Arc 22The Mist Ark Sets Sail

Araki became the Fifth Mizukage, then crossed the White Hole to recruit Moria and build a force in the Florian Triangle. After the Sabaody clash scattered the Straw Hats and sent Usopp to his death, Araki sailed for Wano to prepare a strike against Kaido.

  • Araki killed Redfield, inherited his Haki experience and Voice of All Things, then became the Fifth Mizukage and won the support of Kirigakure’s clans and shinobi.
  • Araki followed a white whirlpool to Thriller Bark, where Hua Bing and Guren had been trapped, and fought Moria before persuading him to ally against Kaido.
  • Araki brought Kirigakure ninja and tailed beasts into Thriller Bark’s ranks, organized the crews into eight divisions, and sailed for the New World after Ace’s execution was announced.
  • At Sabaody, Araki arranged for Rayleigh to coat the Mist Ark and sent his fighters to capture the Supernovas, while Luffy and his crew clashed with Araki’s subordinates.
  • Kizaru and Kuma intervened in the Sabaody fighting, and Kuma sent the Straw Hats flying away as Rayleigh battled Kizaru.
  • Araki paid Rayleigh and left Sabaody with Moria, then chose to seize Wano while Kaido was away and urged Moria to train with Shadows Asgard.
Chapters 536–560 Vol. 6 Read

Ch. 536All Nations Come to Court

Araki defeated Redfield in the Consciousness Space and gained his Haki and Voice of All Things, but the new ability overwhelmed him with the thoughts of people nearby. The next day, Araki became the Fifth Mizukage and won over the gathered crowd with his declaration and Conqueror’s Haki.

  • Araki killed Redfield in the Consciousness Space and inherited his Three-Color Haki experience and Voice of All Things.
  • After awakening his own Haki, Araki heard the thoughts of people throughout Kirigakure and used Clear Mirror Still Water to keep from being overwhelmed.
  • Araki told Kana he had emerged from seclusion and would attend the succession ceremony.
  • Nagato used Shinra Tensei to scatter Kirigakure’s fog, and Araki ascended the platform to become the Fifth Mizukage.
  • Araki unleashed controlled Conqueror’s Haki, impressing foreign ninja representatives and inspiring the Mist Village’s clans and shinobi to pledge their support.

Ch. 537The End of the Sea

After taking office as Mizukage, Araki left Kirigakure to inspect its ocean exploration work while Obito and Zetsu plotted to use Impure World Reincarnation to summon Madara. Araki reached an exploration base and headed toward a distress signal.

  • Araki assigned Kirigakure's projects to his staff, gave Kana the task of designing a defensive barrier, and sailed alone to inspect the exploration teams.
  • Obito learned that Nagato had defected and that Kirigakure held eight tailed beasts, while Black Zetsu warned that the other nations were unlikely to unite against the village.
  • Black Zetsu introduced Hiruko and explained that his knowledge of Impure World Reincarnation might let them summon Madara to attack Kirigakure.
  • Araki arrived at Kirigakure's Ocean Exploration Forward Base and heard that the teams had found islands suitable for farming and one rich in minerals.
  • A distress flare appeared on the horizon, and Araki set off with the base's person in charge to investigate.

Ch. 538White Hole

Araki investigated a super-dense fog at sea after Hua Bing and Guren were sucked into a strange white whirlpool. Recognizing it as a possible portal, he flew into it to discover where it led.

  • Mei Terumi and Zabuza Momochi told Araki that a white vortex had pulled Hua Bing and Guren underwater, while the two of them escaped after being thrown clear.
  • Araki sensed that Hua Bing and Guren were still alive and decided to investigate the foggy sea alone.
  • Araki created a Flesh Clone for safety and propelled his boat deeper into the fog, which darkened as he traveled.
  • Araki found a white whirlpool that reminded him of the portal near the Moon Landing Tunnel and guessed it led somewhere else.
  • Araki sprouted wings, left his boat behind, and flew into the white whirlpool.

