Chapter Summaries

Dugu Bo became interested in Flender’s apparent inheritance, and after Flender completed his Ninety-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring absorption, Dugu Bo confronted him and demanded to know what he had obtained. Flender answered that it was knowledge from an ancient inheritance, then sent an urgent request to the group for long-range attacks.

• Dugu Bo recognized Zhao Wuji and Flender and suspected Flender had gained a powerful inheritance like his own.
• Flender finished absorbing the Ninety-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring after two days and found his perception had nearly doubled.
• Dugu Bo appeared in the Iron Tree Forest and used his pressure to immobilize Flender, Zhao Wuji, Li Lushao, and the others.
• Dugu Bo knocked Zhao Wuji, Li Lushao, and the others unconscious with green phantom Snakes, then demanded to know what Flender had obtained.
• Flender told Dugu Bo that he had gained knowledge from an ancient inheritance and messaged the group asking for long-range attacks.

Flender faced Dugu Bo, who attacked him and tried to force him to reveal knowledge about curing the Jade Phosphorous Emperor Serpent's poison. After Flender used Phoenix Tears to cure himself and teleported Zhao Wuji and the others to safety, he confronted Dugu Bo in his Martial Soul Avatar and set his sights on recruiting him for the academy.

• Flender called for help through the Chat Group as Dugu Bo questioned him about his inheritance and knowledge.
• Dugu Bo poisoned Flender with his Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor, but Flender used Phoenix Tears from a red packet to cure himself.
• Dugu Bo demanded the antidote and threatened Flender, while Flender mocked him and claimed the Phoenix Tears had been his last one.
• Dugu Bo released his nine Spirit Rings and transformed into his Jade Phosphorous Emperor Serpent Martial Soul Avatar.
• Flender used a teleportation red packet to send Zhao Wuji and the other four to safety, then transformed into his giant Griffin Martial Soul Avatar.
• Flender prepared to make Dugu Bo submit, thinking about the benefits of bringing the Title Douluo into the academy.

Flender fought off Dugu Bo with borrowed powers and escaped his grasp, then learned Dugu Bo had sought him out to save his dying son from inherited poison. After Dugu Bo swore not to harm him and offered his life in return, Flender agreed to try to help.

• Flender unleashed Professor Oak's Hyper Beams and used his Wind Eagle Martial Soul and Zephyr's Haki to strike Dugu Bo's poisoned weakness.
• Dugu Bo endured the blow, while Flender flew beyond his reach and declared that Dugu Bo could not stop him from leaving.
• Dugu Bo begged Flender to stay, explaining that poison backlash had passed through his bloodline and his son was near death.
• Dugu Bo swore to the heavens that he would not harm Flender and offered to let him use his life three times if he saved his son.
• Flender accepted Dugu Bo's promise and agreed to try to save the boy.

Flender joined forces with Samuel Oak to turn Dugu Bo’s accumulated poison into a source of strength, while the chat group members offered to study or use some of it. Flender and Dugu Bo reached the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, where Dugu Bo demanded to hear how Flender would treat his poison.

• Flender told the chat group he had defeated Dugu Bo and planned to claim the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, then proposed transforming Dugu Bo’s physique so he could grow stronger by consuming poison.
• Samuel Oak offered to teach Flender about Pokémon’s Poison Heal Ability, and Flender agreed to share Dugu Bo’s poison with him; Dumbledore and Zephyr also asked for samples.
• Zhao Wuji woke to find Dugu Bo beside Flender, and Flender explained that they had turned their conflict into an alliance.
• Flender brought Zhao Wuji, Li, Lu, and Shao to Dugu Bo’s territory in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
• Dugu Bo led Flender to a cluster of strange flowers and demanded to know how Flender could cure his poison.

Flender used Pokémon abilities and medicine to demonstrate ways of treating Dugu Bo’s poison and saving his son. Dugu Bo left with hope in Full Restore, though it could not cure the poison’s root cause without harming his cultivation.

• Flender transferred Poison Heal to Dugu Bo, temporarily turning the Jade Phosphorous Emperor Serpent Poison into a healing force and loosening the barrier on his Soul Power.
• Dugu Bo failed to reproduce the Poison Heal effect after it faded, suffered the poison’s backlash, and begged Flender to try again.
• Flender warned that Dugu Bo was too emotionally unsettled to master Poison Heal, and Dugu Bo calmed himself while thinking of saving Xin'er.
• Flender gave Dugu Bo a drop of Full Restore, which removed some poison but also depleted Soul Power that returned when he used his Martial Soul.
• Flender explained that Full Restore could save Dugu Bo’s child by removing the poison, but it would not prevent the poison from returning or preserve the child’s future cultivation.
• Dugu Bo tightly gripped the Full Restore, treating it as the hope of saving his son.

