Chapter 944

Chapter 944 is titled "Partner".

Cover Page
Cover Page Request: "Hancock blushing after making a little monkey wear a straw hat (along with a T-shirt with Luffy printed on it)." -PN Onanchuru

Short Summary
The Straw Hat Pirates begin causing chaos at Rasetsu Town. Orochi retreats as the Straw Hats retrieve Yasuie's body and fight off the shogun's forces.

Back at Udon, Kid has been recaptured and brought back to the Prisoner Mines along with Kamazo. After it is revealed that Kamazo is Killer, Queen subjugates them both to water torture. As tensions between Queen and Luffy begin to heat up, Big Mom finally arrives at the prison.

Long Summary
The citizens around Rasetsu Town are shocked to see the criminals Zoro-juurou and Sangoro together, and Zoro and Sanji are annoyed to see the other. Hiyori wonders if Sanji is Zoro's comrade, and X Drake enters his allosaurus hybrid form. Orochi expresses his anger at Zoro and Sanji getting in his way, and tells his samurai to kill them. Zoro hands Toko over to Sanji, and Shinobu tells Usopp and Franky that they need to retrieve Yasuie's body from being displayed on the execution platform. Nami and Robin think about where they should meet up after fleeing the Flower Capital, and to Sanji's shock, Zoro readies an attack against Orochi.

Remembering his first interactions with Yasu, Zoro unleashes spinning air slashes at Orochi, who freezes up in fear. However, Kyoshiro arrives and intercepts the attack with his sword, and as Sanji reprimands Zoro, Drake lunges at him in his full allosaurus form, forcing him to leap out of the way. Daikoku orders the samurai to shoot at Zoro, and he does nothing as Franky steps in and intercepts the bullets before overwhelming the samurai with Strong Right. The Rasetsu prisoners wonder what is happening as Franky takes Yasuie's body and Usopp, Nami, and Robin back him up from a distance. Meanwhile, Kyoshiro orders for Orochi to be taken back to his castle, and intercepts a charging Zoro to prevent him from reaching the shogun.

In the Prisoner Mines in Udon, Luffy cheers on his crewmates as he watched the broadcast of their rebellion. Queen then receives a report that two captured criminals have arrived at the mines, and Babanuki reveals that one of them is Kamazo, who has been left to their whims by Orochi after failing a mission, and the other one is Eustass Kid, whom they unexpectedly encountered on the way back. One of the guards reveals that Kid had rushed toward them, and did not provide any resistance when they shot him. Kid wonders why Kamazo, who is actually his crewmate Killer, is constantly laughing after having beaten up anyone who mocked his laugh and even masked his face to hide it in the past. Luffy is shocked to hear that this is Killer, and Hyogoro notes that the Supernova fell victim to a SMILE.

Kid and Killer are then strapped to chains by their ankles and briefly dunked into a tub of water. Queen then has their heads submerged again and starts the Sumo Inferno back up, saying that they will not be pulled out of the water until Luffy and Hyogoro die. Luffy gets mad at Queen and throws a punch at him, but Queen easily catches the punch and tosses it aside. He derides Luffy for thinking he has a chance to be victorious in this, and his subordinates grow worried at his cranky attitude, wondering if it is because he has not had any o-shiruko today. Luffy proclaims that he will decide where he dies when a sudden loud noise appears outside of the mines. Queen's subordinates reveal that they have lost all communication with the guards outside the gate as Big Mom, craving o-shiruko, reaches the entrance.

Chapter Notes

 * A conflict ensues in Rasetsu Town with Franky, Usopp, Robin, and Nami joining in.
 * Sanji fights X Drake.
 * Zoro tries to strike Orochi but is blocked by Kyoshiro.
 * Franky takes away Yasuie's body in the confusion.
 * Orochi retreats from the battle.
 * Eustass Kid has been recaptured and Kamazo is brought to Udon as well.
 * Kamazo is revealed to be Kid's crewmate, Killer, who became a victim of a failed SMILE fruit.
 * Kid's crew was separated after their encounter with Kaido.
 * Queen subjects Kid and Killer to water torture, saying they will drown unless Luffy dies.
 * Big Mom arrives at the Prisoner Mines.