Zoro

“Pirate Hunter” Zolo · the Straw Hats’ first recruit-target · alive · unaffiliated at first appearance (held prisoner at the Shells Town Marine base)

Profile

Famed swordsman known as “the Pirate Hunter” — bounties his living. Wears a black bandana (often around his arm, on his head in combat) and a green haramaki sash. Has a personal dream he refuses to compromise on, even at the cost of his own life. Already established in his very first appearance as a man of his word — the load-bearing trait that defines his arc throughout the series.

Arc-by-arc updates

Elbaf — handed a founder-weapon (Ch. 1189) — shown

Elbaf — Team Zolo makes for the port (Ch. 1182) — shown (team caption)

• Map inset: “Team Zolo, port side of Western Village” — carried by Goldberg (p. 11); a battered figure hauls the boxed demon head (from @1177) along (“THROB”). Team dialogue: “That black flame, though… it was transforming into steel bullets and bombs… and he clearly helped the Knights of God who were already here power up further… If we don’t put an end to them soon, things will get out of hand” (p. 11); “No worries. Our captain’s a ‘friend’s country is my country’ kind of a guy” (p. 11). (Course note: the port is where Sommers readies the kidnap drakkar — collision course.)

Elbaf — Purgatory Onigiri stopped cold (Ch. 1180) — shown

Elbaf — cutting the undying demons (Ch. 1177) — shown

Elbaf (Ch. 1176)

• Listed (VIZ “Zolo”) among “The Warriors of the Western Village” fighting the demon-transformed Dorry and Brogy (p.14).
• See Elbaf’s Fear-Manifestation Attack.

Elbaf (Ch. 1175) — shown

Elbaf (Ch. 1173) — Crossing the Six Paths on the demon giants — shown

Elbaf (Ch. 1172) — shown (map “current location” group)

• In the p.10 “current location” group with Sanji and Chopper.

Elbaf — Zoro can use Conqueror’s Haki (Ch. 1152) — shown

Final Saga — Elbaf — the Groggy-saurus hunt (Ch. 1145) — shown

Final Saga — Elbaf — warns against Loki’s manipulation (Ch. 1143) — shown

• Present at the wounded Loki scene (VIZ “Roronoa Zolo”). Warns “Don’t get suckered in, Hajrudin!!” (p. 13). Later advises that if they really want Loki to recover they “shouldn’t leave him in a place like this,” where the villagers’ calls for execution would kill him (p. 17).

Final Saga — Elbaf — tests Loki’s wounds (Ch. 1141) — shown

• Cuts the chained Loki to confirm the injuries are real (“okay, so the injuries and blood are real… he doesn’t seem to be acting!!”); voices his survival-of-the-fit doctrine — “if he’s dead, then he wasn’t meant to survive” (pp. 10–11). Stays behind to guard while Luffy fetches the doctor.
• (last_appearance 1139→1141 — SHOWN.)

Elbaf — Aurust Castle key-hunt (Ch. 1139)

• Present with the key-hunting party in Aurust Castle; teased as “so strict, Zolo!” (p. 2); his swords scatter when Rodo drops the crew (p. 5).

Elbaf — the Livedolls chamber (Ch. 1129)

• Slices the giant net restraining the cat Lord Iscat to keep the crew moving — “Just keep… moving!!” (pp. 7-8).

Elbaf (Ch. 1127)

• Arrives with Luffy & Sanji to flatten the hallucinated monster (an ordinary giant cat) with Three-Sword Style: Black Rope Dragon Twister (p. 12). Dressed in Elbaf/viking gear (goggles); “Finding the sea and our ship comes first.” Passes on eating the cat.

Egghead — escapes Saturn with Jinbei (Ch. 1111) — shown

• Battered but “still standing” against Saturn’s Haki (p. 4); Jinbei frees him (“You won the fight!!” — i.e. the Zoro-vs-Lucci duel) and the two flee (pp. 4–6).

Egghead — “Spot Hunt” vs Lucci; the island-wide monstrous Haki (Ch. 1110) — shown

• Still locked in combat with Rob Lucci (leopard hybrid); senses the “massive Haki… all over the island” from the Elder-beasts.
• Lands “Three Sword Style — Spot Hunt!!” (santoryu, vs Lucci’s leopard “spots”). Sanji calls him “a liability” putting the crew in danger; Jinbei resolves to drag him back.

Egghead — duels the awakened Lucci; escape is near (Ch. 1107) — shown

• Duels the awakened Rob Lucci; rebuffs the “deadweight” taunt (“You say that as though you’re the one in control of how long we fight, Rob Lucci!!”). Told (via Lilith/Brook) “it’s not the time to be fighting” — escape is near (p.6-7).

Egghead — referenced still held up by Lucci (Ch. 1105) — referenced

• Referenced as “still being held up by Lucci” (p. 6).

Egghead — vs the awakened Lucci (Ch. 1093) — shown

• Duels the awakened leopard-form Rob Lucci in the Labophase; dismisses him — “if this is the best you can do” (pp. 7-8). Lucci frames Zoro as “the number two of an Emperor of the sea… worth killing on his own.”

Egghead — chasing the vanished S-Hawk (Ch. 1078)

• Fighting the flame-backed S-Hawk (“Hawk-Eyes”), who vanishes to pick off weaker targets first; Zoro vows to go after him (Luffy mis-calls him “Zolo!!”; Zoro: “Wait for me, Roronoa!!!”) (pp. 7-8).

Egghead (Ch. 1077)

• Recognizes the bear-Seraphim (S-Bear) fights like the Lunarian King he beat in Wano (“the guy I fought in Wano… kinda similar to King”), unlocking the flame-on-back weakness; lands One-Sword Style Iai: Slaughter (pp. 5-7).

Egghead — vs Kaku in the lab (Ch. 1076)

• Fights through the CP0 brawl; uses “Purgatory Oni Giri!!” (p. 8) and counters with a slice against Kaku’s Rokuogan (p. 9). Razzed by a passenger he is carrying (“See, Roronoa?! Are you going to lug us around…”, p. 4).

Egghead — forced to fight the rogue Seraphim (Ch. 1075)

• Drawn into the fight (“Help me out, Luffy!!”; “It’s you!!”) as the Seraphim rampage; resolves not to let the cuffed men be slaughtered (“If I let those guys get slaughtered with handcuffs on… I’ll leave a bad aftertaste!”) (pp. 13–15).
• Addressed by Lucci with the truce offer alongside Luffy; glares back, displeased (p. 15).

Egghead / Final Saga (Ch. 1074)

• Told to “be a good boy” and stay put (“Zolo”); wants to join the manhunt for the missing scientist (p. 11).

Egghead — duels a winged Seraphim (Ch. 1073)

• Clashes blades with a rampaging Seraphim he finds oddly familiar (“you’re actually a little more human than him…”; “So who are you?!”), holding it off until sea-prism stone and Edison halt the units (pp. 5-9).

Egghead — defends the Sunny/lab vs Kaku (Ch. 1072)

• With Brook, fights to keep the Seraphim and CP0 off the Labophase as the enemy moves to “destroy the lab before Vegapunk comes out”; the pair are framed as “two against seven… all elite units” (pp. 13-16).
• Faces Kaku in a grotesque, elongated form (“he’s supposed to be a giraffe… why does he look like that?”); Kaku uses “Nose Pistol,” and Zoro answers with “Kilimangyro” (pp. 14-15).

Egghead / Final Saga (Ch. 1071)

• Naps aboard the Thousand Sunny and, half-asleep, deflects CP0’s long-range Rankyaku strike on the ship — “…to disturb my nap…? Who dares…” (p. 12). CP0 (Lucci) identifies him: “Roronoa!!!”

Egghead (Ch. 1064)

• Stays on ship watch aboard the Sunny with Brook instead of touring the Egghead lab (p. 14).

Wano Country — Departure (Ch. 1057)

• Departs Wano with the crew; deadpan-threatens to cut Luffy down if he keeps disrespecting Shogun Momonosuke (“I may have no choice but to cut him down!!”); needles Luffy over taking the “safe” port (pp. 6, 11).

Wano Country (Ch. 1056)

• Reacts to the Cross Guild reveal — refuses to believe Hawk-Eyes would be anyone’s follower (“That’s not possible. Not for Hawk-Eyes.”, p.15).
• Leaves Wano with the crew. (Momonosuke had wanted Zoro to teach him swordsmanship.)
• (last_appearance → 1056.)

Wano Country — recovering at the festival (Ch. 1055)

• Resting with Luffy in the Flower Capital; reacts to the Haki burst (“Yeah!! What was that?”, p. 17).
• (last_appearance → 1055.)

Wano Country — castle aftermath (Ch. 1052)

• Awakens from recovery alongside Luffy (p.9); joins the feast and the men’s bath (pp.10–14).

Wano Country — aftermath (Ch. 1050)

• Out cold and in critical condition after the raid; “won’t come to,” triaged by Chopper among many casualties (p. 10).

Wano Country (Ch. 1038)

• At Rightbrain Tower (with Franky), his body seizes from Chopper’s medicine (“Won’t… move!!” / “My body…!!”) but he forces it to move — “MOVE IT!!!” (p.5). See Zoro’s Doubling Medicine Trades Extreme Healing For Twice The Damage.

Wano Country (Ch. 1036)

• Defeats King. Outside the dome at Rightbrain Tower, Zoro fells the All-Star with Enma’s “King of Hell, Three-Sword Style” — caption “Winner: Zolo.” (p.3–6) See Enma’s Name King Of Hell Encodes A Perilous Wielder-Draining Blade, Oden’s Journal Prophesies The Next Generation Will Strike Down Kaido.
• Flashback intercut with his vow: “From now to the day I beat him to become the greatest swordsman… I will never lose again!!!!” (p.4)

Wano Country — Onigashima Live Floor, vs King (Ch. 1035)

• Deciphers King’s body rule — strike only when the Lunarian’s back-flame is out, because while lit his defense is “like magma” (p. 4–5, 11, 14). See King’s Mask Concealed A Lunarian The Coveted Near-Extinct Race.
• Enma’s drain pressures him (p. 9): “If this drags on, the sword will suck the life from me!! I don’t have much time…” — must finish fast. See Enma Drains The Wielder’s Ryuo And Is Not Yet A Black Blade.
• Dismisses King’s race as irrelevant (“some kind of special race… but it’s got nothing to do with me,” p. 9).
• Fights under the “King of Hell, Three-Sword Style” banner (Enma 閻魔 = King of Hell) — “Purgatory Oni Giri” (p. 11), “King of Hell, Three-Sword Serpent” / “103 Mercies” / “Dragon Damnation” (p. 16) — and cuts up through King’s flaming form at chapter’s end (p. 17).

Wano Country — Onigashima, vs King (Ch. 1033)

• Fights King outside the Skull Dome. Enma keeps forcibly draining his Armament Haki to near-lethal levels — “if I have to keep exuding it at this level, it’ll kill me. How should I stabilize my Haki…?!” (p. 16) — leaving him “held back by his own sword.”
• Attacks: Death Lion Song (one-sword iai, p. 5); Kitetsu III strike (p. 7); blocks Imperial Slings and Arrows with Enma (p. 10).
• Swordsmith revelation: recalls that the “old man” of his village was Shimotsuki Kozaburo — Kuina’s grandfather and maker of all three of his swords (Wado Ichimonji, Enma, Kitetsu III). Concludes “a sword is honest and direct… it was my strength that was lacking” — Enma was “light as a feather” when Oden wielded it (p. 16). See Shimotsuki Village.
• Rises on his childhood promise to Kuina (“for both of us”) and to his captain Luffy — recommitting to become the world’s greatest swordsman “for a king” (pp. 16–17). See Worlds Greatest Swordsman, Enma Drains The Wielder’s Ryuo And Is Not Yet A Black Blade.

Wano Country — Onigashima, outside the dome: vs King (Ch. 1032)

• Fights King (pteranodon All-Star) wielding Enma; studies King’s beak-laser “Imperial Stake” (blocks it — “like a laser beam!!”), the crest-pull mechanism, and King’s ability to block sword slashes with his wings (pp. 9–13).
• Reasons that King’s perpetual back-flames are NOT a pteranodon feature and that King “isn’t bleeding” from clashes — concludes King belongs to “some race I’ve never heard of” (guesses fish-man / giant blood); he must crack this tell to land a hit (pp. 14–15). Seeds King’s Mask Concealed A Lunarian The Coveted Near-Extinct Race. (King’s race reveal is forward — do NOT name it.)
• Uses “Black Rope Dragon Twister” and “360-Pound Phoenix”; Enma flares dramatically (“ENMA IS—!!”) (pp. 12–13, 16). See Enma Drains The Wielder’s Ryuo And Is Not Yet A Black Blade.

