Ares

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

According to Cook, Ares was once a gifted doctor who was expelled from his homeland after being blamed for giving its prince the wrong medicine. Cook believed Ares had been framed by a jealous teacher who switched the medicine and took over the prince’s treatment. Disowned and stripped of his surname, Ares turned to toxicology. 9

Five years later, he released a contagious plague in his former country. The disease infected the entire nation within a month, killed more than one million people, and could not be cured despite World Government quarantine efforts. Ares was imprisoned by the Marines for twenty years until an earthquake flooded the prison; Cook rescued him and left him on Thousand Lake Island. 9

Ares chose his name after his capture because he wanted to become the “God of Disease” and create every disease in the world. The name also connects him with the mythological Ares, who is associated both with war and plague in the crew’s understanding. 9 65

On Thousand Lake Island, Ares used his knowledge of toxins to treat victims of venomous insect bites. His success made him locally famous, but it also attracted the Bloodhand Pirates, who kidnapped him after he refused to join them. 11

When Blood Hand Brian appeared to kill him with a spear, Ares survived by dodging the strike and bursting a concealed blood pack to fake his death. After Rogge’s group destroyed the Bloodhand Pirates, Cook invited him to become their ship’s doctor. Ares accepted, recognizing the danger of refusing the overwhelmingly powerful crew. 15 16

Ares initially remained the weakest and most combat-averse member of the Asura Pirates. His medical abilities made him valuable, but Rogge repeatedly criticized his lack of courage and his limited usefulness in direct battle. Ares nevertheless continued researching poisons, viruses, medicine, and possible combat applications. 20 27 28

During the crew’s journey, Ares acquired medical texts and a large blood-storage freezer containing nearly a thousand liters of blood for treating Rogge’s frequent injuries. He also treated Rogge after major battles and displayed enough knowledge to diagnose unusual wounds, including sand lodged in Rogge’s lungs. 64 101

Ares later obtained the Venom-Venom Fruit after Magellan’s death during the Impel Down operation. Rogge had deliberately arranged for the fruit to be transferred to Ares because his natural poison immunity made him an ideal user. Ares concealed the ability for roughly a year while studying and developing it. 257 264 283 284

Rather than emphasizing physical training, Ares devoted that year to researching stronger toxins and learning how to produce them through the Devil Fruit. This transformed him from a weak doctor who relied on a musket into one of the most feared specialists in the Asura organization. 284

His reputation grew beyond the Asura Pirates. Queen of the Beasts Pirates regarded him as an idol and fellow plague researcher, while Caesar Clown had studied the Ares Virus and considered Ares superior to Vegapunk in that field. 166 167 218

Ares eventually became commander of the Asura Pirates’ Fourth Division. Although his personal physical strength remained unimpressive, his division’s poison-gas shells and plague bombs were powerful enough to wipe out entire countries, leading to a bounty of 3,000,000,000 Beli. 335

Appearance

Ares is a long-haired, scruffy-bearded man whose dangerous hands are normally hidden beneath gloves. 15 16

• His bare hands are purplish-black from poison corrosion. 16
• His fingernails are black. 16
• He wears long gloves reaching to his elbows to prevent accidental poisoning. 16
• Even after gaining the Venom-Venom Fruit, he remains pale, flabby, and almost entirely lacking in muscle. 365

Personality

Ares is practical, cautious, and visibly more anxious in combat situations than the Asura Pirates’ frontline fighters. His fear is tied in part to guilt over the plague he released; he insists that he did not intend to kill anyone, while Rogge forces him to confront responsibility for the disaster. 20 21

Despite initially joining from self-preservation, he quickly adopts the crew’s shared-fate outlook. He rejects the idea that only a doctor’s life matters aboard a ship, arguing that every crewmate is necessary for the others’ survival. 17

Cook maintains that Ares is personally kind despite his history, creating a contrast between his gentle medical role and his capacity for mass destruction through disease. 9

Ares is extremely cowardly by his own crew’s standards. He frequently panics when confronted with powerful enemies, worries that Rogge may kill him, and once feared that his own bounty made him a target for his companions. 65 68

His cowardice does not make him disloyal. Ares often warns the crew about reckless plans because he genuinely wants them to survive, and he has stated that he would lay down his life for his comrades in a desperate situation. 138

