Recaps

Zoro lost to Hawk-Eyes, and Xia Chen challenged the world’s greatest swordsman after claiming to be Shanks’s nephew. Their clash revealed Xia Chen’s strength and Armament Haki, and he began to press Hawk-Eyes with a flurry of attacks.

• Zoro used Three Thousand Worlds against Hawk-Eyes, was defeated, and chose to face his final blow without turning his back.
• Xia Chen stopped Luffy from attacking, then challenged Hawk-Eyes when the swordsman declined to fight him.
• Xia Chen claimed Shanks was his uncle and used Luffy’s straw hat as proof, persuading Hawk-Eyes to accept the challenge and draw Yoru.
• Xia Chen attacked Hawk-Eyes with an iron staff, and their clash unleashed a shock wave that drove the onlookers more than a thousand meters away.
• Hawk-Eyes recognized Armament Haki on Xia Chen’s staff, while Xia Chen launched a succession of attacks and began to show signs of suppressing him.

Xia Chen and Hawk-Eyes continued their fierce battle, displaying overwhelming power and Xia Chen’s rapid healing. As Don Krieg’s men moved to seize the Baratie, Xia Chen asked Hawk-Eyes to face one final move despite his dwindling stamina.

• Xia Chen told Hawk-Eyes that he had learned the Six Powers from Garp, then struck him with Rokuogan and dodged Hawk-Eyes’s devastating flying slash.
• Luffy, Zoro, and Nami watched the battle in awe, while Nami secretly boarded the Going Merry and Don Krieg ordered his men to seize the Baratie.
• Xia Chen met another flying slash with Thunder Bagua and knocked it into the sky before charging back into battle.
• After another clash, Xia Chen was covered in wounds and nearly out of stamina, but his Devil Fruit’s healing ability rapidly restored most of his injuries.
• Xia Chen told Hawk-Eyes that he had one final move and asked him to give him pointers.

Xia Chen fought Hawk-Eyes, lost, and declared that he wanted to live freely without restraints. After returning to the damaged Baratie, he learned that Nami had left and joined Luffy and the others in setting out for Arlong Park, where Sanji asked to join them.

• Xia Chen used his Meteor attack against Hawk-Eyes, but admitted defeat after the battle.
• Hawk-Eyes asked Xia Chen about his dream, encouraged him to keep pursuing freedom, and departed.
• Xia Chen returned to the Baratie, found Luffy asleep and Don Krieg collapsed, and watched the remaining pirates flee with Don Krieg.
• Xia Chen learned that Nami had gone to Arlong Park and agreed with Luffy to go after her.
• Sanji waited outside the cabin and asked to join Xia Chen and the others on their adventure.

Sanji joined Luffy’s crew, and the group used Xia Chen’s Conqueror’s Haki to ride a sea cow toward Cocoyasi Village. After Xia Chen received new eye powers and a demonized form from the system, an uncontrollable urge to slaughter overwhelmed him, leaving his crewmates alarmed.

• Sanji thanked Zeff tearfully and joined Luffy and the others on their boat.
• On the way to Cocoyasi Village, Xia Chen subdued a giant sea cow with Conqueror’s Haki, and the group tied it to the boat to pull them along.
• The sea cow crashed into a wall near the island, sending the boat flying before it landed beside Zoro.
• Xia Chen checked in at Cocoyasi Village and gained golden eyes that could detect weaknesses and fire powerful energy beams.
• A system bug granted Xia Chen the unstable Great Sage Equal to Heaven Fruit Demonized Form.
• Xia Chen collapsed and rolled across the deck as a violent urge to slaughter took hold, while Luffy and the others rushed to help him.

Xia Chen lost control of a malfunctioning power and flew toward Arlong Park after comforting Nami, while Luffy and the others reunited with Usopp and set out to reclaim their navigator. Nami joined her companions with renewed hope, but Zoro warned them that Xia Chen’s overwhelming killing intent meant he might be in danger.

• Xia Chen’s killing intent overwhelmed him, so he sent Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Yosaku away before diving into the sea and transforming as he slaughtered approaching sea beasts.
• Luffy and the others learned from Usopp that Nami had stabbed herself to protect him, then decided to go take back their navigator.
• Nami despaired as the villagers marched to confront Arlong and repeatedly stabbed the Arlong Pirates tattoo on her arm.
• Xia Chen stopped Nami, comforted her, promised to deal with Arlong, and flew toward Arlong Park.
• Luffy and the others found Nami, who welcomed them and said Xia Chen had already gone to Arlong Park.
• Zoro told Nami that Xia Chen had acted strangely on the ship and radiated terrifying killing intent, raising concern about his condition.

