Chapters · Dressrosa › Dressrosa

Chapter 729: Warlord Doflamingo vs. Warlord Law

Arc: Dressrosa · Saga: Dressrosa · Released: —

Summary

On the Iron Bridge near Dressrosa, Law and Doflamingo trade blows — Law’s “Scalpel” and Room cuts against Doflamingo’s strings and “Bullet String” — until Doflamingo, fighting and giving orders at once, lays out that he has already seen through Law’s gambit: Law is merely a decoy drawing him away while the Straw Hats wreck the hidden SMILE factory; the appearance of “Black-Leg” Sanji tipped him off. He notes Violet has betrayed him, posts Lao G’s group at the factory entrance, and presses Law on why he places such absolute trust in Straw Hat. A bloodied Law throws back the line “The ‘D.’ will always cause another storm!!!” Elsewhere, Dellinger menaces Bellamy — who has been told to kill Luffy to earn officer rank, only for Dellinger to reveal he is to finish Bellamy off afterward. Outside the Corrida Colosseum, Zoro and Kin’emon rejoin Luffy as Marines (under Vice Admiral Bastille) recognize “Lucy” and the Pirate Hunter but hold off arresting them. A Den Den Mushi status report links the whole crew: Chopper on the Sunny, Usopp/Robin/Franky embedded with the Riku Royal Army of Tontatta “little guys,” Sanji and Nami in town. The toy soldier — captain of that army and bound to Rebecca — vows to overthrow Doflamingo today, clashing with Luffy/Traffy’s plan to leave Doflamingo intact and “use” him. At the coast, Admiral Fujitora (Issho) senses the brewing battle. Doflamingo overtakes Law at the colosseum and guns him down with Bullet String in front of Luffy and the crowd; Law, riddled, cries out “Cora…!!” as Luffy screams “Traffy!!”

New reveals

• Doflamingo has reverse-engineered Law’s plan: Law’s confrontation is a distraction/decoy to pull Doflamingo away while the Straw Hats destroy the SMILE factory — he grew suspicious when “Black-Leg” (Sanji) appeared on his side of the country (p. 6–7).
• Violet has betrayed Doflamingo (p. 6).
• Doflamingo posts Lao G’s group at the SMILE Factory entrance (p. 6).
• Bellamy was ordered to kill Luffy to become a Family officer; Dellinger reveals Doflamingo expects him to fail and has sent Dellinger to kill Bellamy afterward (p. 2).
• The toy soldier is the captain of the anti-Doflamingo Riku Royal Army — an army of Tontatta “little guys” — and intends to bring Doflamingo down today (p. 10–13).
• Luffy articulates Traffy’s plan: bust the factory, leave Doflamingo intact so they can use him (against Kaido) (p. 12).
• Admiral Fujitora (Issho) is at the coast of Dressrosa and senses the huge battle starting in town (p. 14).
• Doflamingo catches Law at the colosseum and guns him down; Law cries “Cora…!!” (p. 15–17).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

Doflamingo · Trafalgar Law · Luffy · Zoro · Kin’emon · Bellamy · Dellinger · Lao G (referenced) · Violet (referenced) · the toy soldier · Rebecca (referenced) · Usopp · Nico Robin · Franky · Sanji · Nami · Tony Tony Chopper · Fujitora (Issho) · Bastille (first appearance) · Chin Jao (referenced — fell in Block C) · Dressrosa · Corrida Colosseum · Iron Bridge (first appearance) · SMILE Factory · the Riku Royal Army · Tontatta dwarves · Donquixote Pirates · Marines · Kaido (mentioned)

Notable panels

• Page 1 — Title page. Cover story “Caribou’s New World Kee Hee Hee, Vol. 44: ‘Live long, old hag!! Gaburu the revolutionary leaves to start another legend’” — villagers wave off a departing ship (B/W cover-story page, not a color spread).
• Page 3 — Caption “IRON BRIDGE, NEAR DRESSROSA”; Law and Doflamingo’s clash erupts (“Scalpel!!”).
• Page 7 — Bloodied Law: “The ‘D.’ will always cause another storm!!!”
• Page 12 — The toy soldier: “There’s a deep, deep darkness beneath this fun little country!!!”
• Page 15 — Doflamingo descends on the colosseum (“DOFLAMINGO!!!” / “TRAFFY!!”); crowd IDs “Vice Admiral Bastille.”
• Pages 16–17 — Doflamingo guns Law down (“BLAM!! BLAM!!”); Law’s “Cora…!!”; Luffy: “TRAFFYYY!!!”
• Page 18 — SBS Question Corner (Vol. 66): tally of what Zolo and Sanji call each other.

Open questions raised

• Who or what is “Cora,” the name Law cries as he is shot?
• What is the “deep, deep darkness” beneath Dressrosa the toy soldier alludes to?
• Will the toy soldier’s army wreck Law/Luffy’s plan to keep Doflamingo alive?
• Has Law survived being gunned down — and how does this change the alliance’s gambit?