Wano Country — Onigashima vs King (Ch. 1031)

• Fighting King outside the dome (p. 17 “OUTSIDE THE DOME, ZORO VS. KING”). Discovers Sanji planted a snail on his stomach-band; agrees to Sanji’s request — “All right, fine. I’ll kill you, just like you asked!!… Don’t die before then!!” (pp. 17–18). See Sanji Asks Zoro To Kill Him If The Germa Science Takes His Mind.

Wano Country — Onigashima Raid, Performance Floor (Ch. 1027)

• Recovered and back on his feet on the Performance Floor, fights a berserk King; damages King’s mask, which is what sent King into an uncontrolled rage (pp. 13–14). See King’s Mask Concealed A Lunarian The Coveted Near-Extinct Race.
• Declines Franky’s offered help and asks him to stand back (pp. 13, 15).
• Trades named techniques with King — “Three-Sword Style: Ultra Tiger Hunt,” then “Two-Sword Style” — and is sent falling, demanding King let him “die by the sword!! Show a little respect!!!” King answers, “I’d ask the same of you” (pp. 15–17).

Wano Country — Onigashima Raid, Live Floor (Ch. 1023)

• Fights King on the Live Floor as the healed “Zolo-juro”; notes King “never called yourself a swordsman” — “a killer machine, huh.”
• Kawamatsu recognizes him as the spitting image of the one-eyed Ringo daimyo Shimotsuki Ushimaru, a descendant of Ryuma (Hyogoro affirms “he is the spitting image”) — sharpening the unstated Wano–Shimotsuki lineage tell. See The Shimotsuki Name Links Wano To Zoro’s Lineage.

Wano Country — Onigashima Raid, Performance Floor (Ch. 1022)

• Gravely wounded (“Zolojuro,” wrapped like a “green mummy”), being kept alive by Tony Tony Chopper and Miyagi while Beasts Pirates hunt him to finish him off (pp. 10-13).
• Rises (“It’s time for the stars to take the stage!!”), bandages ripping, and joins Sanji in a tag-team combo (Three-Sword-Style Purgatory Onigiri) into King and Queen (pp. 16-17). Closes bantering with Sanji about watching Luffy become King of the Pirates.

Wano Country — Onigashima Raid (Ch. 1015)

• Gravely wounded and unconscious after the rooftop fight; carried off the Live Floor. Sanji entrusts him to allies, describing him as having “the strength of ten when he’s healthy.”

Wano Country — Onigashima Raid (Ch. 998)

• On the Live Floor as Marco gets “a handle on the situation”; Marco addresses him directly — “Hey, Roronoa… I’ll fly you up to the roof if you want” — offering to carry Zoro and Luffy up to the rooftop. (p. 6)

Wano Country — Onigashima Raid (Ch. 997)

• On the Performance Floor, cuts down Scratchmen Apoo. Enraged when Okiku’s severed arm falls through the ceiling hole from the rooftop and a Conqueror’s-Haki quake rolls down from Kaido’s fury; vows to “slice [Kaido] into pieces” (pp. 9–12).

Wano Country — Onigashima raid, Live Floor (Ch. 990)

• As “Zorojuro,” deflects the giant Number’s swung club to protect the line (“Don’t push it, you guys!!”, “That was a close one!!”) (p. 12).

Wano Country (Ch. 983)

• Pushing deeper inside the castle (Skull Dome) alone — “the farther I get, the more power-users there are!!” — cutting through swarms of Gifters (who number “nearly 500” and try to recruit him: “follow Master Kaido, it’s much easier”) (p. 6).

Wano Country — Onigashima (Ch. 981)

• On the Onigashima floor with Luffy; trades insults with Apoo and Kid (“Same to you, Roronoa!!!”), then covers his ears against Apoo’s hearing-range sound attack (pp. 8-9).

Wano Country — Onigashima (Ch. 980)

• Disguised infiltrator at the Fire Festival banquet on Onigashima; reads the enemy mob as “all Smile fruit users” and is struck by Apoo’s invisible slashing “fighting music” (p. 6, 10–16).

Wano Country — Enma drains his Haki (Ch. 959)

• In samurai armor, vows to slice Kaido in two; half-draws Enma, which lets out a “be-beang!!” and bleeds black Haki off the blade, nearly cutting Chopper — “that’s why your bounty is lower” (p. 5). See Enma Odens Sword The Only Blade To Have Wounded Kaido Offered To Zoro.

Wano Country — Amigasa (Ch. 955) — inherits Enma; the black-blade path named

• At Amigasa Village’s bamboo grove Zoro receives Kozuki Oden’s Enma (one of the 21 Excellent-Grade Swords) from Kozuki Hiyori via Kozuki Sukiyaki. His test cut slices the coastline because Enma involuntarily draws out his Ryuo (“it exudes its wielder’s Ryuo on its own”; “a normal swordsman would be a mere husk,” pp. 6–7). He keeps it: “Enma, huh?! …it’ll mean I’ve gotten that much stronger.”
• Hitetsu reveals Wado Ichimonji and Enma share one maker, Shimotsuki Kozaburo (p. 16), and that Enma is “not yet forged into a black blade” — its rank may rise with Zoro (p. 17). Zoro now wields Wado Ichimonji, Sandai Kitetsu (Kitetsu III), and Enma; the confiscated Nidai Kitetsu (Kitetsu II) is cleared up.
• Overtrains with Enma and “won’t wake up” (p. 10). Ends the chapter cradling Enma: “Just you wait, Kaido” (p. 17).

Wano Country — Ringo (Ch. 954) — agrees to return Shusui; takes Oden’s Enma

• Learns from Hiyori that her father Oden was a two-sword swordsman: she holds Enma, her brother Momonosuke holds Ame-no-Habakiri (p. 2) — both forged by two famed Wano bladesmiths.
• Agrees to return the black blade Shusui — the Wano national treasure / grave-sword of Ryuma he has carried since Thriller Bark — to Ryuma’s grave, on condition that he may visit the grave (p. 3).
• Is offered Enma as a replacement for Shusui (pp. 2-4); acknowledges he “shared combat with Ryuma… or at least his corpse” and guesses Moria stole Shusui. See Worlds Greatest Swordsman, Zoro Inherits Oden’s Sword Enma.

Wano Country — Ringo (Ch. 953) — the Shusui thief is the fox Onimaru; Hiyori offers Enma

• Tracks the wounded Shusui thief through the snow of Ringo to Bandit’s Bridge; the “Gyukimaru” he chased is revealed to be the shapeshifting fox Gyukimaru, which reverts to fox form (“POOF”) on p. 17 (pp. 3, 17).
• Hiyori offers him Enma — Oden’s blade, the only sword to have wounded Kaido — in exchange for returning Shusui to Wano (p. 17). (Acceptance/return not yet shown on-page.) See Enma Odens Sword The Only Blade To Have Wounded Kaido Offered To Zoro.
• The shared Shimotsuki surname between Ringo’s ruling clan and his own East-Blue dojo village surfaces as an open thread. See The Shimotsuki Name Links Wano To Zoro’s Lineage.

Wano Country — Bandit’s Bridge, Ringo (Ch. 952)

• The next day, still locked in combat with Gyukimaru over the black blade Shusui; Gyukimaru declares Shusui a stolen national treasure of Wano whose removal “incurred the wrath of the god of the blade” (pp. 2–3). Nico Robin looks on bewildered (“Shusui?!”).
• When armed men arrive seeking revenge on Gyukimaru and aim to “shoot them all dead,” Zoro orders “Stay back, Lady Hiyori” and slices the gunmen down in one pass (pp. 16–17). Gyukimaru flees again.

Wano Country (Ch. 950)

• Cuts down a band of ninja at the Enma Shrine in the forest outside the Flower Capital (pp. 14–15). See An Enma Shrine Stands In The Ringo Forest.
• Resolves to recover his stolen sword Shusui “by the time of the battle” at Ringo’s “famous bandit’s bridge”; the woman sheltering him offers to guide him (pp. 15–16).
• Vows to avenge Yasuie/Tonoyasu’s death and shares the woman’s grudge against Orochi (p. 16). See A Hidden Shamisen-Playing Noblewoman Shelters Zoro And Vows To Kill Orochi.

Wano Country (Ch. 945)

• As “Zolojuro,” holds his own against Kyoshiro’s men and the Orochi Oniwabanshu in Rasetsu Town (p. 3). A mysterious, highly-recognizable black-haired woman is allied with him and apologizes for being chased (“I’m so sorry, Zolojuro!”); Zoro is baffled the “babe” knows him (pp. 9–10).

Wano Country — Rasetsu Town (Ch. 944)

• Crashes the Rasetsu Town execution grounds as “Zolojuro,” rescues Toko and hands her off, then cuts loose with a Two-Sword-Style “720-Pound Phoenix” (pp. 2–4) — parried by Kyoshiro (pp. 5–6).
• Banters with Sanji mid-fight (“Browgoro” / “Mossjuro”, p. 2).

Wano Country — Rasetsu Town (Ch. 943)

• Present at the Rasetsu execution under his “Zorojuro” alias (recognized as the wanted “Magistrate Slasher”); bursts in with Sanji at the cliffhanger to deflect Orochi’s bullets and save Toko (pp. 5, 17).

Wano Country — Ringo / Northern Graveyard (Ch. 941)

• At the Ringo Northern Graveyard with Brook; they find the hidden woman (Momonosuke’s younger sister) in a well-hut (pp. 10-11).
• Leaves to chase Toko after she bolts for the Capital — “you weren’t able to protect her on your own… I’ll go after her!!” (p. 13).

Wano Country — recovering at Hiyori’s (Ch. 939)

• Recovering under the alias “Sir Zorojuro,” Zoro hears Hiyori’s full story and learns she is Kozuki Hiyori, Momonosuke’s sister; he urges her not to throw cold water on the warriors’ fight by worrying (pp. 2–7).
• Learns the full Akazaya Nine roster from Hiyori (p. 6).

Wano Country — Ringo / Northern Graveyard (Ch. 938)

• Flashback: overpowered and wounded by the bridge bandit Gyukimaru, who takes his black blade Shusui (pp. 2–3); vows to get it back (pp. 11–12). See Kin’emon Demands The Return Of Shusui Grave-Robbed From Ryuma Wano National Hero.
• Recovers at Ringo’s Northern Graveyard, nursed with stolen “toad oil” by a kimono-clad woman and the girl Toko, whom he had saved (pp. 10–12).
• The woman reveals herself to him as Kozuki Hiyori, Momonosuke’s younger sister (p. 13). See Kozuki Hiyori Survives In Hiding.

Wano Country — Bandit’s Bridge, Ringo (Ch. 937)

• Confronts the warrior-monk bandit Gyukimaru, who stole Shusui; Zoro means to take it back — “Just doesn’t feel right without all three” — leaving him on two swords (Wado Ichimonji + Sandai Kitetsu) (pp. 6-7).
• Learns the black-blade lore: Shusui was forged black through Ryuma’s history of battle (p. 8). Ties to his path to the World’s Greatest Swordsman (see Worlds Greatest Swordsman).
• Agrees to protect a hooded woman and the laughing child Toko from the chained-scythe assassin Killer — “Then you got a deal” (p. 12).
• Improvises a third blade to land Three Sword Style: Purgatory Oni Giri on both Kamazo and the interrupting Gyukimaru (pp. 16-17).

Wano Country — Ringo (Ch. 936)

• Pursues the Ringo weapon-collecting bandit/monk who stole — and has now returned — Shusui to the grave of the legendary samurai Ryuma (p. 16). See Kin’emon Demands The Return Of Shusui Grave-Robbed From Ryuma Wano National Hero.
• Wants the bandit’s hoard of blades for the alliance; the bandit threatens to take Zoro’s other two katana, and they clash (pp. 16-17).

Wano Country (Ch. 930)

• Guided by Tonoyasu into Ebisu Town; mistaken for a comedy act over his three swords (pp. 2-3).
• Scowls through the townsfolk’s relentless cheer and declines the gifted “nice, clean water” — “Nah, I’ll pass” (pp. 4-5). See Ebisu Town’s Perpetual Smiles.

Wano Country (Ch. 929)

• In the ruins of the Kibi region (as “Zorojuro”); befriended by the sycophant Tonoyasu (“Yasu”), who carries sushi for him and leads him toward Ebisu Town (pp. 9–10).

Wano Country (Ch. 920)

• Comic B-beat: separated from the rest, complaining the komainu Komachiyo “got lost with me riding on it”; he reaches a dock and decides to take another ride (p. 4).

