Chapters · Dressrosa › Dressrosa

Chapter 718: Riku Army at the Flower Field

Arc: Dressrosa · Saga: Dressrosa · Released: 2013-08-05

Summary

The Tontatta dwarves’ “air force” — squadrons of giant trained insects (Yellow Cub beetles, Pink Bee hornets) and the fox-drawn Kon Express “twenty-man buses” — ferries Usopp (hailed as legendary hero “Usoland”) and Nico Robin (“Robiland”) through the underground passage linking Greenbit to Dressrosa, bound for the Tontatta Kingdom beneath a hidden flower field. King Gancho pops out of Robin’s bodice to warn them the war against the Donquixote Family “did not begin a mere decade ago” — it traces back nine centuries. At the Riku Royal Army staging base (the anti-Doflamingo resistance), Zoro (sulking that Luffy never invited him to the colosseum, his “swords itching”) and Franky are mistaken for the dwarves’ legendary heroes, and the scouts report they know where the enemy and Sugar are headed. Off the coast, the Donquixote officer Jora attacks the Thousand Sunny with her Art-Art Fruit, twisting the ship, Nami’s Clima-Tact, Brook’s sword and the crew into grotesque “modern art”; she clarifies that the one who turns people into toys is someone else in the family. On the Den Den Mushi, Law — mid-duel with Doflamingo on Greenbit — abruptly orders Chopper to bring the ship to Greenbit and dumps Caesar on the crew. Doflamingo tells Law the colosseum tournament was bait to trap Luffy, demands Caesar’s heart, and declares the alliance over. In the Corrida Colosseum, Burgess watches “the shrimp” Lucy (Luffy) fight as the crowd roars and a massive blow detonates.

New reveals

• The Tontatta Kingdom lies underground beneath Greenbit; a hidden underground passage runs Greenbit → Dressrosa, surfacing through a staircase concealed under a vast flower field (“Flower Hill”) on Dressrosa (pp. 2, 8). The dwarves run a whimsical “airline” of giant rideable insects and Kon Express foxes (pp. 2–6).
• A nine-century conflict. King Gancho (Chief Tonta) states the war between the Tontattas and the Donquixote Family “traces back nine centuries through our history… did not begin a mere decade ago” (p. 7) — pushing the Donquixote enmity back into the Void Century era.
• Jora’s power = the Art-Art Fruit (Ato Ato no Mi). She is an “art-woman” who turns objects and people into surreal modern art (Nami’s Clima-Tact, Brook’s Soul Solid cane, the Sunny itself, and crewmates), explicitly NOT a toy power — “the one who turns people into toys… is someone else in the Don Quixote family!!” (pp. 13). Sugar is named as the alliance’s target (p. 10).
• The colosseum was bait. Doflamingo tells Law that Straw Hat “has already fallen for the bait I set”; the Corrida Colosseum tournament (and the Mera Mera no Mi prize) exists to trap Luffy, who “is never coming out of that arena again.” He demands Caesar’s heart and calls the alliance over (pp. 16–17).
• The “fairies” who haunt Dressrosa (and stole Zoro’s Shusui) are confirmed to be the little people of the Tontatta Kingdom — the dwarves (pp. 8–9).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Characters: Usopp (“Usoland”), Nico Robin (“Robiland”), Franky (“Fraland”), Zoro (“Zololand”), Nami, Sanji , Brook (“Bonekichi”), Tony Tony Chopper, Trafalgar Law (“Traffy”), Doflamingo, Caesar Clown (handed off / “his heart”), Luffy (“Lucy”/“Sir Luffy”), Jesus Burgess (“Burgess”), Gancho (Chief Tonta / King), Leo, Bian, Cub, Sugar (named, not shown)
• New character (Donquixote officer): Jora (the “Art-Woman” — name not printed this chapter)
• Locations: Tontatta Kingdom (first shown), Dressrosa (the Flower Field / underground entrance), Greenbit (Law vs Doflamingo; underground passage), Corrida Colosseum, Thousand Sunny
• Groups: Donquixote Family, Straw Hat Pirates, Heart Pirates, the Riku Royal Army (“Anti-Doflamingo Forces”), Tontatta dwarves
• Fruits: Art-Art Fruit (Jora, first named/shown), Mera Mera no Mi (colosseum prize)

Notable panels

• Page 1 — Title page “Chapter 718: RIKU ARMY AT THE FLOWER FIELD.” Cover story: Caribou’s New World Kee Hee Hee, Vol. 35: “A Battleship at the Shore!!” — a Marine battleship beached on a shore.
• Pages 2–6 — The Tontatta “airline”: Yellow Cub (golden rhinoceros beetle) and Pink Bee (peach-colored hornet) insect squadrons, plus the High-Speed Fox “Kon Express” twenty-man buses; squad leaders Bian and Cub, commander Leo.
• Page 7 — King Gancho pops out of Robin’s cleavage and delivers the nine-century reveal (“the seed of this conflict traces back nine centuries”).
• Pages 12–14 — Jora attacks the Thousand Sunny with the Art-Art Fruit, warping the ship and crew into “modern art.”
• Pages 15–17 — Law (dueling Doflamingo on Greenbit, Room-slicing) orders the ship to Greenbit and offloads Caesar; Doflamingo reveals the colosseum bait and demands Caesar’s heart, declaring “your alliance is over.”
• Pages 18–19 — Corrida Colosseum: Burgess spectates (“Who’s the shrimp?!!”); Lucy (Luffy) winds up a “Gum-Gum…” attack and a “Hawk Rifle!!!” blow detonates as the chapter cuts off.
• Page 20 — SBS Question Corner (Vol. 72): Oda confirms Dressrosa is based on Spain, with ancient Greece for the coliseum, and Doflamingo “inspired by real countries.”

Open questions raised

• Why does the Donquixote Family have a 900-year grudge with the Tontatta dwarves? What happened nine centuries ago?
• Who is Sugar, and how does she turn people into toys — and why does no one remember the originals?
• Will the Sunny crew obey Law and sail to Greenbit while carrying Caesar, with Jora aboard?
• Can Law survive a direct duel with Doflamingo now that the alliance is “exposed”?