Flender helped Dugu Bo cure Dugu Xin and Tuoba Rui of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison, allowing the family to reunite. While exploring the valley afterward, Flender spotted a Snow Silkworm and realized it might be a Sky Dream Ice Silkworm.

• Dugu Bo told Flender how the poison had killed his wife and threatened his son, and Flender recognized the Dragon Spring Jade Flute sustaining Dugu Xin and Tuoba Rui.
• Flender told Dugu Bo that his devotion to his family made him worthy of help, and Dugu Bo administered Full Restore to Dugu Xin.
• Dugu Xin recovered, and Dugu Bo wept as his son woke and called him Father.
• Dugu Xin gave Full Restore to Tuoba Rui, and the reunited couple thanked Flender before he left them alone.
• Flender explored the valley, spotted a Snow Silkworm, and recalled a similar creature from his Griffin Spirit Ring memories: the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm.

Flender searched the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for Immortal Herbs and found the Hunyuan Immortal Herb, which could greatly increase Soul Power and help condense a Soul Core. As he planned to recruit Dugu Bo and build his own academy, Zephyr prepared to confront Shanks at Foosha Village and considered Flender’s suggestion to establish the Neo Marines.

• Flender reasoned that Sky Dream Ice Silkworm might have passed through Sunset Forest and that the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well could be the burial place of the Ice Dragon King and Fire Dragon King.
• Flender followed the wind through a patch of ordinary-looking white grass, identified a Hunyuan Immortal Herb, and harvested it to strengthen his Soul Power and aid Soul Core condensation.
• Flender told the Chat Group that Dugu Xin and his wife had recovered, explained how Dugu Bo could resolve his problem by learning Poison Heal, and said he planned to bring Dugu Bo into his academy.
• Dumbledore offered Flender advice on building an academy, while Flender continued gathering herbs and chatting with the group members.
• Zephyr said he and Garp had reached Foosha Village and that he planned to confront Shanks; Flender urged him to build the Neo Marines to pursue justice independently of the World Government’s Marines.

Zephyr resolved to pursue change in the pirate world carefully, taking Flender’s advice to build strength before rebelling. After arriving in Foosha Village with Garp, he encountered Shanks and the Red-Haired Pirates at Makino’s bar, where Uta beat Luffy in a noodle-eating contest.

• Zephyr declared that he would prepare patiently for a future rebellion, and Flender warned him not to repeat the mistakes of his vengeful future self.
• Zephyr and Garp arrived in Foosha Village, where Garp’s familiar banter with the villagers showed Zephyr the village’s peaceful life.
• At PARTYS BAR, Garp found Uta and Luffy competing to eat noodles while the Red-Haired Pirates cheered and placed bets.
• Garp startled Luffy, who choked, while Uta finished her noodles and won the contest.
• Zephyr helped Luffy swallow the noodles, then greeted Shanks as the pirate captain turned solemn.

Zephyr and Garp visited Foosha Village and confronted Shanks before Zephyr intervened when Higuma threatened the tavern. After Zephyr drove off and arrested the bandits, Garp ate a strange fruit and his hands stretched out, leaving everyone stunned.

• Garp and Zephyr surrounded the Red-Haired Pirates at Makino's tavern, but Zephyr eased the tension and asked Shanks about his past.
• Higuma entered the tavern, insulted Garp, Luffy, and Shanks, then attacked Shanks with his sword.
• Zephyr caught Higuma's blade, lectured Shanks about decisively protecting friends, and launched Higuma and his bandits out of the tavern.
• Zephyr ordered the Marines to arrest the bandits, impressing Luffy and Uta and making Shanks realize he had hesitated unnecessarily.
• Garp ate a strange patterned fruit, and his hands stretched out across the floor, shocking everyone in the tavern.

Garp accidentally ate the Red-Haired Pirates’ Devil Fruit, which Shanks revealed was the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Mythical Zoan, Nika Form. Shanks disclosed his Celestial Dragon heritage and explained that he had sought the fruit’s true identity, leaving Garp shocked that he had eaten it.

