Cover
Color Spread: The Straw Hat Pirates builds a clock. The theme is “Le temps qui passe, nous indiffère” (in English: “The passage of time does not matter to us”).
Storyline
Building R, 1st floor: Luffy goes in for a final attack as Caesar begs for mercy and offers Luffy a position in his organization. With a gum-gum grizzly magnum, Caesar is hit in the stomach and hurled through the wall out of the research facility. Due to the live broadcast via video snails, the invited underworld merchants of the New World witness this defeat. They comment on this scandal with various reactions: one of them dismisses this experiment as a joke, others are amazed by Luffy’s abilities, Pekoms and Tamago intend to tell Big Mom about it immediately, another predicts Joker’s intervention; another announces that he will inform “Jack”, whereupon someone replies that this will have unforeseen consequences. Another Underworld merchant points out that this is the work of an “alliance” and therefore the New World should be notified, as this is now a problem that affects more than just the Underworld. Killer merely contemplates this scene thoughtfully.
Building B, 2nd floor: Mocha is being carried towards the examination room by the G-5 Marine medical team, while Usopp uses the intercom to inform Chopper of the quickest route, which is up the stairs on the right. Usopp ends the conversation by announcing that he will close the gate to Building R to prevent the gas from spreading further. At the same moment, a visibly upset Brook catches up with Mocha and Chopper, who is carrying the Shinokuni-clad Kinemon under his arm. Brook explains that this happened when they were searching the rooms for Momonosuke, and in the process learned from one of the kids that Momonosuke had turned into a dragon. Kinemon then panicked because he had downed one earlier, and threw himself into the gas in search of it.
Building R, 2nd floor: Usopp disposes of a crowd of Caesar’s subordinates.
Building R, 1st floor, passageway from Building B: Nami, with the kids in tow, meets Luffy and she inquires about Brownbeard’s condition, while Momonosuke is relieved that Luffy was right and the other kids are unharmed. Robin, Sanji, and Zoro, who had been following Nami and the kids closely, finally arrive at Building R as well. Except for Chopper and Brook, everyone has gotten there so far.
Passage between Building B and R: Trafalgar Law and Smoker are also on their way to Building R; wisely, Law hijacks another SAD rail car to use as transportation later, given the time constraints. When the two meet up with the Straw Hats – the G-5 Marine Corps, including Tashigi, rejoicing exuberantly over Smoker’s safety – the captain of the Heart pirate gang inquires first about Caesar’s whereabouts, and is quite disappointed to learn that Luffy, out of weariness, didn’t capture him but sent him flying through the gate. Law grumbles at the intransigent Luffy that he should have stuck to the plan, and regrets his decision to have trusted Luffy. With Law calling for them to hurry up and find Caesar, this scene concludes.
In the air off the coast of Punk Hazard some time earlier: Baby 5 flies towards the island on Buffalo. She announces she will end Donquixote Doflamingo’s life after the mission, who is responsible for the death and destruction of her fiancé’s town. In a box of information, Baby 5 is introduced as a contract killer and devil fruit user who ate of the “Buki Buki no Mi” (Weapon Fruit). She goes on to say that it would have been the eighth lover and the eighth city that Doflamingo had on his conscience. Buffalo, who according to the information box ate of the Guru Guru no Mi (Rotation Fruit) and is introduced as a fighter of the Donquixote Pirates, counters that Joker did so out of caring for her, and it wouldn’t have happened in the first place if she was capable of saying no. In a flashback, her whimsy is put to good use when an old frail man holds a flower in his hand and proposes to her. Buffalo, pointedly referring to her subscription to 50 different magazines, admonishes her to do something about her costly habit of not being able to turn anyone down. On this occasion he inquires as to the amount of her debts, which amount to 98 million berry, and she declares this subject closed. Following this, Buffalo requests a loan of two million berry, which he needs for a visit to the casino. Baby 5 blushes out of joy at being needed and as a result grants the loan, which she says she will pay after the job is finished. Again, she emphasizes, after finishing the mission, she will kill Joker. At that moment, Punk Hazard appears among them.
The two find the island covered in gas, and Baby 5 wonders if the gas will disappear if she aims her bazooka at it. Buffalo intervenes, however, briefly signaling for Baby 5 to jump off his back and using the “Matasaburo” technique to blow the poison clouds away, thereby bringing the SAD tanker to light. They decide to wait there for Mone, Caesar, and Vergo, when just at that moment Caesar crashes into the tanker. Buffalo then notifies Doflamingo, who at first seems surprised, but then with a smile instructs them to retrieve Caesar and return to Dress Rosa as soon as possible. Buffalo asks about Mone and Vergo, but Baby 5 thinks Joker has his reasons.
Doflamingo smirks that luck is on his side and as long as he has Caesar, he can produce new SAD without any problems.
As Buffalo prepares to land to pick up Caesar, Baby 5 discovers a person on the tanker. Buffalo denies there is anyone who can survive that poison gas. To their surprise, Franky pays his respects in the Franky Shogun and wonders about the supposed “bird” in the firmament.
| Manga volumes | Punk Hazard Arc (Manga) |
