## One Piece Chapter 697: Dealings - Chapter: 697 - Pages: 0-18 - Characters: Caribou, Trafalgar Law, Monkey D. Luffy, Kaido, Whitebeard, Smoker, Nami, Tony Tony Chopper, G-5 Marines, Sanji, Franky, Vegapunk, Punk Hazard Children, Tashigi, Donquixote Doflamingo, Baby 5, Buffalo, Caesar Clown ### Summary Page 0: The chapter opens on the title page: "CHAPTER 697 - DEALINGS." In the cover story, "CARIBOU'S KEHIHIHIHI IN THE NEW WORLD - VOLUME 19 - GRANNY DRIVES AWAY THE MYSTERIOUS SOLDIERS," Caribou stands stunned with food in his hands while the old woman charges at the mysterious soldiers and drives them off through the smoke and falling debris. It is not part of the immediate Punk Hazard plot, but it continues Caribou's side story and keeps the New World cover-serial thread alive. Page 1: Law's proposal lands harder than a normal alliance ever could. When he hears Luffy speak as if every Emperor is a target, Law stares him down and says, "YOU'LL TAKE DOWN ALL THE YONKOU!?" He warns that their goal may point in the same direction, but Luffy is badly underestimating the scale of it: "WE'RE AFTER THE SAME THING, BUT I THINK YOU'RE UNDERESTIMATING THEM." Law explains that the Yonko are the emperors who once fought territorial wars with Whitebeard himself. Among them is Kaidou: "AND THE ONE KNOWN AS KAIDOU OF THE HUNDRED BEASTS... IS SAID TO BE THE STRONGEST CREATURE IN THE WORLD." The room erupts in alarm: "EH!? WHAT! HE'S NOT EVEN HUMAN!?" Law sets the term plainly: "OUR ALLIANCE WILL LAST UNTIL WE TAKE DOWN KAIDOU." Then comes the brutal estimate, "THE CHANCE OF MY PLAN SUCCEEDING IS... WELL... ABOUT 30%..." The others immediately panic at the low odds: "THAT'S WAY TOO LOW!! WHAT A TERRIBLE PROPOSITION!! COME ON, LUFFY!!" Page 2: Luffy does not weigh the numbers like a strategist. He lets the danger sit for a moment, then answers with his usual blunt certainty: "IS THAT SO... ALRIGHTY." A beat later, he commits: "LET'S DO IT." The reaction is instant: "LUFFY!!?" Law's dangerous alliance has been accepted almost casually, and that very casualness leaves everyone else scrambling to catch up. Nearby, Law turns his attention to Smoker and makes it clear that mercy was not given for sentiment alone: "IT'S NOT AS IF I HAVE A PARTICULAR REASON... FOR LETTING YOU LIVE ...WHITE HUNTER." He is already thinking ahead, planning to head for Green Bit, while Smoker looks at the Straw Hats with a tired, wary expression and mutters about the chaos he has been left to handle: "I WONDER IF I'LL REALLY BE ABLE TO MANAGE ...STRAWHAT-YA'S CREW...!!" The alliance has begun, but no one around Luffy seems certain they can survive the practical consequences of his answer. Page 3: The party winds down into logistics. The noise of celebration still clings to the scene, but the next move is being arranged. Law and the others discuss the tanker, and the question is raised: "SO AM I TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'LL BE USING THE TANKER...?" Luffy refuses that plan. Nami and Chopper will not leave until they know the kidnapped children have safely departed, so he explains, "NAH, NAMI AND CHOPPER SAID THAT THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE LEAVING UNTIL WE KNOW THAT THE KIDS HAVE SET OFF SAFELY." He also knows it would be dangerous if the wrong Marines handled them: "AND THERE COULD BE TROUBLE IF ANY MARINES BESIDES YOU GUYS TAKE THEM." The solution is simple in Luffy's mind: "SO WE NEED YOU TO GO AHEAD USE THE TANKER FOR THAT." The Straw Hats hand the practical burden to G-5 because, despite being Marines, these are the people the children can now be trusted with. Page 4: The children are herded toward the boat while G-5 resumes its loud Marine posture. "GET ON THE BOAT, BRATS!" one of them shouts. "WE'RE TAKING YOU HOME!" The children wail, "WAHH!!" As the Straw Hats approach, the Marines draw a ridiculous invisible line between the two groups: "HEY, HEY, STRAWHAT CREW...!! IF THE TANKER IS OURS..." Another Marine finishes the idea: "THAT'S RIGHT!! YOU CAN'T COME OVER HERE!! THIS IS THE BORDER THAT SEPARATES JUSTICE FROM EVIL!!" Luffy is unimpressed and confused by the sudden return to roles: "THAT AGAIN? WEREN'T WE JUST HAVING A PARTY TOGETHER?" G-5 answers with overblown hostility that almost sounds like gratitude turned inside out: "YOU DUMB BASTARD!! YEAH, ABOUT THAT, THANKS A LOT FOR THE HOSPITALITY!! BUT YOU'RE PIRATES!! THE SHAME OF ALL HUMANITY!!" Their words are harsh, but their behavior is clearly meant to protect the children from becoming attached to pirates. Page 5: The children look past the Marines, searching for the pirates who saved them. They call out, "BIG SIS NAMI-CHAN!!" and "CHOPPER-CHAN!!" Another child asks, "WHERE'S THE ROBOT!?" and then, "HUH AND WHERE ARE THE OTHER PIRATE GUYS!?" G-5 quickly throws itself into the role of a human wall: "MAKE A BARRIER!! YOU SHOULDN'T LAY EYES ON SUCH PIRATES!!" The act is clumsy enough that someone mutters, "YOU GUYS... WHAT A PAIN." Another voice wonders, "WHAT'S THE POINT OF THIS..." Nami watch...