• Luffy accidentally fed Garp the stolen Devil Fruit, and Garp discovered that his body could stretch and transform.
• Zephyr told Garp he had become a Devil Fruit user, while Uta and Luffy argued about who would become stronger.
• Shanks lamented losing the fruit and offered Garp Roger’s straw hat, but Garp rejected the offer with a threat.
• Shanks asked to speak privately with Garp and Zephyr, then revealed he was a Figarland and the son of Garling.
• Shanks explained that the fruit Garp ate was the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Mythical Zoan, Nika Form, and Zephyr said he already knew.

Shanks told Garp and Zephyr the history of the Nika Fruit and Joy Boy, revealing that Garp had become a target of the World Government. Zephyr proposed founding the Neo Marines, and Garp and Shanks agreed to join before Zephyr questioned why Shanks had come to Foosha Village.

• Shanks explained that Joy Boy had wielded the Nika Fruit and left his legacy at the One Piece, which Roger had found too early.
• Shanks revealed that he had stolen information about the Nika Fruit from Mary Geoise and originally planned for Roger's son to eat it.
• Garp laughed at the news that he was now tied to the World Government's enemy, while Zephyr declared his intention to form the Neo Marines.
• Zephyr invited Garp to join the Neo Marines, and Garp agreed after learning he could remain a Marine.
• Zephyr invited Shanks to join as well, and Shanks agreed while asking whether he could remain a pirate for now.
• Zephyr asked Shanks why he had come to Foosha Village, and Garp broke into a cold sweat.

Zephyr learned that Garp had told Ace about his father, and Shanks persuaded Garp to let him visit Ace. After Zephyr dealt with the bandits and discussed building alliances with his companions, he revealed that Shanks's daughter Uta carried the Uta Uta no Mi and was the future vessel of the Music Demon.

• Shanks revealed that Gaban had told him Garp was raising Roger's child, and Zephyr let Garp know he already understood.
• Garp admitted he had told Ace about Roger, and Shanks asked to see Ace as his little brother.
• Zephyr quietly supported Shanks's visit, and Garp agreed to let him see Ace.
• Back at Partys Bar, Garp and Shanks challenged each other over noodles while Zephyr confirmed that guilty bandits would be sent to Enies Lobby and Impel Down.
• Zephyr and his companions discussed potential allies and secret bases, including the land of giants, Skypiea, and Fish-Man Island.
• Zephyr revealed that Uta had eaten the Uta Uta no Mi and was the future vessel of the Music Demon.

Zephyr and the Chat Group discussed ways to neutralize the Music Demon before Uta could encounter it. Garp then brought Zephyr and Luffy to Dadan’s home, where Shanks saw Ace for the first time and recognized him as his little brother.

• Zephyr, Dumbledore, and Samuel Oak proposed ways to seal, purify, or transform the Music Demon, while Zephyr said he would first search for its sealing blueprint.
• Garp and Shanks ended their contest, and Garp accepted Shanks’s promise to challenge him again.
• Garp arrived at Dadan’s home with Zephyr and Luffy, introduced Luffy as his grandson, and asked Dadan to look after him alongside Ace.
• Ace came out of his room, argued with Garp, and was punched for refusing to call him Grandpa.
• Shanks saw Ace and recognized him as his captain’s child and his own little brother.

Garp brought Luffy to live with Ace and left both boys in Dadan’s care, but his admission that he had forgotten to pay for Ace wounded the boy. After Shanks soothed the family’s tensions, he approached Ace and introduced himself as a former Roger Pirates apprentice, prompting Ace to call him a bastard pirate.

• Garp introduced Luffy as Ace’s little brother, and Zephyr gave Garp money to pay Dadan for caring for the boys.
• Garp admitted he had forgotten to pay for Ace, and the revelation drove Ace to tears and made him try to run away.
• Zephyr stopped Ace and reminded him to consider how hard Dadan worked to care for him, while Garp reassured him that he was family.
• Shanks told Luffy and Uta not to mock Ace’s tears, and Dadan led the group to their rooms for the night.
• Shanks approached Ace and explained that he had grown up with the Roger Pirates and regarded Roger as a father, and Ace called him a bastard pirate.

Ace vented his hatred of Roger on Shanks, then awakened Conqueror’s Haki before Shanks subdued it. Zephyr insisted that Ace should learn the truth rather than live beneath a lie, and Shanks offered to tell him Roger’s story.

• Ace repeatedly punched Shanks and cursed Roger for leaving him to bear the stigma of the Pirate King’s bloodline.
• Ace’s Conqueror’s Haki erupted, knocking Uta, Luffy, and the others unconscious except for Garp, Zephyr, and Shanks.
• Shanks overwhelmed Ace’s Haki and urged him to grow strong enough to challenge him, but Zephyr stopped Shanks from knocking Ace out.
• Zephyr told Shanks to speak honestly with Ace, who refused to say whether he wanted to become a Marine or a pirate.
• Shanks asked Ace if he wanted to hear Roger’s story, and Uta and Luffy eagerly joined him.
• Zephyr told Garp that justice chosen with the truth was better than justice built on deception.

