WARNING: The following contains spoilers for One Piece Chapter 1041, "Komurasaki," by Eiichiro Oda, Stephen Paul, and Vanessa Satone, available in English from Viz Media.
Back in Chapter 1040, just as Law and Kid thought they had gained the upper-hand in the battle against Big Mom, she once again proved the efficiency of her Devil Fruit powers, sucking up the souls of those around them. Determined to finish the fight, Law used his Re-Room ability to silence Big Mom and Kid launched another Damned Punk attack, sending her plummeting through the island itself. On her way down, she attempted to blow up one of the bombs that Yamato was protecting, but he was able to keep the others from also exploding. The resulting explosion ripped a hole in the bottom of Onigashima.
Still trapped within Law's Room, Big Mom was left wondering if One Piece really exists and cursing Roger for making such a spectacle at his execution. In a massive plume of smoke, Big Mom was finally defeated. In the aftermath, Momonosuke and Yamato were reunited thanks to the hole in the island. It was here that Momo revealed that Zunesha was a companion of Joyboy's 800 years ago.
Chapter 1041 picks right back up after Momonosuke's reveal about Zunesha and Joyboy. He goes on to explain that he's able to speak with the giant elephant and that Zunesha is willing to fight alongside him. Yamato is impressed that Momo is able to speak to Zunesha, saying that Oden had predicted his son would guide the world into a new era.
Momonosuke continues saying that his father tore the most important page from his journal, which included the information about what Oden and Roger found at the final island. He confides in Yamato that he doesn't feel he is as smart as Oden, wondering if now is the right time to open up Wano's borders. He wonders if keeping the borders closed would be better in order to protect his people, but he worries this makes him a coward.
We briefly cut away to the Third Floor to see Raizo standing victorious in his battle of skill against Fukurokuju. However, he's not out of danger as the castle is still burning around him and he's suffering from major burns to his body. Luckily, Jimbei finds him and questions him as to why he's still there. Instead of answering the question, Raizo recognizes him as a Straw Hat and realizes that "the preparations were already complete .
In the Treasure Repository, Orochi is fuming over Fukurokuju's tardiness, unaware that he isn't coming. While he's talking to himself and wondering what's going on, Komurasaki is strumming away on the koto. Orochi chastises her for this, telling her to stop and saying he doesn't even know if she's the real Komurasaki or a ghost. His ranting is interrupted when the ceiling collapses on him. He tries to transform to escape, but finds he's unable to.
This is when Komurasaki reveals that she used a sea prism stone on him so that he wouldn't be able to use his Devil Fruit powers. He says he thought she loved him, but she shatters this idea by saying there was never any love in her heart for him. She notes how ironic it is that his favorite song was also her father's favorite, thinking back to how Oden told her how much he loved it when she was a child. She goes on to reveal to Orochi that Oden was her father, asking how the song could ever make her smile.
In the basement, Izo pleads for his sister Kikunojo to live on as he manages to take out one of the two CP0 members as he too falls. The remaining member curses Izo, wondering why a member of the Whitebeard Crew is helping the Straw Hats. He says he needs to hurry and to go find Robin just as a call comes in. The agent on the other end passes on an order from the Five Elders: Eliminate Luffy effective immediately.
Shocked at the order, the agent protests getting involved with the fight with Kaido. What he doesn't realize is that X Drake is still alive behind him, listening in on the conversation. The agent on the other end of the call explains the Elders know it's impossible, that the battle is world-changing. They are simply orders to prevent a worst-case scenario.
In another part of the basement, Usopp and Hamlet are still trying to get Kiku and Kin'emon to safety. Usopp is begging them to stay strong and he urges Hamlet to hurry. Back outside, Wanda and Carrot are urged by Cat Viper (Nekomamushi) to head back into the Skull Dome to avoid falling off the crumbling island. Similarly, Franky has finally found and caught an unconscious Zoro just as he was about to fall after the ground underneath him gave way.
Inside the Dome, Nami and Zeus are talking about Big Mom's defeat at the hands of Kid and Law, with Zeus shedding a tear for her loss. Nami gets angry, asking who he cares about more, with Zeus insisting it's her. Meanwhile, Marco warns the group not to drop their guard and to watch out for falling ceiling chunks, that the island is the most dangerous one at that moment.
Back outside, despite the chaos surrounding them, Kid and Law's crews are still celebrating the victory. Their celebration is cut short when some of the ceiling above them collapses. Kid asks Law if he has enough strength to face Kaido. Law, however, tells him that he doesn't have the willpower if Kaido is victorious.
On the roof, Kaido and Luffy are still going strong, but Kaido pauses for a moment, asking if Luffy felt something. He then realizes that Big Mom is gone and becomes enraged, sending out a shockwave of emotion. Luffy is impressed his friends were able to do it while Kaido reminisces about when he and Big Mom first met. He was only 15 then, and Big Mom told him that she would be the woman that will rule the seas. Kaido goes from enraged to sobbing, saying they promised to help each other find the One Piece. Luffy takes this chance to land a few punches against Kaido, saying that their ambitions caused the people of Wano to suffer. He goes into Gear Four for the final time before saying that he's kicking Kaido out of Wano, even if it's the last thing he does.
