Chapter Summaries

Xia Chen and Whitebeard traded powerful blows as Whitebeard briefly fought at near-peak strength. After Whitebeard caught Xia Chen off guard, Xia Chen vanished and struck him hard enough to send him flying across the battlefield.

• Whitebeard's attack struck Xia Chen's Sovereign Safety Shield without affecting it, and Xia Chen hit Whitebeard with his staff while Whitebeard was distracted.
• Whitebeard spat blood after the blow, while Marco realized Xia Chen had been handling the fight with ease.
• Whitebeard charged Xia Chen with a Conqueror's Haki-coated slash, and Xia Chen met it with his own staff, unleashing shock waves that shattered the ground and shook the island.
• Whitebeard and Xia Chen enjoyed their clash, but Whitebeard noticed Xia Chen had become distracted and attacked him with a Tremor-Tremor Fruit-powered kick.
• Xia Chen vanished, then struck Whitebeard in the stomach and sent him flying into the ground as Ace and the others watched in disbelief.

Xia Chen and Whitebeard fought until Whitebeard, near death, unleashed a final attack with the full force of his Conqueror’s Haki. Their clash devastated the island, but Whitebeard remained unharmed behind a mysterious earthen-yellow ring of light marked with flickering runes.

• Whitebeard rose after Xia Chen sent him flying and resumed their battle despite his grave injuries.
• After another clash, Whitebeard reflected on his life and family as Xia Chen told him his story was ending.
• Whitebeard’s presence surged as he gathered the last of his strength and coated Murakumogiri in powerful Conqueror’s Haki.
• Whitebeard launched his final strike, and Xia Chen met it with a blow from his own black-and-red club.
• Their collision shattered the island and sent immense shock waves across the surrounding sea.
• Marco and the others found Whitebeard unharmed, protected by a glowing ring of light inscribed with mysterious runes.

Xia Chen survived Whitebeard’s final attack and watched the legendary pirate die after their battle. He claimed the reborn Tremor-Tremor Fruit, then discovered that the Five Elders’ Mythical Zoan fruits had become ordinary fruit and suspected Imu was responsible.

• Xia Chen emerged unharmed and explained that he had shielded Whitebeard from the shock waves of their clash.
• Whitebeard asked how strong Xia Chen had become, and Xia Chen said he could easily defeat all four current Four Emperors in their prime.
• Whitebeard reflected on the world and his life before dying beneath the open sky.
• A fruit basket appeared beside Whitebeard, and the Tremor-Tremor Fruit was reborn; Xia Chen took it and stored it in System Space.
• Xia Chen found that the five Mythical Zoan fruits he had taken from the Five Elders had turned into ordinary fruit, and suspected Imu had caused the change.
• Xia Chen turned toward a huge crowd rushing toward him.

After saying farewell to Whitebeard, Xia Chen left to reunite with Luffy and the others, then confronted the Five Elders at Mary Geoise. He asked whether they possessed the Devil Fruit powers of the previous Five Elders.

• Ace thanked Xia Chen for coming to see Whitebeard off, and Xia Chen said he had enjoyed witnessing Whitebeard in his prime.
• Xia Chen told Ace that he and Luffy's group had spent six months training before he departed on Flying Nimbus to check on them.
• The Five Elders discussed Xia Chen's absence and speculated that he had spent the past six months on Amazon Lily.
• Xia Chen appeared silently in the Five Elders' meeting and told them they were too weak to detect him.
• Xia Chen asked the Five Elders whether they possessed the previous Five Elders' Devil Fruit powers.

Xia Chen learned that the Five Elders had inherited their Devil Fruit abilities from their predecessors, then left Mary Geoise after deciding not to kill them. He arrived at the Straw Hats’ training island and interrupted Zoro and Brook’s sparring with a surprise attack that Zoro blocked.

