The cover page for Chapter 342, titled 'AGENTS OF DARKNESS', features the cover story 'Gedatsu's Carefree Life in the Blue Seas Vol. 26: "The Bus is Operated by Hasami!"'. The illustration shows a giant, cheerful crab named Hasami carrying a wooden bus structure on its back, kicking up dust as it travels along a path.
Hasami
01
Franky is furious, screaming at the top of his lungs, "WHERE ARE YOU~~~? STRAW HAT!!!" His mouth is wide open, showing his teeth, and his sunglasses gleam. Behind him, Mozu and Kiwi, with their square hairstyles, comment on the situation: "IT CAN'T BE HELPED... BIG BRO... THEY'VE PISSED OFF EVERYONE ON THIS ISLAND... THEY MUST BE HIDING OUT RIGHT NOW." Franky stomps forward, frustrated, asking, "WHY ISN'T HE COMING OUT!! I THOUGHT HE HAD GUTS!" Mozu and Kiwi walk alongside him, wearing shirts labeled "TEKKO". They note how unusually violent Franky is being today, to which he snaps, "SHUT UP! I'VE BEEN LIKE THIS ALL WEEK!"
FrankyMozuKiwi
02
Franky and his sisters walk through the streets of Water 7 when they hear voices calling out, "BIG BRO~~" and "BIG... BRO~~~". A group of Franky Family members approaches them. Franky asks if they beat up the Straw Hats, but a bandaged subordinate holding a log replies, "NO. SOME PEOPLE GOT IN THE WAY... THEY ESCAPED..." He explains that they saw "that worthless long nose guy fixing the ship alone" on their ship. Franky is surprised, asking, "YOU SAW ONE OF THEM...? ON THEIR SHIP."
FrankyMozuKiwiFranky Family members
03
Hearing that Usopp is alone on the Going Merry, Franky lets out a sinister, wide-mouthed grin. His subordinates are thrilled, shouting, "WOOOW!! BIG BRO DID THE EVIL GRIN~~~" Franky chuckles, "THAT MAKES THINGS EASIER... WE CAN USE THAT GUY... TO LURE OUT THE OTHERS!!" He instructs his men to spread out across town and shout, "...YELLING 'WE GOT THE LONG NOSE GUY!! IF YOU DON'T WANT US TO FEED HIM TO THE FISHES... COME TO THE WAREHOUSE UNDER THE BRIDGE AND SEE FRANKY'". His men enthusiastically cheer, "WE GOT IT, BIG BRO!! LEAVE IT TO US!!" while setting up a trap.
FrankyFranky Family members
04
Outside the grand Galley-La Company headquarters, a massive crowd of armed shipwrights stands guard. Shouts of "KEEP YOUR GUARD UP!" and "IF WE LET ANYONE GET THROUGH... THE PRIDE OF GALLEY-LA WILL BE DESTROYED!!" echo through the air. Inside the crowd, Tilestone and Peeply Lulu discuss the tight security, assuring each other that not even a fly can get through. Watching from a distance, Chopper peers through binoculars, noting, "EVERYONE HAS A WEAPON... THEY LOOK SO STRONG!!" Nami agrees, saying those mechanics could pin any pirate to the ground.
Hiding in the nearby trees, Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Chopper keep watch. Zoro tells Chopper, "TELL ME AS SOON AS YOU SEE THEM MAKE A MOVE..." Chopper replies, "OKAY!" Nami worries about anyone barging in recklessly, while Zoro notes that this will be a long night and they must catch Robin tonight to find out the truth. Luffy, with a determined and fierce expression, declares, "I'LL DEFINITELY CATCH HER!!!"
LuffyZoroNamiChopper
06
Inside the quiet room of Iceburg, the clock ticks loudly ("TICK TOCK"). Iceburg lies in his medical bed, hooked up to an IV. Kalifa stands by his side. Iceburg asks, "KARIFA... CAN YOU LEAVE THE ROOM FOR A WHILE?" She looks surprised but responds, "..... UNDERSTOOD." Iceburg adds, "TELL PAULIE TO COME IN HERE ON YOUR WAY OUT..."
IceburgKalifa
07
Outside the room, Paulie, Rob Lucci (with Hattori on his shoulder), Kaku, Peeply Lulu, and Tilestone are waiting. Kalifa opens the door and calls out, "PAULIE... ICEBERG-SAN HAS SOMETHING TO SAY TO YOU." Paulie is surprised, asking, "TO ME?" Kalifa confirms, "YES. JUST YOU. I'M GOING TO THE SECRETARY'S ROOM. TELL ME IF ANYTHING HAPPENS." Tilestone dramatically panics, shouting, "!!!? HE'S GOING TO SAY HIS LAST WORDS!!?" while Kaku and Lulu tell Paulie to go in quickly as it must be important.