Wano Country (Ch. 919)

• Wants his borrowed sword back from Luffy; suspicious of the disguised Robin (“Nah. She’s hiding something,” p. 5); at the Oden Castle ruins claims he was “just busy practicing with the blade” (p. 15).

Wano Country (Ch. 918)

• Operating as “Zolojuro”; directs the escape (“Head to the entrance of town!!”) and is the “Roronoa” Hawkins spots near Bakura Town (pp. 3, 7).
• Banters with Law at chapter’s end (“You don’t get to say that line!!”) and warns the group the Beasts will now come for them in earnest; teases the “ghosts of Wano” (“You’ll be stunned”) (p. 17). See The Ghosts Of Wano Are Graves Bearing The Names Of Living Men.

Wano Country (Ch. 916)

• Recognized by the Bakura Town crowd as “Zolojuro… the guy who sliced up the magistrate.” Tells Okiku to “cut ‘em up” if she truly means to save the kid, and joins Luffy and Okiku in the charge on Holdem’s mansion to rescue Otama (pp. 15-16).

Wano Country (Ch. 915)

• With Luffy in Bakura Town; declines to cut down the near-naked Urashima (“Didn’t seem right to slice up a naked guy”).
• Admires Okiku and notes the topknot insult “should get the boss involved, mighty quick.”

Wano Country (Ch. 914)

• Disguised as “Zolojuro,” calls himself a ronin (p. 7). Already wanted in Wano — Bat-Man recognizes “a one-eyed ronin” from the town notice boards (p. 12).
• Deflects Bat-Man’s arrows mid-conversation, saving Otsuru (“She would have died if it had hit her!!!”, pp. 10-11).
• Joins the rescue charge into Bakura Town after Otama’s abduction (pp. 14-16).

Wano Country (Ch. 913)

• Fighting in his “Zorojuro” disguise (VIZ “Zolo”), trades blows with Hawkins’s strawman and uses “Nigiri”; tells Luffy “Protect the kid!! I’ll handle him!!” (pp. 9–12).
• Revealed to have rescued the teahouse owner Otsuru from bandits earlier; she now “returns the favor” — recognizing him as “the Green One” and offering to tend his wounds (pp. 14–15).

Wano Country (Ch. 912)

• Reunites with Luffy in the Kuri wasteland, disguised in a kimono as the nationally-wanted ronin “Zorojuro” (VIZ “Zolojuro”) (pp. 17-19).
• Cuts down a gang of booze-stealing bandits (p. 17). Unknowingly eats poisoned meat/fish from the wasteland (p. 19).
• When Kaido’s headliner and beast-men corner them, recalls Kin’emon’s order “don’t cause a fuss” but draws to fight alongside Luffy anyway (p. 20).

Wano Country (Ch. 909) — infiltration; breaks cover

• Infiltrates Wano disguised as the ronin “Zorojuro” (VIZ “Zolojuro”), title card p.14.
• A Wano Magistrate accuses him of being the night-killing Tsujigiri and of grave-robbing the legendary swordsman Ryuma’s remains and his blade Shusui 23 years ago; sentenced to seppuku (pp.13-16). See Kin’emon Demands The Return Of Shusui Grave-Robbed From Ryuma Wano National Hero, Ryuma.
• Refuses, seizes the hilt-less seppuku blade and attacks — breaking cover (“I’m sorry, Kin’emon!!”, p.17).

Zou (Ch. 818)

• Reacts with Law to the Emperors-own-the-stones reveal (“Pirates?!”) (p. 8). SBS (p. 18): hobbies “training, booze.”

Zou (Ch. 815)

• Found by Luffy; admits he was listening to the whole Pekoms briefing. “I told you to let that idiot go… don’t make me kick you.” Luffy needles him for being worried about Sanji (p. 9).

Zou (Ch. 814)

• Lays out the geopolitics: destroying Caesar’s SAD lab (Punk Hazard) and Doflamingo’s SMILE factory (Dressrosa) severed Kaido’s artificial-Zoan supply, so the crew is “set up for an imminent confrontation with Kaido of the Four Emperors.” Argues against chasing Sanji into Big Mom’s territory (pp. 7–8). See Straw Hats On A Collision Course With Two Emperors.

Zou (Ch. 810)

• Atop Zou with Luffy, hearing the minks’ account of Jack’s five-day siege (pp. 7–11). See Destruction of Zou.

Zou (Ch. 807)

• At the mink feast, swarmed by dog minks who “chew” him and call him a “corpse” (their mink term of endearment), to his alarm (pp. 2–6).

Zou voyage (Ch. 802)

• Aboard the Barto Club ship en route to Zou (mishears “moving” as “God,” p. 12).

Dressrosa (departure) (Ch. 801)

• New bounty 320,000,000 (Dead or Alive, “Pirate Hunter Zolo”) (p. 16).

Dressrosa (Ch. 799)

• Present aboard ship as the fleet assembles (“Mistah Zolo, you gotta take it easy!!”, p. 7).

Dressrosa — lost on the way to the port (Ch. 797)

• Charges for the eastern port to clear the alliance’s escape route — and promptly gets lost (“Mistah Zolo, that way’s south!!”); the Barto Club hails him “You’re a lifesaver!!” (pp. 2–4).

Dressrosa aftermath — listens to Sabo’s story (Ch. 794)

• At Kyros’ home, drinking; warns that C.P.0 is inbound and presses Sabo on his memory loss (“You were suffering from memory loss that whole time?!”, p. 7).
• As Sabo flies off, remarks “He sounds just like Ace did…” (p. 15).

Dressrosa — Doflamingo’s fall (Ch. 791)

• Watches the Birdcage dissipate: “the strings… are gone!!” (p. 10) — registers Luffy’s victory.

Dressrosa (Ch. 790)

• Shown reacting at the plateau as “Lucy” makes his entrance (p. 3).

Dressrosa — leads the push against the Birdcage (Ch. 788)

• Leads the citizens’ and gladiators’ push against the Birdcage (“Follow Mistah Zolo’s lead!!”); the dwarves credit him when the cage stops and slows (pp. 5, 13, 17).

Dressrosa — holds the Birdcage with Haki (Ch. 787)

• Cuts/braces the Birdcage strings with Armament Haki (“ARMAMENT…”, “KCHING!!”), reframing the cage as “just the powers of one man… the idea that it’s unstoppable is absurd to me!!” (p. 11).
• Organizes the townsfolk to push the sea-prism-stone SMILE factory against the cage to slow its contraction (“Now show me what your strength can do!!! …Push the factory!!!”, pp. 11–12).

Dressrosa (Ch. 785)

• With Kin’emon, resolves to cut the Birdcage strings to buy time: “I’m gonna stop the strings!! It might buy us some time!!!” (p. 6), heading for the island’s east/center.

Dressrosa — racing to stop the Birdcage (Ch. 784)

• Heads with Viola and Hack toward the palace plateau to “stop that thing” (the shrinking Birdcage); “It’s obvious” where they’re heading (p. 4).

Dressrosa — “The Heart Curse” (Ch. 780)

• Present on the plateau with Violet and Kin’emon as they assess the two surviving Donquixote officers (Doflamingo and Trebol) and the shrinking Birdcage (p. 8–9).

Dressrosa (Ch. 779)

• Hailed across town for cutting Pica’s giant stone colossus “with just a sword”; counts the remaining enemy powers and names the Birdcage the true win condition.
• Chapter opens on a black-blade/Haki training flashback (Kuraigana, master implied to be Mihawk): a Haki-infused blade won’t break; any weapon can be turned black — see Worlds Greatest Swordsman, Mihawk Black-Blade Lesson Any Haki-Hardened Blade Turns Black.

Dressrosa — defeats Pica (Ch. 778)

• Defeats Pica. Out-Hakis the awakened-stone Executive — “that’s assuming your Haki’s greater than mine” (p. 16) — and cuts him with the Santoryu finisher “Three Thousand Worlds” (p. 17), after first splitting the colossus with “Trichiliocosm” / the “billion-fold world” cut (pp. 8–11). A blade feat against Executive-tier defensive Haki — see Worlds Greatest Swordsman.
• Launched at Pica’s body as a human projectile by Orlumbus’s “Killer Bowling” (p. 7).
• Coolly dubs Elizabello II’s debris-clearing King Punch “solid execution,” irritating the king (p. 19).

Dressrosa — Zolo vs. Pica (Ch. 777)

• Fights Pica on the King’s Plateau (chapter titled “Zolo vs. Pica”). Frustrated that Pica sinks into and re-emerges from the stone, dodging every strike; cuts into the colossus with One Sword Style: Bite Stone and Demon Horse (pp. 13–14).
• Realizes Pica’s real target is the (former) Royal Plateau (King Riku, Kin’emon, “God Usopp,” the gathered citizens) and that he was lured into a corner to clear Pica’s path; cycles through five plans and commits to Plan 5 — fly through the air and cut Pica down (pp. 16–19). Route to Worlds Greatest Swordsman.

Dressrosa — claiming Pica (Ch. 771)

• Offered aid by King Elizabello II against Pica’s rampaging stone giant; claims the kill for himself (“I see… well, too bad. He’s MINE”) and warns “I think that giant boulder’s plotting something!!!” (pp. 3–4).

Dressrosa — vs Pica’s colossus; “Charlestone”; finishes Machvise (Ch. 770)

• Duels Pica’s stone colossus on the Palace Plateau (Second Step); slices the stone with “Charlestone!!!” (“the bigger they are, the better the slice!!”, p. 9). Orlumbus clears the soldiers and leaves the monster to him (“I’m on it! Gettin’ sick of that guy raising hell…”, p. 7). When Hajrudin’s Gungnir launches Machvise into the Birdcage, Zoro finishes the falling officer — “Sleep tight… and when you wake… the cage will be gone!!!” / “You’re no bird…” (p. 17). Route to Worlds Greatest Swordsman.

Dressrosa — vs Pica, cont. (Ch. 755)

• Continues battling the stone-colossus Pica at the New Royal Plateau / Pica Statue; the dwarves who watched him fight gush that “Mr. Zolo was so rad” (pp. 14–15).

Dressrosa — vs Pica, atop the statue (Ch. 754)

• Fights Pica on top of the stone colossus; Pica retreats into the stone and re-forms the statue (“Pulpostone”). Zoro keeps him occupied with Three Sword Style: 1,080-Pound Phoenix (an escalation of the 36/108-Pound Phoenix line) (pp. 12–16).
• Bartolomeo’s barrier lets Zoro (and the others) “fly” against the moving statue (pp. 14–16).
• Restates the title-vow mid-fight against an Executive-class foe: “I will be the greatest swordsman in the entire world!!! …I’m on an entirely different level than you!!” (p. 17). Route to Worlds Greatest Swordsman.

Dressrosa — atop Pica’s statue (Ch. 752)

• Trades blade-blows with Pica “on top of Pica’s statue” (p. 15) as Pica’s stone colossus looms over the city.

Dressrosa (Ch. 750)

• Aftermath of cutting down Pica’s stone colossus: “Mr. Pica’s head fell off and he stopped moving!!!” — the “Zolo vs Pica” flash point (pp. 3, 5); shown still clashing on the ascent (p. 6).

Dressrosa — marshals the gladiator captains (Ch. 748)

• Blown clear to the square outside the coliseum with Law; tries to marshal the squabbling gladiator captains (“This won’t work. They’ve got too much ego… All right, listen up!!”) (pp.6, 10).

Dressrosa — running the hostile crowd (Ch. 747)

• Runs with the cuffed Luffy and Law through the star-ranked crowd (“Not that way, Zolo!!”) as the country turns hostile (p. 13).

Dressrosa — regrouping with Luffy’s party (Ch. 746)

• On the manhunt board as “Pirate, Straw Hat Crew, Pirate Hunter” (VIZ “Zolo,” ¥100M); regrouping with Luffy’s party.

Dressrosa — chases Pica toward the outer tower (Ch. 745)

• Chases Pica (“the stone guy”) toward the lift / outer tower; concludes “we can’t reach Doflamingo as long as Pica’s with him” after Pica’s stone-reshaping pushes his group out past the outer towers (pp. 4, 13).

Dressrosa — palace infiltration; draws against Pica (Ch. 736)

• Part of Luffy’s palace-infiltration team (reported by the palace guards as “Pirate Hunter Zolo”); climbs the outer tower toward Doflamingo and draws against Pica’s stone monster when it rises from the palace stone (pp. 15, 18–19).

