Summary:
The invisible vessel leaves the Thriller Bark while the two men wonder where Perona is. Absalom turns off his invisibility to reveal that he and Hogback are on a smaller ship with an unconscious Moria. Absalom wonders what ‘Tyrant’ Bartholomew Kuma was doing in Thriller Bark. Hogback claims that before they were rid of the shadow, the three zombies Gyoro, Nin, and Bao told him that Kuma had come to announce that the crocodile had been replaced by a new warrior of the sea – a pirate named Blackbeard. Absalom reads a newspaper article stating that the commander of the Whitebeard Pirates’ second division, Portgas D. Ace, is now being held in Impel Down. Hogback claims that with such an infamous pirate as Whitebeard in custody, the world government has scored and it could mark a change in the era of the great pirate, so it’s no time for Moria to be out. Absalom admits this, but he just wants to get married. Hogback offers to breed zombies to his liking, Absalom shouts that he wants to marry a human.
Back at Thriller Bark, a full day has passed since Moria’s defeat. On the Thousand Sunny, Luffy demands food, but Sanji tells him to eat cheese instead. Luffy complains that the cheese can’t satisfy him, and Sanji tells him to move everything to the yard where the Association of Victims is. Lola explains that it’s because they haven’t felt the sun in so long and they want to spend as much time in the sun as possible, while Usopp marvels at Luffy’s energy. Lola wonders who could have supplied Sunny with the amount of food and treasure that Nami is enjoying. Luffy finds a glass band in the pile, and when Usopp is nervous about Nami’s reaction, he explains that he’s going to let Luffy keep it since it doesn’t have any jewelry in it. She goes to tell Lola that she won’t get any either, but Lola tells Nami that they didn’t plan on taking anything from their rescuers. Lola wonders why she added ‘zo’ to Nami’s name, and Nami realizes that Lola’s shadow was used to revive Zombie-Lola. Grateful to see her friend in human form, Nami gives Lola some treasure, shocking Luffy and Usopp.
In the courtyard, the Straw Hats begin preparing for their feast while Chopper tends to Zoro and wonders how the swordsman could have been so badly injured. While the Straw Hats try to find out if something happened to Kuma, the Risky Brothers come in and claim they know what happened. Before they can talk, however, Sanji takes them aside for a private discussion. The brothers tell him what Kuma did to Zoro in the previous chapter. They want to tell everyone, but Sanji orders them not to; Zoro didn’t take Luffy’s suffering as a thank you and Luffy would feel terrible if he knew what happened. The Risky Brothers are amazed at how cool Sanji is, unaware that their conversation has been overheard by Robin using his Hana Hana no Mi powers. When Luffy asks what happened, the brothers just mimic Sanji, saying that since they’re all fine, it’s no big deal, confusing him.
Soon the feast is in full swing and Brook starts his usual skull jokes and Franky joins in. Brook soon picks up the piano and offers to play background music. He confides in Sanji that he also saw what was happening to Zoro, astounded by the men in the crew. As Binks’ Sake plays, Robin and Luffy claim they’ve heard this song before, the other one from Shanks’ crew. Brook explains that the song is a song that all the pirates of old used to sing. Luffy asks if Brook will join the Straw Hats now that his shadow is back. Brook starts to explain to Laboon, but Luffy claims that he already knows because the Straw Hats saw Laboon at the Twin Capes. Usopp and Sanji vouch for Luffy, and Captain Straw Hats is surprised that Brook was part of the crew Laboon was waiting for. A shocked Brook begins to tear up at the thought that Laboon is still alive and waiting.
Brook’s flashback begins. A small whale follows a pirate ship and its crew wonders if it is lost. A tall, skinny violinist with an afro suggests that they should play the baby whale a song because the Rumbar Pirates can put a smile on any face. The Yorki ship captain agrees and that they should play “that song”. As they play, the sad whale begins to cheer up.