WARNING: The following contains spoilers for One Piece Chapter #1024, "So-And-So," by Eiichiro Oda, Stephen Paul and Vanessa Satone, available in English via Manga Plus and Viz Media.
In the opening of the previosu chapter, Sanji and Zoro stood together on the battlefield, ready to take on King and Queen. The remaining Animal Kingdom Pirates took aim at the Straw Hats, but were stopped Kawamatsu. An understanding was reached that the four fighters would only fight each other, without interruptions. Queen mocks Sanji, then names the race of people King may belong to: the Lunarians. Kawamatsu and Hyogoro then begin talking about how Zoro resembles Shimotsuki Ushimaru, descendant of the swordsman Shimotsuki Ryuma. They also note that Ryuma was a one-eyed samurai, that it must be destiny that brought Zoro to Wano.
As the full moon rose, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi both changed into their Sulong forms in their respective fights, reinvigorated in taking out the Animal Kingdom Pirates once and for all. Below the fighting, at Tokage Port, Luffy stood before a fully-grown Dragon Momonosuke. The little lord's plan to have Shinobu change him into an adult has worked, and not only has he grown, but so have his Devil Fruit powers. He is now 28, the age he would have been had he not traveled forward through time. Luffy doesn't question this development, and instead accepts it. Together, he and Momonosuke will return to the battlefield, ready to finally face Kaido once again.
We open on the Second Floor, where Usopp is looming over a group of fallen Animal Kingdom Pirates. They question if they are falling victim to Color of the Supreme King Haki. Usopp mocks them, saying they didn't have the will to "stay conscious in [his] overwhelming presence." He goes on to claim that he eliminated two of the Tobi Roppo, and the Animal Kingdom Pirates take him at face value. Nami, Tama, and Speed are waiting in a safe spot. Speed notes that it's Big Mom's Haki knocking out the Animal Kingdom Pirates since she's on the same floor somewhere. Nami is trying to figure out where Luffy is and contacts Franky. Franky assures her that the lack of news means that their friends are safe, then tells her the group should come down to his location in the Right-Brain Tower since all of the enemies are beginning to move to the Performance Floor.
On the Third Floor, Brook carries a weakened Robin as the floor burns uncontrollably around them. Everyone begins evacuating to the Performance Floor to escape the flames. He passes a group of Alliance members and asks how the battle is going, but is told everything is too chaotic to tell. He calls to Jimbei on the Fourth Floor, fighting alongside the Kid Pirates, and warns that the Third Floor is on fire. That leads Jimbei to ask who is fighting Kaido at the top of the Skull Dome. We get a brief glimpse of Hyogoro, Kawamatsu, and the Samurai trying to hold off the incoming flood of Pirates trying to escape the fire.
At the top of the Skull Dome, Yamato and Kaido are still in the heat of battle. Yamato states that Kaido has always intended to kill him, to which his father confirms. Kaido replies, "This is not a family squabble. If you want to wear the name Oden, you must be ready for war." Yamato asks if it is a crime to admire someone, then declares his love for Oden.
We cut away to a flashback to Kaido being told "the Ogre Princess" has been causing trouble for the past week and a young Yamato declaring that he is Oden, begging his father to undo his chains. Kaido asks the child if he is responsible for the numerous, knocked-out Pirates around him. Yamato says they just fell over, then begs Kaido for some food. Kaido realizes Yamato can use Supreme King Haki, but replies that if Yamato wants to take the name of Oden, then he can die. Kaido leaves Yamato in a cave, and says that he will give him one month to "come to his senses." His crew protests, saying that Yamato really will die and that samurai are also locked in there. Yamato begs Kaido to not leave him in the dark.
Before he leaves, he turns his attention to the samurai, saying that if they join his army, he'll let them go. He then has some food brought in, but only enough for one. He also has swords brought in. Yamato plead with Kaido, saying the samurai will obviously kill the child because he is Kaido's. Kaido quesions, "But aren't you Oden?" Yamato muses that is true, but that he's smart enough to know that the samurai hate him for being the son of Kaido. He knows that the samurai will fight over the food, but only after they've killed him.
The samurai give Yamato the food and turn their backs to him, saying that a samurai doesn't feel hunger. Yamato believes them, thinking that they're amazing, and begins eating while thanking them with a mouth full of rice. He asks them if he could be a samurai too, and one of them cuts the chain that holds him to the wall. The samurai replies that Yamato is Kozuki Oden and that he was beloved by all. Yamato asks the samurai's name, to which he replies, "What name does a fallen samurai need...? Just call me So-And-So."
Yamato asks the samurai to read Oden's journal to him, and they are shocked to see that it's Oden's voyage log. They read to the young Yamato, who becomes inspired by its contents. After ten days, the samurai realize that Kaido was serious about letting his son die. They say they won't be around in 20 years to witness the battle, but Yamato promises them he'll fight on the side of Wano. They say his words warms their hearts, and they help him escape, putting their own lives in jeopardy. They tell Yamato they know they'll die, but it's better than wasting away within the cave.
In present day, Yamato declares that he isn't alone. He asks Kaido why he steals not only Yamato's freedom, but Wano's as well. Kaido replies that life isn't a series of simple questions with simple answers. He launches a Thunder Bagua at Yamato before the chapter finally comes to a close.
The next chapter of One Piece will release on Sunday, September 13.