Dressrosa — cuts free of Fujitora’s gravity (Ch. 730)

• Caught in Fujitora’s gravity attack while fleeing the plaza; cuts free with a flying slash and escapes, carried clear by Kin’emon (pp. 5–8). Fujitora is unmoved (“Flying slashes…? Rather ornery…”).
• The Marines order his capture by name — “Capture Roronoa Zolo!!” (p. 11).

Dressrosa — outside the colosseum (Ch. 729)

• Rejoins Luffy and Kin’emon outside the Corrida Colosseum, grousing he wasn’t invited to the tournament; Kin’emon scolds him for straying from the message they were to deliver (p. 8).
• Recognized by the Marines as the Pirate Hunter (Vice Admiral Bastille’s group), who opt not to arrest the group yet (pp. 8–9).

Dressrosa — reunited with Kin’emon (Ch. 728)

• Located by Kin’emon outside the Corrida Colosseum — “Finally found ya…” (p. 19).

Dressrosa — Corrida Coliseum lockdown (Ch. 723)

• With Kin’emon, Abdullah and Jeet outside the locked-down Coliseum, unable to reach Luffy; is the object of Bartolomeo’s tearful fan-worship — “Mr. Zolo the pirate hunter… he looks so awesome!! I can’t see through the tears” (p. 3).

Dressrosa — Acacia (Ch. 722)

• Sprints through Acacia with dwarf guides (who call him “Sir Zolo”/“Zololand”), comically unable to tell left from right (p. 12).
• Learns from the dwarves that the Donquixote officer Giolla stole the Thousand Sunny and is sailing it to Greenbit, that Nami was in danger (hence the unanswered Den Den Mushi), and that he was meant to go warn Luffy — he opts to go rescue the ship instead (pp. 12–13).

Dressrosa — the Riku flower-field base (Ch. 718)

• At the Tontatta flower-field staging base (“Zololand”), sulking that Luffy never invited him to the colosseum tournament — “I can feel my swords itching!” He realizes the “fairies” who took his sword Shusui are the Tontatta dwarves (pp. 9–10).

Dressrosa — Greenbit (Ch. 717)

• Trades heavy blows on Greenbit with a taunting opponent (“Hee hee hee!! You don’t bother to hold back, do you?!”), while repeatedly failing to reach Nami on the Den Den Mushi (“why won’t Nami pick up?!”) (p. 15).

Dressrosa (Ch. 711)

• In Port Town Acacia, chases the clumsy Tontatta recon-scout Wicca, who has his stolen sword and is rushing to report the Donquixote Family’s positions (pp. 10–13).
• Learns the “fairies” have a grudge against Doflamingo and are spying on his Family; with the Sunny under threat, breaks off and heads “straight for the ship” (pp. 13–14).

Dressrosa (Ch. 705) — chasing the “fairy” thief

• Scene 3 “Zolo and the Fairy”: chases the invisible “fairy” who stole his sword Shusui, getting flung and crashed about; the fairy flees in terror of being seen by a human — “a human might see me!!” (pp. 12–13).

Dressrosa (Ch. 702) — the Shusui is stolen; chases the “fairy” thief

• Zoro’s black blade Shusui is stolen by Dressrosa’s invisible “fairies” during a dust-blast pickpocketing (p. 5). He rejects Kin’emon’s claim that it is a Wano national treasure (“Uh, no, it’s MY sword. It is not yours!!”, p. 6) and storms off through the city to chase the thief alongside Luffy (pp. 6–7). See Kin’emon Demands The Return Of Shusui Grave-Robbed From Ryuma Wano National Hero, Dressrosa Fairy Legends And The Invisible Thief.

Punk Hazard departure — accused of grave-robbing the Shusui (Ch. 699)

• Kin’emon recognizes Zoro’s black blade Shusui as the sword of Ryuma, “Wano’s national hero,” and brands him a grave-robber whose theft “traumatized our land” (p. 12). Zoro: “HUH?!!” — first time Shusui’s status as Wano’s stolen national treasure is put to him directly. Seeds the eventual return of the blade to Wano (see Foreshadowing). Cross-link Shusui Black Blade O Wazamono Named At Thriller Bark, Kin’emon Demands The Return Of Shusui Grave-Robbed From Ryuma Wano National Hero.

Punk Hazard (Ch. 694) — cuts the party free

• Slices clean through the collapsing rock tunnel to save the trapped escape party (“SLIICE!!”); a marine marvels “For an enemy, he’s a guy you really don’t want for an enemy!!!” (p. 9).

Punk Hazard (Ch. 691) — carries the gas-fainted Tashigi out

• Carries the gas-fainted Tashigi out of the collapsing lab, drawing Sanji’s ire (p. 7).

Punk Hazard (Ch. 688)

• Won the off-panel Biscuits-Room battle (“WINNER: ZOLO”, p2); carries the gas-fainted Tashigi out of the gas-filling Structure B (10-minute countdown).
• Tashigi recognizes his black blade as “the legendary blade SHUSUI”; Zoro forbids her to touch it (p2).

Punk Hazard (Ch. 687) — the “wild beast” doctrine; paralyzes and bisects the snow-Logia Monet without Haki

• Arrives to back up Tashigi against Monet and lectures her on the finishing blow (p. 6).
• “Wild beast” thesis (chapter title): asks Monet whether she’s met “a wild beast that you could guarantee would never bite a human” — treats a living Logia enemy as one that must be put down (p. 13).
• Paralyzes Monet with sheer presence — NOT Haki. Tashigi narrates that Monet “can’t control her own body,” frozen by the certainty that Zoro’s power would have killed her; “I’ve never seen anyone win a fight this way!!” (p. 17). A marquee demonstration of his post-timeskip ferocity. Cross-link Worlds Greatest Swordsman.
• Technique: One Sword Style “Dragon Quake” cuts Monet in two (pp. 13–16), though as a Logia she reforms.
• Hands Tashigi the credit after her finishing cut — “Nice work, Captain Four-Eyes.” (pp. 19–20).

Punk Hazard (Ch. 686) — reads Monet’s stall; stays to guard the gas

• Slashes Monet (“Skin Blade!!!”, p. 15) but she reforms from snow; he deduces she “only defends, never attacks” and is stalling for time (p. 15). See Monet Only Defends Never Attacks She Is Stalling For Time.
• Directs the others through the back doorway to find and escort the children out — “Everyone’s trying to kidnap the children… but I won’t let them!!” (p. 15).
• Bickers with Sanji and the G-5 Marines (who mock “pirate hunter Zolo”, p. 16); ultimately stays behind to guard the leaking poison gas at the door — “I’m needed here… I’m staying here!!” (p. 19).

Punk Hazard (Ch. 685) — takes the Logia

• At the Biscuits Room he draws to fight Monet himself: “She’s a Logia type! I’ll handle this!! You guys get the kids under control!!!” (p. 19).

Punk Hazard (Ch. 679) — brushes off the G-5; “three musketeers”

• Confronted by G-5 (“There’s no escape for you!!!”), tells them “Oh, knock it off!!” and pushes past, dismissing Law’s “time limit” talk (p. 11); part of the “three musketeers” trio (p. 12).

Punk Hazard (Ch. 678) — seals the breach; the New-World lecture

• Seals the gas breach at the last second; deadpans “Good” (with a nod) when told he nearly killed everyone doing it (p. 7).
• Vice-captain doctrine beat: lectures Luffy that “Being careless will get you killed. And then it’s game over.” / “The New World starts from here!!! Do the job right!!!” (p. 15).
• Assigned to escort the children to the exit — gag that “Zolo, you need an escort!” (he gets lost), to which he objects “Why?!” (p. 13).

Punk Hazard (Ch. 676)

• Shown/identified among the runners fleeing the spreading Land-of-the-Dead gas on the island surface — Luffy: “It’s Zolo and the others!!” (p. 15).

Punk Hazard (Ch. 672)

• Leads “Team Zoro” at the poison center-lake against the toxic slime. After Kin’emon clears a path, Zoro cuts through the slime’s explosion blast itself (“But then I simply cut through the blast as well!!” — p. 18), keeping the group unharmed.
• Joins Kin’emon’s rescue mission for Momonosuke — “I’m curious about the way a samurai fights” (p. 19).

Punk Hazard (Ch. 669)

• Part of the snow-side party; gassed and knocked out by Caesar’s gunmen (pp. 4–5) before Sanji-in-Nami’s-body clears them.
• Agrees to a future duel with the samurai Kin’emon once the samurai is whole again (“once you’re all back together, we’re having a duel so I can kick your ass!!”, pp. 10–11).

Punk Hazard (Ch. 661)

• In the lake party with Luffy, Usopp, and Nico Robin; the centaur bandits capsize their boat into the seawater lake and Zoro is bitten by one of the sharks (“Zolo’s been eaten by a shark!!”, p. 6) before Brook clears them out.

Punk Hazard (Ch. 659)

• With Team Luffy crossing the lake; first to recognize the centaur’s renewed attack — “It’s that centaur again! He threw a boulder!” (pp. 7-8).

Punk Hazard (Ch. 657)

• On the fire half with Luffy’s group; Luffy yells at him to find “the samurai and the sliced-up dudes” (p. 3).

Punk Hazard (Ch. 656)

• Fells the dragon: Three-Sword Style: Ultra Tiger Hunt and the one-sword Iai finisher “Death Lion Song.”

Fish-Man Island — departure (Ch. 653)

• Among the crew leaving for the New World — “About damn time. I’ll cut ‘em all to size” (p. 18); reassures the weeping Shirahoshi (p. 14).

Fish-Man Island — “All the officers are down” (Ch. 646)

• Defeats the octopus mercenary Hyouzou with Purgatory Oni Giri (Rengoku Oni Giri), after repeatedly mistaking the eight-limbed swordsman for a “frog” (“I can’t cut down a man with no will to fight! Get lost, you ugly frog…”, p. 5; “I thought you were just some frog… from a very tiny pond!!”, p. 19). Confirms the officer sweep: “All the officers are down!!!” (p. 19). (last_appearance advances 0645→0646.)

Fish-Man Island (Ch. 645)

• Gag beat — drunk and disarmed in the plaza (“wait a shec, where’d mah shords go?!”, p. 18) as the officers are routed.

Fish-Man Island — one-shots Hyouzou (Ch. 642)

• Defeats the eight-armed octopus swordsman Hyouzou in a single strike after Hyouzou demands “the actual strongest swordsman on Fish-Man Island” — Zoro: “I was giving you the chance to escape from my reach… You ain’t even worth… killing time!!” (p. 19).

Fish-Man Island — claims Hyouzou (Ch. 639)

• Claims the steroid-maddened Hyouzou as his own (“Sorry, this one’s mine”), parrying his blades; sizes him up as “a good warm-up before we head into the New World” (p. 19).

Fish-Man Island — Gust Sword at the plaza (Ch. 636)

• Fells a New Fish-Man officer he sizes up as weak with Gust Sword (a compressed-air slash) at the plaza battle (pp. 9-10). (last_appearance advances to 0636.)

Fish-Man Island — the plaza battle (Ch. 635)

• Splits the enemy count with the crew (“you have to share. come on, Luffy, 50,000?”; later takes “30,000” after Sanji claims them). Three-Sword Style: Black Rope Dragon Twister — a flesh-cutting tornado that shreds the Iron Shell Unit “like pineapples” and chases the fleeing fish-men “to the pits of hell” (pp. 7-8).

Fish-Man Island — names the Haki (Ch. 634)

• On Luffy’s mass KO: “He can do this after only two years of training!”; “He’d better be able to do that much or I’ll have to take over as captain” (vice-captain doctrine), and names the force — “This is… Haki!” (pp. 14, 17). See Haki.

Fish-Man Island — freed and assembled (Ch. 633)

• Among the assembled Straw Hats on the closing spread (pp. 18–19) after the Megalo-concealment plan; visible part of the crew that bursts out to confront the New Fish-Man Pirates.

Fish-Man Island — prisoner escape plan (Ch. 629)

• Caged with Usopp (and the soul-projecting Brook) in Ryugu Castle’s indoor pool; only needs one of his swords to “cut through them all” — the cage, chains, and door — and tells Brook to have Pappag fetch the keys (p. 18-19).

Fish-Man Island — faster than a fish-man underwater (Ch. 619)

• Fights the New Fish-Man Pirates underwater faster than the fish-men can move (“How can a human move faster than a fish-man underwater?!”, p. 2); King Neptune calls to him (“one-eyed swordsman… grab onto me!”) to escape the flooding palace (p. 3).

Fish-Man Island — draws on Hody underwater (Ch. 618)

• Stays behind at Ryugu Palace and draws his swords underwater against Captain Hody and his fish-men (cliffhanger, p. 19) — despite Usopp’s worry that he can’t fight a fish-man in the water (p. 18).