Ares is also a cautious and morally restrained weapons specialist. Although he possesses plague bombs and poison gas capable of indiscriminate mass casualties, he refuses to deploy them in the populated Nightless City and instead develops a more focused corrosive attack. 309

His confidence increased greatly after obtaining the Venom-Venom Fruit. He became more willing to threaten powerful enemies and claim that he no longer feared Rogge, although Rogge’s sudden appearance could still frighten him into dispersing his own venom. 285 365

Abilities & Skills

Medicine and Toxicology

Ares is an exceptionally skilled physician with extensive knowledge of poisons, antidotes, diseases, and medical supplies.

• Quickly identified and cured venom from a dangerous insect bite, establishing his reputation on Thousand Lake Island. 11
• Detected a tasteless sleeping drug in food by tasting it, preventing the crew from being poisoned. 26
• Prepared medical supplies for the crew’s voyage and provides treatment after Rogge’s training. 18 27
• Treated Enel’s shattered shoulder, reassembled the damaged bone, and administered anesthetic. 85
• Diagnosed Rogge’s recovery from severe injuries and correctly identified coughing blood and sand as part of the process of clearing his damaged lungs. 64
• Obtained nearly a thousand liters of stored blood and additional medical books to support the crew’s treatment needs. 101
• Created a plague virus capable of infecting an entire country, though its mutation caused casualties beyond his claimed intentions. 9 21
• Created the Ares Virus, which can multiply after contact with air and requires temperatures exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius to destroy. No conventional antidote has been developed. 212 213 218
• Possesses enough knowledge of medicine to explain and treat Charlotte Linlin’s compulsive food-related disorder, although he considers it incurable through ordinary medicine. 362

Toxic Physiology

Years of poison experiments left Ares highly resistant to toxins and permanently transformed his hands into poisonous weapons. His resistance is especially pronounced against viruses, while individual poisons may affect him differently. 16 214

• Is unaffected or highly resistant to many poisons and viruses that would incapacitate others. 16 214
• Can poison targets through direct contact with his exposed hands. 16
• Must keep his gloves on to safely handle medicine and avoid poisoning allies. 16
• Carries and deploys numerous varieties of toxins, including substances for which no antidote is known. 284
• Uses his knowledge of toxins to create specialized poisons against opponents with natural resistance to ordinary venom. 309
• His personal physical strength remains low, even after his transformation into a major poison specialist. 284 321 365

Venom-Venom Fruit

Ares possesses the Venom-Venom Fruit formerly used by Magellan. His natural poison immunity makes him particularly suited to the ability, and he spent a year researching how to strengthen and diversify its output. 257 264 284

• Creates venom directly from his body and shapes it into large animal-like constructs, including Hydras and dragons. 283 284
• Produced a poisonous Hydra against Kuzan, then combined it with Lassoo’s flames to form a Flaming Dragon. 284
• Created the Three-Colored Dragon by producing multiple Hydras with different properties. 284
• Developed highly corrosive red venom capable of eating through the ground and damaging the skin of opponents who can expel ordinary toxins. 309
• Can disperse or lose control of his venom when startled, as when Rogge frightened him by suddenly appearing behind him. 365
• His venom can be countered by certain abilities, including Kuzan’s ice and Smoothie’s ability to expel toxins from her body. 284 309

Viruses, Poison Gas, and Plague Weapons

Ares commands the most feared weapons division within the Asura Pirates. His division uses shells containing poison gas and plague bombs, giving it the potential to destroy entire countries without relying on direct combat. 303 335

• Created the Ares Virus, which caused more than one million deaths in his former country. 9
• Used a dormant virus to control escaped Impel Down prisoners, forcing them to take monthly medicine or die within days. 263 264
• Developed poison-gas bombs whose microscopic liquid particles cling to the skin and enter the body through the pores. 341
• Bombarded seven naval warships with poison gas, forcing the surviving vice admirals to retreat to the remaining ships and use hazmat suits. 341
• Refuses to use indiscriminate plague bombs in populated areas when doing so would kill civilians. 309
• Can use Lassoo as a launcher for shells, poison gas, and plague bombs. 77 303 335

Musket and Poison Syringes

Ares formerly served in a musket unit and carries a long gun, though he admits that he is rusty after twenty years without using one. 20

• Modified his musket to fire poison-filled syringes based on a tranquilizer gun. 20
• A successful hit injects poison directly into the target. 20
• Cannot operate ship cannons and is not regarded as a dependable professional sniper. 20 21
• His firearm remains useful despite his later Devil Fruit development, particularly when the crew needs ranged support against powerful enemies. 271

Deception and Survival

Ares compensates for his lack of physical strength with preparation and improvised deception.

