Ch. 581Eating a Mythical Zoan
Key plot points and events
- Ye Chen gives the Mythical Zoan Vampire Fruit to his infant son, Little Maple, feeding him a tiny piece despite Sakura’s concern. Little Maple cries, and Sakura takes him away.
- Gion questions Ye Chen’s recent urgency and suspects he is keeping something from her, but he leaves when Reiju reports that Tesoro and the others have returned.
- Ye Chen forces Morgans, the Underworld kings, and powerful New World monarchs to choose between submission and death. They surrender. He orders Kalifa and Reiju to bring the Underworld and New World under Heaven Kingdom’s control within a month; they succeed.
- On the eve of a coming war with the World Government, Ye Chen spends a quiet day with Sakura and urges her to rule well, protect her family, and find the Life-Life Fruit to restore her mother. Sakura rejects what sounds like a farewell and leaves.
- Ye Chen drinks with Smoker and Vergo. Smoker worries about the war, while Vergo appears to understand that Ye Chen may not return. Ye Chen asks Vergo to care for Sakura and the others, then vanishes.
- Ye Chen returns to Gion, and they spend the night together.
Character developments and interactions
- Ye Chen is tender with his family but increasingly burdened and secretive. His farewells to Sakura and Vergo suggest he expects a grave outcome in the war.
- Sakura is affectionate and hurt by her father’s absence. She resists his advice and apparent goodbye, leaving before he can explain.
- Gion senses Ye Chen’s anxiety and wants him to confide in her, but he offers no explanation.
- Vergo is quiet and worried, seemingly aware of Ye Chen’s impending sacrifice. Smoker, unaware of the deeper situation, focuses on the military threat.
- Kalifa and Reiju efficiently carry out Ye Chen’s plan to consolidate Heaven Kingdom’s power.
Significant themes
- Family love and impending separation: Ye Chen’s warmth toward his family contrasts with his unspoken preparations to leave them.
- Power and control: His ultimatum secures vast political dominance for Heaven Kingdom.
- Duty and succession: Ye Chen tells Sakura to rule firmly and protect those she loves.
- Secrecy and foreboding: Gion’s unease and Ye Chen’s private farewells build anticipation for the war and its possible cost.