her and sent the onlookers away.
• Ares stood between Kaido and Linlin and challenged her, reminding her that he had stolen her Devil Fruit a year earlier.
• Linlin summoned Napoleon and swung at Ares, but Ochoku blocked the strike with his greatsword.
• Linlin summoned Fire Hozmi—Prometheus, and Ochoku realized he was in danger.

Ares intervened when Linlin attacked Ochoku, then struck her hard enough to stop her rampage. The children discovered that Ares's bounty had soared to 2.2 billion Berries, and Linlin acknowledged that his monstrous strength had surpassed hers.

• Prometheus attacked Ochoku, but Ares cut through the flames and told Ochoku to leave Linlin to him.
• Ares dodged Linlin's sweeping blade and punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground.
• Katakuri admired Ares's punch while Perospero insisted that Linlin's natural toughness would leave her unharmed.
• Charlotte Compote showed Perospero Ares's new bounty poster, revealing a bounty of 2.2 billion Berries and astonishing the children.
• Linlin rose from the dust with her rampage ended, recognized Ares's improved strength, and realized his monstrous strength had surpassed hers.