Chapter Summaries

After returning to Fish-Man Island, Nereus learned that Douglas Bullet had been waiting nearby to challenge him and went to meet him. Bullet demanded a full-power fight, while Nereus insisted the battle would take only an instant.

• After Crocus said farewell, Laboon carried Brook and followed Nereus and the others toward Fish-Man Island as pirate crews fought over the New World following Golden Lion's imprisonment.
• Bullet requested permission to visit Fish-Man Island so he could challenge Nereus, but Nanamo refused entry and kept him under observation.
• Nanamo told the returning Nereus that Bullet had waited without causing trouble, and Nereus decided to meet him.
• Nereus gave Nanamo checks as a gift, then left while Chloe delivered gifts to people she knew.
• At the immigration office, Nereus found Bullet waiting and sent Hermes away before hearing Bullet explain that defeating him would mean surpassing Roger.
• Bullet called for a fight with everything they had, but Nereus said they could fight there and that one instant would be enough.

Bullet attacked Nereus with his strongest punch, but Nereus blocked it with Conqueror's Haki and overwhelmed him with a hand-blade strike. Nereus used Roger's Divine Departure to defeat Bullet, who demanded to know how he had learned it.

• Bullet launched an all-out Ultimate Ballista at Nereus, but an invisible barrier stopped the punch without disturbing the ground behind Nereus.
• Nereus explained that Armament Haki alone could not break Conqueror's Haki's defense, then struck Bullet with a hand-blade attack.
• Nereus's attack shattered Bullet's defenses and sent him flying to the shallows, where he barely stopped with his calves in the water.
• Bullet recognized the strike as Roger's Divine Departure and asked Nereus how he knew the technique.
• Nereus refused to explain and asked Bullet whether he accepted his defeat.

After Nereus defeated Bullet, he challenged Bullet’s belief that strength was only for self-reliance and offered him work in exchange for guidance and regular chances to fight. Bullet accepted, agreeing to serve the Ryugu Kingdom in its New World expansion.

• Bullet admitted defeat after Nereus’s casual blow left him unable to defend himself.
• Nereus questioned why Bullet sought strength and argued that strength could also protect the weak.
• Nereus pointed out that Bullet had not measured himself against fighters such as Whitebeard, Golden Lion, and Gaban, and that his draw with Crocodile was not comparable to his draws with Rayleigh.
• Nereus warned Bullet that he would eliminate threats, then offered him one challenge each year and guidance if Bullet worked for him as a mercenary.
• Bullet accepted the deal and vowed to become an opponent Nereus could not defeat.
• Nereus said the Ryugu Kingdom’s New World expansion would give Bullet a suitable role amid the region’s growing conflicts.

The Marines discussed the rising tide of pirates and planned to drive newcomers from the Sabaody Archipelago into the New World. There, Shakky subdued a group of pirates and brought them to the Ryugu Kingdom’s office under her agreement with Nanamo.

• Kong and the Marines reviewed the growing pirate threat as Roger’s execution continued to fuel the Great Pirate Era.
• Kong, Tsuru, and the rising Marines discussed the pirates approaching Sabaody and agreed to increase patrols to push them toward the New World.
• Shakky charged a pirate an exorbitant amount for drinks, provoking him and his crew into trying to seize her.
• Shakky defeated the pirates and dragged them to the Ryugu Kingdom’s office on Sabaody, where she could turn them in under her agreement with Nanamo.

Shakky handled pirates and bounty payments through the Ryugu Kingdom’s office, while Babel reflected on the changing era and hoped to remind newcomers that the old generation remained formidable. A pirate who had skipped the passage fee surfaced dead with his ship destroyed, leaving Drey shaken.

• Shakky had the Neptune Army officers take pirates from her bar and arrange their bounty payments through the Ryugu Kingdom.
• Babel spoke with Shakky about the orderly pirates, the dangers of illegal crossings, and how the old generation had grown older.
• Shakky returned to her bar while Babel watched the pirates and hoped an arrogant newcomer would challenge them.
• Drey mocked Hodel for paying the passage fee, but Hodel defended the choice as safer for his goal of finding the One Piece.
• A battered ship surfaced with its bubble coating shattered and its crew dead, and Drey recognized the flag of a Supernova who had skipped the passage fee.

