Chapter 996: Island of the Strongest

[Sengokusgoat]

This translation does seem to imply Orochi at the end.

--- Update From New Post Merge ---

Also, look, Oda is giving us mini-maps for us to follow where everybody is now.

How kind of him.

I think I'm gonna need a few more to position everyone.

Like, is Kidd floating or what?

[wolfwood]

I didn't notice that little blood fountain Kaido made.

That's quite a niche skill to have

[uniaka ikuzakas]

I actually like this option.

Sanji mut save Carrot and Wanda from Peros, but is too far away atm, King is capable of sending Sanji flying outta universe, so it clicks.

Even fodders with candy bullets pierced raid suit, but king with his crazy point blank attack, that he said will slice sanji in half, only hyped up the RS by making sanji say he hates it for being this tough.

Even gifters hurt zoro more the king hurt sanji.

[andre]

You know, with every chapter I get more and more excited for Kaido's flashback and to truly understand the character. We have a good view of his motivation, but know little about who and what he is. (definitively at least, I'm sure many have guessed correctly)

[Chams]

Rereading the last 10 chapters or so made it seem really fast-paced. Believe me guys, the breaks are making it seem like it is dragging down what is a action-packed, tight-knit arc.

[RomanceDawn]

Very enjoyable chapter! The ending doesn't scream Ivankov any more to me. Even the shading compared to the fan scan doesn't give me that whole super mortified look. Maybe Sanji doesn't like that another man is seemingly about to get some when it could be him. She called him Lord, so Orochi back and ready for action? The dialogue is seemingly too casual for the current scenario though. I need full context. Instead of a flash back I think Sanji is currently listening in with heightened Color of Observation hearing. He excels in this aspect in a way that even Luffy doesn't seem to despite not having future sight.

Yamato is steadily growing me. I'm going to assume she read Oden's journal and misinterpreted who the bringer of the dawn will be.

Sasaki still looks cool as ever. I want to say he has some sort of armored dino fruit but looking at the sword it looks like he's going to be some sort of "folding" man. Or maybe the sword is built strange or potentially has an ability. Maybe he just has a long Katana that was bent and condensed into a completely different type of sword.

Franky looks to be set to battle Sasaki but I wouldn't put things past one more reset or false start. Make every Straw Hat look completely outclassed and by 1001 they all begin to make their great comebacks.

[Jabra]

Is Yamato doing a flying Kanabo attack? I think this is the first time we saw a non-sword weapon flying attack, or am i missing one?

Giant-style swordsmanship seems similiar, in the sense that they produce cylindrical shaped holes instead of thin cuts. Like Dori and Brogi shredded that Island Eater -Goldfish with weapons that were dull as well, but still massive in size.

I assume Yamato used a similar attack, just smaller because his weapon isn't as big.

[MiyamotoMusashi]

Giant-style swordsmanship seems similiar, in the sense that they produce cylindrical shaped holes instead of thin cuts. Like Dori and Brogi shredded that Island Eater -Goldfish with weapons that were dull as well, but still massive in size.

I assume Yamato used a similar attack, just smaller because his weapon isn't as big.

Yeah true, forgot about that. Never imagined Oda would let a non-sword fighter do flying attacks considering how sword centric he is, looked pretty cool as well.

[Monquito]

Yamato's set of skills its been getting expanded in the last chapters, that transformation, whether natural or devil fruit is a huge boost to her character becoming more interesting.

A lot of people already believe its Byakko, which is yeah, very nice, but if Who'sWho also has the saber tooth, I don't know what to make of two tiger fruits.

[Kishido]

So a Lord huh? Only one on mind are Orochi or someone above Black Maria in rank aka King and Queen.

So interesting

[King Cannon]

Is Yamato doing a flying Kanabo attack? I think this is the first time we saw a non-sword weapon flying attack, or am i missing one?

There a few characters that can outright make flying attacks with their fists like Burgess and Elizabello.

Plus, any Rankyaku user. Lucci can even do flying Shigan.

[Sengokusgoat]

It wasn't clear but I think Yamato already took out that porcupine gifter with a flying attack.

[King Cannon]

The only person that regularly gets referred as "My Lord" is Orochi (not counting Momonosuke, who is somewhere else entirely).

The Beasts Pirates themselves use "Master" or no honorrific at all for the higher ups, at least in Stephen's translation.

Yamato's set of skills its been getting expanded in the last chapters, that transformation, whether natural or devil fruit is a huge boost to her character becoming more interesting.

A lot of people already believe its Byakko, which is yeah, very nice, but if Who'sWho also has the saber tooth, I don't know what to make of two tiger fruits.

Rest assured. Sabertooths weren't tigers. They were closer to marsupials.

That's a common mistake.

[ArmamentHero]

The only person that regularly gets referred as "My Lord" is Orochi (not counting Momonosuke, who is somewhere else entirely).

The Beasts Pirates themselves use "Master" or no honorrific at all for the higher ups, at least in Stephen's translation.



Rest assured. Sabertooths weren't tigers. They were closer to marsupials.

That's a common mistake.

I... what.... Okay, I looked this up and now my world view on sabretooths have flipped....

[King Cannon]

Pterosaurus weren't dinos either.

King is lying to you all.

[Sengokusgoat]

It would be the Cat-Cat fruit anyways.

[electricmastro]

Assuming that Oda won’t throw any curveballs, seems that Chapter 997 will be the 3rd floor, Chapter 998 will be the 4th floor, Chapter 999 will be the 5th floor, and it will be Chapter 1,000 is when they’ll reach the rooftop, building up to an extremely dramatic development I imagine.

[Blissed]

Very interesting chapter between Law (he finally has a new goal post-Kaido!) and Yamato. Was hoping there was more to Yamato, whether that be a DF or something else, glad to see that's the case. He's increasingly becoming one of my favorite characters this arc. Glad Franky ended up being the one to fight Sasaki as well. While I'd love to see Yamato get a real fight, I prefer the Strawhats to deal with the Tobi Roppo/Calamities.

And once again, it's funny looking back at the complaints about how the Scabbards were having such an easy time against Kaido...

[electricmastro]

Very interesting chapter between Law (he finally has a new goal post-Kaido!) and Yamato. Was hoping there was more to Yamato, whether that be a DF or something else, glad to see that's the case. He's increasingly becoming one of my favorite characters this arc. Glad Franky ended up being the one to fight Sasaki as well. While I'd love to see Yamato get a real fight, I prefer the Strawhats to deal with the Tobi Roppo/Calamities.

And once again, it's funny looking back at the complaints about how the Scabbards were having such an easy time against Kaido...

Regardless of how personal some others want to get about strength and damage, and I still find it nice that Kinemon and the others took the time to rough Kaido up a little bit, fully opening up his old wound or not, before it was Luffy’s turn to finally take Kaido down full force.

[Sengokusgoat]

Okay, so looking at the ending again I think it's probably just Black Maria singing (maybe the song has dialogue). Everything fits. Sanji hears music and Black Maria was playin inside the castle last we saw her. Plus, Sanji was 'searching for prostitutes' in her brothel and that didn't really get any pay-off (I doubt it was only so he could make a cool entrance later), so maybe she knows something about her. And it's about time she does something.