Ch. 81Susanoo, Soul Rend! (Illustrated)
Chapter Summary: “Susanoo, Soul Rend!”
Key Plot Points and Events
- Mislanda releases an overwhelming burst of Conqueror’s Haki, darkening the battlefield, disturbing the sea, and rocking the Marine warships.
- Garp praises Mislanda’s strength before overpowering the Haki with his own and challenging him to a direct punch.
- Mislanda and Garp clash with Conqueror’s Haki-infused fists. The impact cracks Blackstone Island and splits the clouds. Garp proves superior in raw punching power, pushing Mislanda back farther.
- Meanwhile, two thousand Marines land on the island. However, figures beneath the water destroy four of the seven warships, revealing that Tiger and his allies are attacking from below.
- Aokiji attempts to freeze the sea and prevent the underwater fighters from surfacing. Mislanda intervenes by lifting and compressing the island’s rocks into a massive meteor-like sphere, forcing Aokiji to defend against it with an ice bird.
- Garp uses the distraction to attack Mislanda, but Susanoo blocks the blow. Garp strikes Susanoo’s chest directly, shattering the Calamity Soul Magatama and apparently destroying Susanoo.
- Garp realizes that the Magatama is Susanoo’s weakness and boasts that one of Mislanda’s “monsters” has been defeated.
- Mislanda reveals that Susanoo cannot truly die while he remains alive. He restores the shattered Magatama by transferring his own energy into it and activates a new technique, “Soul Rend.”
- Susanoo is resurrected in an evolved form: his hair turns white, his body becomes larger and more muscular, and he gains the Yata no Kagami.
- Garp immediately tests Susanoo’s new strength, but Susanoo blocks his punch with one hand.
- Using the Yata no Kagami, Susanoo fires Yasakani no Magatama, a blue energy beam that forces Garp backward despite his defensive stance.
Character Developments
- Mislanda: Demonstrates immense physical power, advanced Conqueror’s Haki, battlefield awareness, and devotion to protecting his submerged allies. His Soul Rend technique reveals that his life force is directly tied to Susanoo’s survival.
- Garp: Remains overwhelmingly powerful in hand-to-hand combat and initially dominates Mislanda and Susanoo. However, he recognizes Susanoo’s evolution as a serious threat and begins treating him as a formidable opponent.
- Susanoo: His apparent defeat exposes the Calamity Soul Magatama as a critical weakness. After Mislanda revives him, he evolves into a stronger form equipped with the Yata no Kagami and immediately withstands Garp’s attack.
- Aokiji: Acts quickly to counter the underwater assault but is forced to defend against Mislanda’s enormous rock projectile instead.
- Tiger and the underwater fighters: Though not shown directly, they prove effective by destroying four Marine warships from beneath the sea.
Significant Themes
- Strength versus experience: Mislanda possesses extraordinary power, but Garp’s lifetime of combat experience still gives him the advantage in pure punching ability.
- Hidden weaknesses and adaptation: Garp discovers Susanoo’s vulnerability, but Mislanda counters by transforming that weakness into a new source of power.
- Life-force bonds and sacrifice: Mislanda’s ability to restore Susanoo suggests a deep connection in which his own vitality sustains his companion.
- Escalation of power: The battle rapidly intensifies from Haki clashes to island-shattering attacks, naval destruction, and Susanoo’s dramatic evolution.
- Teamwork and battlefield control: While Garp and Mislanda duel, their allies and opponents fight across multiple fronts—on land, at sea, and beneath the water.
Character Interactions
- Garp openly acknowledges Mislanda’s strength but challenges him directly to prove it.
- Mislanda accepts Garp’s punch rather than allowing Susanoo to intervene, showing confidence and pride.
- Mislanda prevents Aokiji from freezing the sea to protect Tiger and the submerged fighters.
- Susanoo repeatedly shields Mislanda from Garp, frustrating Garp with his resilience.
- Garp discovers Susanoo’s weakness, while Mislanda responds by reviving and empowering him.
- The chapter ends with Garp and the evolved Susanoo facing each other as increasingly dangerous rivals.