Fish-Man Island — defending Ryugu Palace (Ch. 617)

• Intervenes against Hody Jones with Single Sword Style: Bird Dance (p. 9); calls out Hody’s cowardice when Hody shields himself with one of his own bound soldiers (p. 10) and orders the soldiers untied.
• As the palace floods, stays behind to face Hody one-on-one (“Don’t interfere. This kingdom is mine.” — Hody, p. 13).

Fish-Man Island (Ch. 616)

• Stands over the intruders he beat at Ryugu Castle, ribbed for grinning while fighting — “You’re a natural born killer!” — and retorts “Don’t make it sound like I wanted to cut them down!” (p. 8). (VIZ renders him “Zolo.”)

Fish-Man Island (Ch. 614)

• Runs the hostage negotiation cold-bloodedly by Den Den Mushi from Ryugu Castle; demands a new ship coating and safe passage, lists the absent crew (one dark woman Robin, one robot Franky, one raccoon dog Chopper, one perverted troll Brook) and threatens the king’s life if refused (pp. 5-8).
• Bounty restated on-page: 120 million berries, “the Pirate Hunter” (p. 7).

Return to Sabaody (Ch. 602)

• Among the reunited crew at the Grove 42 shore; Perona (who helped return him) is present and sniping at the others (pp. 4-7).
• Mans the sails for the coated Sunny’s descent toward Fish-Man Island (pp. 14-15).

Return to Sabaody (Ch. 601)

• Reunites with Luffy and Sanji at Sabaody Archipelago; bickers with Sanji over the rendezvous grove (Zoro says Grove 41; it is 42) — “Didn’t you listen?!” (p. 3).
• Cuts through the Grove 46 mob effortlessly — “Out of my way!! …I cut him!” (p. 16) — first on-page glimpse of his post-Kuraigana strength; the crowd IDs “Zolo the pirate hunter” (p. 17). See Worlds Greatest Swordsman.

Return to Sabaody (Ch. 600)

• At Grove 41, wants to go fishing at the shore and bickers with Sanji about who’s in charge (“You’re not my boss”) and Sanji’s “No. 7” cooking ranking; the two coordinate the regroup by baby Transponder Snail (p. 6).

Return to Sabaody (Ch. 599)

• Returns from two years of Mihawk’s tutelage on Kuraigana with a new scar over his now-closed left eye (origin unexplained, p. 19) — his defining post-timeskip visual; tracked as Zoro’s Scarred Left Eye.
• Wandered off “fishing,” fell asleep aboard a stranger’s pirate galleon that was coated and submerged toward Fish-Man Island, then bisected the entire ship underwater with one stroke and walked back; bystanders assumed “a Neptunian hit it” (pp. 16-19). Massive on-page power-up display.
• Described by an acquaintance as “green hair, three swords, one eye, a sash” — the new look catalogued (p. 16).

Return to Sabaody (Ch. 598)

• First Straw Hat to reconverge on Sabaody after the timeskip (“the first one here was that idiot swordsman,” p.17).
• Reappears with a new scarred, closed left eye in the “TWO YEARS LATER” crew spread (p.5) — origin unexplained on-page. See Zoro Left-Eye Scar Unexplained Timeskip Reveal.

Post-War — begs Mihawk for tutelage on Gloom Island (Ch. 597)

• Defeats Gloom Island’s weapon-mimicking Humandrills, then kneels before his rival Mihawk and begs to be taught — abandoning his pride for the crew’s sake while openly vowing to one day surpass and behead Mihawk. Mihawk accepts him as a student. See Worlds Greatest Swordsman.
• Decodes Luffy’s “3D2Y” message and resolves to train two years before reuniting at Sabaody Archipelago.

Post-War — Gloom Island (Ch. 592)

• Recovering from his Sabaody/Thriller-Bark wounds on Gloom Island, training against the Humandrills with “Oni Giri” while they mimic him (pp. 4-5).
• Learns from Mihawk what befell Luffy at the war; furious he didn’t know, he wrecks the boat Mihawk gave him and declares: “I’m going out to sea!! Right now!!” — bent on reaching Luffy, not yet training (pp. 6-7). See Worlds Greatest Swordsman.

Scattered — Gloom Island (Ch. 524)

• Kuma’s scatter dropped Zoro near-dead on Gloom Island (Grand Line), the Ruins of the Muggy Kingdom — the same site as Perona, who confiscates his swords and refuses to return any weapon.
• Kuma’s scatter question is shown in flashback (“If you were to take a trip, where would you want to go?”); he wakes demanding his three swords. See Kuma If You Were To Go On A Vacation Paw-Power Tell, Kuma’s Scatter Sends Each Straw Hat To A Place That Forges Them.

Sabaody Archipelago — first scattered by Kuma (Ch. 513)

• Already gone when the chapter opens — “Zolo… disappeared!!” The crew has no idea where Kuma sent him (pp. 2-3). Named in the closing roll of the erased (p. 19).

Sabaody Archipelago — first Straw Hat scattered by Kuma (Ch. 512)

• Still gravely wounded, carried by Brook through the rout (Brook drops him by mistake, “Sorry! …Are you okay, Zolo?!”, p. 13). The Pacifista PX-1 targets him by name (“Roronoa is dying! Go after him!!”; bounty ₿120,000,000 on its display, pp. 9-10).
• Taken by the real Kuma at chapter’s end: Kuma addresses him, asks where he’d “take a trip,” and paw-blasts him off the island with the Nikyu Nikyu no Mi — Zoro vanishes (“ZOLO?!” / “SWV SWV”, pp. 18-19). The chapter title is “ZOLO, GONE.” First of the crew to be scattered; destination withheld.

Sabaody Archipelago — downed by Kizaru (Ch. 511)

• Hit and knocked down by Kizaru’s light beam during the scatter from Grove 12 (p. 15). Kizaru names him “Zolo the Pirate Hunter, bounty 120 million berries” (p. 16). Saved at the brink by “Dark King” Rayleigh, who catches the finishing kick (pp. 17-19).

Sabaody Archipelago (Ch. 510) — Asura vs. the war machine

• Knocked down early (“ZOLO!!!”, p. 9), then unleashes Asura (“Nine-Sword Style” / “Demon Nine Flash”) on the war machine — Chopper: “So many Zolos!!!” (pp. 17-18). See Pacifista.
• (last_appearance advances 0509→0510.)

Sabaody Archipelago — monster-trio combo vs the Pacifista (Ch. 509)

• “Three-Swords Style: Six Hundred Pound Phoenix Cannon” in the monster-trio combo with Luffy and Sanji vs. the Pacifista (pp. 3-5).

Sabaody Archipelago — drawing on Kuma at Grove 12 (Ch. 508)

• Draws his swords against the returned Kuma (CHINKK, p. 19); the crew commits to the fight (pp. 18-19). (last_appearance advances to 0508.)

Sabaody Archipelago (Ch. 505)

• Cuts through the Marine line during the escape (“Old man! Franky! Go first!”) (pp. 2, 8, 16).

Sabaody Archipelago — the breakout plan (Ch. 504)

• With the crew, resolves to follow the three captains and bust through the Marine lines; agrees to regroup at Grove 13 if separated (p. 16).

Sabaody Archipelago — crashes the auction house (Ch. 502)

• Arrives with Luffy via a Flying Fish, crashing through the auction-house wall (page 11): “What a fuss.” Disoriented about the rendezvous (“I was heading back to the Sunny. What’s the big hurry?”).

Sabaody Archipelago — the near-clash with a World Noble (Ch. 499)

• Lost and oblivious, walks down the middle of the street as Saint Charlos parades; when Charlos fires at him, Zoro draws his sword on a World Noble before Jewelry Bonney (disguised as a child) stops him and “averts a disaster” (pp. 14-16). See A Straw Hat Draws On A Celestial Dragon.
• Onlookers ID him: “the pirate hunter Zolo of the Straw Hat crew … only the first mate, but he’s worth 120 million” (p. 17).
• Carries the shot fiancé toward a hospital — “who ever heard of a pirate helping people?!” (p. 17).

Sabaody Archipelago — wanders off again (Ch. 497)

• Wanders off alone “for a walk” against the crew’s protests, memorizing “Grove 41” so he won’t get lost — the running directionless gag (p. 3). (VIZ on-page spelling “Zolo.”)

Sabaody Archipelago — Flying Fish Riders (Ch. 494)

• Cuts down Flying Fish Riders despite still being injured from Thriller Bark; a gag callback to “Six-Sword Style” as fish-riders pile tentacle-swords on him (pp. 2-3).

Thriller Bark — the sacrifice / “Nothing happened” (Ch. 485)

• Charges Kuma to defend the downed Luffy; “Lion’s Song” (Shishi Sonson) cannot cut the Pacifista (p. 6).
• Offers his own life to spare Luffy and the crew: “What good is ambition if I can’t even save the life of my own captain?!” — ranks Luffy’s survival above his dream, while still affirming “someday I would’ve been the world’s best swordsman” (pp. 11-12). Knocks Sanji unconscious to take the deal alone (p. 13).
• Absorbs the entire bubble of Luffy’s pain Kuma extracts (pp. 15-16), endures it silently, and afterward — standing blood-drenched — tells the crew “Nothing… at all!!!” (pp. 18-19). Founding instance of the Zoro / vice-captain sacrifice doctrine. See Zoro’s Hidden Sacrifice And The Nothing-Happened Silence, Zoro Lion Strike Aftermath-Splash Victor-Towers-Still Composition, Worlds Greatest Swordsman.

Thriller Bark — Kuma arrives (Ch. 483)

• Steps forward to face Bartholomew Kuma alone (“Step back. I’ll take him!”, draws his swords, p. 18); Kuma singles him out first: “I’ll start with you. Pirate Hunter Zolo…” (p. 20). Sets up the Kuma confrontation.

Thriller Bark (Ch. 467) — ⭐ WINS the Black Blade Shusui; defeats zombie-Ryuma

• Duels the zombie general Ryuma — the corpse of a legendary Wano Country samurai animated by Brook’s stolen shadow — in a mirror-match of identical swordsmen; both project slashes through stone and land hits simultaneously (pp. 2-7).
• Fights on across the collapsing Mast Mansion and the castle’s conical tower-tops without missing a beat (Two-Sword Style: Castle Gate; Seventy-Two Pound Phoenix) (pp. 6-11).
• Wins with a single one-sword iaido draw — One-Sword Style: Flying Dragon Blaze — whose wound bursts into flame (“the wound is catching fire?!”) (pp. 13-16).
• Acquires the named black blade SHUSUI (a kokutō / one of the 21 O Wazamono): the beaten Ryuma entrusts it (“with you as its master, this blade will surely be satisfied”); Zoro claims it — “The sword is mine to keep!!” — restoring his three-sword kit (Wado Ichimonji, Sandai Kitetsu, Shusui) after losing Yubashiri at Enies Lobby; salutes the fallen samurai as “a true swordsman in mind and body” (pp. 17, 19-20). See Worlds Greatest Swordsman, Sword Grading System, Shusui Black Blade O Wazamono Named At Thriller Bark, Zoro Sword Replacement Kit-of-Two.
• Connects the blade to its origin: ”…Samurai of the Wano Country!!!” (p. 20).

Thriller Bark (Ch. 462) — takes over Brook’s duel; covets the Black Blade Shusui

• Arrives at the laboratory and blocks the samurai zombie’s strike to save Brook (“Hold it right there,” p. 11).
• Recognizes the zombie (Ryuma) as the legendary dragon-slaying samurai (”…I’ve wanted to meet you!”, p. 12) and takes over the fight — to reclaim Brook’s shadow and to claim the zombie’s sword.
• Covets the Shusui (a Black Blade, one of the 21 O Wazamono / Excellent Grade): “I’ll make that sword mine!!” (p. 13). A seed for restoring his three-sword kit after losing Yubashiri at Enies Lobby. See Worlds Greatest Swordsman, Sword Grading System, Shusui Black Blade O Wazamono Named At Thriller Bark, Zoro Sword Replacement Kit-of-Two.

Thriller Bark (Ch. 454)

• Fights the giant spider zombie alongside Robin and Franky, slashing at it while Franky builds his weapon (pp. 11-15).

Thriller Bark (Ch. 453)

• On the “zombie general side” with Sanji, reacting to Luffy being driven into a wall by a zombie general (p. 12).