Drey let Hodel leave before paying Ryugu Kingdom’s overdue transit fee, while the kingdom remained safe amid the growing Pirate turmoil. Sebastian and Wobigon reached Wano Country to investigate its inland sea, where Queen greeted them with a flamboyant welcome.

• Drey watched Hodel depart, then sent someone to pay the overdue transit fee after the surfaced wreck convinced him to back down.
• A year after Roger’s execution, Pirate attacks continued to spread across the seas, while Ryugu Kingdom’s residents carried on undisturbed.
• Sebastian and Wobigon traveled to Wano Country at Kaido’s request to investigate something in its inland sea.
• Wobigon explained Wano Country’s importance and hoped its forging and Seastone techniques would inspire his research.
• Sebastian and Wobigon entered through the Submarine Port and encountered Queen, who staged a noisy welcome with his Pirates.
• Wobigon asked Queen what he was doing after seeing his flamboyant entrance and pollution-belching factories.

Kaido asked Sebastian to investigate an underwater discovery near Onigashima, and Sebastian found a Road Poneglyph. Kaido chose to leave it hidden, but news arrived that pirates had entered Wano Country through the waterfall.

• Queen discussed Seastone research with Wobigon while Sebastian waited for Kaido.
• Kaido returned and spoke with Sebastian about Nereus and Bullet, then asked him to investigate something underwater near Onigashima.
• Sebastian found a Road Poneglyph beneath the water, and Kaido decided to leave it there until he gathered the other stones.
• A pirate reported that intruders had entered Wano Country through the waterfall and reached the Ringo region.

Kaido confronted Moria and his crew after they entered Wano Country, where Moria fought him to protect the people he had once known. Moria escaped after his companions were killed, leaving Wano with Shimotsuki Ryuma's corpse and Shusui.

• Kaido left Sebastian and Wobigon to deal with intruders, while Wobigon entertained Yamato with embellished stories about Nereus.
• Moria led the Gekko Pirates into Ringo, intending to drive Kaido from Wano Country because he had once been helped there.
• Kaido appeared before Moria, who attacked him with his Moria Style: Shadow Slash.
• Moria's clash with Kaido showed that he could not defeat him alone, while Kozuki Oden failed to act despite the danger to Wano.
• Kaido killed Moria's companions, but Moria escaped using the Shadow-Shadow Fruit and left Wano with Shimotsuki Ryuma's corpse and Shusui.

After Sebastian and Wobigon left Wano Country, Yamato asked Kaido about Nereus, a hero she hoped to emulate. Kaido dismissed Nereus’s ideals as naive and attacked Yamato to force her to become stronger, leaving her fleeing his drunken swings.

• Sebastian and Wobigon returned to Fish-Man Island after completing their business in Wano Country.
• Yamato asked Kaido about Nereus, and Kaido recalled Nereus’s strength and past deeds while criticizing his ideals.
• Yamato declared that she wanted to become like Nereus, prompting Kaido to smash his liquor jar and attack her with his Spiked Club.
• Kaido chased Yamato around Onigashima, telling her to survive and grow stronger through battle.
• Yamato protested that she had never said she wanted to surpass Kaido, while the others on Onigashima ignored the commotion.

After leaving Wano Country, Sebastian and Wobigon learned that the World Government had established the Shichibukai system and discussed its purpose. At Marine Headquarters, Kong and the officers debated the system’s creation and the proposed candidates, including Crocodile and the Marine-hunting Mihawk.

• Sebastian and Wobigon sailed away from Wano Country and read a newspaper announcing the Shichibukai system.
• Wobigon questioned why the World Government wanted legal pirates when it could expand the Marines, and Sebastian suggested the system might be about balance.
• Kong informed the Marines that the Shichibukai system was already settled and that they had only advisory power over its candidates.
• Sakazuki and other Marines opposed the system, while Sengoku accepted that they could not reverse the World Government’s decision.
• Tsuru criticized the proposed candidates, especially Mihawk, whose attacks on Marines had made him a feared enemy.
• The World Government considered Mihawk’s recruitment appropriate because the Marines had stopped suffering meaningless deaths after reaching an agreement with Nereus.

Nereus reviewed Fish-Man Island’s rising generation and recognized Sasaki, Namur, and the orphaned Jack as promising talents. Chloe’s emerging ability to hear Sea Kings disrupted her lesson, and Nereus reassured her that they were greeting her.

