Cover Page: From the Decks of the World Vol. 37 "Water 7 - The Galley-La Company's Genius Secretary is 10 Years Old!"

The Straw Hats arrive in an agitated sea where the deep sea fish they just caught had been burnt in the water. Soon after their Den Den Mushi begins to cry, and despite Robin warning them about it possibly being a marine trap, Luffy answers it. The distress call turns out to be genuine and the person calling is in urgent need for salvation from a hostile samurai, but he is stabbed and the call ends. Luffy, and three others that were chosen by lottery (Zoro, Robin and Usopp) sail over the sea of flames with assistance from Nami to Punk Hazard. There, after ignoring the huge warning on the gates, they enter the island and see the melted ruins of a former base of the World Government. They are then confronted by a dragon who asks who they are.

The Thousand Sunny is thrown into the air by a giant tidal wave as a volcano erupts. The crew spots an island, but Nami tells the crew that none of the compass needles are pointing to that island, which is strange even for the New World. Luffy says he does not care and exclaims that he wants to go to the island. Nami tells him there is no way to get any closer since it is blocked by a sea of fire.

Luffy discovers that the Den Den Mushi is crying and ringing. Luffy is about to pick up the receiver when Robin tells him to stop. She tells him there is a 50/50 chance that the call is a trap that the Marines use to tape phones on ships to find their location. Luffy picks up the receiver and the man on the other end says that his crew keeps getting killed, one after another by the samurai. He adds he does not care who comes, as long as they help. The island he is calling from is called Punk Hazard. Before he can say anymore, the sound of slashing is heard and the person screams out in pain, saying he was stabbed, ending the transmission. Robin reminds him it could still be a trap, and Franky asks if it could be the island behind the fire. Robin says it is the only possible island in transmitting range for a baby Den Den Mushi to be picked up. Luffy decides they will save the man.

Elsewhere, a Marine is very annoyed after hearing about Punk Hazard. Tashigi asks Smoker if he also heard the transmission. Smoker is annoyed because he had presumed Luffy would choose Raijin Island after leaving Fish-Man Island and it had never occurred to him that Luffy would bypass all three. Tashigi reminds Smoker that Punk Hazard is closed off and deserted after the incident that took place there four years ago, finding it strange there would be people there. Smoker agrees that it does seem strange, but it is the only thing they have to work with. Smoker tells the crew that they are setting out.

Usopp, Robin, and Zoro are going with Luffy to the island as decided by straw drawing. Nami uses her Clima-Tact to make a milky road so the Mini Merry II can travel over the flames. When the ship gets to Punk Hazard, the pirates pull the Mini Merry II up onto the shore. In front of them is a giant fence with various warning signs and hazard stripes around the perimeter adorned with the emblems of the World Government and Marines, as well as a third emblem, a skull with horns; Zoro cuts through part of the door and they walk through. Robin comments that the island looks like it was not always on fire, and wonders if there was a natural disaster recently. It looks like a former World Government base, with the buildings completely melted. The group finds an enormous skull, bigger than even a giant's. Something growls from behind them. The crew is stunned, as they cannot believe that what they are seeing really exists. The crew is staring up into the eyes of a fire-breathing dragon, who then asks the crew who they are.

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