Hard Battles, One After Another! Devil Fruit Eaters vs. Devil Fruit Eaters!

Luffy fells a Giant Squad member, impressing Ivankov's followers, but they warn that he has drawn the Marines' full attention, and Sengoku orders him stopped. Whitebeard's allies cannot break past the vice admirals, and when the Bazooka Unit fires, Whitebeard shatters the shells and the unit alike. Ace, watching his rescuers risk everything, sinks into despair and tells Garp he will accept whatever fate comes, resigning himself to death.

Pressed by the escapees to attack Whitebeard, a terrified Buggy agrees, made worse when Whitebeard recognizes him from Roger's old crew and asks if he means to fight. Cornered, Buggy declares he will win, only for Whitebeard to point out the impossible odds and offer an alliance instead. Buggy accepts, the escapees crediting his bravery while Galdino and Marco both note how easily he is fooled.

Whitebeard, wary of Sengoku's scheme, has the Decalvan Brothers command the allied pirates to sink the surrounding Marine ships rather than charge head-on. Sengoku and Garp commend the move but Sengoku stays confident in his plan. Luffy, Ivankov, and Jinbe join forces to tear through a wall of Marines. Moria tries to take Luffy, but Jinbe handles him instead, evading his shadow-fueled attacks and landing a blow that forces Moria's shadows out. As Luffy presses on, Smoker spots him and attacks, eventually pinning him with a Seastone jitte until Hancock intervenes, declaring she is blind with rage and will kill Smoker. Meanwhile Ivankov tries to reason with Kuma, but Doflamingo reveals that the man Ivankov knew is gone, now a Pacifista.

The episode debuts Bizarre and Blondie, along with Jinbe's Samehada Shotei and Samegawara Seiken techniques and Smoker's White Launcher. Buggy's reluctant alliance with Whitebeard is played for comedy, as the escapees keep misreading his cowardice as courage.