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Chapter 373: Necessary Evil

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

Summary

Aboard the sea train hurtling toward Enies Lobby through the storm, Sanji finishes off the ramen-style fighter on the roof while Franky crushes a four-legged “centaur” opponent with an “Ultimate Hammer,” wiping out the escort guards in the forward cars. Inside the government car, the unmasked CP9 cell — Rob Lucci, Kalifa, Kaku — sit with the captive Nico Robin. A new four-powers CP9 trainee, Nero, picks a fight with Sanji and Franky; when he loses his nerve, Lucci kills Nero himself with a Shave-dash and a Finger Pistol through the chest, judging him “only superhuman” and “a work in progress” — “CP9 doesn’t need you.” Kalifa logs it for the Director (“We couldn’t use him. The new guy was too weak”). Lucci then delivers the chapter’s title thesis to Sanji: Robin’s very existence has been a crime since she was an innocent eight-year-old with a “demonic power capable of burning the world to ashes” — for the sake of humanity she should die; she should have perished 20 years ago. Sanji rages and attacks (“Cut it out, you jerk!”). Robin herself appears at the door and, when Sanji begs her to come back, coldly tells him he “won’t understand” and that “Nico Robin… is ours,” confirming she stands with CP9. As CP9 prepares to burn evidence and the Sniper King–disguised Usopp surfaces firing a Smoke Star, Franky is ordered to “cut car three loose.”

New reveals

• Nero — a new CP9 member, a “four powers fighter” (he has only mastered four of the Six Powers) — is named (by Sanji, citing the earlier mention by Corgy) and shown on-page (pp. 9–11). Up to now he was “known as a martial arts genius.”
• Lucci executes Nero himself with a Shave-dash and a Finger Pistol through the torso (pp. 10–11). Verdict: “You’re only superhuman… if you have the entire Six Powers repertoire down, boy. Everything about you is a work in progress. CP9 doesn’t need you.” (p. 11)
• CP9’s threshold standard: a member is “too weak” unless they have the entire Six Powers — Nero, with only four, fails it. Kalifa reports to the Director: “We couldn’t use him. The new guy was too weak.” (p. 12)
• Lucci’s “Necessary Evil” thesis (pp. 13–15): Robin’s existence has been “a crime” “for as long as she can remember”; the “only thing she can do for the world is die”; she “should have perished 20 years ago.” This is the World Government’s articulated rationale for the Ohara genocide and Robin’s lifelong pursuit.
• Robin sides with / is held by CP9: she appears, refuses Sanji (“You won’t understand… unless I spell it out for you”), and declares “Nico Robin… is ours” (pp. 17–19).
• Usopp is aboard the Rocketman operating as “Sniper King” (pp. 17–20) — first on-page use of the Sniper King identity in this chase, firing a “Smoke Star” to cover the planned getaway.

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Sanji — fights atop / inside the sea train; defeats the ramen-style foe; attacks Lucci over the Robin monologue.
• Franky — crushes the centaur-type foe (“Ultimate Hammer”); ordered to “cut car three loose.”
• Rob Lucci — kills Nero; delivers the “Necessary Evil” monologue; CP9 cell apex.
• Kalifa — logs Nero’s failure for the Director.
• Kaku — present in the government car with the CP9 cell.
• Nico Robin — captive among CP9; rejects Sanji; “Nico Robin is ours.”
• Usopp — aboard the Rocketman as “Sniper King”; fires Smoke Star.
• Nero — new CP9 four-powers fighter (new character; killed this chapter).
• CP9 · Six Powers (Rokushiki) · Sea Train · Enies Lobby · Water Seven

Notable panels

• Pages 1–2 — Volume frontispiece color/title spread: “ONE PIECE 花道 (Hanamichi)” — the Straw Hats in patterned kimono with paper umbrellas in the rain, a decorative hanamichi (kabuki “flower path” / “flowery passage”) tableau. Symbolic/celebratory rather than plot foreshadowing.
• Page 4 — Sanji on the train roof: “Now that’s a sorry sight. Want some help? …You creep!!” — the ramen-foe knockout beat.
• Pages 6–7 — Franky’s “Ultimate Hammer!!!!” finisher; the centaur foe shattered.
• Pages 10–11 — Lucci appears behind Nero, “Shave!!!” then “THGOOM!!!” Finger Pistol — kills the CP9 trainee. “CP9 doesn’t need you.”
• Pages 13–15 — Lucci’s “Necessary Evil” monologue over Robin’s wanted poster: “the best thing they can do for the world is die,” “her very existence has been a crime.”
• Page 16 — Robin appears in the doorway behind the CP9 agents (“AAAH ROBIN!!!”).
• Pages 17–19 — Robin: “You won’t understand… unless I spell it out for you.” “Nico Robin… is ours!!!”
• Page 20 — Bonus feature, NOT chapter narrative: “The First One Piece Fan Favorite Moves” contest results — 1st Gum-Gum Gatling (Luffy, 3785 votes), 2nd Three Thousand Worlds (Zolo/Zoro, 3625), 3rd Mouton Mallet (Sanji, 1446).

Open questions raised

• What is Robin’s actual reason for surrendering to CP9 — and is “Nico Robin is ours” coercion or capitulation? (Robins Concealed Wish)
• What exactly is the “demonic power capable of burning the world to ashes” the WG fears Robin could “awaken” — poneglyph-reading toward an Ancient Weapon, or something more? (Ancient Weapons, True History Ohara Was Killed For)
• Why is the Director’s report so administrative about Nero’s death — what is CP9’s chain of command above the Water Seven cell?