Ch. 539Florian Triangle

Araki arrived in the Devil’s Triangle and recognized the island-sized pirate ship as Thriller Bark while Hua Bing and Guren fought their way toward its central castle. Moria sent Absalom and the Zombie Generals to confront them as Araki watched from above and another ship approached.

  • Araki emerged from the White Hole above a dark, mist-covered sea and followed his bloodline’s pull to an island-sized pirate ship.
  • Araki recognized the ship, its zombies, and the sunless sea as Thriller Bark.
  • Hua Bing froze and shattered zombies while Guren used Crystal Release: Telescope Technique to locate the central castle.
  • Guren led Hua Bing toward the castle, and the pair broke through the zombie encirclement.
  • Moria dismissed a report of intruders and told a zombie to have Absalom handle them.
  • Absalom learned that two women had invaded and summoned the Zombie Generals as Araki watched from overhead and a sunflower-figurehead ship approached.

Ch. 540Tyrant Bear

Araki watched Hua Bing and Guren on Moria’s island before detecting Bartholomew Kuma and the Straw Hat crew nearby. Kuma decided to keep watch over Luffy, while Hua Bing and Guren confronted Absalom and his Zombie Generals.

  • Araki judged that Hua Bing and Guren could handle the island’s dangers and observed Absalom’s approach.
  • Araki spotted Bartholomew Kuma gliding toward the island, then met him and explained that he had come to retrieve his lost subordinates.
  • Kuma left Araki and secretly watched Luffy and his crew, choosing to protect Ryu’s son instead of immediately pursuing his mission against Moria.
  • Hua Bing and Guren encountered Absalom and his Zombie Generals, recognized him, and launched their breathing techniques.

Ch. 541Ice and Light

Hua Bing and Guren fought Absalom and the zombie army, using ice and crystal attacks before retreating to recover their chakra. Araki approved of their tactics, while Kuma grew suspicious that the two girls might be connected to secret government weapons and decided to test them.

  • Hua Bing’s snowflake blades wounded and slowed Absalom, exposing him despite his invisibility.
  • Guren used a focused Ray of Light to pierce several Zombie Generals, but the dim Florian Triangle weakened the attack.
  • Hua Bing froze the zombies in place, and Guren trapped and shattered many of them with Crystal Release, though the toughest Zombie Generals survived mostly unharmed.
  • Hua Bing and Guren retreated to recover chakra after realizing they could not defeat the zombie army in one assault.
  • Araki watched the retreat and approved of the girls’ tactics, while Kuma suspected their powers might relate to hidden government plans and resolved to test them.

Ch. 542Your Ship Is Nice, Now It's Mine

The Straw Hat Pirates split up after seeing the hailstorm that reminded them of Aokiji, while Araki reunited with Hua Bing and Guren on the island. Araki then confronted Gekko Moria and claimed his ship.

  • Robin and the Straw Hats panicked at the sight of ice, and Luffy decided to continue searching for Brook while Robin, Nami, Sanji, and the others returned to the ship.
  • Zoro chose to accompany Luffy, splitting the Straw Hats into two groups.
  • Araki found Hua Bing and Guren, who had escaped the zombies, and told them the island was a valuable enclosed sea region.
  • Hua Bing and Guren reported encountering a man they thought was from Konoha, and Araki explained that he was neither from Konoha nor using Transparent Escape.
  • Araki, Hua Bing, and Guren flew to Gekko Moria's castle, broke into his bedroom, and Araki announced that he was requisitioning Moria's ship.

Ch. 543Leiming Bagua

Araki and his companions confronted Moria and offered him a place among them, but he attacked and mistook them for Marines. After Araki shattered Moria’s shadow spear with a Haki-coated strike, Moria relived his defeat by Kaido, absorbed hundreds of shadows, and attacked Araki as a giant.

  • Moria attacked Araki’s group with shadow bats, which Guren trapped in crystal.
  • Hua Bing slashed Moria, but he escaped the blow by swapping places with his shadow clone.
  • Araki revealed that he knew Moria’s plans and warned him that his subordinates and Oars would not help him.
  • Moria hurled his Brick Bat at Araki, who destroyed it with a Haki-coated finger strike.
  • Moria cried out Kaido’s name, absorbed five hundred shadows, grew to thirty meters tall, and punched at Araki.

