Recaps

Zesi built the Azure Emperor Pirates into a disciplined force, defeated Silver Axe, and established Pirate Hachinosu as his base. After the World Government set a plan in motion to pit him against Whitebeard, the two Emperors fought on a deserted island, with their battle still raging as Whitebeard recognized Zesi’s formidable swordsmanship.

• Kanjuro became Zesi’s apostle, while Zesi gave recruits the Azure Emperor’s Will and sent them to train under Bullet.
• Moria invaded Wano seeking revenge on Kaido, but Zesi defeated him and imprisoned his crew, then forged the Azure Emperor Sword.
• Zesi trained samurai and ninja, made them wipe out the pirates on Hachinosu, and organized his crew into divisions under Bullet, Spencer, Shanks, Buggy, and Easter Egg.
• Silver Axe attacked Hachinosu, but Bullet fought him until Zesi revealed his awakened power and killed him with a storm of vibrating blades.
• Zesi offered the defeated Silver Axe Pirates labor or a chance to survive a hundred battles, while the Marines concluded he was building a political power based on Hachinosu and Wano.
• The Five Elders set their S-Class Hunting Plan in motion to turn Whitebeard against Zesi, and Zesi’s emissaries killed Whitebeard captain Oren while retrieving a Devil Fruit.
• Zesi and Whitebeard met to address Oren’s death, but their crews joined battle and the two Emperors exchanged devastating attacks.
• Zesi warned Whitebeard that the World Government might have engineered their conflict, but Whitebeard refused to back down over his son’s death.
• Zesi and Whitebeard’s attacks devastated the island, and their duel continued in a crater as Whitebeard realized Zesi’s swordsmanship might have surpassed Roger.

Zesi and Whitebeard exposed the Marines’ betrayal and defeated their campaign, forcing them to withdraw from the New World. As Zesi built his territory and expanded his influence, Kaido and Big Mom arrived, while news of a Marine counterattack prompted a limited pact against invasion.

• Zesi and Whitebeard revealed their suspicions of the World Government’s scheme, joined forces against Kong, and devastated the Marine force before Kong fell in battle.
• Tsuru and Sengoku accepted that the Marines had to withdraw from the New World, and the Five Elders ordered them to retreat until a worldwide draft strengthened their forces.
• Kirikage Saizo returned Kong’s remains to Marine Headquarters and warned the Marines that Zesi’s decree demanding their withdrawal would be enforced.
• Zesi established protection for New World countries, expanded the Azure Emperor Pirates and their territory, and ordered new divisions and officer training as Kaido rose to become the fourth Emperor.
• Kaido visited Hachinosu, placed a hundred-billion-Beli trade order, and fought Zesi for a day and night without Divine Space Strike before Big Mom arrived.
• Big Mom told Zesi that Sengoku had become Fleet Admiral and that the Marines had recruited three new Admirals, then proposed an alliance with Kaido against him.
• Zesi refused a permanent alliance with Big Mom and Kaido but agreed to unite against a Marine invasion, and he expanded passenger routes through their territories to bring visitors to Hachinosu.

After killing Admiral Purple Foal, Zesi strengthened Hachinosu through trade and began assembling Shichibukai to protect Azure Emperor shipping. He defeated Thunder Python, recruited Hancock and Doflamingo, and sent Doflamingo to find Vinsmoke Judge.

• Zesi killed Admiral Purple Foal after the Admiral attacked the Azure Emperor Palace, prompting Sengoku to prepare for the Azure Emperor’s retaliation.
• The World Government placed a massive order with Hachinosu, and Zesi expanded passenger and freight services before offering Moria a route, soldiers, and a share of its profits as a Shichibukai.
• Crocodile challenged Zesi but was defeated by Kirikage Saizo, and Zesi persuaded him to join the Shichibukai plan by revealing that he knew Crocodile’s secret.
• At Sabaody, Shanks and Mihawk fought Thunder Python until Zesi arrived and defeated the Admiral with a barrage of Quake Annihilation Hammers.
• Zesi exchanged Thunder Python for enslaved warriors from Amazon Lily, kept Hancock and her sisters, and convinced Rayleigh that Hancock had the strength to become a Shichibukai.
• Zesi took Hancock and her sisters to the North Blue, where they tracked down Doflamingo while the Marines fought the Big Mom and Beasts Pirates.
• Zesi offered Doflamingo a place among the Azure Emperor Palace Shichibukai, and Doflamingo accepted after Zesi’s display of power and Hancock’s confrontation with the Donquixote Family.
• Zesi told Doflamingo to prepare to enter the Grand Line and locate Vinsmoke Judge, whom he wanted for his scientific expertise.

After the Marines defeated Big Mom and Kaido, Zesi recruited Kuma and returned to Hachinosu as his crew repelled an invasion. Zesi defeated Bullet’s challenge, expanded his forces and research capabilities, and faced new plans for economic pressure from the Five Elders.

• The Marines ambushed Big Mom and Kaido at G-1, seriously wounded Big Mom, and forced both pirate crews to retreat.
• Zesi recruited Kuma by promising protection for the Sorbet Kingdom while pirate crews attacked Hachinosu during his absence.
• Buggy’s bombardment devastated the attacking fleet, and Bullet awakened his Devil Fruit to defeat Sebast before CP0 withdrew upon Zesi’s return.
• Zesi destroyed Bullet’s fused monster with Thirty-Six Divine Space Strikes and appointed the captured Sebast chief steward to build Secret Affairs.
• The Azure Emperor Pirates recruited thirty thousand people and selected captains for the Fourth through Tenth Divisions, including Pedro and Pipikar.
• Doflamingo subdued Vinsmoke Judge, Kuma delivered him to Hachinosu, and Zesi recruited him to a research institute focused on networks, rockets, raid suits, and the Lineage Factor.
• Zesi offered captured pirates a chance to challenge him, recaptured Walker after his escape attempt, and faced an attack from the other three.
• The Five Elders proposed public opinion and economic attacks, including issuing ten trillion additional Beli to buy New World supplies.