Chapter Summaries

Gern and Kuzan fought in a fierce exchange of ice and vibration attacks, each adapting to the other's techniques. As Kuzan's ice-mirror illusion surrounded Gern, Gern formed an unstable sphere that threatened space itself, leaving Kuzan sensing unprecedented danger.

• Kuzan and Gern charged at each other, trading ice balls and vibration spheres that collided into enormous, destructive ice flowers.
• Gern unleashed Twin Star Destruction, while Kuzan raised layers of ice walls to withstand the attack and countered with a rain of curving ice spears.
• Kuzan concealed three thorned lances in the mist; two cut Gern's ribs, and the third froze his right arm before he shattered the ice shell with Armament Haki.
• Kuzan formed countless ice mirrors to confuse Gern, who closed his eyes and gathered a dangerously irregular vibration sphere between his palms.
• Kuzan sensed the sphere's unprecedented threat and tried to retreat and interrupt Gern, but it was too late.

Gern unleashed Heavenquake: Airspace Disintegration, shattering the space around Kuzan, who survived by using Absolute Zero and Ice Age: Coffin to counter the attack. Both men were badly strained but remained ready to fight.

• Gern expanded Heavenquake: Airspace Disintegration, tearing apart the ice field and overwhelming Kuzan with collapsing space.
• Kuzan abandoned elemental transformation and used Absolute Zero: Absolute Seal to slow the destructive force with extreme cold.
• Kuzan formed an Ice Age: Coffin around himself, which endured the attack long enough to be blasted onto a distant fragment of the ice field.
• Kuzan broke out of the cracked coffin and told Gern that Absolute Zero could still counter his ability.
• Gern praised Kuzan's mastery of his fruit as both men continued panting and faced each other.

Gern defeated Kuzan in a brutal battle by driving his vibration power to extreme heat and detonating it inside Kuzan’s body. Both men were left gravely injured, and Gern lay beside the unconscious Kuzan, claiming his vibration had edged out Kuzan’s freezing.

• Gern shattered Kuzan’s absolute-zero domain and blasted him through three icebergs with a powerful quake strike.
• Gern turned his vibrations orange-red, melting the ice field as he charged through Kuzan’s prism shields and broke free of an ice coffin.
• Kuzan caught Gern in a blind spot and froze his shoulder, but Gern used the opening to press his palm against Kuzan’s chest.
• Gern unleashed Quake Flame: Molten Core Explosion, detonating vibration energy inside Kuzan and creating a vast crater.
• Kuzan collapsed unconscious with his crystalline body charred, while Gern’s left arm hung limp and he lay beside him.

The Five Elders debated whether to promote Gern after watching him defeat Kuzan, but suspended their decision until Sengoku could explain Kong’s plans for the Navy. A report about Ohara’s research into the Void Century then shifted their attention to destroying the threat.

• The Five Elders watched the projection of Gern’s fight with Kuzan and recognized the danger of Gern’s power and talent.
• Saint Ju Peter and Saint Nusjuro warned that promoting Gern could make him harder to control, while the Elders weighed his value to the World Government.
• Saint Saturn told the Elders that Sengoku wanted to discuss Kong’s decision concerning Gern before Sengoku took command of the Navy.
• Saint Warcury ordered the Elders to summon Sengoku and suspend all decisions about Gern until they heard the Navy’s internal view.
• A CP0 agent delivered a report that Ohara had made progress researching the Void Century, and the Elders turned their attention to eliminating the scholars.

Lipo used Healing Carrots to restore Gern and Kuzan after their battle, and the two recovered enough to return to the Marines. As they reached the warship, Sengoku considered the political consequences of Gern’s growing influence while Kong and Garp welcomed the fighters.

• Lipo reached Gern and gave him a Healing Carrot, rapidly healing his burned arm and restoring much of his stamina and Haki.
• Lipo used two more Healing Carrots to repair Kuzan’s internal injuries until he regained consciousness and could sit up.
• Gern and Kuzan discussed how Gern had restrained his final attack, then Tesoro, the Snake Princess, and Enel arrived.
• The Marines’ medical team arrived, and Gern and Kuzan agreed to be bandaged despite their major injuries being healed.
• Gern and Kuzan returned to the warship, where Sengoku weighed the consequences of Kong’s decision and Garp invited everyone to a banquet.