Xia Chen’s killing intent drove him to slaughter Arlong and every Fish-Man in Arlong Park, while he struggled to regain control of himself. Luffy, Nami, Zoro, and the others arrived to find the villagers asleep and Xia Chen standing amid the carnage, leaving them wary and unsure how to help him.

• Nami described Xia Chen’s blood-red appearance and cold demeanor, prompting Zoro to urge everyone to hurry to him.
• Xia Chen knocked the villagers of Cocoyasi Village unconscious with Conqueror’s Haki before entering Arlong Park.
• Xia Chen killed the Fish-Men who attacked him, then crushed Arlong’s neck and slaughtered the remaining Fish-Men.
• Luffy and the others found the villagers asleep and unharmed, then entered Arlong Park and saw Xia Chen surrounded by blood and bodies.
• Zoro stopped Nami from approaching Xia Chen, warning that his strange condition could make him dangerous.

Xia Chen confronted the system over the demonized form’s uncontrollable killing intent and negotiated to make it controllable instead of removing the form. After testing his newfound control and terrifying Luffy and the others, he returned to normal and asked Luffy if he now looked recognizable.

• Xia Chen regained his clarity and demanded that the system explain the bug in his demonized form.
• The system explained that the form carried the Great Sage Equaling Heaven’s dark side, and Xia Chen demanded compensation for its dangerous killing intent.
• Xia Chen asked the system to remove the killing intent, but it said the intent was essential to the form and offered to make it controllable instead.
• Xia Chen accepted, activated the demonized form, and discovered he could wield its killing intent without losing control.
• Luffy and the others were overwhelmed by Xia Chen’s killing intent, and Usopp fell onto his backside while Zoro felt a trace of fear.
• Xia Chen deactivated the form and asked Luffy if his normal appearance now looked familiar.

After Xia Chen killed Arlong and freed Nami, the Straw Hats celebrated with the people of Cocoyasi Village. The chapter ended with Nami smiling beside a solitary grave on a hillside.

• Xia Chen explained that his evolved ability had briefly overwhelmed him with killing intent, but that he could now control it.
• Xia Chen told Nami she was free, and she happily celebrated her freedom with the crew.
• Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji argued with Xia Chen after he insulted them, then attacked him together.
• Two days later, Xia Chen stole the meat in front of Luffy with his System Space and ran off as Luffy shouted after him.
• Sanji and Zoro discussed Zoro’s recovery during the village banquet, while Sanji went off to pursue women.
• Usopp entertained the villagers with exaggerated stories of his bravery as Nami sat smiling beside a grave.

Nami reflected on Bellemere and planned to give the villagers her savings, while Xia Chen revealed he had collected a fortune from several sources. After Nami took the treasure and gave him only a small share, Xia Chen left in a huff, and Nami looked fondly at the sun tattoo on her arm.

• Nami told Bellemere she intended to become a pirate, and Xia Chen found her sitting alone and joined her.
• Xia Chen noticed the sun added to Nami's tangerine-and-pinwheel tattoo, but did not ask what it meant.
• Nami said she planned to leave her hundred million Beli to the villagers, and Xia Chen offered to contribute from his own savings.
• Nami pressured Xia Chen into admitting he had taken Beli from Kuro, Arlong Park, and a Marine, then made him show her the treasure.
• Nami gave Xia Chen only a hundred thousand Beli from the fortune, and he stormed off while she laughed and gazed tenderly at her sun tattoo.

Xia Chen and the Straw Hats left Cocoyasi Village as Nami said goodbye to the villagers, then continued sailing. Several days later, the crew found wanted posters in the newspaper, including Luffy’s poster, which Usopp claimed showed him too.

• Xia Chen hid most of the treasure he had taken from the Arlong Pirates and the Marine Branch, then joined the crew in loading supplies onto the Going Merry.
• Xia Chen told the crew to weigh anchor before Nami had finished saying goodbye, and the ship began leaving Cocoyasi Village.
• Nami ran through the villagers, jumped aboard the Going Merry, and returned their wallets, prompting their curses to turn into farewells and blessings.
• Several days later, Nami complained about the newspaper’s price before finding two wanted posters tucked inside it.
• Luffy celebrated his twenty-five-million-Beli bounty, while Usopp claimed he appeared on the poster as the back of his head.