Thriller Bark (Ch. 451) — mentioned missing; SBS: Yubashiri’s fate revealed

• Mentioned as missing (not shown this chapter): Luffy notes “Zolo is gone too!! That’s weird…” (p. 19) — Zoro has vanished from the group.
• SBS (p. 20 / Vol-47): Zoro’s sword Yubashiri was destroyed at Enies Lobby by Captain Shu’s Rust-Rust Fruit (a “Rust-Human”) — retroactively explaining the blade’s loss. technique/sbs-leak. See Yubashiri Named On Page.

Post-Enies Lobby — Water Seven (Ch. 436 — “Trunks from Franky House”)

• Sizes up the new ship (“It’s twice as big as Merry!… Nice…”); Franky entrusts the vessel to him — “Please take care of it, Mr. Zolo!” — and Zoro answers “Yeah!” (pp. 7, 17). (SHOWN → last_appearance ADVANCES 0435→0436.)

Water Seven aftermath (Ch. 431)

• Present among the recovering crew arriving back in Water Seven (p. 3) and celebrating Franky’s ship offer (p. 15).

Enies Lobby — the Merry’s funeral (Ch. 430)

• Present at the funeral, mostly silent (the “we must all part someday… a farewell between men” register), then weeps with the crew at the Merry’s farewell (p. 19).

Enies Lobby (Ch. 426 — “A Ship Waiting for Wind”) — Defends the bridge against the marine wave

• With the wounded crew on the Bridge of Hesitation, holds the line against the elite-200 marine onslaught as the Buster Call closes in (pp. 11, 14-15). Reacts to the “elite 200 / same rank as Smoker” reveal (p. 11). Cross-link Straw Hat Pirates, Smoker, Enies Lobby.

Enies Lobby (Ch. 418 — “Luffy vs. Rob Lucci”) — Secures one of Robin’s cuff keys; the crew now holds all the keys

• Secures one of Robin’s cuff keys (“I just got it”, p. 5) amid the gate fighting; the crew now holds all the keys and rushes for the Tower of Law. Cross-link Nico Robin, Enies Lobby.

Enies Lobby (Ch. 417 — “Asura”) — DEBUTS the Nine-Sword Style “Asura” (a will-illusion demon-god) and the “Silver Mist” finisher; strikes Kaku down

• Fights Kaku in his giraffe-Zoan form at the Tower of Law. Counters the giraffe’s reach with Santoryu spinning attacks (“Spinning White Blade”, p. 5; “Three-Sword Style … Leopard … Balls”, p. 11; “Fury Slash”, p. 15).
• DEBUTS his Nine-Sword Style “Asura” — a “Demon Aura” that makes him appear as a three-headed, six-armed demon-god wielding nine swords, created “through sheer will.” Kaku perceives it first as a “demon-god with three heads and six arms” (p. 16) and explicitly diagnoses it as an illusion, not real extra limbs: “He can create such visions through sheer will!” (pp. 16–18).
• Finisher “Asura … Silver Mist” turns his slicing attack into a fine mist and strikes Kaku down (pp. 18–19; chapter ends mid-clash). The Asura imagery is established as a will-based, non-Devil-Fruit phenomenon — see the new seed Zoro Asura Nine-Sword Demon-God Will-Illusion Debut. Cross-link Kaku, CP9, Zoro Asura Nine-Sword Demon-God Will-Illusion Debut, Enies Lobby.

Enies Lobby (Ch. 416 — “Zolo vs. Kaku”) — Full one-on-one with the giraffe Kaku; new sword arts; both end standing

• Fights Kaku one-on-one after Kaku transforms into a giraffe-man. New named sword arts on display: Tower Climb / Tower Climb Return (pp. 9-10), the single-sword iai “Lion” (draw-and-resheath, pp. 16-17), “Dragon Cut Song” (Dragon Twister-class, p. 17), and the three-sword “Two Gorilla Cut” (p. 18).
• Deadpan banter with the giraffe Kaku (“Does that bandana make you stronger?” / “Let’s find out”, p. 9; the “horsey/giraffe” gag, p. 16). Both fighters end the chapter standing and trading respect. Cross-link Kaku, CP9, Enies Lobby.

Enies Lobby (Ch. 414 — “Sanji vs. Jabra”) — Presses on toward the giraffe-transformed Kaku

• Advances toward Kaku, whose transformed giraffe-patterned legs appear in silhouette (“KLANG”, p. 7) — continuing the Zoro-vs-Kaku bout. No combat resolved this chapter. Cross-link Kaku, CP9, Enies Lobby.

Enies Lobby (Ch. 413 — “The Hunter”) — Battles the giraffe-Zoan Kaku; dodges the Nose Pistol

• Battles the transformed giraffe-Zoan Kaku on the courthouse approach; trades blade-clashes (“KLANK”) and dodges Kaku’s stretching-neck reach and Nose Pistol (pp. 8-11). Nami nearby reacts to “Kaku has gained considerable power.” Cross-link Kaku, Nami, CP9.

Enies Lobby (Ch. 412 — “You Missed Your Chance”) — Squares off against the transformed Kaku

• Drawn against the giraffe-shaped transformed Kaku, who taunts him into resuming their fight (p. 19): “I wouldn’t laugh if I were you. You’re gonna be sorry.” Cross-link Kaku, CP9.

Enies Lobby (Ch. 410 — “Super-Size Nami”) — Attack-naming gag with Sogeking and Chopper

• Mid-island, bickers with the masked Sogeking over naming a combo attack (”…Nose-Storm the Killer Blade!” / “I’ve got it! Your name is…”) amid the Buster-Call panic; an irritated Chopper cuts in “This is no time to be thinking up good names!!” (p. 6). Cross-link Usopp, Tony Tony Chopper.

Enies Lobby (Ch. 406 — “Life Return”) — uses Sogeking as a sword

• Still handcuffed to Usopp (Sogeking) and Chopper, Zoro fights Kumadori. He first floats the brutal plan to cut off a hand to escape the shared cuffs (whoever’s hand, sewn back by Chopper afterward), which the others reject (pp. 9–10). He instead grabs Sogeking and wields him as a sword (“You’re my sword now!!”, “don’t break that form!”), parrying Kumadori’s attacks (pp. 10, 13–17). Cross-link Usopp, Tony Tony Chopper, Kumadori.

Enies Lobby (Ch. 402 — “Handcuffs No. 2”) — Zoro & Sniper King vs. Kaku & Jabra; IDs the seastone cuffs

• 2-on-2 with Sniper King vs. Kaku (giraffe) & Jabra (wolf). Deduces the crew’s numbered handcuffs are Sea-Prism Stone (“both of our foes have devil fruit powers, so I figured the handcuffs would make them weaker”) and confirms by cuffing himself, losing his strength (“Then why’d you put them on me, you idiot?!”, p. 5). Their cuff is revealed as “Number Two” (pp. 11-12).
• Survives Kaku’s Tower-cutting “Sky Slicer”; sends Chopper off to find key Number Two (pp. 13-14). Cross-link Usopp, Kaku, Jabra, Tony Tony Chopper, Sea-Prism Stone First Named On-Page Anti-DF Material, CP9.

Enies Lobby (Ch. 401 — “Pirates vs. CP9”) — Duel with Kaku begins

• Squares off with Kaku in Lucci’s room; “I’m much stronger than I was back then… so be careful” (p. 5) — calls back the Galley-La encounter.
• Answers Kaku’s Tempest Kick with “White Thunder!! …Pound Phoenix!!” (p. 8); Kaku reveals a four-sword style. Witnesses Kaku transform into a full giraffe at chapter’s end (“A giraffe?!!!”, p. 19). Cross-link Kaku, CP9, Six Powers (Rokushiki).

Enies Lobby (Ch. 400 — “The Key to Freedom”) — Reaches the tower; a CP9 agent goads his swords (“it wants to taste blood”)

• Among the alliance that crashes into the tower; charges toward the stairway with Luffy (p. 9). After the key scatter a masked CP9 agent goads his blades in a parallel beat — “…that it wants to taste blood… It’s moaning… you’ve already drawn your sword” (p. 19) — opening his own matchup.

Enies Lobby (Ch. 390) — Climbs the upper courtrooms to the roof

• Climbs through the upper-floor courtrooms toward the roof (“I just have to keep going up”, p. 7). Reaches the rooftop with the squad (p. 19).

Enies Lobby (Ch. 386 — “Unprecedented”) — Reaches the courthouse square; cuts a stone guard apart

• Reaches the courthouse square with the group (p. 6); cuts a stone guard/obstacle apart (“He’s cutting the stone apart!!!”, p. 13).
• Argues against wasting time chasing fleeing enemies and pushes the group to move on toward the courthouse (pp. 11, 13). Cross-link Enies Lobby, Straw Hat Pirates.

Enies Lobby (Ch. 383 — “Luffy vs. Blueno”) — Aboard the Rocketman during the entrance breach

• Aboard the Rocketman in the assault force; reacts to the entrance breach and to the King Bulls’ rescue story (pp. 1, 6, 16, 19). Cross-link Sea Train, Enies Lobby, Straw Hat Pirates.

Enies Lobby (Ch. 381 — “Fired”) — Relays the Galley-La “you’re fired” message; demolishes the Courthouse Guard Force

• A Galley-La foreman entrusts Zoro with a message to relay to the gate guards if he meets them: “…they’re fired.” Zoro agrees: “I will.” (p. 17) — the chapter-title beat.
• Joins demolishing the Courthouse Guard Force as the battle escalates. Cross-link Galley-La Company, Enies Lobby, Sanji.

Enies Lobby (Ch. 380 — “Enies Lobby Main Island Express”) — Orders the gate-crash brace; first to step out and face the Courthouse Guard Force

• As the Rocketman breaches the Enies Lobby gate, orders the boarding party to brace for the crash — “There’s been a change of plans!!… hold on tight” / “Just leave it… to luck” (pp. 8, 11). After the train lands on the main island, he and Sanji are the FIRST to step out and calmly face the assembled Courthouse Guard Force — “Should we have introduced ourselves?” / “Don’t be ridiculous, of course not” (p. 19); the guards cry “It’s Roronoa and those guys!!” Cross-link Sanji, Enies Lobby, Sea Train, Baskerville.

Enies Lobby (Ch. 378 — “Casualties”) — Arrives on the Rocketman; answers the call to cut the iron fence

• Arrives on the Rocketman with the second strike team at the Enies Lobby gates; sits cross-legged with his three swords and answers the call to cut the iron fence — “Leave it to me!!!” (p. 19). Cross-link Sea Train, Enies Lobby.

Enies Lobby (Ch. 377 — “The Big Showdown on the Judicial Island!!”) — Fights the Island Gate guards alongside Luffy

• Fights the Island Gate guards alongside Luffy (p. 5, p. 7); presses forward in the gate breach. Cross-link Luffy, Enies Lobby.

Water Seven (Ch. 371 — “The Honorable Captain T-Bone”) — ⭐ Cuts a stone tower in two; defeats Marine Captain T-Bone

• Aboard the Rocketman chasing the kidnap train (the Puffing Tom) through the Aqua Laguna storm. On Luffy’s order (“It’s in the way. / Cut it.”, p. 8), cuts the stalled Marine sea train’s stone “castle gate” lighthouse-tower clean in two with a two-sword cut (“Two-Sword Style…”) — a visible escalation of his cutting strength (pp. 8-13). Marine dialogue also credits the Straw Hat train’s swordsman with cutting a Neptunian “five times the size of this train” in half (p. 11).
• Marine Captain “Ship-Slasher” T-Bone of Navy Headquarters leaps aboard to confront him; Luffy leaves the fight to Zoro (“Leave this one to Zolo. Don’t get in the way!!”, p. 14). T-Bone “predicts” his move with “Right Angle Flying Bird Bone! …Courageous Talons!!”, but Zoro counters with “Three Swords Style… Bull Demon!!” and defeats him, sending him into the sea (pp. 15-18); the crew cheers “He beat the Ship-Slasher!!!” A steady-build beat toward the “cut anything / cut steel” stage of his swordsman arc. Cross-link T-Bone, Luffy, Sea Train, Aqua Laguna, Worlds Greatest Swordsman.

Water Seven (Ch. 368 — “Sea Train Battle Game”) — Aboard the Rocketman; the shared gloom over Usopp

• On the Rocketman with Luffy and Chopper; notes that Usopp upgraded Nami’s weapon (the Perfected Climate Baton) with a Dial after Skypiea, then sinks into the shared “GLOOM…” over Usopp’s absence (pp. 5-6). Cross-link Luffy, Tony Tony Chopper, Nami, Usopp, Sea Train.