In 1501, Gern confronted Fleet Admiral Sengoku over the loss of his independent fleet and operational authority after his promotion to Admiral. When Sengoku offered compensation, Gern demanded Douglas Bullet.

• In 1500, Gern fought Whitebeard repeatedly in the New World while Red Count defeated Kong, was captured by Garp, and Kong became commander-in-chief as Sengoku took over as Fleet Admiral.
• The Ohara Incident destroyed the island and killed its people; Saul helped Olvia reach Ohara, Kuzan let Robin escape, and the tragedy turned Dragon toward revolution.
• Dragon later met Kuma and Ginny, who joined him as the Revolutionary Army was founded, while Golden Lion escaped Impel Down and Garp took infant Ace to Dadan in the East Blue.
• In January 1501, Gern challenged Sengoku over the restrictions imposed on his authority and accused him of trading away Gern’s autonomy to secure his position.
• Sengoku offered Gern compensation, and Gern demanded Douglas Bullet.

Gern asked Sengoku to release Douglas Bullet from Impel Down so he could use him as a weapon against the New World’s powers. Sengoku agreed to take the proposal to Mary Geoise, leaving the decision to the World Government.

• Gern requested Douglas Bullet, prompting Sengoku to angrily refuse to release the prisoner from Impel Down’s sixth level.
• Gern argued that Bullet’s strength would be useful against Kaido, Big Mom, and Whitebeard, and admitted he could not defeat Whitebeard alone.
• Gern offered to give up nearly all his autonomy on the front lines in exchange for Bullet, framing the deal as a way to reduce his independent military power.
• Sengoku weighed the risks of releasing Bullet against the danger of losing Gern’s forces as a check on the Whitebeard Pirates.
• Sengoku said he needed to report Gern’s proposal to Mary Geoise, and Gern told him to emphasize its benefits to the five elders.

Gern received authorization to take Douglas Bullet from Impel Down, accepting sole responsibility for any consequences. He opened Bullet’s cell, setting up the dangerous prisoner’s return to the seas.

• Sengoku gave Gern the transfer order and warned him that he alone would bear responsibility if Bullet caused trouble.
• Gern left Marine Headquarters and sailed to Impel Down, where Warden Magellan met him.
• Gern learned that Shiryu had been imprisoned after attacking prisoners and jailers.
• Magellan led Gern to Level 6 and expressed alarm at the decision to release Bullet.
• Gern took the key from Magellan and opened Bullet’s cell.

Gern freed Douglas Bullet from Impel Down's Level 6 and crushed his Conqueror's Haki with his own overwhelming power. Bullet was forced to his knee as Gern declared that he would follow Gern's orders from then on.

• Magellan and the jailers watched as Bullet rose from his cell and had his Seastone restraints removed.
• The prisoners in Infinite Hell erupted into screams and pleas for freedom when Bullet was uncaged.
• Bullet challenged Gern and unleashed his Conqueror's Haki, knocking out the nearby jailers and silencing the prison.
• Patrick Redfield sensed Gern's Haki and was shocked by its extraordinary strength.
• Gern's Haki overwhelmed Bullet's, forcing him to one knee as Gern welcomed him out of his cage and asserted that Bullet would follow his orders.

Gern branded Bullet with the word “Demon” and tasked him with holding the New World front against the Whitebeard Pirates while Gern attended his Admiral promotion ceremony. Bullet departed for Marine Base G-10, and Gern trusted his own strength to keep the volatile fighter under control.

• Gern branded over Bullet’s Soldier No. 9 scar and explained that Bullet would carry out a demon’s justice based on strength and annihilation.
• Gern ordered Bullet to reinforce Marine Base G-10 and hold the line against Whitebeard while he went to Marineford for his promotion ceremony.
• Bullet objected to a passive assignment and to following Toritoma’s command, but accepted Gern’s orders.
• Gern told Bullet he could deal with pirates and questioned whether World Government ships were any different from pirates.
• Bullet left for the New World aboard a high-speed warship, while Gern planned to follow after accepting his Admiral position.

