Summary:
Zoro is suddenly further hampered in his fight against the king as the Enma blade continues to drain his Haki away even as he tries to regulate it. However, as the conflict progresses, Zoro realizes that Shimotsuki Kozaburo, Enma’s creator, was an old man he knew in Shimotsuki Village. Zoro remembers one particular interaction with Kozaburo 13 years ago in which the old man hinted at Enma’s existence. When Zoro realizes that Enma has found him and is with him to test his strength, Zoro finally empowers his swords by unleashing his Haoshoku Haki.
Long summary
Zoro demands that Enma stop draining his Haki without his permission as he sucked it back into his arm again. King moves towards Zoro, but stops and stands in front of him, leaving Zoro confused as to what King is trying to do. Still, Zoro plunged his sword into King’s chest, which King said was a direct hit. However, it explodes a few seconds later.
Back at the Pleasure Hall, the Queen, who was knocked back into several walls by Sanji’s attack, returns to him and tells him that he found out he was talking to Zoro before and how he believes he can’t win against the King. . The Queen then tells Sanji that King is part of the Lunar Tribe, who were supposedly all exterminated, though he says they could survive in any inhospitable environment they found themselves in, causing them to be referred to as “gods” in 1998. ancient history. Sanji questions how beings like him could be wiped out, but Queen tells him to find out for himself as she prepares to fire another laser at him.
Back outside the castle, Zoro reveals that he used Busoshoku Haki to protect himself from King’s explosion and expresses disbelief at how he remained unscathed from such an attack. He uses Ittoryu Iai: Shi Shishi Sonson, but King takes another hit for no damage as he transforms back into his Pteranodon form to fire another Tempuraudon attack. Zoro draws his other swords, but Enma takes action again, causing Zoro to suffer from King’s attack, which also destroys a chunk of the island. Zoro begins to fall, dropping the Sandai Kitetsu at the same time, though he quickly manages to retrieve it as he remembers how Tenguyama Hitetsu told him to do it and when he first bought it in Loguetown. King then uses a flame kick to knock Zoro back to the island while calling him a fool for risking his life for the sword. However, Zoro was thankful to see that Wado Ichimonji didn’t fall like he thinks when he got that sword too after Kuina’s death. He also remembers Hitetsu telling him that Wado Ichimonji was created by the same person who created Enma: Shimotsuki Kozaburo. Zoro then asks a question he couldn’t at the time: how did Wan’s sword get to East Blue? The King attacks Zoro with the Barizodon, which Zoro blocks, though another attack from the King with his wing knocks Zoro down into the castle. He then remembers when Momonosuke told him he mustn’t say the word “Sunacchi” and how he told him he got it from some “old bastard” in his village and how he never used it himself.
As he lay on the ground, Zoro remembered the speaker who sat by the shore, whose name he had never learned, and who he only found out was Quinn’s grandfather after he died. He also remembers when Hitetsu told him that Kozaburo illegally left Wano more than fifty years ago. Zoro then remembers his childhood and how the old man told him what “Sunacchi” meant and how he felt like he would never use it. He then asks the old man if he really was a samurai like everyone in the dojo said he was, but the old man tells him to be quiet so the marines won’t find him, leaving an angry Zoro alone. Later, the old man sees Zoro training and complaining about how he lost to Kuina again, and offers him two free swords to train with. The old man then told Zoro that he considered each sword to be a unique person with their own personalities, and a swordsman is one who tames their wild natures and bends them to their own will. She also tells him that swords with names that people say are cursed aren’t really, just weaker people say that. He then tells him that he created his magnum opus when he was young and how he named it after the “Lord of the Underworld” because he is terrifying.
With this revelation, Zoro realizes that the sword the old man was talking about was Enma, and as he puts the puzzle together, he also realizes that the old man was actually Shimotsuki Kozaburo. He also remembers telling him that the blades are patiently waiting to find someone worthy to wield them, and Zoro sees that Enma has been testing him all along. Zoro picks Enma up and reabsorbs his energy, saying that he fell short of her expectations, which Oden clearly did. Several Beast Pirates suddenly appear and ask King to allow them to deal with him in hopes of being promoted, but they are all knocked unconscious by Zoro’s Haoshoku Haki when he decides to let Enma take his Haki. As Zoro stands in front of King with his three swords brimming with energy, King asks if Zoro plans to become “King”. Zoro confirms this when he says that he promised his captain and best friend.