Warning: The following contains spoilers for chapter 1087 of One Piece, “Battleship Bags”, by Eiichiro Oda, translated by Stephen Paul, and lettered by Vanessa Satone, now available in English fromViz Media.
One Piece returned to theWeekly Shonen Jump with an outstanding chapter. Oda took a break to recover from surgery, and fans were more than happy to wait. Given the long wait, fans were expecting to see an incredible chapter, and it is safe to say that Oda delivered.
There was a strong belief that Oda might cover the events taking place on Egghead Island, but the mangaka had other ideas. The focus of One Piece Chapter 1087was Hachinosu, where the Marinesand the Blackbeard Pirates were involved in an enthralling battle. The Marines, led by Monkey D. Garp, traveled to Hachinosu to rescue Koby. However, they knew it was never going to be an easy mission.
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Master vs. Student
In Blackbeard’s absence, the Ten Titanic Captains had to step up and face the Marines. Aside from the many notorious criminals,the Blackbeard Pirates alsohad a former Admiral among their ranks. When Garp came to Hachinosu, he did not expect to find Kuzan on the island. The two have a rich history; Garp mentored Kuzan and turned him into an excellent fighter. This time, the master had to face his former protégé if he wanted to rescue Koby.
Garp is considered one of the strongest characters in the story, and he showed his superiority by destroying a massive part of a town with a single punch. None of the Blackbeard Pirates could get close to him, so their only hope was Kuzan. The Admiral’s decision to join the most notorious pirate crew raised many eyebrows, especially considering that he was one of the more level-headed Marines. Many fans assumed that Kuzan wouldbetray the Blackbeard Piratesand reveal himself as the leader of SWORD. But it seems that he is fully committed to being a pirate. Kuzan was well aware of Garp’s power and asked the smaller fry to step back.
Garp’s Power
Garp does not have a Devil Fruit, so he only relies on Haki to fight his opponents. Garp can use all three types of Haki, making him one of the few characters to do so.Garp’s Busoshoku Hakiis extremely impressive, and he is able to hurt Devil Fruit users without any problem.
Through years of training and fighting, Garp unlocked the Advanced Haoshoku Haki. By combining his Haki with his physical strength, Garp was able to fight Gol D. Roger on an equal footing. His Kenbunshoku Haki is most likely better than 90% of the characters inOne Piece. While Garp has amazing abilities, his student is not that far off.
An Admiral’s Strength
Kuzan possesses the Hie Hie no Mi, a Logia-type Devil Fruit that allows him to freeze anything. He can also create and manipulate ice at will, which makes it a rather troublesome ability. Kuzan used his Devil Fruit multiple times in the Marineford arc. It was because of his power that Marine Headquarters was not completely destroyed by Whitebeard.
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Kuzan is also an expert at using Haki. He has displayed mastery over Busoshoku Haki and Kenbunshoku Haki. Kuzan can use Emission, an advanced form of Busoshoku Haki that does not require making contact with an opponent. There is a great deal of speculation that he also possesses Future Sight, but there is no irrefutable evidence yet. Kuzan doesn’t seem to have Haoshoku Haki; otherwise, he would have used it while fighting Garp.
The Showdown
Garp and Kuzan probably never thought that they would be fighting each other. The two had a great relationship in the past, but they did not let their emotions stop them from going all out. As the fight began, Garp showed his superiority by landing several hits on Kuzan, who seemed to have no response. But in Chapter 1087, things changed completely. In order to protect Koby, Garp had to throw himself in front of Shiryu’s attack. Garp was still standing, but the wound definitely took some wind out of his sails.
This proved to be the perfect opportunity for Kuzan, who charged toward Garp. Both managed to land a hit on each other and were subsequently sent flying back. Toward the end of the chapter, Garp could be seen lying on his back, and his face was heavily bruised. In the meantime, Avalo Pizarro used his Devil Fruit ability to create a massive fist with the intention of destroying Garp and his group. Avalo Pizzaro knows his limits, and he strongly believes that the Marines will meet their end at his hands.
Garp andthe other Marines aretruly in deep trouble, and they will indubitably die if Pizarro connects his attack. The situation calls for a hero, and this is the perfect time for Smoker to make a comeback. The Vice Admiral has been out of action for a long time, and fans have missed him. Smoker has a history with Kuzan, and the two talked at Punk Hazard. However, the details of their conversation remain unknown. Considering Smoker has not been involved in any major arc since Punk Hazard, it seems Oda is saving him for something big, and this could be the opportunity to make a comeback.