• Venus claimed Vegapunk had extracted the previous Five Elders’ Devil Fruit abilities, while Xia Chen recognized that the explanation concealed Imu’s role.
• Xia Chen left the Five Elders alive and vanished, leaving them relieved and worried about how quickly he was growing stronger.
• Xia Chen flew to an island in the Calm Belt, where he sensed activity and headed toward the center to see how the others had improved.
• Brook cut apart Zoro’s flying slash with Yahazu Giri, and Zoro dismissed the move as all flash and no substance.
• Usopp attacked Zoro with White Tiger Heaven-Rending Claw, but Zoro blocked the giant paw with his sword and remarked that Usopp’s sneak attacks had improved.

Zoro defeated Usopp and Brook in another two-on-one training fight, while Luffy’s growing strength prompted Sanji to hand their sparring match over to Rayleigh. Luffy prepared to demonstrate a new move against Rayleigh.

• Zoro cut Usopp’s transformed tiger leg and sent him flying, but Usopp insisted he was fine despite his bleeding wounds.
• Usopp and Brook charged Zoro together again, continuing their losing training bouts.
• Luffy and Sanji clashed in a sparring match, and Sanji noticed Luffy had grown stronger since their last fight.
• Sanji asked Rayleigh to take over testing Luffy, and Rayleigh reluctantly agreed.
• Luffy told Rayleigh he had developed a new move and began preparing to use it.

Xia Chen used a burst of Conqueror's Haki to draw Luffy's group and Zoro's group toward him, then exchanged attacks with Zoro. The chapter ended as Zoro, Luffy, and Sanji all prepared to attack Xia Chen at once.

• Luffy, Sanji, and Rayleigh sensed Xia Chen's powerful Conqueror's Haki and headed toward its source.
• Zoro, Usopp, and Brook also felt the Haki, and Zoro recognized it as Xia Chen's invitation before racing toward him.
• Xia Chen waited between the groups, comfortably drinking tea after releasing his Haki to summon them.
• Zoro opened with a powerful slash, which Xia Chen dispersed before sending a counterattack that Zoro cut in half.
• Xia Chen and Zoro traded taunts about Zoro's growth over the past six months as Luffy and Sanji arrived.
• Zoro charged Xia Chen while Luffy and Sanji began their own attacks from behind.

Xia Chen reunited with Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro, who attacked him together and were swiftly knocked away. Usopp then revealed his new white tiger transformation and rushed to swipe Xia Chen with his paw.

• Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro attacked Xia Chen, who stood still and knocked all three flying.
• Zoro landed near Usopp and Brook, and Usopp excitedly realized Xia Chen had returned.
• Xia Chen greeted Usopp, who ran toward him while transforming into an enormous white tiger.
• Usopp swung his paw at Xia Chen, thrilled that he finally had the chance to hit him.

Xia Chen effortlessly defeated Luffy, Usopp, Zoro, Sanji, and Brook when they attacked him, then mocked them as he went to talk with Rayleigh. The battered crew soon fell asleep in the sunshine, while Rayleigh remarked that Xia Chen had grown stronger over the past half year.

• Usopp attacked Xia Chen in his white tiger form, but Xia Chen repelled him with Armament Haki and sent him crashing through trees.
• Luffy and Sanji charged Xia Chen, who caught Luffy's fist and swung both of them away before Zoro and Brook joined the attack.
• After a little over seven minutes, Xia Chen had knocked all five crew members down and taunted them, then walked over to Rayleigh.
• Zoro and Sanji resumed arguing as Usopp and Brook discussed how easily Xia Chen had beaten them.
• Luffy fell asleep on the ground, and the warmth soon lulled the others into sleeping beside him.
• Rayleigh praised Xia Chen for growing stronger, and Xia Chen replied that getting stronger was normal.

Xia Chen thanked Rayleigh for caring for Luffy and the others, told him Whitebeard had died, and arranged for Rayleigh to coat their ship before they sailed again. After returning to Amazon Lily, Xia Chen reunited with Hancock and promised he would come back after their voyage around the world.

