Chapters · Water Seven › Water Seven

Chapter 348: Fighting Power

Arc: Water Seven · Saga: Water Seven · Released:

Summary

Inside Iceberg’s burning, wrecked mansion, CP9 calmly count down the seconds until the building’s flames “rise up from the first floor… and incinerate everyone in the building” — they’ll erase the framed-pirate evidence and walk away (“These things do happen. Well, the culprits are pirates, after all”), prompting Sanji’s “You monsters!!!” and Luffy’s outrage (pp. 2–3). Nico Robin delivers a flat farewell — “Goodbye” — and moves to leave with the agents; Luffy roars “Wait, Robin! I won’t let you leave like this!!!” but Lucci reminds him their conversation is over (“Right. You’ve fulfilled your role. Good work”), and Kalifa announces “I’ll leave first, then.” while a clock ticks down (“TIK TOK…”, p. 3). Luffy charges to grab Robin and runs straight into the Six Powers wall. Lucci hardens with Iron Body (“KLANG!!!”), and demonstrates the rest of the arsenal: Paper Art (his body goes limp and “flutters around like paper,” shrugging off every hit), Tempest Kick (“a swift enough kick… creates a devastating scythe wind” — it slices the mansion wall clean through), and Moonwalk (“the strength in our legs is such that we can push off cushions of air to stay afloat… he’s flying!!”) (pp. 5–8). Zoro engages Kaku (“You weren’t a real shipwright!!”), and Kaku — trading sword-blows (“KLANG KLANG”) — coolly insists his shipwright assessment “was given in all seriousness” (pp. 8–10). Robin tells Luffy, with finality, “No, it’s over. I won’t be seeing you again,” (p. 11) as he screams “Don’t go, Robin!!! Our conversation isn’t over!!!” Zoro yells “Luffy!! Hurry up and… grab Robin!!!” but Lucci intercepts: “Roronoa… taking your eyes off your opponent during a fight? You must be pretty confident,” and drives a Finger Pistol into Luffy (“you don’t need a bullet… to puncture the human body”, pp. 12–13). With a final blow — “Go, Nico Robin” — Lucci knocks Luffy out cold; the crew screams “ROBIIIN!!!” / “He’s really got Luffy locked down!!” as Robin walks away and the building groans (“BWOOOOOO…”) (pp. 14–16). CP9 lay out who they are: “We are far beyond ordinary humans!!… We honed our skills to serve the government… those of us in CP9 have been in training for as long as we can remember… we gained six superhuman fighting skills through that training… the World Government’s most elite fighting force… and you, a mere band of pirates” (pp. 17–18); “the full extent of our powers is classified” (p. 18). As the ignition device nears detonation and Kalifa urges “We have to hurry,” Lucci stops — “Why don’t I show you something interesting as this draws to an end? A chance like this may not come again.” — and his silhouette darkens, his eyes light, and his body begins to crack and swell (“KRIK… KRIK”, “WAAAAUGH!!! RMRMRM…”), the first hint that Lucci is mid-transformation into something inhuman, as the chapter ends and the volume’s SBS Question Corner opens (pp. 19–20).

New reveals

• Tempest Kick (“Rankyaku”) is NAMED on-page for the first time. Lucci’s slashing kick severs the mansion wall: “With a swift enough kick, it’s possible to create a devastating ‘scythe wind.’ That is the Tempest Kick.” (pp. 7–8). The same air-blade was shown unnamed Ch. 345 (a kick slicing a wall); this is the on-page name debut. [[World-Building/Six Powers (Rokushiki)]]
• Moonwalk (“Geppo”) debuts. Lucci kicks off “cushions of air to stay afloat” and appears to fly: “The strength in our legs is such that we can push off cushions of air to stay afloat… He’s flying!!” (p. 7). First appearance and name. [[World-Building/Six Powers (Rokushiki)]]
• Paper Art (“Kami-e”) is shown for the first time. Lucci goes limp and dodges Paulie’s blows by “fluttering around like paper” — “Paper Art… harmless though they are, I’m not going to sit back and take your beatings. He’s fluttering around like paper!!” (pp. 5–7). VIZ renders the technique “Paper Art.” [[World-Building/Six Powers (Rokushiki)]]
• Lucci knocks Luffy out cold in a single exchange. After the Finger Pistol (“Go, Nico Robin.”, pp. 14–15), Luffy is shown face-down and unconscious — “He’s really got Luffy locked down!!” (p. 15). The chapter is a demonstration that CP9 vastly outclass the Straw Hats as they currently stand. [[Characters/Rob Lucci]]
• Robin’s defection is reaffirmed as final and voluntary in tone. “No, it’s over. I won’t be seeing you again.” (p. 11); “Goodbye.” (p. 4). She stands silent with CP9 throughout the fight and leaves with them. (Inference: consistent with the coercion seeded Ch. 343–0347; on-page she still presents it as her own choice, and the crew still refuses to believe it.) [[Characters/Nico Robin]]
• CP9 self-defined as the World Government’s most elite, lifelong-trained fighting force. “We are far beyond ordinary humans!!… those of us in CP9 have been in training for as long as we can remember… the World Government’s most elite fighting force…” and “the full extent of our powers is classified” (pp. 17–18). [[Crews/CP9]]
• Kaku is a serious combatant, not a disguise. He trades sword-blows with Zoro (“KLANG KLANG”) and insists his earlier shipwright assessment “was given in all seriousness” (pp. 9–10) — establishing he genuinely fights with blades. [[Characters/Kaku]]
• FINAL-PAGE: Lucci begins to transform. “Why don’t I show you something interesting as this draws to an end? A chance like this may not come again.” — then his body cracks and swells, eyes glowing in shadow (“KRIK… WAAAAUGH!!! RMRMRM…”, pp. 19–20). First on-page hint Lucci is a Devil Fruit user, mid-transformation. The fruit is not named on-page here. [[Characters/Rob Lucci]]