Ch. 544An Unexpected Development

Araki defeated the enraged Gekko Moria but kept him alive because he wanted to use Moria’s Seven Warlords of the Sea identity as a step toward seizing Wano Country. He claimed that he and his companions had escaped Wano and asked Moria to join them against Kaido, leaving Moria stunned.

  • Moria grew enormous and attacked Araki while roaring for Kaido, and Araki prepared a Haki-coated blade.
  • Araki cut through Moria’s Shadow Ball and Shadow Shield, then wounded him so severely that the shadows he had swallowed escaped and his body shrank.
  • Araki spared Moria because he wanted to borrow his Seven Warlords of the Sea identity and use it to advance a plan to seize Wano Country.
  • Moria demanded to know who Araki was and how he was connected to Kaido.
  • Araki claimed that he and his companions were swordsmen who had fled Wano under Kaido and Kurozumi Orochi’s rule, then invited Moria to ally with them.

Ch. 545A Bet That Cannot Lose

Araki reminded Moria of the Kaido defeat that had destroyed his old crew and challenged him to trust Araki instead of relying on zombies. Moria accepted a bet involving Oars and the Straw Hat Pirates, while Araki prepared to watch the coming battle.

  • Moria recalled how Kaido had annihilated the Thriller Bark Pirates in Wano, leaving Moria unwilling to risk losing companions again.
  • Araki taunted Moria about his fear of Kaido and urged him to put his faith in Araki rather than his zombie army.
  • Araki proposed betting on Oars against a crew of rookie pirates, and Moria accepted.
  • Luffy and Zoro searched Pirate Forest for Brook while Perona's zombies drove the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates deeper into the island ship.
  • Araki, Hua Bing, and Guren set up a projection of the battle so they could watch the outcome.

Ch. 546Prelude to the Vanguard

Moria fought Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates on Thriller Bark, but after Kuma arrived and sent the crew away, he agreed to attend a government summons. The chapter ended with Kuma revealing that the Marines planned to execute Ace at Marineford and that Blackbeard had been selected to replace Crocodile as a Warlord.

  • Moria accepted defeat after Araki intervened, but Luffy demanded that he return Brook and the others' shadows, so Moria absorbed five hundred shadows and resumed the fight.
  • Moria's overwhelming strength put Nightmare Luffy at a disadvantage, until Bartholomew Kuma arrived and sent Zoro and Sanji, then the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates, away with his Paw-Paw Fruit.
  • Luffy charged Kuma to protect his friends, but Kuma defeated him and sent him away as well.
  • Kuma told Moria that the government had chosen Marshall D. Teach to replace Crocodile as a Seven Warlord of the Sea.
  • Kuma announced that Ace would be executed at Marineford and that the Seven Warlords had been forcibly summoned; Moria agreed to attend.

Ch. 547Each to Their Own

Araki secured his position as Moria’s vice-captain and began preparing to use the Summit War as cover for an attack on Kaido and the conquest of Wano Country. He offered Moria his blood to help him withstand the backlash of Shadows Asgard as they planned their next move.

  • Araki claimed to be the vice-captain of the Thriller Bark Pirates, and Moria accepted the arrangement while Kuma left to report the mysterious swordsman to Dragon.
  • Moria introduced Araki to Perona, Hogback, and Absalom as his vice-captain, but Araki stopped Perona’s Negative Hollow with Haki and Reiatsu.
  • Araki ordered the zombies to search for a white whirlpool so he could bring manpower from the Land of Water.
  • Araki told Moria they could exploit the Summit War to lure Kaido away from Wano Country and defeat him.
  • Araki offered Moria a drop of his blood, saying it could help share the backlash when Moria used Shadows Asgard.

Ch. 548The Whole Army Sets Out!

The outside world prepared for a coming clash between the navy and Whitebeard after Blackbeard captured Ace, while Dragon considered how the conflict could benefit the Revolutionary Army. Araki gathered new-generation Mist Village ninjas in the Florian Triangle, rebuilt the Thriller Bark Pirates, and set sail for the New World after learning of Ace’s public execution.

