Noland the Liar

The crew patches up the battered Going Merry, with Luffy insisting the ship is a treasured crewmate worth repairing, only to crack her further with an overzealous hammer blow. Reaching their destination, they find Cricket's grand "castle" is just a painted board fronting a tiny shack. Robin explains a legend that vast gold lies hidden somewhere on Jaya, and Nami spots a book titled Noland the Liar as Sanji recognizes the famous North Blue tale.

Sanji reveals he was born in the North Blue, the first hint of his true heritage, while recounting Noland's story. Luffy, peering into bubbling water, gets yanked under by Mont Blanc Cricket, who surfaces furious at the trespassers. Assuming they want his gold, Cricket fights Sanji and fires a gun before suddenly collapsing. Indoors, Chopper diagnoses him with dysbarism, the bends, caused by reckless repeated diving that never let his body recover, a condition that can prove fatal. A photo of Cricket with Masira and Shoujou closes the chapter.

Set in the Jaya arc, this chapter first names Mont Blanc Noland and the City of Gold and introduces his descendant Cricket. The cover wraps the catfish village arc, where the villagers build Hatchan a takoyaki ship.