• Carries concealed blood packs to convincingly fake fatal wounds. 16
• Learned various tricks for deceiving people during his imprisonment. 16
• Used his fake death to survive Brian’s spear attack and avoid becoming a target during the battle. 16
• Concealed his possession of the Venom-Venom Fruit for approximately one year so that the World Government would not connect the fruit to Rogge’s crew. 271 283 284
• Uses analysis and scientific preparation to fight opponents who are physically stronger than him. 284 309

Impact Dials

Ares collected Impact Dials during the Sky Island arc and attempted to test one himself.

• Directed Jerry to retrieve two Impact Dials from Dagu. 76
• Confirmed that the dials could absorb Jerry’s powerful shockwaves. 76
• Suffered severe recoil injuries when he released an Impact Dial. 76
• Rejected the weapons afterward because their destructive output came at an unacceptable cost to the user. 77

Equipment / Items

• Long gloves that isolate his poisonous hands. 16
• Musket modified for poison-syringe ammunition. 20
• Purple poison-filled syringes. 20
• Concealed blood packs used to fake injuries or death. 16
• Medical supplies and medicinal herbs for the crew. 17 18
• Large blood-storage freezer containing nearly a thousand liters of blood. 101
• Medical books acquired from the St. Poplar black market. 101
• Two Impact Dials taken from the Sky Island priests. 76 77
• Lassoo, the Dachshund Fruit-powered hand cannon, used to destroy traps and launch fire, poison gas, and plague-bomb ammunition. 77 284 335
• Poison-gas bombs and plague bombs used by the Fourth Division. 303 335

Relationships

• Cook — Rescued Ares from the flooded Marine prison, left him on Thousand Lake Island, and later recruited him as the Asura Pirates’ doctor. 9 16
• Rogge — Captain who accepts Ares as crew but bluntly challenges his fear, excuses, and underused combat potential. Rogge later arranges for Ares to obtain the Venom-Venom Fruit and relies on his viruses and weapons as part of the crew’s strategic power. 16 21 27 257 264 284
• Ham — Helps Ares purchase supplies and discusses the crew’s mutual dependence with him. He also mocks Ares’s cowardice while recognizing that Ares remains loyal to the crew. 17 65 138
• Jelly — Frequently mocks Ares’s nervousness and unconventional attempt to serve as a sniper. He later criticizes Ares’s reckless tactics but supports his development as a poison specialist. 20 284 309
• Billy — Ares identifies Billy as a Husky and explains the breed’s sled-dog background. After Billy gains earthquake powers, Ares is sent flying when he attempts to kick him. 18 321
• Queen — A fellow plague researcher and one of Ares’s most enthusiastic admirers. Queen regards Ares as a god of plague research, nearly crushing him while attempting to embrace him, and later discusses scientific questions with him. 166 167
• Caesar Clown — A fellow poison scientist who studied the Ares Virus and considers Ares an idol. Ares’s reputation and research greatly exceed Caesar’s poison-gas work. 218
• Lassoo — Ares’s weapon-dog and combat partner. Ares uses Lassoo’s flames to enhance his Hydra into a Flaming Dragon. 77 284
• Enel — Ares treats Enel after he joins the crew, despite Enel having previously defeated him. The two later cooperate as major Asura officers and frequently mock one another. 85 365
• Smoothie — An opponent whose ability to expel venom counters Ares’s ordinary poison. Ares responds by developing corrosive venom designed to damage her directly. 309
• Kuzan — A powerful opponent who easily froze Ares’s Hydras and incapacitated him during the siege. 284
• Jerry — Ares jokes about Jerry’s tendency to space out but immediately backs down when Jerry reacts with displeasure. 176
• Carl — A fellow core officer who joins the crew in teasing Ares and helps manage the organization’s commercial affairs. 321