  • Blackbeard’s betrayal of the Whitebeard Pirates and capture of Ace stirred the sea and set the stage for a clash between Whitebeard and the navy.
  • Dragon discussed using the coming conflict to rescue Ivankov and others from Impel Down, and considered a report that a great swordsman had joined Moria.
  • Araki sent Hua Bing through the vortex with a letter, and new-generation Mist Village ninjas arrived in the Florian Triangle over the following month.
  • Araki organized the expanded Thriller Bark Pirates into eight Divisions, with Tailed Beasts helping anchor their strength.
  • After reading that Ace would be publicly executed at Marineford, Araki ordered the enormous ship to leave the Florian Triangle for the New World.

Ch. 549Splitting the Army

Araki and Moria reached the Sabaody Archipelago aboard Thriller Bark as they prepared to attend the World Government’s summons and later confront Kaido. Moria headed for Marineford while Araki stayed behind to arrange ship coating.

  • Utakata explained that the Kirigakure ninja could all use the Hidden Mist Technique, delighting Moria with its usefulness for his zombie army.
  • Araki advised Moria to attend the Seven Warlords meeting and later request permission to intercept Kaido in the New World.
  • Thriller Bark’s arrival at Sabaody Archipelago terrified the people gathered at the dock, including the Marines.
  • Araki told Moria to go to Marineford while he handled coating, and Moria departed in a smaller ship with zombie sailors.

Ch. 550Rayleigh: You're trying to kill me!

Araki found Silvers Rayleigh on Sabaody Archipelago and recruited him to coat the Mist Ark. Rayleigh agreed to the job, but was horrified when Araki showed him the enormous island-ship.

  • Araki used Observation Haki to locate Silvers Rayleigh in a Sabaody slave auction house.
  • Araki freed Rayleigh from his cell and persuaded him to coat the Mist Ark.
  • Araki and Rayleigh left the auction house unnoticed under Araki's illusion.
  • Rayleigh said coating a ship usually took about three days, and Araki led him to the harbor.
  • Araki revealed the Mist Ark, and Rayleigh exclaimed that the job would work him to death.

Ch. 551Mist Village New Star VS Pirate Supernova

Araki sent the Mist Village fighters to capture pirates on Sabaody Archipelago to pay Silvers Rayleigh’s five-hundred-million-Belly coating fee. As the Straw Hat Pirates attacked a human auction house to save Keimi, Araki’s targets gathered amid the chaos.

  • Silvers Rayleigh finished coating the Mist Ark after seven days, and Araki promised to pay him five hundred million Belly by hunting pirates.
  • Araki assigned his fighters targets from wanted posters, including Eustass Kid and the Straw Hat Pirates, and ordered Utakata to hide the Mist Ark.
  • Luffy and his crew entered the human auction house to buy Keimi back, but resorted to violence after they could not match the Celestial Dragons’ wealth.
  • Luffy and Zoro demolished the auction house, burying participants and a Celestial Dragon in the rubble, which prompted Marines to mobilize.
  • Ringo Ameyuri, Kaguya Black Bone, Mei Terumi, and the other Mist fighters appeared near the auction house as the Marine Headquarters received the news.

Ch. 552Navy Soldiers Have No Martial Ethics

Mei Terumi disguised her group as Marine soldiers and led them into the battle, where Ringo Ameyuri intercepted Trafalgar Law as he tried to escape. Law struck back with his Ope Ope no Mi, but Ringo vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving him uncertain what had happened.

  • Mei Terumi stopped Kaguya Black Bone from charging into the battle and told the group to disguise themselves as Marine soldiers.
  • Kid, Luffy, and Trafalgar Law emerged from the auction house, and Law decided to flee before the Marine admiral arrived.
  • Ringo Ameyuri pursued Law with a lightning-fast sword strike, injuring him and surprising him with her strength.
  • Law counterattacked with High-Frequency Scalpel and Room: Shambles, but Ringo Ameyuri turned into white smoke and disappeared.

