Chapter 796: Soldier's Conviction

Arc: Dressrosa · Saga: Dressrosa · Released: 2015-07-21

Summary

Three days after the fight’s conclusion, Dressrosa rebuilds. On the southern shore, Sengoku, Tsuru, and Admiral Fujitora prepare to ship the captured “Heavenly Demon” Doflamingo away; the blind, gambling Fujitora keeps deferring the decision to arrest the still-recovering Luffy to a daily roll of the dice. In the palace, Rebecca — now in a dress — overhears noblewomen repeat the official story that her father was a noble prince from a far-off land who died at war; Kyros, listening, reveals to Luffy’s group that he started that rumor himself, spreading it before the truth (that he, a low-born ex-criminal gladiator, is her father) could be revealed, and that he sent Rebecca a letter rather than reunite with her — his “soldier’s conviction” to protect her future even at the cost of her love. Mansherry, the Tontatta princess, openly heals the wounded with her Heal-Heal Fruit, now using “donors” to amplify her power; among the healed is Bellamy. When Fujitora’s dice finally come up against them, the Marines storm the palace to round up all pirates and criminals — but the colosseum gladiators and Tontatta have already staged ships at the ports and sent the Thousand Sunny ahead, helping Team Luffy break for the Eastern Port. As the crew flees, Luffy peels off to “run an errand,” while Fujitora resolves to give the pirates “a full-blown test” to see if their luck has truly run dry.

New reveals

• Kyros authored the cover story. The tale that Rebecca’s father was a noble prince from a “land of beautiful lakes” who died in a far-off war was a rumor Kyros deliberately spread — to keep the Riku line “purely noble” and shield Rebecca from his criminal record and low birth (pp. 8–13).
• Kyros sent Rebecca a letter detailing the truth of his life, choosing distance over reunion; King Riku understood and agreed with his decision (pp. 12–13).
• King Riku Doldo III will return to the throne by the end of the day after ten years; the country roars his name. The throne will “eventually” pass to Rebecca (pp. 6–7).
• Mansherry’s “donor” mechanic: she can draw blood from willing “donors” to enhance her Chiyu Chiyu no Mi healing, letting her treat far more of the gravely wounded (pp. 10–11).
• Fujitora gambles on the arrest: for three straight days he has rolled dice each morning — “anything other than a one” means rounding up Luffy and Law; the roll finally goes against them and he orders all naval forces to seize the criminals harbored in the palace, taking “full responsibility” without authority to invade (pp. 4, 15).
• SBS (p. 20): the “SOL” on Kyros’s one-legged-soldier hat is short for “Soldier”; Corazon’s Calm-Calm Fruit (Nagi Nagi no Mi) is named for the adjective describing windless seas and quiet waves; Oda teases that “the final Warlord shall be revealed in this very book” (a forward Volume-79 tease, identity withheld here).

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Characters: Luffy, Trafalgar Law, Nico Robin, Zoro, Bartolomeo, Leo, Kyros, Rebecca, King Riku, Mansherry, Bellamy, Fujitora, Sengoku, Tsuru, Tank Lepanto (with King Riku) · referenced/mentioned: Scarlett (the elopement rumor — not shown), Doflamingo (the captured “Heavenly Demon” being escorted), Sabo (“sad that Sabo’s gone”), Corazon (SBS)
• Groups & ships: Tontatta, Marines, Donquixote Pirates, Thousand Sunny
• Devil Fruits: Chiyu Chiyu no Mi (Mansherry), Nagi Nagi no Mi (SBS)
• Locations: Dressrosa (southern shore, palace, town center, Kyros’s house, Eastern Port), Corrida Colosseum

Notable panels

• Pages 1–2 — Two-page color spread of the Straw Hats in summer/beach attire amid sea creatures; decorative caption “Summer is Falling…” Seasonal, decorative — no foreshadowing read.
• Page 3 — Sengoku (“the Buddha”), Vice Admiral Tsuru (“Great Advisor”), and Inspector General–turned-Admiral Fujitora at Dressrosa’s southern shore, three days after the battle; Sengoku to escort the captured Doflamingo.
• Page 4 — Fujitora gambles with dice over breakfast, deciding whether to round up Luffy and Law.
• Page 5 — Mansherry introduced as “Lady Mansherry, Princess of the Tontatta,” searching for navy soldiers to heal.
• Pages 6–7 — The crowd chants “King Riku!!!”; King Riku reflects on Scarlet and resolves the throne will eventually pass to Rebecca (beside an aide in harlequin pattern, Tank Lepanto).
• Pages 8–9 — Rebecca in a dress; noblewomen recite the “prince from a far-off land” cover story.
• Pages 10–11 — Mansherry heals the wounded openly; the “donor” mechanic explained at the Navy tent.
• Pages 12–13 — Kyros confesses he started the rumor; Leo and the Straw Hats at Kyros’s house.
• Page 15 — “Lady Luck has spoken” — Fujitora orders all naval forces to seize the palace’s criminals.
• Pages 16–18 — Gladiators and Tontatta cover the escape; Bellamy, healed, chooses to run rather than die.
• Page 19 — Luffy splits off for an “errand”; Fujitora vows a “full-blown test.”
• Page 20 — SBS Question Corner (SOL = Soldier; Nagi Nagi = calm seas; Warlord tease for ch 802).
• Page 21 — Title page of the next chapter (Chapter 797: “Rebecca”) with a fan-request illustration of Smoker — not part of this chapter.

Open questions raised

• What is Luffy’s “errand”? He runs back into Dressrosa instead of fleeing to the Sunny.
• Will Rebecca read Kyros’s letter and learn the truth of her parentage?
• Fujitora invaded the palace “without authority” and took “full responsibility” — what is his true play against the World Government and the Warlord system?
• Who is the “final Warlord” Oda’s SBS teases for later in the volume?