Chapter 1071

Chapter 1071 is titled "The Hero Deploys".

Cover Page
Color Spread: The Straw Hat Pirates and Uta in red and white outfits.

Short Summary
While Kuma shows up at the Red Line, both the CP0 and Vegapunk forces are busy formulating their strategy. As Bonney is still furious with Vegapunk, the Labophase defense system mysteriously goes down. During this opportunity, Kaku tries to destroy the Thousand Sunny but is stopped by Zoro. As the defense is restored and Bonney demands that Vegapunk restore her father Kuma to normal, the Kid Pirates arrive at their destination which turns out to be Elbaf. Meanwhile, Garp arrives at G-14 to lead the mission to rescue Koby.

Long Summary
Bartholomew Kuma arrives at his destination: the Red Port at the base of the Red Line (albeit he does crash). Everyone starts reacting with confusion as to why he’s returned after fleeing Mary Geoise, but they all start running from him once he stands up. The Marines are contacted to confront him as his current programming and purpose are unknown.

On Egghead, despite having ordered the troops and Seraphim to block off all possible escape routes, Rob Lucci says that the Frontier Dome is a real nuisance to him. Stussy asks Lucci if he’s serious about ignoring the Marine’s order to wait for backup and Lucci confirms, as he does not acknowledge Luffy as an Emperor. While up in Labophase, Shaka comments on how CP0 is blocking off all exits, and has most likely destroyed all ships they could use to escape. Lilith is excited, however, at the prospect of fighting back and avenging Atlas, but Pythagoras tells her not to do so. Shaka also agrees saying that it better not be another “brainless attack”. Edison speaks up and says he’s come up with a useful invention, while York asks if something fun is happening.

Lilith asks Shaka why they cannot fight back, and Shaka tells her that their main objective is ensuring that Dr. Vegapunk, who is the main body, escapes unharmed. As such, he views himself and the other Satellites as expendable (which Vegapunk seems to disagree with), but feels that Lilith running off on her own will just cause more trouble. Vegapunk apologizes to Sentomaru for what happened to him as Pythagoras says that they still have one more ally on the island. Edison advises against it because calling said ally would mean they would have no place to hide if they end up in the World Government’s sights. Still, Vegapunk calls the ally and they respond that they will help, as they have been waiting for this day. Edison remarks that escape should be easy now and Lilith says she will take everyone to the port with Vegaforce-01. Vegapunk then turns to the Straw Hats (who he has finally freed) and asks that they take all seven of them to the Thousand Sunny, with mixed feelings from the crew.

Meanwhile, in the lab’s interior, Luffy and Chopper are chasing after Jewelry Bonney, who mistakenly believes Vegapunk used bugs against her on purpose. Luffy tries to stop her because he promised to help Vegapunk escape unharmed just as he hears a noise. For some reason, the Frontier Dome’s defenses have turned off. CP0 takes advantage of this sudden malfunction and infiltrates Labophase, and after spotting the Thousand Sunny, Kaku tries to destroy it with Rankyaku “Amane Dachi”, but it gets blocked by Zoro, who wakes up from his nap in response. Kaku is surprised to see his old adversary again just as the Satellites get the Frontier Dome back online, but they realize that they are too late in keeping CP0 out. They also notice that unless they do something, they may lose their ride off the island, which means they may have to fight back.

Luffy, Chopper, and Jinbe eventually reunite with the rest of the crew, where Luffy learns that they plan on leaving soon. He asks if they have seen Bonney, and Robin realizes Dr. Vegapunk is missing. As it turns out, Bonney is chasing Vegapunk, who desperately asks her to listen to what he has to say. Bonney refuses and demands to know if Vegapunk can turn Kuma back to the way he was. Vegapunk confesses that it is impossible to do so, but adds that there is a reason for it.

Somewhere in the New World, the Kid Pirates find themselves approaching Elbaf, while at G-14 Marine HQ, Doll tells Monkey D. Garp that she cannot afford to spare any of her men, especially since he plans on confronting Blackbeard. Garp tells her to not be so uptight as she asks if he cleared his mission with the brass, which he says he did not, much to her dismay. Still, he announces that he has already arrived at the base, and he then calls for Helmeppo. The former tells Garp that Koby has been kidnapped and how powerless he feels that he could not stop it, but Garp tells him to get on board as he plans on launching an attack on Hachinosu to rescue him.

Chapter Notes

 * Kuma flies through the Grand Line until he hits the Red Port head first.
 * The CP0 team arrives at the Labophase after the Frontier Dome defenses are briefly deactivated.
 * Kaku attempts to destroy the Thousand Sunny. Zoro blocks the attack after having been awakened from his nap by it, and begins to engage Kaku in battle.
 * Vegapunk contacts a mysterious ally on Egghead to request help against CP0, full knowing that person will be hunted by the World Government for helping them.
 * Luffy's group (except Bonney) reunites with Sanji's group at the Labophase.
 * Bonney chases the real Vegapunk, demanding that he returns her father Kuma back to normal.
 * Vegapunk implies there is a reason why this cannot be done.
 * The Kid Pirates have arrived at their island of choice, Elbaf.
 * Garp arrives at the G-14 base where he decides to lead the mission to rescue Koby from the Blackbeard Pirates.