Ch. 553I Surrender

At Sabaody’s Auction House No. 1, Mei Terumi and other strange fighters confronted the Supernovas as acid mist and battles spread across the battlefield. Basil Hawkins’s divination showed that surrender offered his best chance to survive, and he gave himself up while Drake and Bege remained trapped with their attackers.

  • Mei Terumi melted Kid’s steel arm with acid, then blanketed the battlefield in corrosive mist as Kid fought back with Punk Gibson.
  • Zabuza Momochi and Zoro attacked each other with matching Ghost Slash techniques.
  • Luffy fought Black Bone, who sprouted sharp bones across his body and wounded him with spikes.
  • Apoo celebrated as Kid’s steel construct corroded, while Drake and Bege prepared to leave and Hawkins divined their chances of survival.
  • Hua Bing, Guren, and a Rain ninja blocked Drake, Bege, and Hawkins; Hua Bing’s ice mirrors deflected Bege’s crew’s gunfire, and Drake transformed into an allosaurus.
  • Hawkins calculated that surrender gave him the best chance to live and surrendered.

Ch. 554Kizaru: My subordinates can't possibly be this competent!

Kizaru arrived at Sabaody Archipelago to protect the Celestial Dragons and test new Marine weapons, but tried to avoid taking action while looking for Sentomaru. He learned that bounty hunters had already captured most of the Supernovas, leaving him wondering how to claim credit by catching someone himself.

  • Kizaru arrived at Sabaody Archipelago ahead of the Science Unit and wandered around while trying to contact Sentomaru.
  • A Marine rear admiral approached Kizaru with a report, but Kizaru tried to leave rather than listen.
  • The rear admiral shouted that Marines had captured eight of the eleven Supernovas, prompting Kizaru to rush back and demand an explanation.
  • The rear admiral revealed that bounty hunters had captured the Supernovas and brought them to the Marine base in exchange for their bounties.
  • Kizaru learned that the Straw Hat crew had escaped amid a chaotic fight, while Trafalgar Law remained at large, and wondered how to avoid looking useless.

Ch. 555Straw Hat Crew Down, Luffy Goes Berserk

Kaguya Black Bone and Zabuza Momochi pursued the Straw Hat Pirates through Sabaody, and Kaguya’s bone forest split the crew apart. After Usopp helped Luffy land a powerful blow, Kaguya stabbed Usopp, driving Luffy into a furious attack as Kaguya countered with a giant bone blade.

  • Kaguya Black Bone and Zabuza Momochi chased the Straw Hat Pirates through Sabaody while Zoro cleared incoming bone projectiles and Chopper treated the wounded.
  • Kaguya used Dance of the Seedling Fern to erupt a vast forest of bone spikes, scattering the crew as Robin protected Nami, Chopper, and Usopp.
  • Usopp covered Kaguya’s sharp bone spikes with mochi pellets, allowing Luffy to strike him without holding back and send him flying.
  • Kaguya reappeared beside Usopp and pinned him through the chest with a bone blade, prompting Luffy to erupt in rage.
  • Luffy inflated his leg into the clouds and brought down Gum-Gum Giant Lightning Axe, while Kaguya enlarged his weapon and answered with Super Bone Slash.

Ch. 556Kizaru Saves His Master

Kaguya Black Bone and Zabuza Momochi attacked the Straw Hat Pirates, and Black Bone killed Usopp before Luffy retaliated. Kizaru arrived and fought the two impostors, but both groups escaped, leaving Zabuza to wonder whether the Straw Hats could evade the admiral.

  • Luffy smashed through much of Black Bone’s bone forest, and the Straw Hats regrouped as Chopper confirmed that Usopp had died.
  • Black Bone mocked Usopp’s bounty, but the Straw Hats were interrupted by warnings that an admiral and a Seven Warlord of the Sea had arrived.
  • Bartholomew Kuma fired a laser at the Straw Hats, and Kizaru struck Luffy and stopped Black Bone from attacking him and Zoro.
  • Kizaru attacked Black Bone and Zabuza for impersonating Navy soldiers, and the resulting clash allowed both groups to escape.
  • Zabuza told Black Bone to retreat and suggested that they might encounter the Straw Hats near the docks, while Black Bone doubted they could escape Kizaru.