Xia Chen received a 300-million-Beli bounty and teased the Straw Hats until they attacked him. Meanwhile, Buggy and Alvida planned to go after Luffy, and Hawk-Eyes showed Red Hair Luffy’s wanted poster along with a puzzling poster of Red Hair’s supposed nephew.

• Xia Chen revealed his 300-million-Beli wanted poster, which named him Demon King Xia Chen, leaving Luffy, Usopp, Sanji, and Zoro stunned.
• Xia Chen mocked the others’ smaller bounties, and the four Straw Hats attacked him together before he fought back.
• Buggy and Alvida agreed that Luffy was their common enemy, while Buggy ignored Xia Chen’s poster because he did not recognize him.
• Hawk-Eyes arrived at Red Hair’s island and showed him Luffy’s wanted poster, delighting Red Hair.
• Hawk-Eyes also mentioned bringing Red Hair’s nephew’s poster, leaving Red Hair confused.

Red Hair learned that Xia Chen was his nephew and heard Hawk-Eyes explain how their duel had contributed to Xia Chen’s 300-million bounty. In Loguetown, Xia Chen checked in and upgraded his Observation Haki as the crew prepared to leave the East Blue.

• Red Hair learned about Xia Chen and said he wanted to meet his nephew, while Hawk-Eyes recalled fighting Xia Chen and praised his strength.
• On the Going Merry, Zoro repeatedly challenged Xia Chen, who blocked his sword and asked how his progress toward the Realm of Cutting Iron was going.
• Sanji announced that the crew had reached Loguetown, and Xia Chen looked forward to meeting someone there and checking in at the island.
• Xia Chen checked in at Loguetown and upgraded his Observation Haki to intermediate, improving his sensing range and perception.
• Xia Chen checked his system panel and saw his current fruit, abilities, and Haki levels.

Xia Chen split from the others in Loguetown and tried to avoid Smoker, but the Marine recognized him as Demon King Xia Chen. Xia Chen faked fear and indignation, then took Smoker’s apology money before leaving with another payday.

• Xia Chen and the others reached Loguetown and went their separate ways to explore the town.
• Xia Chen overheard Smoker questioning a pirate mistaken for Luffy and tried to leave unnoticed.
• The pirate fired at Smoker, whose body turned to smoke, and Marines subdued the frightened attacker.
• Smoker recognized Xia Chen from his bounty poster and asked if he was Demon King Xia Chen.
• Xia Chen pretended to be an innocent civilian and shouted that Smoker was hitting him when Smoker stopped his punch just short of his face.
• Smoker apologized by giving Xia Chen a little over a hundred thousand Beli, and Xia Chen pocketed the money.

Xia Chen found Dragon in a Loguetown tavern and revealed that he knew Dragon was Luffy’s father. After earning Dragon’s trust by claiming Garp had told him, Xia Chen challenged him to test his own strength, and they left to find a secluded place to fight.

• Xia Chen sensed Dragon’s presence and entered a quiet tavern in Loguetown, where he greeted him by name.
• Dragon pressed Xia Chen with Conqueror’s Haki and questioned how he knew who he was.
• Xia Chen identified himself as Luffy’s vice-captain and claimed Garp had told him about Dragon’s relationship with Luffy.
• Dragon relaxed after believing Garp had vouched for Xia Chen, and the two discussed Dragon’s reputation and Xia Chen’s confidence.
• Xia Chen challenged Dragon to test his strength, and Dragon agreed to fight him somewhere secluded.
• Xia Chen vanished from the tavern, and Dragon followed him.

Xia Chen defeated Smoker after refusing Dragon's invitation to join the Revolutionary Army, then returned to Loguetown and forced Luffy to flee as the Marines closed in. Luffy was launched out of town while Xia Chen stayed behind.

• Dragon invited Xia Chen to join the Revolutionary Army, but Xia Chen refused and said he preferred being a pirate.
• Smoker arrived at the battlefield, recognized Xia Chen, and attacked him, but Xia Chen dodged and sent him flying with a single blow.
• Dragon stopped Smoker from pursuing Xia Chen, warning him that he could not win.
• Xia Chen returned to Loguetown as lightning struck and rain began, then urged Luffy to escape before the Marines arrived.
• When Luffy stopped after Buggy called out to him, Xia Chen kicked him toward the outskirts of town.

