Chapter Summaries

After Marineford, Sengoku ordered an assessment of the war's losses and an investigation into Impel Down, while Marines found the gravely wounded Akainu beneath the ice. River and Shanks then began a fierce battle on a deserted island, leaving their crews locked in combat as Shanks vowed to avenge his vice-captain.

• Sengoku ordered the Marines to assess their losses and investigate what had happened at Impel Down, while Tsuru said she had sent people after River and Shanks.
• A Marine squad found Akainu beneath the ice, badly injured and near death, and he lost consciousness after realizing River had defeated him.
• Aokiji questioned whether leaving the Marines would let River fulfill his dream and decided to watch what he did next.
• Shanks and his crew arrived at the deserted island, where River warned his pirates not to underestimate their fresh opponents.
• River and Shanks clashed swords as both crews charged, with Benn Beckman facing Golden Lion Shiki and Dracule Mihawk intercepting Crocodile.
• Shanks declared that he would kill River and avenge his vice-captain.

River and Shanks fought through the night on the Deserted Island until Dark King Rayleigh arrived and persuaded them to stop. The rivals ended their battle and gathered around a campfire, leaving the question of their future conflict unresolved.

• The Marines watched the battle between River and Shanks unleash storms, lightning, and destruction across the Deserted Island through the night.
• The next morning, Dark King Rayleigh arrived by boat, and the fighting between the two groups stopped.
• Rayleigh joined River and Shanks at a campfire, where Shanks greeted him with delight and River praised Shanks's strength.
• Rayleigh urged River and Shanks to end the battle for the day, warning that a future war between their powerful forces could bring disaster.
• River agreed to stop fighting, and he called for a feast as the exhausted groups gathered around the meat cooking over the fire.

After Whitebeard’s death and Ace’s rescue, River and Shanks celebrated with their allies while news of the war spread around the world. Foosha Village rejoiced over Ace’s survival, and Sengoku accepted responsibility for the war’s outcome before preparing to leave his post as Fleet Admiral.

• River and Shanks toasted to their separate plans for the future as Shiki and the former enemies celebrated together.
• Newspapers reported Whitebeard’s death, River’s defection from the Marines, and his declaration against the World Government, alarming underworld figures and inspiring some people to join him.
• Curly Dadan and the people of Foosha Village celebrated Ace’s survival and learned that Luffy had also appeared at the war.
• Sengoku accepted responsibility for the war’s consequences when questioned in Mary Geoise, then said he would arrange a smooth transition to his successor.
• Sengoku left Mary Geoise and welcomed the chance to rest.

In the week after the Paramount War, the world braced for a struggle over Whitebeard’s territories while River’s defiance of the World Government inspired people across the seas. At Marineford, Sengoku learned the headquarters could not be rebuilt and decided to step down.

• Pirates across the world speculated about who would take Whitebeard’s place, while Big Mom and Kaido considered claiming his territories.
• Kaido cursed Shanks for stopping him from reaching Whitebeard and challenged River to meet him in the New World.
• People began saying the Celestial Dragons and Marines could be opposed, and many vowed to join River when he called.
• A Vice Admiral told Sengoku that Marineford’s foundations and terrain were too damaged for reconstruction, so Sengoku proposed building a new headquarters.
• Sengoku learned that River and Shanks had not decided their battle, Rayleigh was alive, and Luffy had written “3YD2” at Marineford.
• Sengoku summoned Sakazuki and Kuzan and announced that he was stepping down.

Shanks reflected on River’s plans to change the world, while River prepared to take Rayleigh to meet someone familiar and carried Newgate’s body with him. River left Rayleigh with a warning never to appear in the world again after the meeting, then led him across the sea toward an unknown destination.

• Shanks told Yasopp and Benn Beckman that River was dangerous, calculating, and determined to change the world after witnessing cruelty by pirates, Marines, and the Celestial Dragons.
• Shanks warned his crew that Whitebeard’s death would bring a violent upheaval to the seas and urged them to look after themselves.
• River told Rayleigh and the others about a dream in which changing the world might earn him a chance to return home, and recalled seeing a chained door on the system interface.
• River told Rayleigh he would meet someone familiar and must never appear in the world again afterward, then ordered Moria to protect Newgate’s body.
• River stopped the Ark Maxim at an unknown place, carried Newgate’s body onto the sea, and set off with Rayleigh following him.

