Chapter 12

After escaping the Buggy Pirates, Zoro and Luffy rest in the middle of a street where the only inhabitant is a weird dog. While Nami comes back with the key for Luffy's cage as thanks for saving her life, the dog eats the key. Mohji, Buggy's vice captain, then appears to kill Zoro. With his lion Richie, he attacks the defenseless Luffy and destroys the cage in the process, freeing Luffy.

The Trial of the Red Blossoms

Dog

Buggy gloats about his reputation as a pirate in front of his crew. He orders them to find Luffy, Nami, and Zoro no matter what. Mohji arrives riding Richie and asks Buggy if he could take Zoro out. Buggy replies that he does not mind.

Elsewhere, Zoro is still carrying Luffy in a cage. Suddenly, he collapses to the ground out of exhaustion. The pair notice there is a dog sitting staring at them. Luffy comments about how the dog is sitting so still that you cannot tell if he is real or not, before provoking the dog into biting him when he pokes him in the head. Nami shows up and explains to them that they will likely be found if they remain in the middle of the road. Nami throws a key to the cage in front of Luffy, but before he can grab it the dog eats the key. Luffy attempts to strangle the dog in anger. The mayor of the town Boodle shows up, demanding that they stop hurting the dog, Chouchou.

Boodle takes them to his house to rest, and explains why the dog is sitting where he is. He feeds him every day, and he is guarding his owner's pet store. Ten years ago, the mayor's friend and Chouchou's owner opened the store. Chouchou's owner went into hospital three months ago and never returned, leaving Chouchou behind to guard the store. Chouchou is covered in wounds from fighting the pirates: he is aware his owner will not be coming back, but he still guards the store because it is his treasure. Boodle talks about leaving the dog and moving away, but he admits he has changed his mind many times.

Just then, they hear the roar of Richie the lion. Boodle and Nami run away, leaving Chouchou, Luffy and Zoro behind. When Mohji and Richie arrive, they find Luffy still in his cage. Luffy mocks Mohji's hairstyle, provoking him. Mohji boasts about being such a good animal trainer that every animal follows his orders, but Chouchou bites him anyway. When Richie pounces on the cage to finish Luffy, he frees Luffy instead.

As the pair prepare to leave, not noticing that Luffy is still alive, Richie smells the food inside the Pet Store, and Mohji tells Richie that he can eat the food.

Short Mission 10

At Cecile Hall's boy's dormitory, Damian and his friends watch a news report discussing developments on the space race between Ostania and Westalis. While Damian and Emile are not that interested in the topic, Ewen is excited, having an "appreciation for the romance of space exploration."

Later in class, the boys see Anya playing with a paper rocket, and Becky tells them that the recent space news has excited her sense of adventure. Having found someone with similar interests, Ewen and Anya excitedly talk about space adventure and play as astronauts. Jealous at seeing the two get along, Damian tries to join in the conversation, but Anya and Ewen are too loud playing to hear him.

Zhong Kui

In this world resides powerful evil, intent on destroying everything crafted by Gods and Men. Without guardians of equal strength, all would have fallen long ago. Zhong Kui was once a man with ambitions no greater than scholastic excellence, but in death became the perfect shield against evil's onslaught.

Zhong Kui sought to pit his brilliant mind against the Imperial Examinations, tests to select councilors for the Emperor. With ease, he passed, but when the emperor saw his hideous face, he cast the scholar out. Offended, furious, Zhong Kui hurled himself repeatedly at the palace gates until his body was broken.

For his crime, Zhong Kui's soul was judged by the King of Hell, but where the Emperor saw only ugliness, the King of Hell saw potential armed with genius. Zhong Kui was appointed Lord of Demons, tasked to forever hunt and ensnare the evils of the world.

For centuries, home owners and shopkeepers have adorned their buildings with Zhong Kui's likeness, for that visage that once horrified the emperor now glares with purpose at unwelcome demons. Yet these days, it is not just shops and homes in peril, but the whole world. It does not take a mind like Zhong Kui's to see evil's hand in this War of the Gods. The time has come to bring these demons to task, and Zhong Kui means to smite them all.

Scourge of Elwynn

Hogger is the leader of the Riverpaw gnolls, a gang of vicious hyena-men that ambushed merchants and other prey along the roads of Elwynn forest. Although many considered Hogger nothing but a pest, the Stormwind Army put out a bounty of his head, which hundreds of would-be adventurers set out to collect. Finally, he was apprehended and taken to the Stockades, where he led a revolution and made his daring escape.

Now, outleveled Elwynn forest, Hogger has come to the Nexus in search of more easy prey.

Oda Eiichiro

Thank you very much for all the fans letters each and every week. I believe that what I can do now is to repay your cheers with the energy of the characters. I'm gonna do it!!

毎週毎週たくさんのファンレター本当にありがとうございます。皆様の声援をキャラクター達の元気にかえてお返しする事が今の僕にできる事だと思っております。やるぞ!!

Chapter 13