• Xia Chen thanked Rayleigh for looking after Luffy and the others, and Rayleigh agreed to coat their ship before retiring.
• Xia Chen told Rayleigh that Whitebeard had died after using his last strength to fight him.
• Xia Chen returned to Amazon Lily, found Hancock asleep beside the fish soup, and carried her to the bedchamber.
• The next day, Hancock asked Xia Chen when he would return, and he promised to come back after traveling around the world.

Xia Chen reunited with his crew on the Flying Nimbus and brought them to Water 7, where he left them to seek out Dragon. Dragon revealed that he had come to Water 7 specifically to find Xia Chen.

• Xia Chen told the crew that Franky was building them a larger new ship, while Usopp and Zoro argued over the Going Merry and began fighting.
• Xia Chen arrived above Water 7, spotted someone on the island, and sent the others to find Nami and the others while he went ahead alone.
• Xia Chen entered a dark alley and found Dragon, who explained that he hid because many people recognized him as the Revolutionary Army's leader.
• Dragon told Xia Chen that he had come to Water 7 to find him.

Dragon met Xia Chen to ask where Sabo had gone, since Sabo had been missing for six months. Xia Chen and Dragon sought information from Big News Morgans, who had no news of Sabo after Impel Down but claimed he had another important lead.

• Dragon told Xia Chen that Sabo had disappeared after leaving with him and that the Revolutionary Army had found no trace of him.
• Xia Chen considered that Sabo might be in danger, then insisted they believe Sabo was alive until they knew for certain.
• Xia Chen called Big News Morgans and asked what had happened to Sabo after Impel Down.
• Big News Morgans recounted Sabo's background but admitted he had no information about Sabo's whereabouts after Impel Down.
• Big News Morgans sensed Xia Chen's anger and hurriedly said he had another important piece of news.

Xia Chen investigated Sabo’s disappearance with Dragon, Big News Morgans, and the Five Elders but found no new leads. He put the search aside for the moment and returned to a house in Water 7, where he subdued five attackers and petted Chopper.

• Big News Morgans told Xia Chen and Dragon that a fight had taken place outside Impel Down and ended within minutes.
• Dragon said Sabo had been roughly at Headquarters Vice Admiral level six months earlier, leading Xia Chen to conclude that his opponent must have been at Admiral level or stronger.
• Xia Chen asked Big News Morgans to watch for information about Sabo, then contacted Jupiter, but the Five Elders had no further details.
• Xia Chen decided to wait for new information and not tell Luffy and Ace that Sabo was alive but missing.
• Five people charged Xia Chen when he entered the house, but he froze them and kicked them aside before Chopper asked why they were attacking him.
• Xia Chen pulled Chopper close and petted him while Chopper enjoyed it.

Xia Chen and the Straw Hats discussed their route to Fish-Man Island, deciding to visit the Sabaody Archipelago first to coat their ship. As they went to see Franky and the completed vessel, Franky prepared to tell his followers he would leave them after receiving a dangerous bounty.

• Xia Chen freed the five immobilized men, then told the crew about Fish-Man Island and offered a route through Mary Geoise instead.
• Sanji, Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper eagerly chose Fish-Man Island, and Sanji fainted after Xia Chen mentioned its mermaid princess.
• Xia Chen explained that they needed to stop at the Sabaody Archipelago to coat the ship before traveling underwater.
• Nami reminded Xia Chen that Franky had finished the new ship and planned an unveiling ceremony, so the crew headed to Franky House.
• Franky considered how his two-hundred-million-Beli bounty endangered his followers and prepared to announce that he was leaving them.

Franky told his underlings he was joining the Straw Hat Pirates, then beat them after they cheered at his departure. Xia Chen and the others arrived to see the damage, and Franky led them to view the new ship he had built.

• Franky announced that he was leaving with Straw Hat Boy and the Straw Hat Pirates, and Zanbai and the others cheered because they were relieved to see him go.
• Franky attacked his underlings for their remarks, leaving them sprawled across the damaged house.
• Xia Chen, Zoro, Sanji, Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, and the others arrived and asked Franky what had happened.
• Franky explained that he had had a friendly exchange with his underlings and said he was ready to show the crew their new ship.
• Franky led the group away, and his underlings quietly got up, revealing that they had not been hurt.