Paulie enters the room, and the door clicks shut ("KACHA"). Outside, the remaining Galley-La shipwrights stand guard in the hallway. Through the window frame, we see Paulie standing by Iceburg's bedside. Paulie looks serious, saying, "YEAH... I GOT IT."
PaulieIceburgRob LucciKakuPeeply LuluTilestone
09
Iceburg speaks to Paulie privately: "AFTER MUCH CONSIDERATION, YOU ARE THE BEST MAN FOR THIS JOB. WILL YOU ACCEPT THIS TASK?" He warns him that there may be a lot of danger involved. Paulie, adjusting his goggles, replies confidently, "YOU DON'T NEED TO BE SO POLITE. JUST LEAVE IT TO ME!!" Kalifa watches silently from a distance as Paulie turns to leave, saying, "I'LL TAKE CARE OF IT RIGHT NOW."
PaulieIceburg
10
Paulie exits the room, closing the door behind him ("BATAN"). Lucci asks, "COO- FINISHED TALKING?" Paulie replies, "YEAH. HAVE TO DO SOME STUFF. I NEED TO LEAVE FOR A LITTLE BIT." Lucci, Kaku, Lulu, and Tilestone assure him that the four of them are enough to guard Iceburg. Inside the room, Iceburg rests quietly. Outside, the clock continues to tick as night falls over Water 7, and the wind begins to howl.
Paulie sneaks into the President's room, unlocking the door ("KACHYA..."). He recalls Iceburg's instructions: "LOOK BENEATH THE FLOOR, UNDER THE DESK IN THE PRESIDENT'S ROOM... THERE'S A SAFE HIDDEN THERE... BE SURE TO REMEMBER THE COMBINATION... TURN RIGHT... TO... SIX..." Paulie lifts the floorboards, finds the safe, and carefully turns the dial ("KATA KATA") to open it.
PaulieGalley-La shipwrights
12
Elsewhere, a large figure wearing a round bear mask and a checkered cloak stands next to Nico Robin, who is wearing a hood and a dark mask over her eyes. The bear-masked figure asks, "ROBIN... ARE YOU READY?" Robin calmly replies, "YES..." The figure holds a small device and says, "THEN I'M GOING TO STIR THINGS UP... THE FOUR OF YOU... PROCEED AS PLANNED WHEN YOU GET MY SIGNAL."
Nico Robinmasked figure in bear mask
13
A massive explosion suddenly rips through the front of the Galley-La headquarters, sending smoke, debris, and shipwrights flying into the air. Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Chopper react in shock. The shipwrights panic, shouting about the explosion on the first floor. Inside, Paulie hears the blast and worries about Iceburg. Meanwhile, Robin and her masked companion prepare to move, with the bear-masked figure commenting, "THAT'S A STYLISH SIGNAL..."
LuffyZoroNamiChopperPaulieIceburgNico Robinmasked figure in bear maskGalley-La shipwrights
14
Outside, the shipwrights scramble in chaos. Tilestone and Lulu spot a masked intruder and charge forward, shouting, "HE'S WEARING A MASK! CATCH HIM!!" and "WUOOOOOO!! LEAVE IT TO ME!!!" Meanwhile, Lucci and Kaku remain seated outside Iceburg's door, completely calm. Suddenly, another masked intruder wearing a dark, feathered cloak and a bird-like mask leaps into the hallway.
TilestonePeeply LuluKakuRob LucciHattorimasked figure in bird mask
15
The bird-masked intruder uses a whip to swing himself up to the upper level ("SU~~"). Shipwrights on the roof confront him with swords and weapons, but the intruder calmly tells them, "JUST GIVE IT UP... YOU ARE NO MATCH FOR ME..."
masked figure in bird maskTilestoneGalley-La shipwrights
16
The chaos intensifies outside the headquarters. The bear-masked figure asks Robin, "DO YOU REMEMBER THE BLUEPRINTS OF THE HOUSE, NICO ROBIN?" to which she replies, "YES..." Back in the bushes, Zoro, Nami, and Chopper suddenly realize that Luffy is gone, screaming in shock, "EH?! WHERE'S LUFFY?!"
Nico Robinmasked figure in bear maskZoroNamiChopper
17
Inside the President's office, Paulie has successfully retrieved a rolled-up set of blueprints from the safe, saying, "THIS MUST BE IT. THE THING THAT ICEBERG-SAN TALKED ABOUT..." Suddenly, the door opens and two masked figures—one with a horned bull mask and another with a skull mask—appear. They chuckle, "HOHO. AH! IS THAT WHAT MR. ICEBERG WAS HIDING? BETTER HAND IT OVER..." Paulie grits his teeth in anger, clutching the blueprints tightly, and shouts, "YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND ITS VALUE!!!"
