Chapter 543

The drawbridge rises to bar the Blackbeard Pirates from the underwater prison as Blackbeard strolls forward and Van Augur and Jesus Burgess battle jailers. A figure declares the crew were never to be trusted, branding them pirates rather than mere traitors, echoing the suspicions held by Smoker, Kizaru, and Sengoku about the Warlords. This man is Shiryu, who studies the five intruders; Blackbeard mistakes him for Magellan before Shiryu names him as Marshall D. Teach.

Elsewhere, the newkama and freed prisoners surge toward the Level 3 door, where Sadi scatters them and wrecks part of the bridge. Luffy moves to strike her but is hurled aside by Ivankov, who takes her on himself. Inazuma points Luffy toward the Level 3 stairs, where Hannyabal blocks the way, spinning a double-bladed staff and rallying the cheering guards. He unleashes Hannya Circus, whirling flaming blades around himself, but Luffy answers with Gomu Gomu no Jet Gatling, battering him down. Hannyabal refuses to stay beaten, rising to lecture Luffy that pirates are scum and that destroying Impel Down would plunge the world into darkness. Before he can continue, Blackbeard's darkness swallows the bazooka unit, and Blackbeard stomps Hannyabal into the floor. As Jinbe rages at the sight of him, Luffy recalls past mentions of Blackbeard, from Ace, from Jaya, and from Elder Nyon, finally grasping who he faces.

Teach and Shiryu take a mutual interest in one another. Luffy crosses paths with Blackbeard again and learns his true identity as the man responsible for Ace's capture.

The chapter is titled "Straw Hat and Blackbeard." Its cover begins the Straw Hat's Separation Serial with Sanji's struggle in Kamabakka. A portrait of Ivankov hangs on the wall in the cover art. The story is part of the Impel Down arc.