Soldier of Science

After the crash from Kid and Law's awakened attacks, bystanders say Big Mom was crushed by the steel beams and wonder whether even she could survive that. The chapter title appears as "Chapter 1031: Soldier of Science." Kid and Law pant from the effort while Kid mocks Big Mom, saying, "Take that... you giant hag!!" The page opens on the aftermath of their combined attack, but the rubble begins to shift almost immediately, making it clear that the Emperor is not finished.

Law asks Kid how long his magnetic-magnetic fruit's awakened power lasts, since it lets him assign fields of attraction. Kid refuses to answer, asking, "Why the hell would I tell you?" The metal beams and debris around Big Mom begin moving again, and people gasp as she rises. Everyone realizes, "Whaaaaaat?! She's getting uuuuup!!!" Big Mom's body has been buried beneath steel and rubble, but the metal is being drawn into her control rather than keeping her down.

Big Mom rises from the wreckage and demands, "Life?! Or... Oshiruko?!" The terrified soldiers realize she is using her soul pocus and ask whether she is going to take their lives, insisting they dumped the soup and still have some left. Big Mom surges upward with her power, drawing life from those around her. The page shows that she is not merely recovering from Kid and Law's attack; she is turning the fear around her into fuel.

Big Mom commands, "Come to life!!" and uses one year of her own lifespan too, saying none of the riff-raff around her have powerful enough souls. She grows even larger, and her homies and the surrounding metal respond. Onlookers cry that she has gotten even bigger. She says it has been decades since she felt pain like this, calls Kid and Law "not bad," and tells Trafalgar Law and Captain Kid that the two of them and Straw Hat Luffy are serious about taking her throne. Law says he will need to take down monsters like her if he wants to uncover the true history, while Kid declares he does not care what it costs because he will tear her from that throne.

Big Mom's enlarged form throws the battlefield into panic. Fighters shout that she is huge, that the castle has become an inferno, and that they are in hell. Yamato races through the chaos toward the Iwato Chamber, noting that there are too many grunts out front and that he will have to go through that chamber. At the entrance, Scratchmen Apoo blocks the way and tells Yamato to hold up, saying, "I said cool it!! Are you for real?!" The page brings Yamato's mission toward the armory into contact with Apoo's opportunistic plotting.

Apoo tries to attack Yamato with "Scratch... Boom!!" and says he has figured out how Yamato's attacks work. He claims he will repay Straw Hat by finishing Yamato off. Drake explains the truth: Apoo's techniques seem random at a glance, but they follow a line of sight and the target only needs to hear him. Apoo protests that Drake is giving the game away and says he has three Numbers backing him up anyway. Yamato is caught between Apoo's sound attacks, Drake's warning, and the need to keep moving toward the armory.

Yamato sees Drake and Apoo and asks why one of the Flying Six is with an informant. Apoo tells Yamato that trying to win Drake over was a bust and that it is time to switch gears: Yamato is against Kaido, so Apoo wants to recruit him instead. Yamato says he has no time for this and tells Apoo that he cut ties with Kaido, so he is not on Apoo's side. Drake also says he has abandoned Kaido and clashes with Apoo, telling him not to get in the way. The page clarifies that both Yamato and Drake have broken from Kaido, but Apoo is still trying to turn that chaos into a deal for himself.

Yamato charges through the chamber, saying Onigashima and the Flower Capital are at stake. Apoo tries to chase and says, "My bad, Drake!! I've got to run off then!!" but the giant Fuga suddenly breaks through to follow Yamato. Apoo shouts, "Fuga! What the hell are you doing?!" and complains that he cannot miss the chance to get Yamato on board. Yamato calls out to the other Numbers, "Ibi? Zagi? Follow me you two!!" while Drake warns Apoo, "You're not getting away, Apoo!!"

On the second floor, Brook tells Robin to run and protect herself as enemies shout to protect Nico Robin. Brook recognizes the masked pursuers from Dressrosa and says even among the elites of CP0, the masked agents are in a class of their own. He tells Robin, "Hang on, Robin-san, we need to take flight!!" Robin wonders why CP0 is there, while Brook lifts her away from the danger. The page turns Rob Lucci's order from the previous chapter into an active chase, with Robin again targeted by the World Government's strongest agents.

In the Pleasure Hall of the left-brain tower, Sanji is confronted by women who accuse him of attacking a young girl. One woman says, "How could you?! She's just a young girl!" and another says he is with the rebel army, but Sanji insists they have it wrong. The girl cries that they only wanted to hide in peace and begs him to get out. Sanji remembers losing himself and seeing the next thing he knew, she was on the floor bleeding. He stares in horror at the terrified look in her eyes and says this is not right, because harming a lady is the one thing he would never do. The accusation strikes directly at Sanji's deepest code.

Queen returns, laughing that Sanji is back and asking where he ran off to. Queen says Sanji must not have gotten the memo because the Pleasure Hall is closed. Sanji realizes the tingling sensation has stopped and wonders whether the transformation is over. He remembers being lost in thought, then the frightened geisha saying Kaido's men brought her there and begging him not to hurt her. Sanji cannot tell whether he actually harmed her during a blackout, and the doubt keeps eating at him as Queen closes in.

Sanji thinks of Luffy and asks, "Hey, Luffy... which version of me do you want around?" He imagines that his human side has always made him useless against female enemies, but that as a soldier of science he could coldly execute anyone ordered, even a beast like this would be easy to dismember. He asks what kind of person the Pirate King needs by his side. Queen laughs that Sanji is finally breaking out the Germa suit, but Sanji says he has made up his mind. He may not be sure he knows the answer, but he refuses to become a cold weapon.

Sanji looks at the Raid Suit canister and says that by wearing it, his dormant augmented abilities were awakened, but that no longer matters. He smashes the Raid Suit and declares, "I'm not gonna lose any more of myself!! I'll never belong to Germa!!" Queen complains that this is a waste because he wanted to see Sanji morph. Sanji answers, "Farewell, Germa!! Farewell, women's baths!! I'll find my own way to end this fight!!" His Den Den Mushi rings as he fully rejects Germa's path.

Outside the dome, Zoro continues fighting King when a transponder snail slips from Zoro's haramaki. Zoro grumbles that it almost made him face death in a corner somewhere. Sanji calls and tells Zoro to listen. Zoro snaps that Sanji is distracting him, but Sanji says they are obviously going to beat the Beast Pirates. After the dust settles, however, if Sanji is no longer himself, he wants Zoro to put him down. Zoro does not understand at first, but then says he will make it swift if it comes to that. Sanji thanks him, and Zoro replies, "You better not die before then!!"

Queen asks whether Sanji disappeared again because of Judge's experiments, calling him Germa brat. Sanji tells him to stop stoking the fire because he is already white hot, then vanishes and reappears with a kick. Queen says he is not sure he understands Sanji's request to Zoro but that if it comes to that, he will make it swift. Sanji says he now has something to look forward to, meaning his agreement with Zoro, and attacks Queen with "Hell Memories!!" Queen screams as the flaming blow lands. The chapter ends with the caption "A strike that shows his resolve!!"

No description for this page.