Chapter 1009

Chapter 1009 is titled "Naraku".

Cover Page
Color Spread Request: "The Straw Hat Pirates put hats on Jizo statues with Tama and Komachiyo on a rainy day." PN Honey Nameko

A poor yet kind person (Tama) putting Kasa hats on Jizo statues may be a reference to the Japanese folktale, "Kasa Jizō".

Short Summary
The Nine Red Scabbards run into Orochi and Fukurokuju, and Orochi attempts to take on the injured samurai himself in his Yamata no Orochi form, but the Scabbards proceed to cut six of his heads off at once. The Scabbards then continue on, with the exception of Raizo, who stays behind to confront Fukurokuju.

On the Skull Dome roof, Kaidou and Big Mom unleash a monstrously powerful combined attack, but Zoro manages to block it long enough to allow the Supernovas to escape. Luffy then attacks Kaidou, but the Emperor overpowers him with his fire breath and kanabo. Meanwhile, Law is able to teleport Zeus into a metal box made by Kid, Zoro uses Foxfire Style to cut Prometheus into small pieces, and Killer assaults Napoleon. Kid then shoots metal spikes at Big Mom, and even though she punches him, he then repels the scrap he attached to her to throw her into the air, allowing Law to hit her with a rock in midair. The rock sends Big Mom flying off of Onigashima, and she falls down toward the ocean without her special homies to help save her.

Long Summary
Within the castle, the Beasts Pirates struggle to put out the fires that Kurozumi Orochi started. Orochi and Fukurokuju, however, end up encountering the Nine Red Scabbards surprisingly. Fukurokuju advises Orochi to stand back and allow himself to deal with the samurai since they are unaware, he has already died once today. Orochi refuses, saying if he goes out now, he would be surrounded, while also saying that Kaidou softened them up so he believes it will be an easy fight for him. He laughs at the retainers and what is left and asks if Kanjuro's true allegiance came as a surprise. He also admits he was surprised to learn that Kyoshiro was actually Denjiro but he says he will overlook this treachery as he transforms. He tells the seven of them that they do not scare him in their wounded state, and he will kill them as payback for haunting him as ghosts for twenty years. In an instant though, the samurai cut off six of his heads, telling him that they do not have time to waste on him and he will be judged in Hell. As everyone continues on, Raizo asks Fukurokuju if he is serious about avenging Orochi and how surprised he is to see him defend a dead fool. Fukurokuju, in turn, mocks Raizo and the others for fighting for Oden before telling Raizo that they were destined to clash before ever choosing sides.

Atop the Skull Dome, Big Mom suggests to Kaidou that they use a combined attack to finish off the five pirates. Kid asks why Law cannot just use his Devil Fruit powers to send one of them away, causing Law to retort that if he could he would have already, but the reason he cannot is because both their Haki are too strong for him to move directly. Kid says that they will just tear them apart as Luffy warns everyone about an incoming attack. Kaidou and Big Mom ready their weapons while insulting each other and unleash a flying attack called Hakai. To their surprise, Zoro does his best to block the attack telling everyone to run. The deflected attack destroys a chunk of the island but all of them survived, which the two Emperors notice.

Law asks Zoro if he is okay, and he says he barely is. Kid tells Zoro that he was not able to buy them much time but also thanks him for blocking the attack. Meanwhile, Luffy attacks Kaidou. When Kaidou dodges the punch, Luffy smiles and asks Kaidou if he is dodging because he knows it can hurt him. Kaidou swings at Luffy with his kanabo, as Luffy uses Haki to protect himself. Kaidou then fires a Bolo Breath at Luffy, who dodges, but Kaidou jumps into the air and attacks Luffy with Kosanze Ragunaraku, slamming Luffy into the ground. Meanwhile, Kid tells Law that he has finished creating a box, which Law promptly uses to entrap Zeus. Zoro and Killer then charge for Big Mom's other homies. Zoro slices Prometheus to pieces with Homura Saki: Rokudo no Tsuji, preventing him from reforming, while Killer knocks Napoleon out of her hand and then chases the sword away. An irritated Big Mom demands the homies return while she gets shot at with Kid's Punk Pistols. Big Mom asks if the five of them seriously thought that removing her homies from her would give them an advantage as she shakes off Kid's attack and punches him into the ground.

Kid, however, attaches some scrap to Big Mom and uses Repel to levitate her into the air while Law uses Takt to launch a boulder at her. She asks what the point is, just as she realizes she has been pushed off of the roof and down toward the sea below. She tries to get Zeus to help but he cannot due to being stuck in the box.

Chapter Notes

 * The Scabbards find Orochi and Fukurokuju.
 * Orochi has learned about Denjiro's deception and defection.
 * Orochi transforms and the Scabbards cut off six of his heads.
 * The Scabbards move forward but Raizo stays behind to face Fukurokuju.
 * Both Kaidou and Big Mom perform a combination attack "Hakai" which injures Zoro.
 * Kaidou can use Busoshoku and Kenbunshoku Haki.
 * The Worst Generation members on the roof manage to separate Big Mom from her special Homies, and throw her off Onigashima.

Trivia

 * The chapter's title, Naraku, is the Japanese name for one of the underworlds of Buddhism, usually referred to in English as "hell" or "purgatory". It's also the name for the area underneath the stage in Kabuki theatre, fitting with Big Mom falling below the "stage" of Onigashima at the end of the chapter.