Episode 718

"Moving Across the Ground! The Giant Statue Pica's Surprise Maneuver!" is the 718th episode of the One Piece anime.

Short Summary
As Monkey D. Luffy continues to fight Bellamy, Pica advances toward the King's Plateau in his giant stone body in an attempt to kill Riku Dold III, forcing Roronoa Zoro to come up with a plan to stop him.

Long Summary
Watching Bellamy bounce around a hallway in the royal palace with Spring Hopper while bleeding, Monkey D. Luffy begs him to stop before he kills himself, prompting Bellamy to reprimand him for still saying this. As Luffy points out how his body has reached its limit, Bellamy punches him in the face with his Busoshoku Haki-coated fist, sending Luffy rolling back, before continuing to bounce around the room while declaring that he will decide where he dies himself. Reminding Luffy that he intends to become the Pirate King, Bellamy braces himself on the ceiling and proclaims that Luffy should not let himself be held up by these sorts of situations before smashing into him and punching his torso, causing Luffy to cough up blood.

Meanwhile, on Flower Hill, Kyros stares down Pica before falling to his knee, prompting Rebecca to express concern. Kyros notes that it was obvious from the start that the fight would never end as long as another opponent remained before telling Rebecca to fall back because he must put this country back in the hands of Riku Dold III. Hearing this, Pica asks him and Rebecca what Riku is to them before reminding Rebecca that she has been cursed at and Kyros that he had lost his leg and become a toy because of him. However, Rebecca counters with the fact that the Donquixote Pirates framed him as Kyros declares that he owes Riku a lot for taking him in as a young boy before proclaiming that the people of Dressrosa were happy while the peace-understanding Riku family ruled even though they were not as prosperous. Claiming that Riku taught them simply living was happiness, Kyros tells Pica that the whole country wants him on the throne and the Donquixote Pirates kicked out.

Pica merely states that he understands before disappearing, prompting Nico Robin to wonder what is going on. As the ground begins rumbling, Pica uses Charlestone, causing another spike to emerge from the hillside as a shocked Bartolomeo wonders what just happened. Robin realizes that Pica just went to the third level as more spikes emerge, prompting Roronoa Zoro to curse Pica while demanding to know if he wants to fight or not before promising to cut him down once Pica enters his range. However, upon seeing Pica attacking several Donquixote Family underlings and an unconscious Hajrudin, Zoro realizes he is attacking the injured as Sai tells Baby 5 to watch out. When Baby 5 tries to hold onto his arm, Sai reprimands her for getting too close, prompting Baby 5 to tell him to not be so shy since they will be husband and wife. Appearing behind Baby 5, Pica declares that she has betrayed them before using Ishiusu on her, prompting Sai to push her out of the way before being hit by the two spiked sphere halves himself.

As Baby 5 and Chinjao call out to him, Sai manages to push the two sphere halves apart while coating most of his body in Busoshoku Haki, prompting Chinjao to offer to help him get out. However, a panicked Sai tells him to look out as Pica uses Charlestone on all of them, along with Ideo. Managing to dodge the stone spikes, Sai lands on the ground before cursing Pica as Zoro runs toward them. Unsheathing one of his swords, Zoro demands to know how Pica could attack the injured, only for Pica to attack him with Bitestone, which he counters using Baki. With one half of his stone face rising into the air, Pica asks Zoro if he knows who is on the King's Plateau, prompting Zoro to cut him in half once more while declaring that the king of Dressrosa is there. Rising behind Zoro, Pica reminds him that Riku is the former king, only to be cut in half once more as Zoro demands to know what his point is. Pica forms another face while claiming that it is unfair for only Donquixote Doflamingo to take the blame for Dressrosa's invasion even though such things happen all the time.

Driving Zoro back with more spikes, Pica notes that the samurai and Usopp are on the plateau alongside the former officials of Dressrosa and that the whole country seeks Riku's restoration. When Zoro asks him why this matters, Pica declares that it angers him because Doflamingo is the only king before suddenly going silent. After a few seconds, the ground begins rumbling once more as the giant stone statue of Pica begins shaking. As the other combatants wonder what is going on, the statue detaches itself from the mountain and reforms its missing parts as the citizens below flee in terror. Now in control of the statue, Pica declares that Dressrosa is Donquixote's country before beginning to walk forward. As Usopp wonders what he is planning, Zoro runs toward Pica and slashes through several stone obstacles while wondering if Pica plans on killing Riku.

While the terrified citizens below attempt to outrun him, Pica takes a step forward, flattening the land beneath him while creating a shockwave that sends the nearby buildings and Marines flying. As the Marines open fire on Pica to no avail before being sent flying by another step, Zoro continues to run toward Pica while noting that Pica drove him out this far so that he could not catch up to him. noting that he has to do something soon because it will only take Pica one punch to flatten the plateau and kill Usopp and Riku in an instant. Several underlings fire on Zoro in an attempt to prevent him from interfering with Pica, but Zoro simply cuts them down before moving on. Seeing the spikes below her being destroyed, Robin realizes Zoro is on the move as Kyros notes there is no way to stop Pica's giant body.

As he runs, Zoro begins thinking of plans to take Pica down. His first plan is a long-distance slash, but Zoro notes that it would travel too far and thus be too weak. His second plan is jumping on top of Pica, but Zoro quickly realizes that it would be impossible to jump so high. His third plan is to warn Usopp and the others, but Zoro notes that they would not hear him from this distance. His fourth plan is to call Usopp on the Den Den Mushi and tell him to run, but Zoro finds that he does not have it with him after reaching into his jacket. As Pica continues moving toward the plateau, Zoro notes that there is not enough time for Usopp and the others to flee anyway as several cheering underlings are knocked out by Pica's footsteps. Baby 5 notes that Pica plans to kill Riku, prompting Sai to admit that he does not like it even though it is none of his business as Orlumbus wonders what they should do.

While Bartolomeo challenges Pica to fight him instead of attacking Usopp, Usopp and the samurai scream in terror as Elizabello II notes that he is glad that he saved his King Punch as Zoro instructed him. As Elizabello promises to use it to save his friend Riku, Zoro tells him to wait before reminding those present that it is useless to just destroy Pica's stone body and that they need to defeat his real body. Elizabello demands to know what they should do instead as Pica reaches the plateau, prompting Orlumbus to note that they are out of time. However, as Pica cracks his knuckles, Zoro looks at Orlumbus and grins before tying on his bandanna while asking Elizabello to give him two minutes. While Pica demands to know if Riku is on the plateau, Zoro declares that his fifth plan is flying into the sky and cutting up Pica.

Anime Notes

 * The anime adds the following:
 * An additional scene of Luffy continuing to plead Bellamy to stop his attack.
 * Right after saying how Rebecca received scorn for being Riku's granddaughter, Pica also comments on how Kyros lost his leg and became a toy for serving Riku.
 * While Sai is being crushed by Pica's Millstone, Chinjao tries to help him.
 * While chasing after Pica, Zoro slices through some of Doflamingo's soldiers.
 * The anime extends Kyros' answer to Pica's question.
 * The anime shows Zoro envisioning his first four plans to defeat Pica.
 * The anime shows Chinjao, Sai, and Baby 5 standing next to Orlumbus, while the manga didn't show their exact location.
 * In the manga, Zoro came up with his fifth plan before speaking to Elizabello II and he already put on his bandana by then. In the anime, Zoro speaks to Elizabello II first before thinking about his fifth plan and putting on his bandana.