River brought Rayleigh to a remote island, where Whitebeard awoke after being resurrected. They then reunited with Roger, who had secretly remained alive, as River hinted that the three men might one day take part in a decisive final battle.

• River warned Rayleigh to keep their meeting secret and led him to a cabin in the forest.
• River lowered Whitebeard into the yard, and Whitebeard awoke and questioned why River had brought him back to life.
• River said he wanted Whitebeard to witness what happened to his sons and suggested that a future final battle might be more exciting with him present.
• Whitebeard and Rayleigh recognized that River had also brought Roger to the island when Roger emerged from the cabin alive.
• Roger, Whitebeard, Rayleigh, and River reunited, and Roger said he would be willing to help move the age forward if given another chance.

River told Roger, Rayleigh, and Whitebeard that he planned to become a king and overthrow the old order. A month after the Paramount War, Ace and the Whitebeard Pirates remained in mourning, and River’s men arrived aboard the Moby Dick to speak with the captains.

• River said he would become a king, destroy the old order, and build a new world, then drank with Roger, Rayleigh, and Whitebeard.
• Marco urged Ace to recover from his grief and warned that Kaido's crew and Big Mom's crew were threatening the Whitebeard Pirates.
• Jozu suggested that Ace and Marco seek River, since he had taken Whitebeard's body and might know whether Whitebeard was truly dead.
• Ace agreed that River was their only hope for revenge or news of Whitebeard, despite not wanting to face him.
• A pirate reported that Rob Lucci, Shiryu of the Rain, and River's other men had arrived to speak with the captains.
• Marco told the crew to let River's men aboard and reminded them that the Moby Dick was their turf.

Rob Lucci arrived at the Moby Dick and summoned Ace to meet River in Dressrosa, where River had taken control and begun reforms. Ace agreed to go alone, while River waited for him and Rouge warned that the World Government might retaliate.

• Rob Lucci told the Whitebeard Pirates that River wanted to see Ace in Dressrosa and asked him to come alone.
• Jozu and the other pirates urged Ace not to go without them, but Ace silenced them and agreed to meet River.
• Ace boarded Rob Lucci's ship, while Marco and the others wondered about River's plans and Dressrosa's uncertain situation.
• River reflected on his efforts to make Dressrosa fairer after ordering Donquixote Doflamingo to undo his abuses and free people.
• Rouge warned River that taking over Dressrosa without the World Government's approval could bring disaster, but River said peace came from the common people, not the nobles.

River formally became the king of Dressrosa after establishing support for his rule and preparing the kingdom’s military and government. The chapter ended with his coronation being photographed and reported across the world.

• River checked with Freya and Crocodile that his legitimacy, reporters, and security arrangements were ready for the succession ceremony.
• Crocodile, Golden Lion Shiki, and Donquixote Doflamingo joined River on the way to the ceremony, each holding a role in Dressrosa’s government or military.
• River arrived at the venue, where citizens and officials praised his reforms, and King Riku greeted him.
• River declared that Dressrosa’s future would be tied to him, then King Riku placed the crown on his head.
• The crowd celebrated River’s coronation as reporters photographed him on the throne and transmitted the image around the world.

During Dressrosa’s succession ceremony, River defended his plans to weaken the nobility, expand education, and reopen the country, drawing fierce reactions from the press and nobles. In Mary Geoise, the Marines judged River too entrenched to attack and turned their attention to choosing a new Fleet Admiral and rebuilding Marine Headquarters.

• River told reporters that Dressrosa’s king should protect ordinary people and reduce the nobility’s influence, provoking outrage among nobles and their supporters.
• River said broader access to education would benefit Dressrosa and the world, and welcomed people from other lands to settle in the country.
• River confirmed that Dressrosa would reopen after its month-long closure and answered the reporters’ questions calmly.
• Akainu demanded that the Marines invade Dressrosa and destroy River, but Sengoku warned that River’s forces had grown stronger and the Marines could not freely enter the New World.
• Sengoku said the Marines needed to recover from the recent war and focus on choosing their next Fleet Admiral and rebuilding Marine Headquarters.

