Chapter 673

Chapter 673 is titled "Vergo and Joker".

Cover Page
"Brook Dancing with a Fossilized Dinosaur Late at Night in a Museum, Usopp the Security Guard Spots them." - A request by P.N. Sean (ショーン) in Aomori Prefecture.

Short Summary
At an island in the New World, the parents of the kidnapped children are begging the G-5 marines to help search for their children, but the commanding officer, Commodore Yarisugi, harshly refused them aid and told them that the children died in an accident at sea but the parents refuse to believe such outlandish claims.

Back at Punk Hazard, Nami and Usopp are having a hard time containing the children who have woken up from their sleep, until Caesar Clown shows up ready to take the children back to his lab. At the central lake, the slime creature changed its shape into that of an axolotl and attacked Zoro, Sanji, Brook, and Kin'emon causing them to flee towards the research facility.

At the facility, the G-5 marines are trying to blow up the door to rescue their captain. Meanwhile, Vergo and Monet are inside Caesar's research room with their captives, Luffy, Robin, and Franky as well as Smoker, Tashigi, and Law. Vergo states that everyone here will die and he will report their deaths as accidents. Law reveals that Joker is an alias of his one-time captain, Donquixote Doflamingo.

Long Summary
On a certain island in the New World, the parents of the kidnapped children ask the Marines to utilise their power to search for their missing children and to let them talk to Tashigi. One of the Marines finds this offensive and kicks one of the parents, stating that they are from the G-5 Marine base and that they shouldn’t question the reports if they are unhappy. One of the other Marines exclaims that the commodore is going too far and then begins to laugh. Introduced as Commodore Yarisugi of the G-5 Marine base, he shouts that all the children died in an accident and that the matter has been confirmed by Vice Admiral Vergo numerous times. Yarisugi goes on to say that if the parents keep making a fuss, they will kill them all and set fire to the village. A Marine again laughs saying that he has gone too far, while Yarisugi complains that the parents are the ones who are taking this too far and talks about how Tashigi is the right hand of Vice Admiral Smoker of Unit 01. He shouts again saying that the citizens should keep ignoring the incident what happened three years ago. Wondering if their pleas are reaching Vergo, one of the parents is heard saying that he once protected the village from pirates before and that he appeared to be a gentle Marine. The remaining parents of the missing children question the story of their children dying in an accident at sea and believe that they’re alive somewhere.

Back at Punk Hazard on Usopp and Nami's side, the kids are all shown to have woken up and are going berserk. Nami shouts for Usopp to put the kids back to sleep but it has no effect on them now, as their withdrawal symptoms overpowers Usopp's sleeping drug. As the children approach them, the two question what they should do next. Usopp asks if he can take them out, to which Nami hits him over the head, stating that they are still kids. Meanwhile, the children that haven’t been chained up but still crave the drugged candy begin to approach them. Out of nowhere, Caesar Clown shows up, to which the kids are all excited to see as the man is shown holding a large bag of the candy they desire. While Usopp and Nami are shocked by his sudden appearance, Caesar promises to give the children the candy they crave, telling them to return to the research facility as it is dangerous out there.

At the centre lake, Zoro, Sanji, Brook and Kin'emon are all running from Smiley. Brook wonders if the slime is angry, to which Zoro responds with the suggestion that it is because the “Mini-Slimes” blew up. The group begins to notice that the slime is transforming and watch as it changes shape. The slime is then revealed to have eaten the Sara Sara no Mi, Model: Axolotl, a Zoan-type Devil Fruit. Sanji questions if it’s a frog, while Zoro disagrees, saying it’s a lizard. Smiley attacks the group again with a large poisonous blob-like attack, Brook exclaims that it’s too big to deflect and the group runs for it. Smiley continues to chase them, and Kin'emon wonders whether it can reproduce itself infinitely, which Brook rebuts saying that the other slime body has gotten smaller. Sanji catches on and realises that it may be projecting itself over the lake, and as the group is escaping they try to think of what to do against Smiley due to their inability to attack it. Zoro says that he is going to the research facility, much to Sanji’s frustration as they have to go with him in case he gets separated or lost from Kin'emon. Brook says that he would also like to see Kin'emon’s swordsmanship and the four of them decide to head to the research facility.

In front of the research facility the G-5 marines are seen trying to break into the research facility's door in an attempt to rescue Smoker and Tashigi, but their attacks have no effect on the thick metal. The parts of Smiley that were projected over the lake have regrouped and have gained size, forming several large bodies around them. Stuck and running out of options, the G-5 Marines comment that all the paths having been destroyed and not being able to steal another ship.

Inside the main research facility, Vergo questions Caesar's motives. Monet suggests that since he has awoken his pet, Smiley, then he must be starting a new experiment. Monet asks Vergo if he ate a hamburger this morning, to which Vergo replies by saying that it is his favourite and asks how she knew. Pointing out the leftovers on his cheek, Vergo is revealed to be a vice admiral and head of the Marine G-5 base. Continuing his conversation with Monet, Vergo comments that he would like to see the experiment and asks if everyone outside is going to die. Replying that they probably will, Monet assures Vergo that he will be safe inside the research facility. Interrupting the conversation, Smoker begins shouting at Vergo that the men outside are his subordinates. Knowing this, Vergo is shown to be apathetic towards them and is instead more interested in the captives being held in the cage, referring to it as a grand line up.

Inside the cage sits Luffy, Robin, Franky (who is unconscious), Law, Smoker and Tashigi. Recalling the time when Luffy and Smoker were locked in the same cage back in Alabasta, Robin and Luffy reminisce which quickly annoys Smoker who interrupts, telling them to shut up. Tashigi asks Smoker what to do about the feeling she is experiencing, referring to the Sea Stone handcuffs weakening Smoker’s body. Smoker begins to talk about "Joker", stating that it’s the name of an underworld broker. Berating himself for not being able to catch out Vergo, their captor tells Smoker that from the day Smoker was transferred; he had put up the largest possible guard, to protect Smoker from catching him out. Vergo tells him that he will finally be relieved of that stress, as now that Smoker and Tashigi know his true identity; it means that the two Marines will have to die there, while Vergo assures them that he will make it look like an accident. Asking Law who Joker is, Law explains to Luffy that he used to be a subordinate of Joker as well as Vergo (being how they knew each other) and reveals to the group that Joker is just an alias he uses as a broker, but his real name is known throughout the world as Donquixote Doflamingo.

Chapter Notes

 * The parents of the kidnapped children are seen.
 * Yarisugi, a corrupt Marine Commodore of G-5, is introduced.
 * Zoro, Sanji, Brook, and Kin'emon all head for the research facility.
 * The slime is named Smiley and it is revealed to have "eaten" the Sara Sara no Mi, Model: Axolotl.
 * Usopp and Nami encounter Caesar Clown who came to the Straw Hats' hiding spot to retrieve the children.
 * Luffy, Robin, Franky, Law, Smoker, and Tashigi have all been captured and locked in a cage inside the research facility. This marks the second time in which Smoker has been locked in a cage with the Straw Hats, the first being in the Alabasta Arc. Robin mentions this to Luffy in the chapter, much to Smoker's annoyance.
 * Vergo is revealed to be a vice admiral, the head of the G-5 base, and one of Joker's most trusted subordinates.
 * In the past, Law was also one of Joker's subordinates, who is revealed to be one of the Shichibukai, Donquixote Doflamingo.

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