Story Role / Major Arcs

Recruitment on Thousand Lake Island

Ares is the Asura Pirates’ intended doctor recruit and the reason Rogge’s crew attacks the Bloodhand Pirates. His apparent murder by Brian provokes Rogge’s furious retaliation, but his staged death reveals both his survival instincts and his suitability for the crew. 11 15 16

Voyage to the Grand Line

As ship’s doctor, Ares supplies medicine, treats injuries, and gradually adjusts to the crew’s reckless lifestyle. He also reveals his poison-syringe musket while the crew faces the pirate alliance near Reverse Mountain. 18 20

Tavern Island

Ares detects the tavern owner’s sleeping drug and later tends to Rogge’s wounds following his battle with hundreds of bounty hunters. 26 27

Earthfire Island and Beyond

Ares fights alongside the crew during the Earthfire Island raid, helps carry out the group’s looting, and advises retreat when Smoker’s Logia abilities make a direct battle untenable. 36 38 40

Sky Island

Ares participates in the crew’s trials on Sky Island, experiments with Impact Dials, and later treats Enel after Rogge recruits him. His rejection of the Impact Dials reflects his growing concern about indiscriminate destruction. 75 77 85

The Ares Virus and the Impel Down Operation

Ares helps control the prisoners captured during the aftermath of Marineford by placing a dormant virus in their food. He later receives Magellan’s Venom-Venom Fruit, turning him into a hidden weapon within Rogge’s organization. 257 263 264

The Siege of Kuzan

Ares reveals his hidden Devil Fruit ability during the confrontation with Kuzan. He uses poison Hydras, Lassoo’s flames, and the Three-Colored Dragon, but Kuzan freezes the attacks and defeats him. The battle establishes that Ares has become vastly more dangerous while still remaining vulnerable to overwhelming elemental counters. 283 285

Rise of the God of Plague

Ares becomes commander of the Fourth Division and develops a fleet centered on poison gas, plague bombs, and toxic ammunition. His destructive potential leads the World Government to raise his bounty from 300 million to 3 billion Beli. 303 335

War Against the Big Mom Pirates

Ares fights Smoothie during the Nightless City conflict. When she repeatedly expels his venom, he refuses to use indiscriminate gas in the city and instead unveils corrosive venom capable of eating through the ground and attacking her skin directly. 309

Confrontation with the Vinsmoke Family

Ares and Enel confront the Vinsmoke Family after the battle involving Charlotte Linlin. Ares’s poison defeats most of the family almost immediately, while Reiju’s genetic resistance allows her to survive longer. Rogge’s sudden arrival frightens Ares into dispersing his own venom, and he then mocks Ares for refusing to train his Haki. 365

Current Role in the World Conflict

Ares remains one of the Asura Pirates’ most strategically important officers. While his personal combat strength is below that of the crew’s leading fighters, his viruses, corrosive venom, poison-gas weapons, and plague bombs make his division capable of threatening entire countries. During the Marines’ escalating conflict with the Asura Pirates, he is prepared to attack a Marine fortress if the World Government makes a move. 335 409

Notable Quotes

“We're all tied to the same fate. If one of us dies, it'll be hard for the others to survive too.” 17

Trivia

• Rogge recognizes Ares’s chosen name as that of a “God of Disease” from Greek mythology. 9
• Ares spent twenty years imprisoned by the Marines before Cook rescued him. 9
• He was the only member of Rogge’s group to bring money when the crew ate at a Rainbase restaurant, leaving him to pay their bill. 50
• Ares’s bounty initially exceeded Rogge’s, causing Rogge considerable frustration. 62 65
• Despite his title and history as a mass murderer, Ares has a courage level the crew compares unfavorably to Usopp’s. 65
• Ares’s stated dream is to become Ares the God of War rather than remain known as the God of Plague. 84
• Queen and Caesar both regard Ares as an idol because of his plague research. 166 218
• Ares’s Venom-Venom Fruit ability was kept secret for approximately one year after he obtained it. 271 283 284
• His division is considered more terrifying for its weapons than for the direct strength of its commander. 335
• Ares is one of the two Asura Pirates popularly known as “gods,” alongside Thunder God Enel. 360