Chapter 403

Cover
Volume 42 page 67

Baroque Works' Cover Story Vol. 34 "Refusal to escape, I ain't down for it"

Quick Summary
The Straw Hat Pirates fight CP9. Luffy activates an unknown power for the first time that has great destoying abilities.

Long Summary
The chapter starts with Sanji sitting on the floor after just having been kicked by Kalifa. She tells him that Nico Robin is getting closer to the Gates of Justice, or as she calls it, "approaching Hell". Sanji tells her she is aware of that, and if Kalifa tries to get in his way, he will not consider the fact that he is a woman. Kalifa tells him that yelling won't make the key appear any more easily. She also tells him that he doesn't have to think of her as a woman, as she does not wish to live that leniently. As long as she has the extermination order, she will kill him. Sanji lights a cigarette, saying he won't give her his life, all he wants is the key to Robin's handcuffs. Kalifa then suggest that they bring tea time to an end. She uses Soru, which Sanji blocks. He then comments on how her strength is superhuman as their legs collide with each other. Sanji then tries a kick to Kalifa's head which she easily dodges. Sanji says that that was one blow for him. Kalifa then roundhouse kicks him point blank in the crotch. After momentarily writhing on the floor in pain, Sanji calls her a fiend. As he is getting back up, Kalifa tries to use Geppo, which he dodges by rolling backward. Sanji then attacks her with a flying kick which Kalifa dodges by falling to the ground. However, Sanji was able to redirect his kick and pin her to the floor. Kalifa remarks how fast he is. He yells that he just crushed her with his leg, saying that she lost and should give him the key. Before he could finish the last sentence, Kalifa uses Shigan directly on Sanji's leg, causing it to buckle. She escapes and quickly uses Rankyaku, knocking Sanji to the ground. She tells him he may be a pirate, but he is also a coward. Sanji tells her to shut up and tries to kick her, but she dodges using Soru. Kalifa then reappears, grabbing Sanji by the tie and restraining the leg he just tried to kick her with so he cannot escape. Kalifa tells Sanji she has had enough of his empty threats. She tells him they are about to do something fun, where he will die if he does not counter attack.

Elsewhere, Nami and Kumadori have moved their battle to the first floor. Nami is looking around a corner, wondering why Kumadori isn't coming after her. She is relieved, unaware that Kumadori is no directly behind her, pressed against the wall. She decides to just run. Before she can, however, Kumadori wraps his hair around her left ankle using Life Return. He then proceeds to bind her other leg, as well as her neck and both of her arms. He then asks if he should kill her by stabbing her or by strangling her. He then recites a poem about killing her. He then tells her to say hi to his mother in the afterlife. He is about to kill her using Haru Gin Jo, but Chopper suddenly intervenes and stops him with Kokutei Roseo. Nami is released and falls to the ground. Chopper asks her if she is okay, and Nami thanks him for saving her. Chopper then asks her if Kumadori is a Devil Fruit user. Nami said she wasn't sure. All she knew was that he moved his hair like an octopus and that she couldn't counter attack at all. Nami tells Chopper that now is their chance to leave. Chopper argues if they do then they won't get the key. Nami then shows him the key, saying she had stolen it without him noticing, but could not escape. She asks how the others are doing. Chopper instead asks her the number on the key. She tells him 3, much to his dismay. Nami then asks what the number meant.

While they are running, part of the ceiling falls in front of them, almost crushing them. They see Sanji, whose body has become completely round and shiny. Chopper compares Sanji to a glass doll, saying he is seriously injured. Nami realizes that it must have been a Devil Fruit user in CP9, shocked that Sanji was defeated. Sanji apologizes to Nami, saying he could not get the key. Nami then looks up and sees Kalifa looking down at them from the hole in the ceiling. Chopper tells Sanji he will give him first aid. Nami asks Sanji if he really fought Kalifa. Nami says his opponent was the woman looking through the hole. Nami asks him if he means to keep his code, even if it kills him. Sanji tells her it is not as if he wants to die, but he was brought up being taught never to kick a woman, even if it kill him. Nami call him an idiot, hitting him with her Clima-Tact, much to Chopper's shock. Nami tells him that if running away is against his code, then he shouldn't bother. She then tells him to leave Kalifa to her, saying she won't get away with it. She also says that Sanji deserves some credit for keeping his code, though Sanji thought Nami said he deserved some loving for it. Chopper quickly contradicts him. Nami looks up at Kalifa, saying she won't be as sweet as Sanji. Kalifa says she wouldn't be sweet either, and they might get along well. As Nami runs up the stairs, Kumadori shouts that he won't let her get away. Chopper tells her to leave Kumadori to him, and hold him back with a Kokutei Cross.

The scene changes to Luffy, who had just tried to cross the ocean to the Gates of Justice on a rowboat. Chimney and Gonbe rescued him and pulled him ashore. Luffy tearily told them that Robin was being taken to the gate and he had to save her before she went through it. Chimney and Gonbe excitedly tell him that they found a way to get to the gate. They took Luffy to an underground passageway beneath the ocean. Chimney explains that she saw one of Lucci's subordinates laughing so she followed him and found the passageway. She thought that Spandam was Lucci's subordinate. They stop at a large steel door with the World Government insignia on it. Chimney remembered Spandam touching something on a control panel, but realized they needed a key. Luffy tells them to stand back. Chimney asks what he is going to do. Luffy doesn't answer but instead bites his thumb and uses a new attack, Gear 3rd. Luffy punched a whole through the door. As the dust begins to clear, Luffy says they are going. The chapter ends with Chimney and Gonbe shocked to see a very small Luffy heading into the tunnel, asking him why he shrank.

Chapter Notes
Monkey D. Luffyactivates Gear Third for the first time (though it wasn't shown).

Returning Characters

 * Cover Story
 * Baroque Works
 * Crocodile
 * Mr. 1
 * Straw Hat Pirates
 * Monkey D. Luffy
 * Nami
 * Sanji
 * Tony Tony Chopper
 * Shift Station
 * Chimney
 * Gonbe
 * CP9
 * Kumadori
 * Kalifa
 * Spandam (flashback)