One Piece Manga Chapter 50

The Straw Hat Pirates discover Nami’s betrayal, which may be connected to the bounty poster she discovered. The man with the “hawk eyes” that Zoro was looking for is Dracule Mihawk, the world’s greatest swordsman. The Straw Hats initially plan to go after Nami, but this plan is stopped when Zoro decides to challenge Mihawk to a duel. Nami sails away, deeply hurt by leaving good people behind, but also wondering if she will ever be free.

As the Krieg Pirates reel after the devastating attack on their ship, Johnny apologizes again for allowing Nami to escape with the Going Merry. In a flashback, Nami was looking at familiar reward posters and stopped at one in particular for Beli 20,000,000. Nami then started acting strange, fueling Johnny and Yosaku’s interest. They tell her that the pirate shown in the poster has been quiet for a while, but has recently gone on a rampage again. While they talk, she moves Johnny and Yosaku’s treasure aboard the Going Merry, asking them to turn around while she changes. As the two fought their temptation to reach the top, Nami suddenly pushed them overboard. Nami told them that she had a good time, but since she was a pirate thief, there were no exceptions. He says goodbye and tells them that if fate really brings them together, then they will meet again.

In the present, Zoro and Usopp are angry (Zoro for being betrayed, Usopp for losing the Going Merry). Luffy spots a ship on the horizon and tells his crew that they are after it. Zoro tries to say that chasing a thief like Nami won’t do any good (to which Usopp retorts that she stole their ship), but Luffy tells them that he won’t accept anyone else as their navigator. Zoro wonders why he followed such a troubled captain, but agrees to his captain’s orders anyway and prepares to set sail with Usopp, Johnny, and Yosaka on their ship. Luffy is unable to join as he still has a debt to repay to Zeff, and Zoro warns him to be careful. As they begin to part ways, one of Don Krieg’s subordinates yells at him that the man who destroyed their fleet is back to kill them all.

Aboard the Baratia, the chefs discuss a man slowly approaching them before Zeff confirms his identity: the “Hawk-Eyes” man is introduced as Dracule Mihawk, the world’s greatest swordsman. Zoro is in absolute disbelief and the Krieg Pirates demand to know why Mihawk has been following them. He tells them that it was simply to “kill time”, angering one of the pirates to the point that he tries to shoot him. Mihawk draws his blade and easily redirects the bullets away from him. While some of the Krieg Pirates believe that he simply missed, Zoro corrects them and tells them that he actually changed the trajectory of the bullets with his blade. Zoro tells Mihawk that he has never seen a sword handled so gracefully, with the Master Swordsman replying that there is no power without grace in swordplay. Zoro asks Mihawk if he cut the ship too. When Mihawk confirms, Zoro is absolutely certain that he is indeed the strongest in the world, a goal he tells Mihawk he is trying to achieve himself. He then challenges Mihawk to a duel as Mihawk said he wants to kill time as the Krieg Pirates and the Baratia staff realize that Zoro is indeed the “Pirate Hunter” they have heard of. Usopp tries to warn Luffy that the Going Merry is moving away from them, but he ignores it as he is now focused on Mihawk and Zoro. Mihawk exits his ship and approaches Zoro, but shows no interest in fighting him, calling him a weakling. He tells Zoro that if he was truly a great swordsman, then the difference in their powers would be obvious without having to cross blades, and asks if this desire to duel comes from his beliefs or ignorance, Zoro replies that he does it because of his own ambition and fulfill a promise to a friend.

The scene then changes to Nami sailing away on the Going Merry, the crew already starting to miss her. She comments to herself about how she thinks they’re good people and wonders if they’ll still call her a friend when they meet again, if they meet again. As the scene zooms in on her face, she is shown crying, saying she just wants to be free, and addressing someone named Bell-mère.