Shanks recounted Roger’s voyages, illness, and decision to begin the Great Pirate Era, leaving Ace conflicted about his father as Zephyr pressed for the truth about Roger’s motives and what he found at Laugh Tale. Ace agreed to hear the rest.

• Shanks told Ace, Garp, Zephyr, and the others about Roger’s adventures across the seas, awakening Ace’s longing to see the world.
• Shanks explained that Roger was terminally ill, reached Laugh Tale, disbanded his crew, and sparked the Great Pirate Era with his execution speech.
• Ace struggled with his growing admiration for Roger and the harm caused by the piracy Roger’s words unleashed.
• Garp condemned Roger for the deaths caused by pirates, while Shanks defended Roger’s pride in being a pirate.
• Zephyr asked Shanks to explain why Roger started the Great Pirate Era and what he saw at Laugh Tale, and Ace said he wanted to know.

Zephyr explained Roger’s mixed motives and the secrets tied to the One Piece, leaving Ace uncertain about his father and his own path. Garp entrusted Ace to Zephyr, who agreed to take the children to sea so they could see the world for themselves.

• Zephyr told Ace, Uta, and the others that Roger revealed the One Piece to give people a chance to challenge the World Government, though his actions had caused real harm.
• Ace struggled to reconcile Roger’s possible opposition to the World Government with the damage his piracy had caused.
• Garp advised Ace to see the world before deciding what to do and asked Zephyr to take Ace out to sea and train him.
• Luffy asked if Sabo could come too, and Zephyr agreed to let Ace see the sea for himself.
• Zephyr told the group that he planned to travel through the East Blue, address its injustices, train Garp, and try to contact Dragon; Flender suggested involving Shanks as a Shichibukai.

Flender persuaded Dugu Bo to join him in opening an academy and to send Dugu Yan there after she graduated from junior school. Flender and his companions left Sunset Forest for the Baroque Kingdom, while Dugu Bo went with Dugu Xin and his wife to reunite with Yan'er.

• Flender decided to return to Suotuo City and build an academy for Spirit Masters of any background.
• Dugu Bo appeared, and Flender convinced him to support the academy and let Dugu Yan study there after graduation.
• Dugu Bo planned to take Xin'er and the others to see Yan'er, while Flender and his companions agreed to meet him later in the Baroque Kingdom.
• Flender and his companions left Sunset Forest after parting with Dugu Bo and speaking with Dugu Xin and his wife.
• Flender returned to the Baroque Kingdom and called out to Qin Ming near Suotuo City.

Flender and his companions inspected the newly built Tianxing Academy, which Qin Ming had arranged to construct, and Flender appointed Qin Ming its director of instruction. The academy was ready but lacked students, so Flender agreed to enroll the contractor’s son despite his supposedly crippled jade Martial Soul.

• After lunch, Qin Ming told Flender that the academy had been finished, and the group traveled to inspect it.
• Flender declared the academy’s motto to be “Strive tirelessly for self-improvement; bear all things with great virtue” and named it Tianxing Academy.
• The group inspected the training grounds, classrooms, cafeteria, living quarters, and Cultivation Room, and Flender praised Qin Ming’s work.
• Qin Ming said he wanted to stay with his teachers, so Flender appointed him director of instruction at Tianxing Academy.
• Flender worried that the academy had no students, and Qin Ming explained that the contractor would waive half the construction cost if his son could enroll.
• Flender agreed to admit the contractor’s son, who had level-four Soul Power and an ordinary jade Martial Soul.

Chu Heng entrusted his son Chu He to Flender’s new academy, hoping he could become a capable Spirit Master despite his Jade Martial Soul. Flender introduced Chu He to three village children and began teaching them how their first Spirit Rings could shape their futures.

• Chu Heng enrolled Chu He at Flender’s academy and left him in Flender’s care.
• Flender told Chu He he was the class’s senior disciple because the only other students were three village children with low innate Soul Power.
• Flender gathered the students for the academy’s first lesson, and Chu He memorized his new classmates before settling in to listen.
• Flender explained the limits of the children’s Jade, handkerchief, pig-feed, and sickle Martial Souls.
• Flender told the children that every Spirit Master who awakened Soul Power could obtain a first Spirit Ring, which would determine how far they could progress.