After River’s policies drew growing interest in Dressrosa, a blind swordsman decided to travel there and see whether its king truly served justice. The World Government issued new bounties, and Freya revealed that River’s was 6.6 billion.

• Sakazuki vowed to grow stronger, take the Fleet Admiral position, and get revenge on River.
• News of River’s coronation and policies spread, prompting commoners to consider moving to Dressrosa.
• A blind swordsman listened to reports about River and asked for a ship to Dressrosa.
• The World Government issued bounty posters, stirring discussion about River and Dressrosa’s growing military.
• Freya showed River his bounty poster and announced a bounty of 6.6 billion.

River and his allies received enormous bounties, then began planning to expand Dressrosa’s territory and military power. As recruitment and shipbuilding got underway, River confronted shortages of skilled shipwrights, ship designs, qualified teachers, and the unresolved issue of Donquixote Doflamingo’s artificial Devil Fruit factory.

• River read out the bounties for himself and his allies, including his 6.6 billion bounty, which exceeded Roger’s.
• River told Golden Lion Shiki, Crocodile, and the others to expand Dressrosa’s influence, armies, and fleet while the World Government and Marines were distracted.
• Golden Lion Shiki agreed to build a fleet and establish the Dressrosa dynasty’s armies, while River also ordered the construction of sea fortresses and bases.
• Dressrosa began recruiting troops and setting up shipyards, but reports revealed shortages of skilled shipwrights, ship blueprints, and qualified teachers.
• River considered bringing the scholars he had saved from Ohara to teach, then turned his attention to the lack of shipwrights and Donquixote Doflamingo’s artificial Devil Fruit factory.

River fully supported Donquixote Doflamingo’s Artificial Devil Fruit experiments and urged him to protect the work by locating the factory on a deserted island. He also planned to strengthen Dressrosa, then told Ace he would explain Whitebeard’s fate later and sent him to see his mother.

• River told Donquixote Doflamingo that Artificial Devil Fruits could transform the world and pledged full support for the project.
• River urged Donquixote Doflamingo to keep the experiments secret and move the factory to a deserted or sparsely populated island.
• Donquixote Doflamingo revealed he planned to meet the scientist behind the Artificial Devil Fruit theory, and River asked to accompany him.
• River dispatched three warships to search for Ohara’s surviving scholars and considered recruiting the Vinsmoke Family and Gild Tesoro to strengthen Dressrosa.
• Rob Lucci returned to Dressrosa, and River summoned him with Ace.
• Ace asked whether Whitebeard was still alive, but River said he would explain later and told Ace to see his mother first.

Ace reunited with his mother Rouge in Dressrosa while River appointed Rob Lucci to lead a new intelligence organization. After discovering that Dressrosa's treasury was empty, River planned to capture Gild Tesoro, then went to meet a World Government scientist to discuss Artificial Devil Fruits.

• River told Ace that his mother, Rouge, had been waiting for him, and Freya led him to her room.
• Ace and Rouge recognized each other and joyfully reunited.
• River appointed Rob Lucci chief of Dressrosa's new intelligence organization and assigned him to recruit agents and gather intelligence across the world.
• River learned that Dressrosa had run a deficit for years and decided to capture Gild Tesoro to obtain gold.
• Three days later, Donquixote Doflamingo told River that a World Government scientist had arrived to discuss Artificial Devil Fruits, and River went to meet him.

River recruited Caesar Clown to develop Artificial Devil Fruits and other weapons, promising him a secure laboratory and support. As River and Donquixote Doflamingo left, a blind swordsman approached River and declared that he wanted to serve under him.

