Recaps

Ares strengthened his Haki and swordsmanship while Rocks prepared to confront the World Government on Hachinosu. As Marines and CP0 infiltrated the island, Katakuri awakened Conqueror’s Haki while resisting capture, and the Charlotte children remained in danger.

• Ares defeated Garp’s attack, helped drive the Marines from the island, and recruited Slada into his division.
• Ares began tempering his body with Armament Haki, learned Conqueror’s Haki coating from Rocks, and improved his Advanced Armament Haki while sparring with Whitebeard.
• Rocks arranged the capture and planned execution of three Celestial Dragons on Hachinosu, drawing pirates and the World Government’s attention to the island.
• Ares defeated Chinjao after studying Hasshoken, then met Shimotsuki Kozaburo and learned that his father, Tsukino Junichiro, had been Hakumai’s daimyo and a swordsmith.
• Kozaburo agreed to forge weapons for Kaido and showed Ares his forging methods as Ares sought to harden his body beyond a Supreme Grade Sword.
• Garp and Dragon infiltrated Hachinosu to rescue the Celestial Dragons, while CP0 prepared to abduct Linlin’s children and ambushed Katakuri at the docks.
• Katakuri resisted CP0 despite his injuries and awakened Conqueror’s Haki, but the agents carried him away as Ochoku sent Silver Axe after them.
• Rocks ordered the pirates to search for intruders, Dragon sent disguised Marines to investigate the disturbance, and Streusen rushed to wake Linlin while her children remained captive.

After CP0 abducted Katakuri, Ares defied Rocks to secure his release and fought him in a battle that pushed both fighters to reveal and develop their powers. The fight remained unresolved as Rocks formed a huge sphere of black smoke, while Cloud promised to release Katakuri after the battle.

• Linlin lost control while searching for her children, and Ares intervened when she overwhelmed Kaido, then struck her hard enough to clear the scarlet from her eyes.
• Ares found the Charlotte children at Victor’s warehouse, learned CP0 had taken Katakuri, and asked Rocks to accept a prisoner exchange for a Celestial Dragon.
• Rocks refused to trade a Celestial Dragon and fought Ares when he insisted on rescuing Katakuri, using his Dark-Dark Fruit to suppress and attack him.
• Rocks unleashed Dark Storm, and Ares studied its rotation before creating a tornado that broke its gravitational field.
• Ares and Rocks traded Haki-coated blows, and Ares used Observation Kill to disrupt Rocks’s future sight and injure him.
• Slada moved to help Ares, but Captain John stopped him, while Cloud told Katakuri that Ares had fought for him and promised to release him after the battle.
• Rocks recognized that Ares’s Advanced Armament Haki was growing stronger and formed a huge sphere of black smoke with his Dark Star technique.

Ares trained to master Ryuo before joining Shiki’s assault on Marine G1 Base, where he fought Sengoku and confronted the memories of Li Yang. The Marines halted the battle when Rocks attacked God Valley, and Ares agreed to help transport them there as Rocks’s crew moved to claim the island’s Devil Fruits.

• Ares learned Ryuo from Kozaburo, while Rocks declared war on the World Government and ordered the Celestial Dragons executed.
• Shiki and Ares led the attack on Marine G1 Base, where Kaido broke through the defenses and Ares clashed with Sengoku.
• At God Valley, Garling began a hunt in which Celestial Dragons and Holy Knights pursued slaves for points and Devil Fruits, while Ivankov and Ginny searched for allies and Roger’s crew planned to take the six fruits.
• Garp and Zephyr joined Sengoku against the Rocks Pirates, and CP0 attacked as Ares fell unconscious and Slada tried to protect him.
• Ares recovered after Li Yang’s memories merged with his own, rose to fight Sengoku again, and learned that Rocks had attacked God Valley.
• Kong offered to release Kaido if Shiki transported the Marines to God Valley, and Ares accepted after hearing about the six Devil Fruits.
• Rocks’s crew reached God Valley and charged onto the island, while Charcoal Semimaru falsely claimed that Shiki and Ares would join them.

Ares fought the World Government and rival pirates over God Valley’s Devil Fruits, recruiting Kuma and claiming the fruits while rescuing tens of thousands of slaves. He named his crew the God of War Pirates and left Marine G1 with the freed people to build a home of their own.

• Rocks invaded God Valley while Roger’s crew searched the palace, and Ares attacked Marine G1 as part of Rocks’s plan.
• Ares defeated Charcoal Higurashi and Charcoal Semimaru, took the Yamata no Orochi Fruit, and gave the Nikyu Nikyu Fruit to Kuma after inviting him to join.
• Kuma joined Ares and used his new power to remove Slada’s pain, which Ares absorbed to strengthen himself.
• Ares fought Linlin, Saint Gryphon, Saint Saturn, and the Holy Knights over the Great Mouth True God Form, while Whitebeard helped him secure it and revealed his Phoenix Fruit.
• After days of fighting, Ares left God Valley with Kaido, Slada, Kuma, and tens of thousands of rescued slaves, while Whitebeard and Golden Lion departed from the Rocks Pirates.
• Ares named his crew the God of War Pirates and brought the freed people to Marine G1, where Tsuru let them enter without resistance.
• Ares promised the slaves food, land, families, and a new life, then took supplies and warships so they could sail away and build a home.