Cover Page: Straw Hat's Separation Serial: Franky's "This Week's Me is No Good..." stumbles upon an abandoned lab, labeled "Vegapunk".

In Impel Down, Shiryu joins the Blackbeard Pirates. On the Tarai Current on the way to Marineford, Jinbe reveals his Warlord of the Sea status and Buggy receives a call informing him of his now-legendary status. Due to this, many of the former Impel Down prisoners agree to follow Buggy. Meanwhile at Marineford, Ace proceeds to the gallows.

In Impel Down Level 4, Blackbeard thanks Shiryu for saving his crew's lives by giving them the antidote to Magellan's poison and suggests that he join the Blackbeard Pirates. Shiryu gladly accepts.

Meanwhile on the Tarai Current, Ivankov tells everyone to leave Inazuma to rest until he recovers from the poison on his own. A fight erupts between Buggy and Luffy over Mr. 2's fate. Crocodile questions why a fish-man has the ability to talk to sea creatures, but Jinbe counters that it is not strange for fish-men to be friends with other sea creatures, although he agrees with Crocodile that fish-men are more barbaric than merfolk.

When Luffy joins them on the deck, Jinbe thanks Luffy for letting him join in rescuing Ace. He also wants to thank and apologize about Arlong but keeps it to himself because the current target is more important. Jinbe then introduces himself properly to Luffy, telling him of his possibly revoked Warlord of the Sea status and that he intended to go all out at Marine Headquarters to honor Mr. 2's wish. Luffy is shocked to learn that Jinbe was a Warlord, while Buggy is surprised that they are heading directly towards Marine Headquarters. Crocodile tells Buggy that the moment they entered the Gates of Justice, they could only head towards Marine Headquarters on the Tarai Current and that the purpose of breaking out was interest in the Whitebeard War.

While the pirates are arguing, a Den Den Mushi rings and Luffy answers. It is a call from a Marine who states that this was a report from an Impel Down escort fleet and that they had established two primary masterminds behind the jailbreak: Luffy and Buggy. The Marine states that they thought Buggy was an ordinary pirate but when closely investigated, they discovered he was formerly on Gol D. Roger's pirate ship and is the sworn brother of the Emperor Shanks. This surprises everyone, and Buggy was shocked that the Marines knew all this. The Marine also reveals that they did not intend to open the Gates of Justice for them, so that they could not reach Marine Headquarters and they could not break away from the Tarai Current.

All the prisoners congratulate Buggy about his "legendary" status. Buggy tries to tell them that he was only an apprentice but is bombarded with cheers. Buggy suddenly gets an idea, thinking that this could be the moment his reputation could sky rocket, even planning to take Whitebeard's head. He finally changes his mind and decides to go to Marine Headquarters too. All the prisoners agree saying that they would follow him anywhere.

Meanwhile, at Marineford, with three hours to go, Ace is escorted to the gallows, forced to climb a very long staircase. As he climbs, he recalls when he and Luffy promised each other to live lives without regrets, with true freedom. The guards open the doors to the gallows, and Ace steps out to meet his fate.

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