Chapters · Water Seven › Water Seven

Chapter 370: You're Not Alone

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

Summary

Aboard the Sea Train racing to Enies Lobby, a masked stranger has slipped into Robin’s car and introduces himself as the Sniper King (Usopp’s hidden persona), declaring “I’ve come to save you!!” He reports that Sanji and Franky are tearing up the train from inside, and that Luffy and the others are pursuing on a second Sea Train along the same track, then offers Robin “octoshoes” to escape out the window. Robin refuses everything: she insists she’ll never return to the Straw Hats, that she has no desire to be saved, and that the crew simply doesn’t understand — when CP9’s escort hears the noise, the Sniper King ducks out before he can be caught. The chapter then cuts to the two fights chewing through the cars: in Car Four, Sanji versus Wanze of CP7, who encases himself in a giant ramen-noodle “Ramen Kung Fu” suit and tries to bury Sanji in pasta — Sanji refuses to cut a kitchen’s “ingredients” with a knife at first, then relents (“a first-class cook uses a kitchen knife”) and shreds the noodle suit into 1.4-millimeter pasta. On the roof of Car Three, Franky fights Nero, the newest CP9 member, who deploys Rokushiki: Shave, Tempest Kick, and Moon Walk (Geppo). Franky’s unusual cyborg body shrugs off the Tempest Kick and counters with Strong Hammer, Fresh Fire, and a moon-walk of his own into the sea, baffling Nero. As the smoke clears, narration announces the Puffing Tom will reach Enies Lobby — “the entryway to the Government” — in 20 minutes.

New reveals

• The Sniper King (VIZ name for Sogeking) — Usopp’s masked sniper persona — appears on-page for the first time, having stowed away on the Sea Train to rescue Robin (pp. 2–6).
• Robin explicitly refuses rescue: “I’ll never return to the Straw Hats!!!” (p. 4), “I don’t have the slightest desire to be saved. Quit being so inconsiderate!!!!” (p. 5), and “You’re the ones who don’t understand!!!” (p. 5).
• The Sniper King reports the rescue logistics: Sanji and Franky are aboard tearing up this train, and Luffy and the others are on a second Sea Train on the same track behind them (pp. 2–3).
• Wanze (CP7) fights on-page for the first time, in Car Four vs Sanji, using “Ramen Kung Fu” — a body-encasing suit woven from his own noodles (pp. 7–15).
• Nero, the newest CP9 member, fights Franky on the roof of Car Three and uses Rokushiki techniques — Shave, Tempest Kick (now named on-page), and Moon Walk / Geppo (named on-page) (pp. 16–19).
• Franky’s cyborg body lets a Tempest Kick pass through harmlessly, prompting Nero’s “What ARE you?!” (p. 19) — a new on-page tell about how unusual Franky’s modified body is.
• The Sea Train will arrive at Enies Lobby, “the entryway to the Government,” in 20 minutes (pp. 19–20).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

Usopp (as the Sniper King, first on-page; pp. 2–6) · Nico Robin (pp. 2–6) · Sanji (Car Four; pp. 7–15) · Franky (Car Three roof; pp. 16–19) · Wanze (CP7; first on-page; pp. 7–15) · Nero (newest CP9; first on-page; pp. 16–19) · CP9 (escort detail; the unidentified agent questioning Robin, pp. 6) · Straw Hat Pirates (referenced) · Iceberg (mentioned — “that Iceberg guy from Shipbuilders’ Island cleared everything up,” p. 4) · Luffy (mentioned — on the second Sea Train, pp. 2–3) · Sea Train (the Puffing Tom) · Enies Lobby (named — “the entryway to the Government,” pp. 19–20) · Six Powers (Rokushiki) (Shave, Tempest Kick, Moon Walk) · Aqua Laguna (the chase is downstream of the flood)

Cover story (Vol. 9 of “Ms. Golden Week’s Big Plan, A Baroque Reunion”): “THE NAVY WAS ON VACATION ISLAND” — Miss Goldenweek (center, with suitcase) and Mr. 5 (spiky hair, “5” marking) with a flower-dressed woman read as Miss Valentine on a marine-occupied vacation island (p. 1). (Third-figure ID conservative; the central child and Mr. 5 are clear.)

Notable panels

• p. 1 — Title page + Baroque Works cover serial (Vol. 9): Miss Goldenweek with a suitcase, Mr. 5 and a marine-uniformed crowd, “THE NAVY WAS ON VACATION ISLAND.”
• p. 2 — The Sea Train barrels through the storm-sea (WOOOOO); the Sniper King introduces himself to Robin: “I am the King of Sniping!! The Sniper King!! …I’ve come to save you!”
• p. 4 — Robin’s full-face refusal: “I’ll never return to the Straw Hats!!!”
• p. 6 — A CP9 agent senses something off (“This looks suspicious!”); the Sniper King escapes the car.
• p. 7 — “Car Four: Sanji vs. Wanze” — Wanze’s “Ramen Kung Fu,” the noodle-suit fighting style debuts.
• p. 13 — Sanji’s “1.4 millimeter pasta is served” — slices Wanze’s noodle armor.
• p. 15 — Sanji’s thesis on cooks and knives (“the techniques a first-class cook uses to handle a kitchen knife!!!”); panel cut to “On the roof of Car Three: Franky vs. Nero.”
• p. 17 — “Tempest Kick!!!” — Nero’s Rankyaku named on-page (previously shown unnamed @0345).
• p. 18 — “Moon Walk!!!” — Nero’s Geppo named on-page for the first time; Franky answers with “Moon Walk!!!” of his own off the train.
• p. 19 — Nero: “What ARE you?!” — Franky’s unusual body no-sells the Tempest Kick.
• pp. 19–20 — “This Puffing Tom will arrive at Enies Lobby, the ‘entryway to the Government’… in 20 minutes.”
• p. 20 — SBS / Question Corner page: Oda explains Puffing Tom (after real “Puffing Billy”) and Rocketman (after “Rocket”), and that “Thomas” designed the world’s first steam engine.

Open questions raised

• Will the Sniper King’s identity (Usopp) stay concealed from the crew, and what does it mean that Usopp returns to act for the crew after quitting?
• Can the rescue party clear every remaining car before the 20-minute clock runs out and the train reaches Enies Lobby?
• What exactly is “unusual” about Franky’s body that lets a Tempest Kick pass through harmlessly?