Water Seven (Ch. 367 — “Sniper King”) — 216-count cannon breaches Aqua Laguna with Luffy

• Aboard the Rocketman; fires a “two times 108” / 216-count cannon in concert with Luffy’s Gum-Gum Three-Hundred Pound Cannon to blast a hole clean through the Aqua Laguna wave, letting the train burst through (pp. 6–9). After hearing Robin’s sacrifice story, tells Sanji that even if his captain ordered him to hold back, he wouldn’t be able to stop them (p. 13). Cross-link Luffy, Sanji, Aqua Laguna, Sea Train.

Water Seven (Ch. 366 — “Sortie!”) — Aboard the Rocketman; frames the fight

• Frames the fight as taking back what the four enemies took — “if we don’t get to them, none of this will ever end” (p. 13). Part of the united assault force aboard the Rocketman alongside the Franky Family and Galley-La allies. Cross-link Sea Train, CP9, Luffy.

Water Seven (Ch. 365 — “Rocketman!!”) — Boards the Rocketman for the Enies Lobby chase

• In the warehouse party with Luffy and Chopper; boards the Rocketman for the Enies Lobby chase (“All right, pirates, don’t get rattled!”) (pp. 9-18).

Water Seven (Ch. 364 — “KOKORO”) — Reunited after being stuck in a smokestack; backs Luffy’s ship-stealing charge against Paulie

• Had been stuck head-first in a smokestack during the flood; reunited with the crew, who fill him in on the Robin situation — Nami: “Zolo, we’ve got a lot to tell you.” (pp. 11–12).
• Backs Luffy’s ship-stealing charge, drawing on Paulie to cover the captain: “Mr. Paulie!” / Paulie: “Fine. I’ll take you on.” (p. 19). Cross-link Luffy, Nami, Paulie, Enies Lobby.

Water Seven (Ch. 363) — Freed by Chopper; cleaves the Aqua Laguna surge with Thirty-Six Caliber Phoenix

• Found wedged/stuck in the flooded rubble; Chopper hauls him free (“How did you manage to get stuck in there?!”) and returns his katana (pp. 10–11).
• Splits the onrushing wave/falling tower with One Sword Style: Thirty-Six Caliber Phoenix (”…Thirty-Six Caliber Phoenix!!”, full-page SKASH) to buy the group its escape to the Great Bridge ahead of the Aqua Laguna surge (pp. 15–16). Cross-link Tony Tony Chopper, Luffy, Nami, Aqua Laguna, Water Seven.

Water Seven (Ch. 349) — Blasted out of the building, washed into the sea alongside Luffy

• Blasted clear of the burning building by the transformed Rob Lucci and washed into the canals/sea alongside Luffy (“Zolo!!”, “You too…”, pp. 14–15). Cross-link Luffy, Rob Lucci, CP9.

Water Seven (Ch. 346) — Cuts down the shipwrights with the back of the blade (non-lethal)

• Cut down all the Galley-La Company shipwrights on the way in — with the back of the blade (non-lethal): “Why did you cut down all the shipwrights?!” / “I used the back of the blade.” (p. 2) — consistent with his @0344 “sword backs” doctrine. Storms up toward Iceberg’s room with the crew. See Zoro Back-of-Blade Mercy Combat-Beat. Cross-link Luffy, Galley-La Company.

Water Seven (Ch. 345) — Brief cameo in the mansion during the assault

• Brief cameo: shown elsewhere in the Galley-La Company mansion as the four CP9 agents regroup (p. 14). Present in the building during the assault. Cross-link Luffy, CP9.

Water Seven (Ch. 344) — Charges the mansion front entrance; the “sword backs” doctrine

• Spotted by the town mob (“There’s Roronoa Zolo!!”, p. 5); over Nami’s objection that the shipwrights “aren’t the enemy,” he charges the mansion’s front entrance to search for Nico Robin, vowing to fight with “the sword backs” to avoid killing (pp. 5–7). Cross-link Nami, Nico Robin, Luffy.

Water Seven (Ch. 343) — The crew uses Luffy as a diversion; stuck on the fence

• Part of the crew’s plan to use Luffy as a diversion to breach the mansion (pp. 16–18). Vaults the fence with Sanji, Nami, and Chopper into a courtyard still full of guards, and gets stuck on the fence mid-vault (p. 18). Cross-link Sanji, Nami, CP9.

Water Seven (Ch. 342) — Rooftop with Luffy and Chopper; “we’ll never find out the truth”

• On a rooftop with Luffy and Chopper staking out Galley-La Company HQ; cautions “It’s going to be a long night, but don’t get careless. If we let this chance slip by… we’ll never find out the truth” about Nico Robin (p. 6). Cross-link Luffy, Nico Robin.

Water Seven (Ch. 341) — The worst-case logic (“actually kill the mayor”); the rooftop stakeout

• Lays out the worst-case logic that drives the chapter: if someone wants to make things worse, the only way is “to actually kill the mayor. This time.” — under cover of the Aqua Laguna storm, framing the Straw Hats if spotted; warns it “might be a trap to lure us to the site” (pp. 3–4). The pragmatic threat-modeling counterweight to Luffy’s “CATCH ROBIN!!” resolve.
• On the rooftop stakeout of Galley-La Company HQ: “If we start a ruckus first… they’ll just take advantage of it” (p. 19). Cross-link Iceberg, CP9.

Water Seven (Ch. 340) — Rooftop escape; the cold read on Robin — “first showed up as an enemy”

• Rooftop-leap escape with Luffy and Nami to dodge the citywide manhunt (pp. 2–3).
• Reframes Nico Robin coldly when Chopper relays her departure: “Regardless of the circumstances, Robin first showed up as an enemy… we should’ve been ready for this” (p. 18) — the pragmatic, hardest-headed counterweight to Luffy’s “…or a friend?” (the same crew-bond realism he voiced over the Merry @0331/0333). Cross-link Straw Hat Recruitment Pattern.

Water Seven (Ch. 336) — Wanted-poster reference only

• Appears on the circulating wanted poster as Roronoa Zolo, listed among the Straw Hat gang culprits framed for the attack on Mayor Iceberg (p. 11).

Water Seven (Ch. 335) — Warned of Aqua Laguna

• Among the “tourist” trio (with Sanji and Chopper) warned that Aqua Laguna will submerge the town at half past midnight (pp. 7–8).

Water Seven — the Usopp duel aftermath (Ch. 333) — Calls the fight; articulates the captain-burden doctrine

• Declares the duel over the moment Usopp falls — “The fight is over.” (p. 13) — enforcing the duel’s honor/finality.
• Articulates the captain-burden doctrine to a breaking Luffy: “That’s the burden… of being a captain. Don’t doubt yourself. Who can we have faith in if YOU start becoming unsure…?” (p. 18). A durable Straw Hat doctrine — the first on-page articulation of Zoro-as-enforcer-of-the-captain’s-resolve. Cross-link Zoro Captain-Burden Doctrine A Captain Cannot Doubt Himself.
• Makes the call to abandon the ship to Usopp — “Let’s leave the ship to him.” (p. 19) — the pragmatist’s grief. Cross-link Usopp, Going Merry.

Water Seven — the duel (Ch. 332) — Watches the duel from the Merry

• Present aboard the Going Merry; reacts to Usopp’s “8,000 men?!” bluff (p. 11) and watches the fight unfold. No combat role (the captain forbade the crew from getting off, p. 7).

Water Seven (Ch. 331) — Sides with Luffy’s pragmatism in the argument

• During the blowup over the Going Merry’s fate, tells Usopp “you shouldn’t yell like that” (p. 10) and, crucially, frames the crew-bond pragmatically: ”…You guys just invited me on the ship” / it’s our connection (p. 17) — the hardest-headed read on what holds the crew together, contrasting Usopp’s sentiment. Present aboard the Merry throughout. Cross-link Luffy, Usopp Quits The Crew And Challenges Luffy To A Duel For The Going Merry.

Water Seven — Franky House raid (Ch. 330)

• One of the four raiders (Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Chopper) on the Franky House; uses Santoryu (three-sword style) “Raven… Hunt!!” against the Family’s iron cannonballs (pp. 10–11).
• Backs Luffy’s “every bone broken” stance (p. 15).

Water Seven (Ch. 329)

• Voices the crew’s shared attachment to the Going Merry — “We all feel that way” — while accepting the verdict that ships accumulate stress and damage and can’t be restored like people (pp. 5–6).

Water Seven (Ch. 327)

• Stayed aboard the Going Merry; reappears at the dock noting Usopp is missing — “Where’s Usopp? …But it looks like he left his cases of money here” (p. 19).

Water Seven (Ch. 326)

• Present at the Going Merry during Galley-La’s assessment when the shipwright reports the ship is “badly damaged” and “the mast needs to be replaced too” (pp. 6–7).

Water Seven (Ch. 325)

• Alone aboard the Going Merry, single-handedly routs the Franky Family bounty-hunter gang who board to claim his 60-million-berry bounty and seize the ship (pp. 2–5).
• Combat-tell: two-sword technique “Rhino… Cycle!!” (pp. 4–5); dismisses them as “useless jerks” (p. 5).
• His on-page bounty is cited at 60 million by the gang (p. 3).

Water Seven (Ch. 324)

• Left alone to guard the Going Merry at sea (asleep on deck, p. 15). When a masked intruder boards the Merry, Zoro — who only seemed asleep — draws on him (“NKLINK!!”): “I thought you were asleep…” / the intruder: “Who are you? Identify yourselves” (pp. 19–20). Cliffhanger.

Long Ring Long Land — Aokiji fight (Ch. 320)

• Clashes his blades against Aokiji’s “Ice Saber” (“KLANG!!”, p. 9); his limbs are frozen in the mass-freeze (pp. 11–12); restrained by Luffy from joining the duel (p. 18).

Long Ring Long Land — Groggy Ring victory (Ch. 313)

• Featured in the chapter’s title splash (p. 1): crouched at a watering hole beside a horned water buffalo and a small otter (standalone B&W title art).
• Shown standing triumphant alongside Sanji over the fallen “Groggy Monsters” as the Groggy Ring (Round 2) ends in a Straw Hat win (pp. 4, 9). (The Groggy Ring match itself runs in chs. 308–312; only its conclusion is on-page here.)
• Notes the rigged “by chance” battlefield placement beside the Foxy Pirates’ ship the Sexy Foxy (“That wasn’t ‘by chance,’ idiot!”, pp. 12–13).

Long Ring Long Land — Groggy Ring climax (Ch. 312)

• Plays the Groggy Ring runner on Team Straw Hat, forced to grapple under a “No swords” restriction (“No swords style…”, p. 11); uses “Dragon Twister” (pp. 11–12).
• Combos with Sanji to win the round — the on-page payoff of the Zoro and Sanji Ten-Second Combination seed (@0311): after Sanji launches the fish-giant Big Pan skyward (“Armée de l’Air”), Zoro drives him down into the Foxy goal ring — Team Straw Hat scores the winning goal (“GOOOAAALLL!!”, pp. 16–19).

Long Ring Long Land — Groggy Ring “Rough Game” (Ch. 311)

• Continues Round 2 of the Davy Back Fight (the Groggy Ring) as one of the Straw Hats’ two “ball-men” alongside Sanji — locked into a spherical ball-helmet, he is the ball (pp. 3, 8).
• Refuses to cooperate with Sanji — the pair bicker and stand flat-footed while the Groggy Monsters attack (“Don’t interfere — I can handle this by myself!!” p. 8); the rift is the chapter’s running gag (“internal conflict,” p. 3).
• Calls out the Monsters’ illegal weapons to the (corrupt) referee, who ignores it (pp. 5–6).
• Takes a direct hit (“ZOL-OOO!!”, p. 11) and the Monsters’ “size attack” combo (pp. 13–14), but at the cliffhanger turns to Sanji: “Lend me a hand for ten seconds. That should be enough time.” (p. 15) — teeing up a counter-gambit (Zoro and Sanji Ten-Second Combination).

Long Ring Long Land (Ch. 304)

• On the Merry as the crew reaches Long Ring Long Land and is confronted by the Foxy Pirates (pp. 1–15).
• (Ch. 305) Present with the landing party; his bounty (60M) is recited by Porche (p. 13), confirming the Foxy Pirates investigated the crew before issuing the Davy Back Fight challenge.
• (Ch. 306) Refuses to flee the challenge (“I’d rather die than live in disgrace”). Assigned to Round 2, the Groggy Ring, with Sanji and Tony Tony Chopper.

Skypiea epilogue / Blue Sea (Ch. 303)

• Back on the Blue Sea; jokes about reaching “heaven” again only when they die (p. 10). Present for the treasure divvy and the carpenter decision.

