Chapters · Dressrosa › Punk Hazard

Chapter 678: Lobby of Laboratory Building A

Arc: Punk Hazard · Saga: Dressrosa · Released:

Summary

Trapped in the lobby of Laboratory Building A as the lethal “Land of the Dead” gas presses against a freshly-sealed breach, the Straw Hats, Brownbeard, Law, and Smoker’s G-5 take stock: one step outside now means instant death. Law reverses his Ope-Ope swap and returns the four scrambled Straw Hats to their own bodies — to Sanji’s despair at losing Nami’s body, Nami’s embarrassment at her changed clothes, and the discovery that Sanji’s own body was beaten bloody while Nami’s mind piloted it against Caesar. Law then maps the only way out: a sea-gate marked “Structure R-66” reachable without touching the poison air, with maybe two hours before something “with unpredictable results” happens and no guarantee of survival. The group splits — escort the captive children to R-66, steal the tanker in port and blow the lab, and let Luffy go for Caesar, whose gas once suffocated and beat him by pulling the oxygen from his body. Smoker peels off alone to confront Vergo, handing G-5 and the children to Tashigi, who fears Vergo is too strong for him. As the panicked marines open fire on Luffy, he spins through them with a new move — “Gum-Gum UFO” — and the crew charges onward to storm Caesar’s lab.

New reveals

• Body-swap reversed. Law undoes the Ope-Ope no Mi personality/body swap, restoring Nami, Sanji, Franky, and Chopper to their own bodies; Sanji mourns “the dream is dead” at losing Nami’s body, and his own body is found badly injured because Nami’s mind was in it when Caesar attacked (pp. 9–10).
• Escape route named — “Structure R-66.” A giant gate inside the lab leads “straight to sea without coming in contact with the outside air”; the group has “two hours at best,” Law plans “something with unpredictable results,” and warns “I can’t guarantee your survival” (pp. 11, 13).
• Land of the Dead is instantly lethal outdoors. “One step outside means instant death”; the gas nearly flooded the lobby through a blown breach before it was sealed (pp. 6–7).
• Caesar’s oxygen-suction tell. Caesar “can suck all the oxygen out of the air” and used it to suffocate and defeat Luffy once already (p. 15).
• Smoker targets Vergo. Smoker breaks off alone to confront Vergo and “not stand by and let him make a mockery of the Navy,” leaving Tashigi in command of G-5 and the children’s evacuation (p. 14).
• Plan of attack set. Escort the children to R-66, steal the port tanker and blow the lab (Franky), save Momonosuke (Kin’emon), and Luffy goes for Caesar (pp. 12–13).
• New technique — “Gum-Gum UFO.” Luffy clears the firing G-5 line with a spinning top-like attack (pp. 16–17).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Characters (shown): Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Sanji, Brook, Franky, Trafalgar Law, Smoker, Tashigi, Brownbeard, Kin’emon
• Characters (named, not shown): Momonosuke (Kin’emon’s son, p. 13), Vergo (Smoker’s target, p. 14), Caesar Clown (Luffy’s target, pp. 12, 15)
• Crews / groups: Straw Hat Pirates, Heart Pirates, Marines (Smoker’s G-5), Brownbeard’s centaur group
• Fruits / powers: Ope Ope no Mi (Law reverses the body swap), Gomu Gomu no Mi (“Gum-Gum UFO”), Gasu Gasu no Mi (Caesar’s oxygen-suction / Land of the Dead)
• Locations: Punk Hazard (Laboratory Building A lobby; the “Structure R-66” sea-gate; the port tanker)
• Cover story: Caribou’s New World Kee Hee Hee, Vol. 4 — “Escorted by Jimbei” (Caribou adrift in a boat, Jinbei accompanying), header illustration on p. 1.

Notable panels

• p. 1 — Title page + cover-story header: Caribou adrift in a boat escorted by Jinbei (“Escorted by Jimbei”).
• pp. 2–6 — The Land of the Dead gas presses the building; a blown breach is sealed at the last second; outside, the gas is shown instantly killing (“one step outside means instant death”).
• p. 7 — Zoro deadpans “Good” (with a nod) when told he nearly killed everyone sealing the breach; “this crew’s even crazier than I heard.”
• pp. 9–10 — Law reverses the body swap; Sanji wails “the dream is dead,” Nami panics about her clothes, Sanji finds his own body beaten.
• p. 11 — Law maps the “Structure R-66” sea-gate escape; “two hours at best,” “I can’t guarantee your survival.”
• p. 12 — Luffy points: “I’m coming for you, CAESAR!!!”; Smoker orders G-5 to find the children and head for R-66.
• p. 14 — Smoker breaks off to confront Vergo; Tashigi takes command and fears for him.
• p. 15 — Caesar’s oxygen-suction recap; Zoro’s New-World discipline doctrine (“Do the job right!!!”).
• pp. 16–17 — Luffy clears the firing marines with “Gum-Gum UFO” and the crew charges onward.
• p. 18 — Volume back-matter “Coming Next Volume” promo (map of Caesar’s lab complex + a teaser panel); not chapter-678 narrative. (Pages 19–24 are VIZ house ads + the reading-direction page.)

Open questions raised

• What is the “unpredictable result” Law intends, and what happens to the lab inside two hours?
• Will Smoker survive a one-on-one against Vergo, and what is Vergo’s true allegiance?
• Where in the lab is Momonosuke, and can the children be evacuated through R-66 before the gas reaches them?
• How will Luffy beat a gas-Logia who can pull the oxygen out of his body?