Ch. 781The Ice Witch
Plot points and events
- Bullet’s overwhelming power destroys the Pirate Allied Forces’ resistance. Many pirates are killed, while the survivors surrender and are taken prisoner by the ice knights and arriving Army and Navy forces.
- Esdeath fights “Blood Axe” Creswell. He loses focus after seeing Bullet’s devastation, allowing her to seize the advantage; she is left as the only fighter still battling him.
- “Dragonfly” Pierce is captured in terrible condition. His Ancient Zoan vitality has kept him alive, and the narration suggests Bullet deliberately spared him.
- The story shifts to Whitey Bay’s winter island in Whitebeard territory. The Land of Ice’s snowflake-marked icebreaker reflects the harsh conditions that make travel and trade there difficult.
- Kronos Kingdom’s expanding trade with the Extreme Cold Belt has improved life in the region, exchanging outside goods for local furs and medicinal herbs.
Character developments and interactions
- Creswell’s confidence collapses under the combined pressure of Bullet’s strength and Esdeath’s relentless pursuit.
- Esdeath is shown as a formidable fighter in her own right. Whitey Bay regards her as the true “Ice Witch,” as well as Hades’s daughter and princess of the Land of Ice and Ice-People Tribe.
- Whitey Bay accepts Esdeath’s superior status without resentment, recognizing both her rank and strength. Her own Ice-People heritage explains her unusually youthful appearance.
- Watching Esdeath grow stronger fills those who know her with pride, even as Bullet’s display intimidates others.
- Gerald oversees the reinforcements and the capture of the surrendered pirates. The Kronos Kingdom intends to reclaim prisoners’ Devil Fruit powers and use the pirates as labor, while avoiding needless cruelty that might damage its reputation.
Significant themes
- Power and surrender: Bullet’s dominance makes resistance seem futile, and survival becomes more important than dying for a lost cause.
- Strength and growth: Esdeath’s improved abilities earn admiration, while Bullet’s might inspires fear.
- Trade and influence: The Kronos Kingdom’s mutually beneficial commerce brings relief to isolated communities and extends its influence.
- Rank and belonging: Whitey Bay’s respect for Esdeath reflects the social hierarchy linking the Ice-People, the Land of Ice, and the Kronos royal family.