Gern reunited with Kuzan at Marine Headquarters, where Kuzan struggled with his doubts about the Ohara incident and the meaning of justice. Gern explained that justice depended on whose perspective and desired outcomes mattered, leaving Kuzan to ask what Gern himself believed.

• Gern found Kuzan at the Training Ground and sat with him to discuss Gern’s promotion to Admiral and Douglas Bullet joining his command.
• When Gern asked about Kuzan’s justice, Kuzan deflected by calling it “lazy justice” and asked not to examine the question too deeply.
• Kuzan asked whether the destruction of Ohara and the deaths of its scholars and civilians had been right, and whether justice had to be absolute.
• Gern said there was no simple right or wrong, explaining that the World Government valued control while Ohara’s people had sought knowledge or peaceful lives.
• Gern told Kuzan that justice depended on the perspective one chose and the outcomes one was willing to accept responsibility for.
• Kuzan covered his eyes with his sleep mask and asked what Gern’s own perspective was, while Gern privately recalled that he had not intervened at Ohara because it offered him no benefit.

Gern listened as Sakazuki defended his decision to shell the refugee ship at Ohara, then told him that he and Kuzan had chosen different paths of justice and must bear their consequences. In 1502, Borsalino, Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Gern were promoted together, ushering in the era of four admirals.

• Sakazuki explained to Gern that he had ordered the refugee ship shelled to prevent Ohara's forbidden knowledge from escaping and argued that harsh action could avert a wider purge.
• Gern told Sakazuki that his choice and Kuzan's opposing choice were both paths they had to own, and that the Marines needed both decisive leaders and people who questioned the cost.
• Sakazuki thanked Gern as his brother and left.
• In 1502, Borsalino, Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Gern were all promoted to admiral at Marine Headquarters.
• The four admirals' contrasting powers and beliefs marked the beginning of the era of four admirals.

At Navy G-10 Base, Gild Tesoro wrote to his wife and daughter while the base’s morning routines unfolded around him. At breakfast, Gern and the others discussed Kozuki Oden’s death, and Enel swallowed his anger after Bullet ignored him.

• Gild Tesoro finished a letter to Stella and their daughter, then watched the morning dawn over the base.
• Bullet trained with a heavily weighted barbell while Enel tried to tame his hair on the artificial sky island cloud and zapped a passing gull.
• The gull delivered a newspaper to the Command Tower, where Toritoma cuddled Lipo beside the sleeping Gern.
• At breakfast, Gern read a Navy report about Kaido defeating and executing Kozuki Oden, and Bullet remarked on Oden’s death.
• Enel mocked Oden and demanded Bullet’s fruit pie, but Bullet gave a carrot egg tart to Lipo instead.
• Tesoro reminded Enel of his 999 consecutive losses to Bullet, and Enel backed down while Gern watched with amusement.

Gern ordered the captured Decalvan Brothers hanged for public display after they plundered civilians in his territory under Whitebeard’s flag. When Whitebeard learned of the insult, he decided to confront Gern at the Marine base.

• The Snake Princess and Gern discussed Kaido’s growing power, but Gern said their immediate concern was Whitebeard’s response to attacks on his crew.
• Gern ordered Tesoro to hang the Decalvan Brothers at the seaward cliffs as a warning to pirates and a public declaration to the Whitebeard Pirates.
• Tesoro left to carry out Gern’s order while the others at the table reacted to his decision.
• Survivors from the Decalvan Brothers’ crew begged Whitebeard to rescue their captains, and Marco reported that Gern had ordered them displayed on the cliffs.
• Whitebeard weighed the brothers’ crimes against his duty to defend his crew’s honor, then announced that he would go see Gern.

At Navy G-10 Base, Enel silenced the chained Decalvan Brothers as the Whitebeard Pirates arrived to retrieve them. Whitebeard attacked Gern with an Air Quake, but Gern neutralized its vibrations and remained in control of the waters.

