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Chapter 709: King Punch

Arc: Dressrosa · Saga: Dressrosa · Released: 2013-04-08

Summary

The Block B battle royale of the Corrida Colosseum thins out. The fish-man karate master Hack is downed early (CRUNCH); the long-legged Blue Gilly towers over the field — and then betrays Dagama’s Prodence alliance, cutting down the very fighters he was hired to protect (“I was hired to put down the dogs, you see… You have served us well, faithful dogs”). Moments later Blue Gilly is himself struck from behind and knocked out, and Dagama “the tactician” falls too — the alliance collapses. The crowd’s focus turns to Bellamy, who barely clings on after being hurt by the rookie Bartolomeo’s mysterious power (he was injured the instant he attacked — “just like Hack did”). With the ring thinned, King Elizabello II of Prodence at last unleashes his fabled “King Punch” — a single, hour-charged blow rumored to have once “punched an enemy fortress into rubble.” The punch detonates across the entire arena (PUUUNCH!!! → CRACK / BOOM / CRASH), leveling the ring and convincing the crowd no one could have survived. But one fighter stands: Bartolomeo has shielded the far side of the coliseum with an invisible barrier. He announces he ate the Bari Bari no Mi (Barrier-Barrier Fruit) — “I’m a barrier-man!!” — and crushes the King with Barrier Crush, leaving Elizabello II “down for the count.” Bartolomeo is declared the loathed winner of Block B to a chorus of boos. In the crowd, a competitor mutters he must win the Flame-Flame Fruit “for you-know-who,” and in the seating concourse a hidden faction whispers of destroying “the factory” and overthrowing Doflamingo, offering to reveal “the entire truth about the tragic nation of Dressrosa.”

New reveals

• Bartolomeo wins Block B of the Corrida Colosseum tournament (p. 18) and advances to the finals — to the crowd’s open disgust (“That weirdo guy won!!”).
• Bartolomeo’s Devil Fruit is revealed on-page: the Bari Bari no Mi (Barrier-Barrier Fruit) — “I ate the barrier-barrier fruit… I’m a barrier-man!!!” (p. 16). His barrier is invisible and passive: anyone who strikes it is hurt by their own attack (“Bellamy got hurt when he tried to attack, just like Hack did!!”, p. 8). Techniques named: “Barrier!!” (p. 16) and “Barrier Crush!!!” (p. 17).
• Elizabello II’s King Punch fires (pp. 11–13): a single charged blow that obliterates the ring and would have blasted the opposite stands — except Bartolomeo’s barrier blocked it (pp. 15–16). The hour-charge / once-per-battle superweapon lands and is wasted/neutralized at the decisive moment.
• The “King Punch” legend referenced on-page: a news article claimed he “punched an enemy fortress into rubble” (p. 9).
• Blue Gilly is a turncoat: he was hired to put down the alliance’s fighters and betrays Dagama mid-battle (“I was hired to put down the dogs, you see,” p. 5) — then is himself knocked out from behind (pp. 6–7). Dagama “the tactician” also goes down (p. 7).
• Hack is downed at the chapter’s open (p. 2), and Bellamy barely survives, both hurt by Bartolomeo’s reflexive barrier.
• An unidentified competitor in the crowd states: “I have to win the Flame-Flame fruit for you-know-who!!!” (p. 18) — a hidden patron wants Ace’s reborn fruit.
• A hidden Dressrosa resistance is revealed (p. 19): people in the crowd-seating concourse are independently plotting to destroy “the factory” and overthrow Doflamingo (“Our activity is a crucial piece to overthrowing the country!!”), wanting to save the people forced to work there — and one offers to tell “the entire truth about the tragic nation of Dressrosa.”

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

Bartolomeo · Elizabello II · Dagama · Blue Gilly · Hack · Bellamy · King Riku (named among the fallen, p. 4) · Gatz (colosseum announcer, named “Gyats,” p. 2) · Doflamingo (cursed by name p. 4; the resistance’s target p. 19) · Bari Bari no Mi · Bane Bane no Mi (Bellamy’s, implied) · Mera Mera no Mi (the tournament prize, p. 18) · Barto Club Pirates · Longleg Tribe (Blue Gilly) · Fish-Men (Hack) · Corrida Colosseum · Prodence · Dressrosa

Notable panels

• Page 1 — Cover-serial title page: “Caribou’s New World Keeheehee, Vol. 28 — ‘Just run, Gaburu, you mustn’t fight anymore.’” Caribou stands over a wounded young villager (Gaburu).
• Page 5 — Blue Gilly’s betrayal of the Prodence alliance (SLICE): “I was hired to put down the dogs, you see…”
• Page 12 — Full-page splash: the King Punch (PUUUNCH!!!) — Elizabello II’s fist filling the page. (Mirror-worthy.)
• Pages 13–14 — The punch’s arena-wide destruction (CRACK / BOOM / CRASH) seen from inside and outside the colosseum.
• Page 16 — Bartolomeo crosses his fingers behind the invisible Barrier; reveals the Bari Bari no Mi (“I’m a barrier-man!!!”).
• Page 17 — Barrier Crush fells Elizabello II (“Elizabello II is down for the count!!!”).
• Page 18 — Bartolomeo, arms raised, declared winner amid a sea of boos (“Heh ha ha!! You can all go to hell!!”).

Open questions raised

• Who is the “you-know-who” the crowd-competitor wants Ace’s Flame-Flame Fruit for? (p. 18)
• Who are the hidden parties plotting to destroy “the factory” and overthrow Doflamingo, and what is “the entire truth about the tragic nation of Dressrosa”? (p. 19)
• Will Bartolomeo’s barrier power matter beyond the colosseum?