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Chapter 780: The Heart Curse

Arc: Dressrosa · Saga: Dressrosa · Released: 2015-01-19

Summary

A flashback (“the palace, several minutes ago”) shows Doflamingo and Trebol standing over a downed, bleeding Law. Doflamingo recounts Law’s whole life — born in “the hell of the White Town,” a future of darkness over his head, his thirteen years lived “on sheer hatred… and the promise of revenge” since meeting Corazon — and, with Law moments from death, offers a deal: use the Op-Op Fruit’s ultimate power, the Immortality Operation, on Doflamingo before he dies, and “I will grant… whatever you desire” (p.2–5). Law feigns agreement (“All right… I’m in”), then snaps it back: he tells Doflamingo to bring Cora back to life right now, that he can’t stop the Straw Hats and can’t get Caesar back, and fires on him (p.5). Doflamingo dodges and presses the real question — why Law wears the Corazon heart on his back, why he named his crew the Heart Pirates, why he won’t sit on the “heart throne”: “so why do you wear the heart, Law?!” Law answers only “Law… Corazon!!!”, and Doflamingo declares, “Your curse… ends here!!!” (p.6–7). Back in the present at the Former Royal Plateau, the Birdcage is shrinking; King Riku and his soldiers descend into town to limit casualties, and Violet notes the “worst of the family” are down to just two while the resistance has lost much of its strength (p.8–9). Luffy arrives to face Doflamingo — who asks if Bellamy is “finally free now that I’ve released him,” drawing Luffy’s “you knew he wouldn’t run!!” — and the fight opens: Doflamingo’s Spider-Web vs Luffy’s Gear 2 Gum-Gum Hawk Gatling, answered by Doflamingo’s Break-White (p.10–13). Luffy then finds Law’s blood-soaked body rolled to him; Doflamingo insists “he’s dead!! Traffy!!”, and Luffy refuses to believe it (p.14). As the citizens realize the wall of strings is genuinely shrinking, Doflamingo and Trebol corner Luffy together — “now you’ve got to fight the two of us” — and Luffy resolves to “wrap up this little game” (p.15).

New reveals

• The Immortality Operation, invoked in the present: Doflamingo directly offers the dying Law a deal — perform the Op-Op Fruit’s ultimate operation (eternal life at the surgeon’s own cost) on Doflamingo, in exchange for “whatever you desire” (p.4–5). The first time the lifelong-fixation operation is bargained for in the present timeline rather than the flashback.
• Law’s refusal-by-reversal: Law pretends to accept, then demands the one impossible price — Cora (Corazon) brought back to life — and declares Doflamingo cannot stop the Straw Hats or reclaim Caesar (p.5).
• The “heart” interrogation: Doflamingo fixates on Law wearing the Corazon symbol, naming the Heart Pirates, and refusing the throne — “so why do you wear the heart, Law?!” — framing Law’s loyalty to Corazon as the “curse” of the title (p.6–7).
• Birdcage shrinking shown on-page: the cage is now visibly contracting (“…actually shrinking?! …see it moving, bit by bit”); King Riku orders the descent into town to limit casualties (p.8, 15).
• Doflamingo’s “released” Bellamy: Doflamingo asks if Bellamy is free now that he released him; Luffy retorts that Doflamingo knew Bellamy wouldn’t run (p.10–11).
• New named techniques: Doflamingo’s Spider-Web (string trap, p.11) and Break-White (white-string defensive burst, p.13); Trebol’s Sticky Launcher (p.2).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Characters: Trafalgar Law (gravely wounded; Doflamingo claims him dead), Doflamingo, Trebol, Luffy, Violet, King Riku, Zoro, Kin’emon
• Referenced (not on-page): Corazon (Cora), Bellamy (released by Doflamingo), Caesar Clown
• Groups: Heart Pirates, Donquixote Pirates
• Devil Fruit / lore: Ope Ope no Mi, Immortality Operation, Birdcage
• Cover serial: Jinbei — “The Solitary Journey of Jimbei, First Son of the Sea, Vol. 24: ‘Sank the Ruins Down Next to the Port‘“

Notable panels

• Page 1 — Title page (B&W). Cover serial panel: Jimbei’s “Solitary Journey” Vol. 24, underwater ruins beside a port with cat-fish creatures.
• Page 4–5 — Doflamingo extends his hand to the downed Law, offering the Immortality Operation deal.
• Page 5 — “SNAP!!” Law reverses the deal: “bring Cora back to life, right now!!”
• Page 6–7 — The “Corazon” heart symbol on Law’s back; Doflamingo: “so why do you wear the heart, Law?!”
• Page 8 — The Birdcage looming over the Former Royal Plateau as Riku’s soldiers descend into town.
• Page 12 — Luffy’s Gear 2 “Gum-Gum Hawk Gatling.”
• Page 14 — Luffy cradles Law’s blood-soaked body; Doflamingo: “he’s dead!! Traffy!!”
• Page 16 — SBS Question Corner (Pica’s square-watermelon shoulders; whether Buggy could pass through the Birdcage; a fan asking for Luffy to beat Doflamingo; how to draw Zolo).

Open questions raised

• Is Law actually dead, or is Doflamingo bluffing? (Luffy refuses to believe it.)
• Will the Immortality Operation gun ever fire, now that Doflamingo has openly tried to claim it?
• What happens to Bellamy now that Doflamingo has “released” him and he refused to run?
• How far will the Birdcage shrink before the alliance can fell Doflamingo?