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• [[Characters/Luffy]] — charges CP9 to save Robin; Gum-Gum attacks negated; Finger-Pistoled and knocked unconscious (pp. 2–16).
• [[Characters/Nico Robin]] — cold farewell (“Goodbye”; “No, it’s over. I won’t be seeing you again”); leaves with CP9 (pp. 3–4, 11, 16).
• [[Characters/Rob Lucci]] — demonstrates Iron Body, Paper Art, Tempest Kick, Moonwalk, Shave, Finger Pistol; knocks Luffy out; begins transforming on the final page (pp. 4–20).
• [[Characters/Kaku]] — sword-duels Zoro; insists his shipwright assessment was sincere (pp. 8–10).
• [[Characters/Kalifa]] — counts down the ignition device, says she’ll leave first, urges Lucci to hurry (pp. 3, 19).
• [[Characters/Blueno]], [[Characters/Zoro]], [[Characters/Nami]], [[Characters/Sanji]], [[Characters/Tony Tony Chopper|Chopper]] — present; Zoro engages Kaku and shouts for Luffy to grab Robin (pp. 2–18).
• [[Characters/Paulie]], [[Characters/Iceberg]] — among the bloodied captives on the mansion floor (pp. 2, 5).
• [[Crews/CP9]], [[Crews/Straw Hat Pirates]], [[Crews/Galley-La Company]], [[World-Building/Six Powers (Rokushiki)]], [[Locations/Water Seven]].
• [[Characters/Gedatsu]] — cover story only (see Notable panels).

Notable panels

• Page 1 (cover): Cover-story serial — “GEDATSU’S UNEXPECTED LIFE ON THE BLUE SEA, FINAL VOLUME: ‘Drop by Accidental Baths on Hot Springs Island.’” A hot-springs town titled “UKKARI” (湯 yu = hot water on the sign); Gedatsu (left) holds a staff by a steaming bath; his Skypiea retainers (right) panic. Closes the Gedatsu cover serial. [[Characters/Gedatsu]]
• Pages 5–7: Lucci’s Paper Art — body flutters limp “like paper” to dodge Paulie (“he’s fluttering around like paper!!”).
• Pages 7–8: Tempest Kick named — kick severs the mansion wall (“Did they just cut the wall with that kick?!”).
• Page 7: Moonwalk — Lucci flies on cushions of air (“He’s flying!!”).
• Page 11: Robin’s flat-eyed close-up — “No, it’s over. I won’t be seeing you again.”
• Pages 13–15: Finger Pistol into Luffy (“you don’t need a bullet… to puncture the human body”); “Go, Nico Robin” — Luffy knocked out.
• Pages 19–20: Lucci’s transformation begins — darkening silhouette, glowing eyes, cracking/swelling body (“KRIK…”, “WAAAAUGH!!! RMRMRM…”) — cliffhanger.
• Page 20: SBS Question Corner opens (Chopper’s grip “Persuasion by force”; whether Oda designs anime/movie Devil Fruit abilities; Usopp’s-vs-Kaku’s-nose length gag — “Usopp’s is longer!”).

Open questions raised

• What is Lucci transforming into? (The Devil Fruit is not named on-page — the cliffhanger withholds it.) → [[Characters/Rob Lucci]]
• Can the Straw Hats stop CP9 from leaving with Robin before the mansion burns? (Luffy is unconscious; the ignition device is about to detonate.)
• What exactly is Robin’s withheld “wish/goal” that makes her accept this? (Still undisclosed; carried from 0347.) → [[Characters/Nico Robin]]