Cover
Koby’s Journal, Part 15: True Friends!
One of Garp’s subordinates, to Koby’s horror, slices his pistols with his katana.
Storyline
East Blue, Loguetown, Scaffold: In the future, history will be known in Loguetown when the accused Monkey D. Luffy is executed for insolence against the pirate Buggy the Clown. The scaffold continues to be surrounded and guarded by Buggy’s band of pirates. Luffy sees an execution for the first time until he realizes who is to be executed, which he finds less funny. Meanwhile, Nami and Usopp are on their way to the Going Merry with the Elephant Tuna. They’re too weak to really help, and besides, there’s a hurricane coming. The air is getting muggier, the temperature is dropping, and dark clouds are gathering in the east. There is a danger that their ship will be swept away by the storm and the two of them must avoid that at all costs if they are to escape from the navy. On the Going Merry, Mohji is with his lion Richie. He is supposed to burn the ship in case Luffy Buggy escapes, so that the escape route is cut off.
Loguetown, Scaffold: The navy continues to watch the execution calmly, but some soldiers ask if they shouldn’t intervene already. Sourly, Commander Smoker replies that they will wait until Luffy is decapitated and then arrest Buggy and Alvida first. Buggy, meanwhile, asks Luffy about his last words. Determined, Luffy yells across the square that he’s going to be Pirate King. Buggy lunges with his sword as Zoro and Sanji shout objections and run to the scaffold. A marine notices the presence of the pirate hunter Roronoa Zoro, and Tashigi must recognize in him the person from the sword store. Zoro and Sanji fight their way to the scaffold, but there are too many enemies in their way. The sword drops and Luffy says the names of his companions and apologizes to them for being dead already, grinning. The sword touches Luffy’s neck as a massive bolt of lightning comes down on the scaffold, engulfing it in flames. Buggy falls to the ground, while Luffy blithely picks up his hat, happy to still be alive.
The navy begins to surround the place and hastily Luffy, Zoro and Sanji begin to flee. Smoker wonders about Luffy’s behavior at the execution. He realizes that Luffy accepted death and simply laughed. A soldier, when asked if he has ever seen anyone laugh on the scaffold, replies that so far everyone has been afraid in the face of death. However, Smoker contradicts him. Twenty-two years ago, the pirate king Gold Roger also laughed on the scaffold. A soldier tells him that the Straw Hats have fled to the western harbor. However, the battalion guarding the harbor has left because their ammunition got wet from the rain and they had to get new. The wind is also favorable for an escape. Smoker does not believe it is a coincidence and swears to his mother not to let the Straw Hat Pirates escape.
| Manga volumes | Loguetown Arc (Manga) |