Ch. 557Tavern Encounter

Rayleigh woke to find Luffy and his companions hiding in his ruined bar, and learned that two seemingly low-ranking Marines had killed Usopp and fought off Admiral Kizaru. Araki arrived and paid Rayleigh the five hundred million Beli he owed, leaving the Straw Hats to hear how he had raised the money from the Supernovas.

  • Rayleigh woke when a blast tore through his roof and recognized the straw hat Luffy wore as Roger's former hat, passed to Shanks.
  • Rayleigh let Luffy and his unconscious companions hide in the bar, where Robin described the powerful disguised Marines, Usopp's death, and Kizaru's intervention.
  • Luffy vowed to defeat the two men responsible for Usopp's death.
  • Araki came to the ruined bar and tried to leave without paying, but Rayleigh confronted him and demanded his wages.
  • Araki said he had collected five hundred million Beli from the Supernovas and handed Rayleigh a stack of bills taken from the Marine base.

Ch. 558If You Don't Resist, He Won't Die

Araki revealed that his subordinates had been sent to capture Luffy and Zoro alive, then blamed the Straw Hats for Usopp's injury and death. After Araki knocked Luffy unconscious, Rayleigh stopped him from pursuing the crew and said he would speak with Luffy himself.

  • Nami asked Rayleigh to coat the Straw Hats' ship, and he agreed to do it after resting for a couple of days.
  • Shakky questioned Araki about his earnings, and he said he had made about one and a half billion Beli.
  • Luffy learned that Kaguya Black Bone and Zabuza Momochi had worked for Araki and confronted him about Usopp.
  • Araki claimed his subordinates had been ordered to capture Luffy and Zoro alive and blamed the Straw Hats for getting involved in the fight.
  • Luffy attacked Araki, but Araki knocked him through the tavern wall with a single finger flick.
  • Rayleigh blocked Araki from going after the Straw Hats and said he would talk things over with Luffy himself.

Ch. 559The Curtain Falls, and Another Rises

Kuma sent the Straw Hat crew flying while Rayleigh fought Kizaru to keep him from intervening. After Kuma spared Rayleigh, Kizaru turned his attention to Araki, and Gekko Moria appeared and called Araki his vice-captain.

  • Kuma arrived beside the Straw Hats as Rayleigh rushed to protect them, but Kizaru intercepted him with a golden light sword.
  • The Straw Hats attacked Kuma together, but he crushed their assault with Ursus Shock while Rayleigh and Kizaru argued.
  • Rayleigh and Kizaru clashed with their swords as Kuma sent Zoro, Sanji, Robin, Nami, and Franky flying.
  • Luffy regained consciousness just in time to see Kuma send him and Chopper flying in opposite directions.
  • Kuma asked Kizaru whether he should capture Rayleigh, and Kizaru said to let him go before asking about Araki.
  • Gekko Moria appeared and told Kizaru that Araki was his vice-captain.

Ch. 560The "Steal the Base" Tactic Never Goes Out of Style

After leaving Rayleigh’s coating yard, Araki and Gekko Moria traveled toward Wano Country to confront Kaido. Araki chose to seize Wano while Kaido was away, and Moria began training to master Thousand Shadows Mode before their pursuit.

  • Kizaru and Kuma left, while Araki thanked Rayleigh for coating the Mist Ark and departed with Moria.
  • The Mist Ark passed Fish-Man Island and continued toward the New World without trouble.
  • Araki laid out two plans for confronting Kaido: intercept him at sea or occupy Wano Country first, and he chose to seize Wano while Kaido was away.
  • Araki explained that Wano’s samurai would provide Moria with shadows and urged him to master Thousand Shadows Mode before the battle.
  • Moria went to train with Shadows Asgard as Araki looked forward to the chaos of two Emperors falling.
Arc 22 of 25