Franky’s brothers welcomed his decision to join the Straw Hat Pirates, though they were intimidated by Xia Chen’s enormous bounty. As the crew traveled to their new ship, Xia Chen revealed that he had spent the past six months on Amazon Lily and was bosom buddies with Hancock.

• Franky’s underlings worried about becoming a liability to him, but accepted that joining the Straw Hat Pirates would keep him safe.
• Zanbai told Kiwi and Mozu that the handsome young man they had seen was Xia Chen, the ten-billion-bounty World's Strongest Man, and warned them not to approach him.
• On the way to their new ship, Usopp entertained the crew with increasingly exaggerated stories while Chopper eagerly believed him.
• Sanji asked Xia Chen where he had spent the past six months, and Xia Chen said he had stayed on an island full of women.
• Robin identified the island as Amazon Lily, and Xia Chen declared that he and Hancock were bosom buddies.

Xia Chen and the crew reached the cape to see Franky’s enormous new ship, built with two billion Beli and help from Galley-La Company. As Luffy reacted to learning Franky had a 200-million bounty, Iceburg asked whether he had not known.

• Xia Chen explained the meaning of a friendship like Guan Zhong and Bao Shuya’s, then reassured Luffy that the crew were as close as brothers.
• Franky showed the crew the cloth-covered ship and said it measured 10,800 cm long and 7,200 cm tall, far larger than the Going Merry.
• Xia Chen recalled that the Ark Noah was connected to Joy Boy and planned to investigate it when the crew encountered it.
• Luffy asked Iceburg whether he and Franky had built the ship together, and Franky and Iceburg argued over their respective contributions.
• Iceburg explained that he had apprenticed under the same master as Franky and that Galley-La had received no labor fees for building the ship.
• Iceburg mentioned Franky’s 200-million bounty, and Luffy reacted with surprise; Iceburg asked whether Luffy had not known.

Luffy and the others learned their updated bounties from Iceburg and celebrated, while Zoro and Sanji argued over their rankings. Iceburg explained how the Straw Hats’ arrival had disrupted CP9’s plans, and Franky prepared to unveil the new ship.

• Iceburg told Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp their bounties had risen to one billion, 880 million, 720 million, and 500 million Beli, respectively.
• Luffy and Usopp celebrated their bounties, while Zoro and Sanji fought over who had the higher one and Sanji’s new title.
• Iceburg refused Xia Chen’s offer to pay for the ship and explained that the Straw Hats’ arrival had diverted CP9 from targeting him.
• Franky gathered the crew and pulled away the cloth covering the new ship.

Franky showed the crew their luxurious new ship and demonstrated its food-making machine, which could produce dishes from selected ingredients. The crew enjoyed its food but agreed Sanji’s cooking was still better.

• Franky proudly unveiled the new three-masted ship, and Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, Nami, and the others rushed aboard to explore it.
• Xia Chen admired the ship’s lion figurehead and recognized the machine on deck as resembling Vegapunk’s food and clothing technology.
• Luffy tapped the machine’s screen, and it quickly produced a plate of roast chicken.
• Franky explained how the machine prepared selected dishes, and the crew sampled its food.
• Sanji tried the machine’s cooking, then felt reassured when everyone agreed his food tasted better.

Franky showed Luffy and the others the ship’s battle-suit machine, and they tested the suits’ flight features. After familiarizing themselves with the ship, the crew argued over what to call it until Xia Chen suggested asking Franky, who said he had an idea.

• Franky showed Robin and the others the battle-suit machine and explained how to choose an outfit.
• Usopp selected a white suit, then accidentally launched himself into the cabin while testing its jet boots.
• Luffy and the others tried on suits and tested their flight functions.
• After spending half a day exploring the ship, the crew began arguing over what to name it.
• Nami pointed out that Franky and Xia Chen had not joined the discussion, and Xia Chen suggested asking Franky, the ship’s builder.
• Franky broke the silence and said he had an idea for the ship’s name.