The Treacherous Vice Admiral! Demon Bamboo Vergo!

The Straw Hats ride a complaining Brownbeard down the passage as Vegapunk's dragon, now hostile after its sedative wore off, attacks the fleeing G-5 marines. The troops cheer when Vergo appears from the far end, only for him to slaughter them with bloody Shigan strikes. Tashigi recalls his past kindness, including his lie that the kidnapping reports were false, then charges him, but he blocks her blade and floors her with a brutal punch. Hearing a woman in distress, Sanji bursts in and lands a flaming kick to Vergo's head.

On Brownbeard, the riders notice the dragon's eyes have changed and that it is no longer docile. Elsewhere, Chopper reaches the hallucinating Mocha, beats the soldiers chasing her, and sedates her before begging her to help stop the other children from eating the candy. Luffy and Smoker race toward Caesar's quarters and agree to split their targets. The door opens to reveal only Caesar, and Luffy drives a blindingly fast punch into his stomach, vowing he will not escape again.

The reawakened dragon turns on the G-5 marines. Vergo massacres his own soldiers with Shigan, and Tashigi's flashbacks expose how he covered up the kidnappings. Vergo beats Tashigi down, and Sanji arrives to kick him. Chopper finds Mocha, defeats her pursuers, sedates her, and asks her help to protect the children. Luffy and Smoker reach Caesar's room and divide their opponents, after which Luffy lands the opening strike on Caesar.

This Punk Hazard Arc episode debuts the character Gal. The anime depicts Dragon Number Twenty-One attempting to attack Tashigi, whereas in the manga it targets only the other G-5 marines. The adaptation also adds Chopper finding and helping Mocha at the landing pad, and the preview for the next episode was once more shortened from its usual length.