Pauliemasked figure in horned maskmasked figure in skull mask
18
No description for this page.
End of chapter19 pages
Discussion
One Piece Chapter 342: Agents of Darkness
p8A large X is drawn over a scene of two figures talking.
p8Goggled headband man responds with YEAH and I GOT IT.
p9Goggled headband man accepts the task from the man in bed.
p9Goggled headband man exits the room after receiving instructions.
p10Goggled headband man informs waiting group he needs to leave briefly.
p10Mustached man in white coat decides four people are sufficient.
p10A ticking clock and large structures appear at page end.
p11Goggled headband man discovers a safe hidden under the floor in the president's room.
p11Goggled headband man attempts to open the safe by turning the dial.
p11Galley-La Company building is shown with reacting characters below.
p12Bear-masked figure addresses hooded woman as Robin.
p12Four individuals receive instruction to act on bear-masked figure's signal.
p13Explosion occurs at north end of first floor.
p13Hooded masked woman recognizes explosion as planned signal.
p14Bear-masked figure moves to intercept intruder.
p14Long-nosed man identified as Galley-La member by cap logo.
p15Bear-masked figure uses whip as weapon from elevated position.
p15Confrontation occurs between hooded woman, bear-masked figure, and long-nosed intruder.
p16Nico Robin appears in hooded white cloak and black mask.
p16Pursuit occurs in burning city streets.
p16Group includes round-faced creature, spiky-haired man, and small top-hatted figure.
p17Horned skull-masked figure reacts to the revealed object.
p17Goggled man examines a cylindrical case in a side room.
p17Two cloaked figures depart through a doorway in the main hall.
What is said, page by page
p0Narration states Gedatsu's carefree life in the blue seas volume 26 with bus operated by Hasami.
p1Pompadour man shouts for Straw Hat and demands his location with rage.
p1Tekko woman explains the targets must be hiding after angering the island.
p1Second Tekko woman questions why the target has not appeared and doubts his courage.
p1Pompadour man tells the women to be quiet after their complaints.
p2Crowd reports that targets escaped from angry pompadour man.
p2Crowd notes some people interfered during the escape.
p2Long-haired man asks if anyone saw one of the targets.
p2Background figures confirm seeing the long nose guy.
p3Pompadour man realizes they can use the captured long nose guy to lure the others.
p3Background recalls the threat to feed the long nose guy to fishes.
p3Pompadour man orders subordinates to search the town.
p3Subordinates cheer and agree to set a trap at the warehouse.
p4Armed guards shout warnings that letting anyone through will destroy Galley-La pride.
p4Worker reassures that the building is fully surrounded and no one can enter.
p4Worker asks about the situation at the back of the building.
p4Workers affirm that the mechanics can pin any intruder to the ground.
p5Zoro instructs others to report any movement immediately.
p5Chopper acknowledges the order.
p5Luffy wonders who tried to enter earlier and warns against reckless action.
p5Zoro states this may be their only chance to find Robin and stresses maintaining concentration.
p5Luffy declares he will definitely catch her.
p6Kalifa responds to Iceberg from beside the bed.
p6Iceberg tells Kalifa to send Paulie in on her way out.
p6Kalifa acknowledges the order.
p6Iceberg asks Kalifa to leave the room for a while.
p7Paulie reacts with surprise when called.
p7Iceberg tells Kalifa he is going to the secretary's room and to report anything.
p7Kalifa informs a seated man that Iceberg wants to speak with him privately.
p7Workers comment that the private conversation must be important.
p7Worker wonders what the conversation is about.
p8Goggled headband man affirms with firm determination that he understands the assignment.
p9Injured man in bed states the goggled headband man is the best choice for a dangerous task and asks if he accepts.
p9Goggled headband man replies that the injured man need not be polite and promises to handle the job.
p9Injured man accepts with a simple OKAY.
p9Goggled headband man declares he will take care of it immediately while leaving.
p10Goggled headband man tells the group he must leave for a short time to handle something.
p10Voice from group asks if talking is finished.
p10Mustached man in white coat states that the four of them should be enough.
p11Goggled headband man identifies a hidden safe beneath the floor under the president's room.
p11Goggled headband man notes the safe location and begins turning the dial right to six.
p11Goggled headband man reminds himself to remember the combination.
p12Distant small figures shout 'KATSA' and ask if everyone is ready with excited intent from hilltop vantage.
p12Bear-masked figure directly asks Robin if she is ready with commanding tone.