Xia Chen intimidated Buggy into apologizing and left him unharmed, while Tashigi fought Buggy until Smoker intervened. Buggy fled with his crew after mistakenly rallying them to attack Smoker.

• Xia Chen warned Buggy to leave, then scared him by revealing his strength and reminding him that Luffy was his captain.
• Alvida recognized Xia Chen as the Demon King, and Buggy slapped himself to persuade Xia Chen to forgive him.
• Xia Chen let Buggy go and vanished, leaving Buggy relieved until Tashigi arrived with Marine troops.
• Buggy attacked Tashigi, but Smoker stopped one of his knives with his smoke and appeared on the scene.
• Buggy's crew shouted that they would attack Smoker, so Buggy tried to save face before fleeing in his Buggy Chariot Form.

Smoker admitted that Demon King Xia Chen had defeated him and decided to leave Loguetown for the Grand Line. A few days later, the Going Merry reached Reverse Mountain, where Nami guided the crew into the powerful current leading toward the canal.

• The fleeing pirates abandoned Buggy, and Tashigi found Smoker collapsed after his fight with Demon King Xia Chen.
• Smoker thanked Dragon for helping him return to Loguetown, then ordered the Marines to prepare a ship so he could pursue Xia Chen into the Grand Line.
• Aboard the Going Merry, Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp angrily confronted Luffy after he had stretched them back onto the ship.
• As the crew approached Reverse Mountain, Xia Chen explained how its uphill current carried ships toward the Grand Line.
• When the Going Merry was caught in the strong current, Nami told the crew to let it carry them toward the canal.

The Going Merry approached the Red Line, and Xia Chen guided the crew through the canal while Luffy cushioned the ship against a gate. The ship regained its course and raced toward the mountaintop as Luffy celebrated their entry to the Grand Line.

• Luffy spotted the Red Line, and Nami realized the current was carrying the ship toward it with no way to steer.
• Xia Chen pointed out the canal in the Red Line and reassured Nami that the current was carrying them toward its entrance.
• Zoro marveled at seawater flowing uphill, then argued with Xia Chen over being called “Wuda” and was beaten by him.
• Nami warned that the Going Merry was off course and would hit a pillar, so Xia Chen persuaded Luffy to inflate himself and cushion the ship at the gate.
• Luffy absorbed the ship’s impact, sending the Going Merry back onto the correct course toward the mountaintop, and cheered for the Grand Line.

The Going Merry entered the Grand Line and was swallowed by the whale Laboon after Xia Chen tried to prevent a collision. Inside Laboon, the crew met lighthouse keeper Crocus, who questioned how Xia Chen knew the whale’s name.

• The Going Merry crossed the mountain into the Grand Line, where Xia Chen and Zoro heard a strange sound ahead.
• The crew discovered Laboon was an enormous Island Whale, and Xia Chen struck him with Rankyaku, causing Laboon to swallow the ship.
• The Going Merry landed on a painted sea inside Laboon, and the crew realized they were in the whale’s belly.
• Luffy mistook Crocus for a walking chrysanthemum, while Zoro and Sanji reacted warily to the lighthouse keeper.
• Crocus asked whether the crew planned to harm Laboon, and Xia Chen said they had been swallowed by accident.
• Crocus demanded to know how Xia Chen knew Laboon’s name, and Xia Chen began to explain.

Crocus treated Laboon’s distress and revealed his past as the doctor aboard Pirate King Roger’s ship, while Xia Chen’s knowledge continued to astound the crew. When Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday arrived to attack Crocus, Xia Chen claimed he was the organization’s newly appointed Mr. 1, but Miss Wednesday challenged his story.

• Crocus showed the crew the exit and explained that he painted the pictures inside Laboon as a hobby.
• As Laboon rammed the Red Line, Crocus gave him a sedative, and Xia Chen revealed that he knew Laboon’s behavior and Crocus’s identity as Pirate King Roger’s doctor.
• Luffy refused Crocus’s offer to reveal what was in the One Piece and declared that he would find it himself and become Pirate King.
• Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday attacked Crocus with a cannonball, but Xia Chen destroyed it with several tiny slashes.
• Xia Chen claimed he was the boss’s newly appointed Mr. 1, and Mr. 9 believed him, but Miss Wednesday called his claim a pretense and began explaining why.

Xia Chen used his speed and Conqueror’s Haki to convince Vivi and Mr. 9 that he was Mr. 1, then joined Luffy’s crew as they learned about Laboon’s fifty-year wait for his former companions. The crew heard that the companions had left the Grand Line without returning, and Xia Chen prepared to speak when he noticed a furtive figure nearby.