• Donquixote Doflamingo told River that Caesar Clown had fled after an explosion at his laboratory, and River decided to secure his loyalty.
• River offered Caesar Clown safety, a laboratory, and support for his research into Artificial Devil Fruits, two Devil Fruits, and powerful weapons.
• Caesar Clown accepted River's offer and promised to produce results with his support.
• Donquixote Doflamingo questioned River's respectful treatment of Caesar, and River told him to have faith in science.
• The Blind Swordsman praised the changes he had seen among the people and declared that River embodied true justice, asking to serve under him.

Fujitora Issho asked to serve River and demonstrated his strength by summoning a meteor, which Donquixote Doflamingo and River stopped. Fujitora then began fighting in earnest, leaving his full attack aimed at the two men.

• Fujitora Issho told River and Donquixote Doflamingo that he wanted a high-ranking position so he could pursue his dream, and led them to an open area to prove his strength.
• Fujitora drew his sword and brought a huge meteor down from the sky.
• Donquixote Doflamingo sliced the meteor into fragments with String Net, and River redirected the fragments into the sea with a pull of his hand.
• Angry that Fujitora had risked damaging Dressrosa, Donquixote Doflamingo attacked him with razor-sharp strings, and Fujitora blocked with his sword.
• Fujitora fully unsheathed his sword and unleashed Gravity Blade: Raging Tiger.

River tested Fujitora’s strength and welcomed him into his cause after surviving his gravity-powered attacks without injury. Fujitora pledged allegiance, convinced that River could build a fairer world.

• Fujitora struck Doflamingo with a gravity-powered slash, sending him flying into the woods.
• River stopped Fujitora’s sword with his bare hand and endured his increasingly powerful gravity attacks, including Hell’s Journey.
• Fujitora acknowledged River’s overwhelming strength and knelt to pledge himself to River’s ideal of justice.
• River welcomed Issho and said they would work together toward a better future.

River welcomed Fujitora as a kingdom Admiral and outlined his plan to bring the New World under Dressrosa’s control. Three months after the Summit War, Zoro trained under Fujitora while Dressrosa prepared its fleet and forces for war, and River hinted that he and Fujitora would travel to another region.

• River appointed Fujitora as an Admiral and said Dressrosa would first seek to unify the New World.
• Three months after the Summit War, River instructed Zoro to train to awaken Observation Haki and assigned Fujitora to help him.
• Fujitora used his gravity powers to make Zoro’s sword training more difficult, while River promised to teach him further techniques once he awakened Haki.
• Dressrosa assembled a fleet of twenty ships and expanded its navy alongside its existing forces and Golden Lion Shiki’s pirates.
• Fujitora reflected on the justice and hope he had found in Dressrosa, and River said Shiki’s forces would handle one war while they took responsibility for another region.

River set out with Fujitora and Ace to bring Gild Tesoro under his control, hoping to strengthen his forces with Tesoro’s immense wealth. He promised Ace answers about Whitebeard and the power to face the Four Emperors, while the kingdom’s fleet began expanding its reach.

• River identified Gild Tesoro, who controlled Gran Tesoro and twenty percent of the world’s Beli, as his next target.
• River told Fujitora that he planned to approach Tesoro with Ace and no more than one other companion.
• Ace demanded to know whether Whitebeard was alive, and River promised to answer after their mission and offered to give Ace the strength to face the Four Emperors.
• Three days later, River, Fujitora, and Ace left the harbor with documents prepared by Freya and a plan organized by Kalifa.
• River watched the kingdom’s warships sail toward nearby islands and nations to establish a defense network and expand its influence.

Shiki, Crocodile, and Daz Bones led Dressrosa’s fleet to seize five nearby islands and kingdoms, expanding the kingdom’s territory and influence. Meanwhile, River and his companions arrived at Gran Tesoro, where River prepared to explore the City of Gold’s wealth.

• Shiki announced the fleet’s plan to take five islands and bring the surrounding waters under Dressrosa’s control.
• Crocodile and Daz Bones discussed Dressrosa’s growing military and Crocodile’s role as a Kingdom Admiral.
• River, Ace, Kalifa, and Fujitora arrived at Gran Tesoro by sailboat.
• Kalifa flirted with River and kissed him on the cheek while Ace watched in astonishment.
• River stepped into Gran Tesoro, intent on seeing how wealthy the enormous city was.