Cover
Color page: caption: Flavor of Sand. Panel 1: Luffy drinking from a barrel with a straw, Zoro standing behind him with his sword scabbard crossed behind his head and holding it with his hands. Panel 2: Nami holding a small water bottle, smiling. Panel 3: Usopp is tinkering with the climate clock stick and Vivi is writing on paper. In the background is the The Going Merry. Panel 4: Sanji is peeling an apple. An already peeled apple is eaten by Chopper.
Storyline
Arabasta, Yuba Oasis: Toto is crying because of the upcoming rebel battle that may tear the country apart. Vivi hands him a handkerchief and promises to stop the rebels. They eventually settle into a building in town and get ready to sleep, but not without a solid fight. Vivi watches the whole thing with amusement. In town, Toto continues to dig while Luffy keeps him company. The oasis is still alive and as long as he lives, he will keep digging it up. Luffy is impressed by Toto’s belief in the oasis and helps him. He digs a deep hole, but ends up falling asleep without hitting any water.
Rainbase, Golden Rain Casino: In one room, Baroque agents Mr. 1, Miss Doublefinger, Mr. 2, Mr. 4, and Miss Merry Christmas are waiting for Mister Zero. The agents clash in their boredom, but are interrupted by Miss Bloody Sunday. She warmly welcomes everyone and explains to the agents who came through the back entrance that they are in Rainbase’s Gold Rain Casino, the largest in the city. She introduces them to the boss of the baroque company, Mister Zero. With a smile, Crocodile turns his chair and shows himself to the agents. He rings in Operation Utopia, the last one as the Baroque Firm. The agents are astonished and outraged to be underlings of a pirate, and one of The Seven Warlords of the Seas at that. In a threatening voice, he asks them if they have a problem, which immediately silences everyone. Miss Doublefinger finds it odd, the Seven Samurai are working with the government after all. Crocodile isn’t interested in money or fame, he wants military power and explains Operation Utopia to them. All of Baroque’s operations have been working towards this operation. He hands the agents their final missions, which are burned after they read them. If the missions are completed, the land will be theirs. Arabasta shall become their utopia. Those who make mistakes will be punished by death, and so Crocodile bids the agents farewell to their missions.
Arabasta, Yuba Oasis: The Straw Hat Pirates and Vivi say goodbye to Toto, who gives Luffy a small barrel of water as a parting gift. After Luffy fell asleep the night before, he kept digging and came across water. They set off, but after a short distance Luffy sits down against a dead tree trunk and refuses to walk any further.
| Manga volumes | Arabasta Arc (Manga) |
