One Piece has been around the block more than a few times, and it has learned the art of making cliffhangers. The manga has shown off the skill several times during the Wano arc so far, and fans aren’t surprised a major one just dropped ahead of chapter 1,000. After all, Kaido’s estranged son has revealed a very interesting tidbit about their past, and it has fans eyeing Ace Portgas very closely.
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The whole ordeal went down at the end of chapter 998. One Piece spent much of the new chapter exploring the Tobi Roppo and their Devil Fruit gifts. With the Straw Hats separated for their own battles, the final page checked in on Yamato as the ally checked on Momonosuke once they escaped their pursuers. And as it turns out, Yamato became friends with Ace during his visit to Wano long ago.
The conversation starts when the group runs into a dragon statue hidden away by Kaido. Momo is the first to ask about it, and Yamato tells the boy their friend broke it a long time ago. “In the past, it was placed at the entrance to the island. But my friend destroyed it, so they discarded the statue here,” he explains.
The One Piece chapter ends with Yamato explaining that their friend was “a man who came here years ago to kill” Kaido. The person in question is shown in shadow at that point, and the figure is obviously ace. From his hat to his holstered gun, Ace is hard to overlook here, and the fire surrounding him seals the deal. Now, fans are eager to learn how Yamato and Ace were introduced, and there is no telling how Luffy will react to this news whenever he should find out.
What do you think about this One Piece cliffhanger? Did you expect Yamato to have run into Ace? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.
