Wano Country Arc

The Wano Country Arc is the thirty-first story arc in the series and the fourth in the Yonko Saga of One Piece, continuing from the Reverie Arc.

The Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance sets in motion their plan to recruit the Whitebeard Pirates and liberate Wano Country from the control of Kaido and its shogun.

Rallying the People: The Alliance's Plan Set into Motion
As the Reverie took place, Nekomamushi and the Guardians came to an island in the New World. Nekomamushi went to a secret village behind a waterfall, where he found Marco healing the wounds of its citizens. Marco revealed that this place was not a part of the World Government due to being too poor to pay the Heavenly Tribute, and Whitebeard had built it up and maintained it as a sanctuary, with his crew now protecting it after his death. Marco then mentioned Edward Weevil, believing that the Shichibukai would go after this place in his search for Whitebeard's inheritance. Because of this, Marco decided to stay rather than go to Wano Country, and told Nekomamushi to give Luffy a message from him.

Meanwhile, Zoro's group reached Wano Country, and Kin'emon instructed the Straw Hats to blend in while they rallied people to their cause. If they laid a hand against the shogun Kurozumi Orochi or his subordinates, Kaido would hear about it. Franky, Usopp, and Robin adopted new names and trades to blend in, but Zoro became a rōnin and was accused of cutting people down in the streets at night. He was caught and forced to commit seppuku, being also charged with grave robbing when the magistrate discovered Ryuma's Shusui in his possession. The magistrate took Shusui, and the executioner prepared to finish Zoro off once he committed seppuku. However, Zoro smelled blood on the magistrate and instead used the seppuku blade to attack him from a good distance away, before apologizing to Kin'emon.

Story Impact

 * A few characters make their first appearances in the manga after the timeskip. The characters (in the order they were reintroduced) are: Marco.
 * Nekomamushi has found Marco, who works as a doctor at Whitebeard's home island. Marco refuses to go to Wano Country, but gives a message to Luffy.
 * It is revealed that Bakkin used to be a member of Whitebeard's crew some 40 years prior to the present time.