WARNING: The following contains spoilers for One Piece Chapter #1029,"The Tower" by Eiichiro Oda, Stephen Paul and Vanessa Satone, available in English via Manga Plus and Viz Media.
In the previous chapter, the members of CP0 reported the current status of the raid to Rob Lucci, who is currently not on the island. Even if Kaido loses the fight against Luffy, Lucci isn't concerned as the World Government is readying to take over Wano once the fight is over and a fleet of ships are en route. Either way, Wano will be under the influence of the World Government. He also dispatched orders to capture Robin alive and bring her to him. Meanwhile, Momonosuke was struggling to create the Flame Clouds he needed to be able to prevent Onigashima from flying any closer to the Flower Capital. Yamato had returned to the island to try and prevent a bigger catastrophe should the island fall, leaving the future Shogun alone to figure out how to control his powers.
As this was taking place, Sanji was struggling in his bout with Queen, apparently still under the side-effects of donning the Raid Suit. Queen, fascinated with the technology, urged Sanji to use it again, but the chef continued to refuse. After trading blows, Queen returned to his Brachiosaurus form and unveiled a new technique. By launching his head, neck, and tail from his body, he can maneuver around like a snake and crush his enemies in his powerful grip. He uses this again Sanji, breaking every bone in his body in the process. On top of that, Queen has outfitted the remainder of his body (the torso and legs) to fire missiles on command. They fire as he's explaining the "genius" of fitting the launchers to his body and slam into him (twice), and Sanji is able to escape. Humiliated, Queen swung his sword at Sanji, but the blade broke upon contact with his head...
The blade goes flying across the battlefield, with onlookers shocked. They begin wondering if Sanji used Haki, but Queen denies this. Instead, he attributes it to something Judge Vinsmoke once told him. He told Queen, "I can give the human body an exoskeleton...I can give it abnormal regeneration...I can give it great physical strength...And most of all, an unfeeling heart of ice!!!" The words strike fear into Sanji, and he's terrified that he made the sword break. He thinks about his brother, not wanting to be "like those heartless monsters."
Queen readies a laser attack, but Sanji flees, terrified at what's happening to his body. He begins panicking, wondering if he's going to lose his humanity. Some of the onlookers realize who Sanji is and begin firing their guns at him, hoping to claim his bounty. This only angers him, but Queen comes between them and fires his lasers at the chef again, encouraging him to put on the Raid Suit yet again.
On the Second Floor of the castle, Big Mom looms over Eustass Kid, ready to finish him off as Trafalgar Law looks on. He chides Kid, not knowing that there is an unseen fighter causing injuries to him. He launches a Chambres Counter Shock attack at Big Mom, but this angers Prometheus and he sends a Stolen Fire attack at him. The attack lands, and Big Mom is able to crush Kid beneath her Mamaraid attack. Kid rises to his feet, confused as to why he's feeling so strange. He tries to comprehend what's happening to him, saying that he can't die after finally reaching the Four Emperors. Big Mom laughs him, saying that it appears he might just die all on his own without having to do a thing.
We then cut to the fight between Hawkins and Killer. Hawkins is banging his head against a pillar, causing the headache that Kid is feeling. Killer begs him to stop. Hawkins mocks him, saying that he can't believe Killer ate a Smile Fruit and calls him "miserably misfortunate." Killer's crew mates ask why they can't help, but Killer orders them to stay put. As they beg him to fight since the fire is getting closer and they need to escape, Killer makes an offer to Hawkins: his life in place of Kid's.
Hawkins kicks him in the head, saying that it's good to set one's sights high in reference to Kid's dreams. Killer agrees and again begs him to stop sabotaging that dream. Hawkins responds by saying that if he is keeping Killer from achieving his dream, then he needs to cut Hawkins down or surrender. He claims there is no way to beat Kaido and Big Mom, but Killer tells him not to get emotional. He says that he knows Hawkins regrets joining Kaido because he feared dying. This has an effect on Hawkins, and he readies his sword. Killer then asks him where the damage he causes go if there isn't a proper conduit to absorb it. Hawkins reminds him that the damage goes to Kid as long as his doll remains within Hawkins' body.
Killer slices Hawkins' left arm off, and it's revealed that he was able to do this because Kid has no left arm of his own. He then asks his second question. Once he removes Kid's doll from the severed arm, how many lives are left protecting Hawkins'? Hawkins replies that it's the last one before pulling out the Death Strawman Card. This summons a large, scythe-wielding scarecrow-like reaper and sends it flying towards Killer, but he manages to decapitate it. Hawkins tries his Strawman Card technique again, but he draws The Tower. This allows Killer the opening he needs to launch a final, devastating attack Spin & Sonic attack, ending the fight for good. In narrative text, we're told that The Tower represents the "collapse of the old and brittle" with a hidden meaning of "a new way forward."
The next chapter of One Piece will be available on Sunday, October 31.