• The World Government dismissed Kong’s objections and moved ahead with the Shichibukai system, while the Marines could only seek candidates for its positions.
• Nereus examined Fish-Man Island’s citizen registry and noted that Sasaki and Namur belonged to a new generation of talent.
• Nereus recognized the orphan called Jack as the future Drought Jack, a gifted prospect who could become one of Fish-Man Island’s leading figures.
• Chloe shouted during her lesson because she heard sounds no one else could, prompting Amphitrite to dismiss the class and send away the outsiders.
• Nereus came to Chloe and explained that the sounds were Sea Kings, her own people, greeting her.

Nereus revealed that Chloe was Poseidon and taught her to communicate with the Sea Kings, who obeyed her command to stay quiet during class. Meanwhile, the delayed trial of Tom ended with the judge claiming Roger’s crew had stolen the ship Tom built for him.

• Nereus took Chloe into the sea and told her that she was the Sea Kings’ king, but made her promise to keep the truth within the family.
• Chloe used Voice of All Things to summon the Sea Kings and ordered them not to talk to her during class.
• The Sea Kings obeyed Chloe, while one of them sensed that Nereus might be Poseidon’s Guide.
• Nereus and Amphitrite discussed Chloe’s ability to command the Sea Kings after Chloe excitedly told her mother about meeting them.
• At Water 7’s temporary court, the judge declared Tom’s year-long trial over and recorded that Roger’s crew had stolen the ship Tom built.

Tom returned home after his trial ended with only a fine, as Fish-Man Island’s influence helped the authorities avoid provoking Nereus. With Nereus’s approval secured, Tom prepared to begin construction of the Sea Train, a project intended to connect Water 7 and nearby islands.

• Tom returned home with Kokoro, Iceburg, Franky, and Yokozuna after the trial, and Kokoro complained that he had waited too long to contact Fish-Man Island.
• Tom explained that Fish-Man Island’s standing and Nereus’s influence had helped shape the trial’s outcome, while the authorities had treated Roger as the culprit and fined Tom for negligent supervision.
• Iceburg heard that Fish-Man Island’s flag helped protect its merchant ships from Pirates and learned that Tom’s trial had ended with a light punishment.
• Tom said Water 7’s disrupted trade and dependence on imported materials threatened the island, and he announced that Nereus had approved the Sea Train proposal.
• Tom’s Sea Train project was set to begin, with Fish-Man Island providing technical guidance and the World Government and connected islands contributing funds.

Tom began coordinating the Sea Train project with World Government officials while giving Franky and Iceburg a submarine blueprint to build for Fish-Man Island. A lumber delivery team led by Arlong arrived in Water 7, where Tom greeted him by his own name.

• World Government officials questioned Tom about protecting the Sea Train tracks from tsunamis and deterring Sea Kings, and he explained his plans.
• Tom endured the Government's slow, compartmentalized negotiations as the Sea Train project moved toward implementation.
• Franky asked Tom to teach him Pirate ship blueprints, and Tom gave him and Iceburg submarine plans prepared for Bullet to study and build.
• Tom told Franky that the task came from Fish-Man Island and promised to help if the work proved too difficult.
• Arlong arrived in Water 7 with a team delivering lumber, and Tom thanked him directly for bringing it.

Arlong delivered shipbuilding materials to Tom in Water 7, then explored the city and realized he could use his knack for commerce to help the Neptune Army expand its work with humans. He planned to save enough money to build an amusement park in Fish-Man Island, determined to make it his own rather than ask Shyarly for help.

• Arlong handed Tom the lumber and alloy shipment, while Tom accepted the materials and noted that the supply exceeded his needs.
• Jinbe found Arlong sightseeing in Water 7 and teased him by calling him “Shyarly's Brother.”
• Arlong defended his visit as an inspection of Water 7's economy and proposed showing off the shipment to local shipyards to attract business.
• Arlong suggested using the Neptune Army's insurance coverage and nautical charts to increase revenue and build ties with humans.
• Arlong told Jinbe he planned to save money for an amusement park in Fish-Man Island, which he would name Arlong Park, and refused to seek Shyarly's help.

Arlong used Fish-Man Island’s presence in the Sabaody Archipelago to build a lumber and escort business while pursuing his dream of creating a free Paradise. In the kingdom’s territory, Tesoro delivered goods to the office where Stella worked, continuing his courtship of her.

