Punk Hazard Arc

The Punk Hazard arc is the twenty-sixth story arc in the series, and the third in the New World Saga of the One Piece series, continuing on from the Fishman Island arc. Upon finally entering the New World, the Straw Hat Pirates immediately receive a distress call from an island called Punk Hazard, stating that they are being attacked by samurai. Without hesitation, Luffy sets out to the blazing island, with Vice Admiral Smoker and Captain Tashigi hot on his tail.

Entering the New World: A Distress Call to a New Adventure
As the Straw Hats leave from Fishman Island, the crew has some free time. Nami decides to spend hers taking a bath, using a new Shower Tempo as a shower with Chopper (and unknown to her Sanji and Brook) looking on. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew has decided to go fishing. Luffy knocks out one fish but it just attracts a bigger one, and that fish attracts an even bigger fish that is an eel. Zoro kills it but the weight of the fish brings the ship to a stop. To make matters worse, an underwater maelstrom called the White Strom, suddenly appears in front of them. The eel gets sucked into it dragging the Thousand Sunny into it.

After a wild ride, the ship suddenly hits something and the crew sees it is a pod of Island Whales. Luffy mistakes the whale they hit for Laboon. Brook starts crying and calling out to them, though has to be calmed down by Usopp. Nami realizes that even through they got out of the maelstrom, the current caused by the pod is still dangerous to them and they need to raise the sails to ride it. As the crew does so, Brook starts to sing Binks' Sake. This attracts the attention of a whale who gives them a ride. After a bit, the Straw Hat reach the surface. Despite the thunderous seas around them, the crew is excited for the new challenges that awaits them.

In the distance, Luffy sees a volcano erupting on an island and decides to head there even though none of the Log Pose needles are pointing there. Sanji tells Luffy that he managed to cut off some meat, but the fish that they had caught had been burnt to a crisp by the sea of flames. Usopp is concerned about the Sunny, but Franky assures him that the ship will not lose. Suddenly, Luffy hears the Den Den Mushi ringing, but Robin states that there is a 50% chance that the distress signal is merely a Marine trap. Luffy decides to answer anyways, and hears a man calling for help, stating that the crew is being killed by samurai, and that they are on Punk Hazard. However, the man is presumably killed before the conversation can continue. Zoro asks Brook about the samurai, whom Brook states are swordsmen of Wano Country, who have a closed-door policy to outsiders, aren't affiliated with the World Government, and are so strong that even the Marines won't go near them. Luffy decides to go rescue him, and moves to go for the nearest island, the one with the volcano.

Meanwhile, on a G-5 Marine ship, Vice Admiral Smoker is commenting that while there were three islands the Straw Hats could have gone to, but they have somehow gone to Punk Hazard, which was closed off due to an incident four years ago. Back at the Sunny, the crewmembers draw straws to see who will go with Luffy. Zoro, Robin and Usopp get the winning straws. Sanji hands Luffy a deep-sea fish lunchbox, and Nami forms a cloud road over the flames and the adventure party sets out on the Mini Merry II. While the others eat, Usopp is frightened to go to the island, stating that he has the "Can't set foot on new islands" disease.



The four arrive at the shore, pulling Mini Merry 2 onto the beach and find a large metal gate bearing the World Government and Marine logos warning them to stay out. Despite Usopp's fear, the crew enters, finding it blazing-hot with most of the buildings melted. Looking at the structure Robin deduces the buildings to be a former government base. As they walk along, Usopp comments on how strange it is that the man on the Den Den Mushi remarked on the coldness of the island despite the intense heat. On the Sunny, Nami remarks that the clouds on the opposite side of the island are snow clouds, while Luffy's group stumbles upon a massive skull bigger than a giant's. Suddenly, they turn around and see a monster that they thought could only exist in fairy tales: a dragon. The dragon then asks who they are.