Ch. 761Undead Greatsword and... Bombs!
Key plot points and events
- Loa warns the assembled forces that Koshiro has joined to even the odds against Poseidon, a threat so formidable that Whitebeard recognizes he is not among the group’s five strongest fighters.
- After distributing the limited SP-10 weapons, Loa dismisses most of the group but asks the senior leaders to stay.
- He reveals a modified Undead Greatsword. Those who consent can bind it with their blood; if they die while their souls remain, it will raise them as Undead, letting them fight on at the cost of their soul burning away.
- Loa then unveils four experimental bombs made by Caesar. They combine the Death Realm biological weapon with explosive technology, are untested and dangerously unstable, and could kill even Poseidon if all four reached her and detonated inside her.
- Loa cautions them not to fire the bombs from cannons, since the firing force could set them off inside the barrels.
Character developments and interactions
- Whitebeard’s confidence is tempered by clear-eyed judgment: despite his stature, he understands that his weakened body leaves him outmatched by several people present.
- Loa reveals a grim willingness to have allies continue fighting after death, but frames the sword as a last resort and hopes no one will need it.
- Whitebeard casually picks up a bomb, provoking Loa’s alarm and Simon’s panic. The incident highlights how dangerous the weapons are—and how casually Whitebeard can unsettle the people around him.
- Aokiji and Sengoku quickly connect the bombs to Caesar’s earlier work and react with alarm. The senior leaders collectively recoil when Loa explains their potential power.
Significant themes
- Sacrifice and the cost of victory: The Undead Greatsword offers strength beyond death, but only through prolonged suffering and the destruction of the soul.
- Escalating warfare: The group’s preparations include both limited personal weapons and extreme measures capable of killing Poseidon.
- Power and responsibility: Loa’s tools may save the alliance, but their instability and horrific costs make them dangerous to use.
- Dark humor amid danger: Loa’s casual manner contrasts sharply with the leaders’ understandable horror at the weapons he has prepared.