Chapter 1022

Chapter 1022 is titled "The Stars Take the Stage".

Cover Page
Cover Page Request: "A frog is playing hide-and-seek with the Tontattas in a bunch of Hydrangea Flowers" by PN Yofushiyofu.

Short Summary
With only 15 minutes to go until Onigashima reaches the Flower Capital, the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance has managed to defeat the Beasts Pirates' Tobiroppo. On the third floor of the castle, Raizo duels with Fukurokuju, with the latter deriding the former's emotional state and willingness to follow a dead man. Elsewhere on the floor, Killer has destroyed most of Hawkins' straw dolls that transfer damage to another person. However, Hawkins reveals after taking another attack that his current doll is tied to Kid, resulting in Kid being wounded whilst fighting Big Mom. Hawkins takes pleasure in Killer's dilemma and wonders what the latter will ultimately choose to do.

On the Live Floor, King and Queen rampage mercilessly against the defected Beasts Pirates, with Sanji having been overwhelmed and Marco exhausted. Sanji nervously waits for Miyagi's treatment of Zoro to take effect as he resumes attacking Queen, and Perospero attempts to snipe Sanji with a candy arrow, but is attacked by Nekomamushi to avenge Pedro. Some samurai attempt to take Zoro to safety, but are confronted by King; however, Marco is able to hold off King long enough for the treatment to take effect. Sanji and a now-healthy Zoro then unleash powerful simultaneous strikes against Queen and King, and the two of them state that they will catch a glimpse of Luffy as the Pirate King once this battle is won.

Long Summary
The narration reveals that while the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance started with 5,400 people against the Beasts Pirates' 30,000, the gap in power levels has dropped significantly for the Beasts Pirates thanks to Tama's kibi dango strategy and the samurai's perseverance, and now, all members of the Tobiroppo are defeated. Also, there are only fifteen minutes until Onigashima reaches the Flower Capital, though Luffy has fully recovered from eating all that food.

On the third floor, Raizo asks Fukurokuju how he could serve someone like Kurozumi Orochi, and Fukurokuju responds saying that the Oniwabanshu exists to serve whoever Wano's shogun is. He also retorts that Raizo is simply fighting for a "ghost" as he slaps him with his long earlobes. Fukurokuju then tells Raizo that he is too emotional to ever be considered a true shinobi regardless of how skilled he is. Raizo, however, retorts that those emotions are what make him and his comrades the Nine Red Scabbards. Raizo tells Fukurokuju that on that day twenty years ago, they laughed, cried, and died with Oden, thereby making him and the rest of the Scabbards ghosts trying to carry out the wish of their lord. He also says that they are carrying out this wish of their own free will even if it means they must perish, but they will succeed in making Momonosuke the shogun and ending Kaido and Orochi's cruel reign.

Also on the third floor, Killer asks Basil Hawkins how many stand-ins he has left, to which Hawkins replies that he is running out, and then laughs while saying he is starting to get nervous. Killer then stabs Hawkins but Hawkins redirects the injury to another doll, saying cryptically that Killer should consider whose life he is taking. As it turns out, the doll that Hawkins transferred the attack to was linked to Kid, who gets confused by the sudden stab wound that appeared on his body. Hawkins sadistically says to Killer that it would have been interesting to see him kill his own captain without even realizing it, but he changed his mind to seeing him struggle to fight back with the knowledge that they only way he can defeat him involves hurting Kid too.

On the Live Floor, Queen and King are attacking all the turncoat members of the Beasts Pirates as Sanji has been downed by the two, something even he admits is a tough battle. On top of that, Marco has also reached his limit, and now the two All-Stars are looking for Zoro. Sanji finds Chopper with Zoro and tells him to flee with him if the medicine is not working, but Chopper reveals that Zoro has already been administered it, it is just taking longer due to his condition. Sanji resumes fighting Queen as King orders Zoro found and stopped from recovering. Off in the distance, Charlotte Perospero is trying to shoot Sanji, blaming him for forcing him to team up with the Beasts Pirates by not marrying Pudding. Just as he is about to shoot him, he gets attacked by Nekomamushi (after Shishilian confirms Perospero's identity to him), who knocks him outside so he can avenge Pedro's death.

Zoro is eventually found by the remaining loyal members of the Beasts Pirates and the samurai try their best to keep him safe, but they get stopped by King, who conjures some fire in his hand. Just as he tries to punch Zoro, his attack is blocked by Marco using his Fujiazami. Marco then says to King that he has heard rumors about a race of people who lived on the Red Line and could control fire, indicating that King was one of them. Queen meets up with King and the both of them try to attack him, but Marco does nothing to stop them. He says that from this point on, the stars will be taking the stage. Just as he says that, Zoro, who has recovered strikes King with Santoryu: Rengoku Oni Giri while Sanji strikes Queen with Diable: Mouton Shot.

Both Zoro and Sanji then say that when they conquer this battle it will give them a glimpse of Luffy as the Pirate King.

Chapter Notes

 * Black Maria, Who's-Who, and Sasaki are knocked out.
 * There are fifteen minutes left until Onigashima reaches the Flower Capital.
 * Raizo's fight with Fukurokuju is shown.
 * Fukurokuju can use his earlobes to fight.
 * Killer's fight with Hawkins is shown.
 * Hawkins' men, and a couple of straw dolls are on the ground.
 * Killer stabs Hawkins, causing him to lose another life, which Hawkins reveals to be Kid's.
 * During Kid and Law's fight against Big Mom, a massive wound appears on Kid.
 * The battle at the Live Stage continues.
 * Marco had reached his limit and is too exhausted to continue, which allowed King to join Queen on the Live Stage where they had overpowered Sanji.
 * They are targeting the Gifters that were tamed by Tama.
 * After Sanji recovers and resumes his fight with Queen, Perospero prepares to shoot a candy arrow at Sanji.
 * Nekomamushi strikes Perospero, sending him flying, and chases after him.
 * King prepares to strike Zoro, but is stopped by Marco.
 * According to Marco, the race that King is part of were fire-igniting people who lived at the top of the Red Line long ago.
 * Zoro is healed and he and Sanji attack King and Queen respectively.