• Arlong arranged for Jinbe to contact Kawamatsu and organize lumber deliveries, drawing deposits from struggling shipbuilding companies seeking supplies and escorts.
• The Ryugu Kingdom’s territory remained disputed in name, but Fish-Man Island’s control had made it safer than the Marine-tolerated Lawless Land around it.
• Tesoro helped a delivery team bring boxes to the Ryugu Kingdom’s office so he could see Stella without waiting for her shift to end.
• A delivery worker teased Tesoro that Stella had a new suitor, briefly alarming him before admitting he was joking.
• The chapter recounted how Stella had been rescued from a slave ship and how Tesoro had met her after fleeing human traffickers, then changed his life and began pursuing her.

Nereus brought the Neptune Army’s Fourth Company to Ohara to prepare an underground escape route as the World Government ordered a Buster Call against the island. After Saul defected and helped Olvia return, the bombardment began, and Nereus appeared at the Tree of Knowledge to lead Clover and the scholars to safety.

• The Marines captured Nico Olvia after bombing her ship, and Sengoku told Saul that Ohara would be destroyed by a Buster Call.
• Saul challenged the order, then defected with two warships and helped Olvia escape back to Ohara.
• Nereus and the Fourth Company secretly dug a passage beneath the Tree of Knowledge so they could evacuate people during the attack.
• Spandine arrived at Ohara, ordered the scholars arrested, and revealed that the World Government had targeted the island before Olvia was captured.
• The Buster Call began, and the scholars tried to save the books as the Tree of Knowledge caught fire.
• Nereus found the wounded Clover inside the tree and urged him to lead the others into the passage before the bombardment reached them.

Nereus rescued Ohara’s scholars and their books from the Buster Call by leading them through an underwater tunnel to safety. After Clover guessed that Nereus sought the Ancient Weapons, Nereus challenged the scholars’ reckless decision to make Ohara’s research so public.

• Nereus sent the scholars through a hidden tunnel with Bubble Coral while Big Pan sealed the entrance behind them.
• Nico Robin escaped Ohara with Saul’s help as Kuzan allowed her to flee, and Saul later thawed after surviving the bombardment.
• The scholars followed a guide rope through murky water and emerged inside a Sea King that carried them away.
• Nereus’s medic treated Dr. Clover and reported that his condition was stable.
• Clover recognized Nereus as the king of Ryugu Kingdom and guessed that he had rescued them to search for the Ancient Weapons.
• Nereus criticized the scholars for conducting their research openly and drawing the World Government’s attention to Ohara.

After Ohara was destroyed, Nereus arranged for its surviving scholars and books to be incorporated into his plans. Months later, Dragon met Vegapunk at the ruins, and Nereus offered Dragon the scholars to help build the Freedom Fighters.

• Nereus ordered A-Pan and the Neptune Army to continue their operation and asked them to watch for Olvia's daughter, Nico Robin.
• The World Government blamed the destroyed warships on Nico Robin, while Saul made a canoe from the Tree of Knowledge and headed for Elbaf.
• Months later, Vegapunk visited Ohara's ruins, mourned its destruction, and erected a gravestone for the island.
• Dragon met Vegapunk at Ohara, criticized him for working for the World Government, and heard that Vegapunk planned to investigate the past in secret.
• Nereus arrived, praised Dragon's progress in forming an army, and offered him Ohara's scholars as educated workers for the Freedom Fighters.

Golden Lion escaped from Impel Down by cutting off his feet to free himself from his Seastone shackles, then began seeking out old allies. He encountered Nereus on the Grand Line and wondered why Nereus was unsurprised by his escape.

• Garp returned to East Blue periodically and kept its pirates from making major moves, while the World Government kept the Ohara Incident from causing widespread turmoil.
• Golden Lion cut off his feet, escaped Impel Down, and searched for his swords, Kogarashi and Oto, without freeing the other prisoners.
• The World Government dismissed Impel Down's former warden, promoted Magellan to warden, and made Hannyabal vice warden while keeping the escape secret.
• Golden Lion met Whitebeard in the New World, then set out to find his remaining subordinates and rebuild his strength.
• Nereus traveled home by boat pulled by a Sea Beast and encountered Golden Lion, who said he had no need for prosthetic legs and asked why Nereus was not surprised by his escape.