Summary:
As the battle between the Heart Pirates and the Blackbeard Pirates continues, Charlotte Pudding is revealed as their prisoner while Sakazuki at Marine Headquarters is informed of the battle. At Egghead, Luffy’s group talks about Kuma’s history, Bonney reveals that some of the information is a lie. Meanwhile, Thousand Sunny arrives at Vegapunk’s lab with the rest of the Straw Pirates, and while Zoro and Brook stay behind, the rest change clothes and enter the lab as Shaka makes contact with Dragon.
As Blackbeard prepares for another attack, Law tells Hakugan to take control of the Polar Tang while Shachi and Penguin jump into the water. Blackbeard releases Gurash, who pin the Heart Pirates to land, but not before Law uses R-ROOM: Amputate to split the Stronger in half, causing Blackbeard to fall as he admits his surprise at Law’s Awakened abilities. Doc Q falls as well, but manages to throw his basket of explosive apples at the Heart Pirates, only for Penguin to shoot a stream of water at the bombs and destroy them in mid-air, much to Doc Q’s shock.
Penguin tells the Blackbeard Pirates that since he and the others grew up in the freezing North Blue harbor, they have an advantage in a naval battle. Bepo then uses his incredible hearing to tell Jean Bart about Van Augur’s incoming shot at Law, prompting him to use himself as a shield to protect his captain, which Augur comments on how tough a guard he is. Law then uses K-ROOM: Shock Wille to stab Blackbeard from the inside while Augur uses his powers to warp to his position. Augur tells Blackbeard that his injuries are the result of him rushing in without a plan and suggests they back off. Blackbeard refuses and has Augura warp him to where Law is as Law comments on how Blackbeard managed to get devil fruit powers for all his officers. Law points out the one weakness that all Devil Fruit users share, but Blackbeard simply says that the trade-off is worth it.
Meanwhile, the Polar Tang begins attacking Blackbeard’s ship, with some of the Blackbeard Pirates grunting in a bit of panic, but calming down with the idea that Blackbeard will win. Their captive Charlotte Pudding (who was captured by Kuzan and Augur earlier) tells the grunts that if Big Mom is still alive, they wouldn’t be so pretentious, but they tell her she’s dead and fight her killer, meaning the new era still arises. During Blackbeard and Law’s clash, Sakazuki is informed of the battle but is forced to wait for the conclusion, prompting him to find the job of fleet admiral frustrating.
On Egghead Island, Jewelry Bonney uses her Devil Fruit powers to age Luffy and Chopper into old men, while she and Jinbe age into small children to throw the Pacifist off their trail. Luffy tells Bonney that he can’t stop him from fighting the pacifists even though they look like Bartholomew Kuma, with Chopper scolding him and apologizing to Bonney that their previous encounters with the pacifists were less than pleasant. Jinbe says that the Pacifists are clones of Kuma, so it makes sense that he would have a family. He then tells Bonney what he knows about Kuma so far.
According to Jinbe, Kuma was an evil king who ruled the Sorbet Kingdom before his people exiled him, after which he became a pirate. He later joined the Revolutionary Army until he was captured by the Marines and sentenced to life in prison. Dr. However, Vegapunk found Kuma interesting, and as part of being able to be modified as a cyborg and cloned, he was granted his freedom as one of the Warlords of the Sea. Bonney picks up the lightsaber and tells Jinba that the clone and warrior part add up, but not the cyborg part, which she practically considers a death sentence. Jinbe admits that this is true, but claims that life imprisonment is also one of them and wonders what crimes Kuma has committed to be given such a fate.
Furious, Bonney lashes out at the three, declaring that Kuma was never a bully; that he hated the World Government so much that he would never work for them, and believes that he was forcibly experimented on. She returns to normal and also trades the Straw Hats back, revealing that Kuma told her he was of a special race, but that doesn’t give Dr. Vegapunk the right to experiment on him and practically kill him by taking away his free will. .
As for the Thousand Sunny, Lilith takes the crew high into the sky and lands them on Egghead Island, with Labophase, the main research center, located in the clouds above the island, while the rest is referred to as Fabriophase. When she mentions the trouble Luffy is causing on the lower level, Lilith brings herself and the crew to the Labophase, where Zoro and Brook decide to watch the ship while the others head on. However, Lilith advises everyone to use the Trancos to change clothes before heading to the lab.
Inside the lab, Shaka talks to Monkey D. Dragon, where he tells him that being so smart, he can see into the future. He then tells the Dragon that he fears his imminent death, so he wants him to listen to him.