Let's Go Back

Lucci's defeat leaves everyone reeling, one Marine calling him the finest CP9 leader Cipher Pol has ever known. Nami orders the crew onto the escape ship. Aboard the fleet, a Marine traces an odd sound to a Den Den Mushi and the voice of Zambai from the Franky Family. When Vice Admiral Strawberry asks whether the gate's pirates have been dealt with, a soldier reports watching them drop into the chasm beneath the island. In fact Paulie's fast hands had knotted two nets from his rope, and the whole group is clinging to them. Kokoro and Gonbe are relieved, and Franky, in tears, claims he was never worried, prompting Zoro to point out that his relief means nothing if he ends up dead. Onigumo tells his men to leave the gate pirates for the moment, and Franky deflects an attack from Sharinguru.

Usopp urges Luffy to stretch over to the ship so he can be carried, but Luffy says his body will not budge. As Nami suggests steering the vessel to him, it is blown apart while Kokoro, Chimney, and Chopper are aboard, and a black leg pokes from the burning wreck as Sanji bursts out hauling everyone to safety, brushing off his absence as errands. Kokoro kicks away a Marine who lunges at Nami, leaving the crew stranded on the prop, ringed by five ships with cannons fixed on them and a bow gun aimed straight at Luffy. As the ships count down five seconds to fire, Usopp has Robin pull Luffy's body into the sea and tells the rest to leap as well, reminding them one crewmate still remains. They fall, and the Going Merry rises beneath them, announcing she has come to take the Straw Hats home.

The Going Merry's improbable return saves the entire crew. Sharinguru is shown to have eaten the Shari Shari no Mi. The cover launches a new feature centered on Enel's expedition through outer space, in which the Ark Maxim, unseen since the Skypiea Arc, drifts through the cold void toward the moon he calls the Fairy Vearth.