• Vivi accused Xia Chen of being too handsome to pass as Mr. 1, so Xia Chen appeared behind her and Mr. 9 to demonstrate his strength.
• Xia Chen ordered Vivi and Mr. 9 not to attack Laboon, then brought them aboard the Going Merry and told them to lead the crew toward Whiskey Peak.
• Xia Chen used Conqueror’s Haki to knock Vivi and Mr. 9 unconscious and told Crocus he had only been acting to fool them.
• Crocus explained that he had once sailed with Roger before returning to care for Laboon, and the crew learned Laboon had waited fifty years for his companions.
• Crocus said Laboon’s companions had escaped the Grand Line but never returned, and Xia Chen noticed a furtive figure as he was about to respond.

Xia Chen stopped Luffy from damaging the Going Merry and forced him to recognize the ship as a crewmate before letting him fight Laboon. After Luffy and Laboon made a promise to meet again, Xia Chen told Crocus that the Rumbar Pirates had all died, leaving Crocus stunned and asking why.

• Xia Chen beat Luffy after realizing he planned to pull out the Going Merry's mainmast to fight Laboon.
• Xia Chen confronted Luffy for treating the Merry carelessly, and Luffy admitted the ship was their crewmate and promised to take care of it.
• Luffy fought Laboon while Xia Chen and the others ate and watched, and the two promised to continue their battle after Luffy sailed around the Grand Line.
• Luffy joined the meal and firmly told Crocus he would keep his promise to Laboon unless he died.
• Xia Chen told Crocus that the Rumbar Pirates had all died, and Crocus asked him to explain.

Xia Chen told Crocus that the Rumbar Pirates had died at sea and that Brook had returned to life as a living skeleton, then explained how Log Poses guided ships through the Grand Line. After Crocus gave Nami a Log Pose, the crew chose the Whiskey Peak route because Xia Chen said it would be more interesting.

• Xia Chen used Conqueror's Haki to knock Mr. 9 and Vivi unconscious again before telling Crocus that the Rumbar Pirates had perished at sea.
• Xia Chen revealed that Brook had eaten the Revive-Revive Fruit and now lived as a skeleton, and Crocus thanked him for the news.
• Xia Chen explained Log Poses and the Grand Line's magnetic routes after Nami discovered her ordinary compass would not work.
• Crocus gave Nami a Log Pose and explained that all seven Grand Line routes eventually led to Laugh Tale.
• Xia Chen chose the Whiskey Peak route, and Luffy agreed because Xia Chen said it would be more interesting.

Xia Chen guided the Going Merry through the Grand Line, sliced an iceberg apart, and reached Whiskey Peak, where he received a Flying Nimbus from the system. As the crew was greeted by a suspiciously welcoming crowd, Xia Chen waited for events to unfold while keeping Vivi and Mr. 9 tied up.

• Crocus watched the Going Merry depart with Luffy and Laboon, recalling Roger and predicting that the world would grow less peaceful.
• Xia Chen ordered Vivi and Mr. 9 to shovel snow, then split a huge iceberg with a single flying slash.
• The crew arrived at Whiskey Peak, and Xia Chen received a Flying Nimbus capable of traveling at up to 100 kilometers per second.
• Xia Chen kept Vivi and Mr. 9 tied up and chose not to interfere as the crew sailed through the fog toward the island.
• A crowd welcomed the Going Merry at Whiskey Peak, and a middle-aged man with long, curly hair approached the crew.

The Straw Hats attended a feast in Whiskey Peak while Xia Chen, Zoro, and Nami pretended to pass out and uncovered the town’s plan to capture them. The chapter ended with Zoro confronting Mr. 8 and Xia Chen holding Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday captive.

• Mr. 8 welcomed Luffy and the others to Whiskey Peak and invited them to a feast, which Luffy, Usopp, and Sanji eagerly accepted.
• At the tavern, Nami won a drinking contest while Xia Chen and Zoro pretended to collapse; after the townspeople left, all three revealed they had stayed alert.
• Nami went looking for treasure, and Xia Chen told Zoro to investigate while he prepared a present for the townspeople.
• Mr. 8 and Miss Sunday discussed capturing Luffy for his bounty and worried that Xia Chen might be the pirate with a 300-million-Beli bounty.
• Zoro confronted Mr. 8 and his group from the roof, while Xia Chen appeared behind them with Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday bound.