• Enel shocked the Decalvan Brothers until they could no longer curse.
• A lookout spotted the Whitebeard Pirates’ fleet approaching G-10 Base, and the Decalvan Brothers celebrated Whitebeard’s arrival.
• Marco, Jozu, Vista, and Whitebeard saw the chained brothers on the cliffs, and Whitebeard angrily called out to Gern.
• Whitebeard unleashed an Air Quake at Gern, who used his Tremor-Tremor Fruit power to interfere with and cancel most of its force.
• Gern calmly sat down on the platform, showing Whitebeard that the tremors in his guarded waters would obey his rules.

Whitebeard’s commanders attacked Gern’s defensive line to rescue the Decalvan Brothers, but Lipo, Tesoro, and Toritoma stopped their advances. Vista and Toritoma began a fierce duel while the brothers remained suspended from the cliff.

• Whitebeard ordered his commanders to bring the Decalvan Brothers back, and Rakuyo hurled his flail toward their chains.
• Lipo used Soru and a precise kick to knock Rakuyo’s flail off course, then dodged Namur’s Fish-Man Karate attack and countered him.
• Jozu charged toward the cliff, but Tesoro turned the ground into liquid gold and bound him with golden chains.
• Vista attacked Lipo with Rose Dance, but Toritoma intercepted the sword technique with Kuja Style: Flourishing Bloom.
• Vista and Toritoma renewed their rivalry and clashed in a fierce sword duel.

Douglas Bullet overwhelmed the Whitebeard Pirates before Whitebeard struck him with a powerful slash. Enel attacked Whitebeard, but Marco intervened, and the two began fighting in the air.

• Douglas Bullet defeated Blamenco and Curiel, then ambushed Teach and struck down Thatch and Izo.
• Whitebeard caught the injured Izo, leaped from the Moby Dick, and blasted Bullet backward with Murakumogiri.
• Enel launched his 200 million volt Thunder Dragon at Whitebeard.
• Marco blocked the attack with his Blue Flames and kicked Enel away from Whitebeard.
• Marco and Enel traded attacks and began a fierce aerial battle.

Gern and Whitebeard began their long-awaited duel at G-10 Base, unleashing their Supreme Grade Blades and overwhelming Conqueror’s Haki against each other. Their Haki clash exploded into a shock wave, and their blades finally met amid the dust and lightning.

• Gern and Whitebeard advanced toward each other as their Conqueror’s Haki and blades awakened.
• The two men charged and launched opposing sword strikes, but their Haki repelled the blades before they touched.
• Whitebeard and Gern traded taunts while pushing harder in their contest of strength and will.
• Their unstable Haki clash detonated, sending a shock wave across the battlefield and hurling away everyone nearby.
• Through the dust and lightning, Whitebeard and Gern’s blades finally collided with a deafening clang.

Gern and Whitebeard fought an increasingly destructive duel, matching swordsmanship, Haki, and vibration powers. Their ultimate attacks collided in a blast that left the battle’s outcome obscured and drove everyone nearby away.

• Gern and Whitebeard clashed blades, then countered each other’s vibration attacks with their own powers.
• Gern used High-Frequency Vibration to rush behind Whitebeard and wound his chest, but Whitebeard struck Gern in the flank and sent him crashing into ruins.
• Whitebeard raised Murakumogiri and unleashed a devastating shock wave while Gern answered with Eight Desolations Annihilation.
• The two ultimate attacks collided, warping the space between them and filling the battlefield with dust and turbulent energy.
• The spreading shock waves hurled approaching Marines and Whitebeard Pirates away, leaving no one able to approach the duel.

After three days and nights of fighting, Gern and Whitebeard ended their battle without a victor. Whitebeard chose to retreat to spare his wounded crew, and the Whitebeard Pirates began returning to the Moby Dick.

• Gern and Whitebeard faced each other amid the ruined battlefield, both badly wounded and exhausted.
• Whitebeard assessed his battered commanders and saw that Gern still had powerful fighters ready to continue the battle.
• Whitebeard decided to stop fighting, saying his sons had paid for their own choices and their family had done all it could.
• Gern agreed, and both leaders accepted an end to the battle without declaring a winner.
• Whitebeard ordered his crew to put away their weapons, tend to the wounded, and return home aboard the Moby Dick.