Skypiea — finale (Ch. 302)

• (VIZ “Zolo.”) Among the descending crew at the Octo-balloon descent (treasure-spending bicker, send-off). See Straw Hat Pirates.

Skypiea — slashes the Giant Jack (Ch. 296)

• On Wyper’s order, lands a single clean “SLAAASH!!!” through the colossal Giant Jack stalk (p. 5) — “He cut the stalk!” The cut alone does not fell the leaning beanstalk (pp. 6, 10); Wyper’s Reject Dial finishes the job (p. 15).

Skypiea — downed by Wyper (Ch. 277)

• (VIZ “Zolo.”) Found unconscious and badly beaten in the Shandora ruins by Luffy; defeated along with Nico Robin by Wyper (p. 16). “How could this happen?! …With you here…” (Luffy, p. 15).
• (RECURRING — only last_appearance advances to Ch. 277.)

Skypiea — into the ruins; sword at Enel (Ch. 273)

• Falls into the underground ruins with Nico Robin and survives among Enel’s five survivors (pages 5–19).
• Refuses Enel’s demand to cull one of their own and instead points his sword at Enel’s ball-cloud throne — drawing Enel’s “You’re the one who should disappear… A bad choice.” (pages 18–19).
• (RECURRING — only last_appearance advances to Ch. 273.)

Skypiea (Ch. 272) — finishes Ohm, Holly, and Wyper’s snake assault

• Defeats the priest Ohm (shown beaten/lying down, pp. 14–15) and knocks out Ohm’s dog Holly after commanding it “Stay.” / “Bang your head and pass out” (p. 15). (Ohm is defeated in battle, not killed — status: alive.)
• Dispatches “the snake and the bazooka man” (the giant snake + Wyper) with a new named attack “Sango Smash!!” (pp. 15–16). Bloodied but standing among the ruins.
• (VIZ: “Zolo.” This is Zoro’s Ordeal-of-Iron / Ohm-fight cleanup — the priest-tier opponent falls before Enel’s intervention.)
• (RECURRING — only last_appearance advances to Ch. 272.)

Skypiea — White Vine Cage Match (Ch. 270)

• Trapped inside Ohm’s iron-cloud “White Vine Cage Match”; refuses to run (“I’m not gonna run away”). Warned that touching the white vines themselves will make him “regret it” (pp. 6–8). Vows to worry about escape only “after you’ve beaten them.” See Dials Skypiean Sea-Shell Technology.

Skypiea — Zoro vs. Ohm opens (Ch. 269)

• Engages the priest Ohm at the top-tier ruins. Ohm reveals his iron-cloud (Eisen-Dial) sword that “pursues its target forever”; Zoro takes a hit, recovers into three-sword stance, and is told by Ohm “…since none of you will leave here alive.” — opening the Zoro-vs-Ohm fight (pp. 11-22). See Dials Skypiean Sea-Shell Technology.
• (RECURRING — only last_appearance advances to Ch. 269.)

Skypiea — Ordeal of Iron / the priest’s combat (Ch. 268)

• Dragged into the Ordeal-of-Iron priest (Ohm)‘s fight (the giant poisonous serpent “keeps getting in the way”); battered alongside a wounded Tony Tony Chopper (pp. 12-15).
• Faces the Iron Cloud (Eisen Dial) trap — hardened-cloud iron the priest seeds across the ground (pp. 13-14) — the gimmick he will have to out-cut. See Dials Skypiean Sea-Shell Technology.
• Answers the priest’s “do you seek revenge?” probe with the no-motive doctrine: “No, I don’t like to fight with a motive… I can feel one coming on!!” (p. 16) — combat anger building over the wounded Chopper.

Skypiea — central ruins standoff (Ch. 267)

• Appears atop the rubble of the central ruins, beside Ohm’s dog Holly and a small stone pyramid, anchoring the Straw Hat presence in the multi-faction standoff (page 18).
• Defining line as the giant serpent rears overhead: “Well, it seems we all have our opinions… but if you wish to be heard, the first order of business is to survive” (pages 18–19) — reframes the converging conflict around survival.
• (RECURRING — only last_appearance advances to Ch. 267.)

Skypiea — Upper Yard (Ch. 266) — crashes the Chopper-vs-Ohm scene

• Crashes into the Chopper-vs-Ohm scene with “I’ll save you!!” (narration jokes that saving Chopper is the last thing on his mind) (p. 11). Sets up the Zoro-vs-Ohm clash flagged for the Ordeal of Iron (“Iron Challenge”). See Ohm, Skypiea Survival Game and Heavens Punishment.
• (RECURRING — only last_appearance advances to Ch. 266.)

Skypiea (Ch. 259) — defeats the Shandian warrior Braham

• Duels Braham, a Shandian sky-guerrilla gunfighter who flits across the Upper Yard jungle on twin wavers and blinds Zoro with flash-pistols (“light guns”) plus a Milky Dial (pp. 2-7). Zoro initially can’t track the floating, flash-firing target (“how’s he moving so fast without running?!”).
• Takes a graze to the leg and is harassed by a sky-eel Braham sics on him (pp. 8-9).
• Counters the light-guns by snatching a pair of Braham’s goggles — “your light guns won’t work on me anymore!!” (pp. 10-11).
• Finishing move: Three-Sword Style — Thirty-Six Pound Phoenix (Santōryū: Sanjūroku Pound Hō), a compressed-air flying slash that cuts straight through Braham’s point-blank cannon-fire and downs him (pp. 13-16). The “thirty-six” puns on Braham’s “thirty-six earthly desires” sermon.
• Doctrine beat: “I don’t have anything against you… but when I’m told I’m gonna be killed, I’ll do what it takes to survive. I don’t take it lying down.” (pp. 15-16)

Skypiea (Ch. 258)

• As part of the gold-search party, encounters and duels a Shandian “guerrilla” gunman — identified as “one of the Blue Sea people that Wyper mentioned” (pp. 12, 15) (the vault’s Braham, by Flash-Dial-pistol weapon + role).
• Caught off guard by the gunman’s “flashing pistol” — a dazzling dial-flash burst that scatters “TINK TINK TINK” (pp. 16-18).
• Fights to a draw of mutual respect; the shadowed Shandian: “I’m sorry I went so easy on you… Blue Sea guy. You’re pretty tough.” Zoro sheathes with a “DOOM”: “I’m sorry too. I thought you were just a small fry. Don’t mention it.” (p. 19).

Skypiea — entering Upper Yard (Ch. 245)

• Snatched off a ledge and swallowed whole by a Sky Shark, Zoro punches his way out from inside and lands the altar group (himself, Robin, Nami, Chopper) on the Upper Yard sacrificial altar (pages 10–13).
• Establishes his stance toward Enel’s godhood: “I don’t pray to the Kami… so I don’t owe him anything” (page 14) — and resolves to go “have a talk” with “this Kami guy.” Defiant-toward-divinity beat that anchors his Skypiea arc.
• Plans the forest descent (vine down a 150-ft drop) as their “base of operations.”

Skypiea (Ch. 239)

• Explains why the anchor found no bottom: “That fluffy cloud stuff is this island’s foundation” (p. 8); “I forgot to set it free” gag re-securing the ship (p. 8). See Skypiea Cloud-Ocean and Island Cloud Material.

Jaya / Sky Island launch (Ch. 236)

• Bounty issued at 60,000,000 berries — Zoro’s FIRST wanted poster (he had no prior bounty), revealed on the new posters Sanji shows (pages 8–9). Attributed to “the Alabasta incident.” Reacts with surprise that he’s now a wanted man.

Jaya — Mock Town (Ch. 232)

• Bounty raised to 60,000,000 berries — shown on the new wanted poster alongside Luffy’s 100M as the Bellamy Pirates read the newspaper (pp. 6-9). Zoro’s first bounty.

Jaya (Ch. 231)

• Tosses Luffy a sword for the Mock Town confrontation: “If you want to stop him, you’ll have to use this” (p. 19).

Jaya — Mock Town (Ch. 225)

• Beaten bloody by Bellamy’s crew and refuses to retaliate at Luffy’s command, despite his obvious fury (asks “Why…why…?”, p. 3; gritted-teeth restraint throughout). A pointed character beat: Zoro, the crew’s swordsman, subordinates his pride to Luffy’s vow.

Jaya / Mock Town (Ch. 224)

• Provoked and kicked by Sarquiss over his swords (“isn’t he the one they call ‘Big Knife’ Sarquiss?”); draws a blade (“you’re the one… with the problem, friend.”) but is restrained by Nami and Luffy’s promise (pp. 5-9). Beaten alongside Luffy without fighting back (pp. 17-19).

Jaya — Mock Town arrival (Ch. 222)

• Arrives at Mock Town’s edge with Luffy: “Seems like a fun place.” (p. 20)

Jaya (Ch. 221)

• Among the three swallowed-then-spat by the giant turtle (pp. 10-11).
• Appears on the color title spread in a star-emblem shirt (pp. 1, 10-11).

Alabasta epilogue (Ch. 217) — Stowaway — first wanted poster appears on-page; Daz Bonez / Whisky Peak feats recounted at the Marine-intel tier

• Zoro’s first wanted poster appears on-page (Ch. 217 p. 14) — Tashigi to Smoker, holding the “Roronoa Zolo, DEAD OR ALIVE” poster beside Luffy’s 30M poster: “There’s quite a bounty on these two now.” First on-page Marine-tracking of Zoro as an individually-bountied threat. (The 60M FIGURE is already canon from Ch. 213 p. 24; the poster IMAGE itself is what debuts here — not a regression of the figure.)
• Combat-feats recounted in the Marine after-action report (Ch. 217 pp. 13-14): “He defeated a hundred bounty hunters at Whisky Peak” + “he brought down Daz Bonez in Alubarna” — Zoro’s Whisky Peak (Ch. 0107+) and Mr. 1 (Ch. 0195-0197) victories canonized at the Marine-intel tier.
• On the Merry, brusque comfort-doctrine toward the crying crew (p. 16): “Quit crying!! If you couldn’t stand to leave her… then you should’ve kidnapped her.” First-mate emotional-register beat.
• Cross-link Mr. 1 (Daz Bonez — defeated-by-Zoro recounted), Smoker / Tashigi (Ch. 0217 intel-source), Straw Hat Pirates.

Alabasta — wind-down (Ch. 213)

• Trains alone in the desert against a boulder: “I have to concentrate harder… or I’m not really any stronger!” / “I’ve got to be able to draw on that power at any time…” — first on-page Zoro-articulates-conscious-power-control-as-training-goal beat. Pre-load for his later Haki/strength development.
• First-ever bounty issued: 60,000,000 berries (Dead or Alive), poster shown on-page (p. 24). Establishes Zoro as a separately-priced threat at the Alabasta close. Links Worlds Greatest Swordsman.
• Refuses to slow down for the banquet/baths; “trains for what?”

Alabasta — clock-tower top (Ch. 206) — Ignition — designated catcher; so that’s her plan / here they come, Zolo!!; throws-Vivi-to-the-cannon assignment

• Designated tower-top catcher in Nami’s rescue relay (Ch. 206 pp. 13-15). Zoro reads Nami’s wordless plan from the tower top: so that’s her plan. Chopper signals here they come, Zolo!!; Zoro: …throw you up there, right? I just have to… / all right, leave it to me!! — he is to catch the airborne Vivi and throw her to the cannon to stop the firing. A sword?! (p. 15) — drops his sword as a catch-rail / vault-prop for Vivi (it’s the back of the blade. hop on!). First on-page Zoro-as-rescue-catcher beat in the Alubarna climax.
• Cross-link Nami, Vivi, Sanji, Tony Tony Chopper.

Alabasta — Alubarna clock tower (Ch. 205) — misreads “north” and climbs the wrong way; wall-smash option

• Arrives having climbed the tower because the navy “kept saying ‘go north, go north’” (Ch. 205 p. 17) — comedy beat with Sanji (“‘North’ and ‘up’ are totally different things!!”). Cross-link Sanji.
• Floated as the wall-breach option to reach the cannon, but smashing the tower walls might trigger the explosion (Ch. 205 p. 17) — the constraint that forces the stair-route. Cross-link Alubarna.

Alabasta — lost in Alubarna (Ch. 204) — Red — directional-incompetence running gag; redirected to the square-bomb by Vivi/Karoo

• Comic directional-incompetence beat (Ch. 204 pp. 18-19): enters the city, is recognized (“Look! It’s Roronoa Zolo!!” p. 18), and gets turned around arguing with helpful citizens about which way to go. Vivi/Karoo finally point him at the square-bomb (p. 20). First Alubarna-chase Zoro-no-sense-of-direction running gag in this arc. Cross-link Vivi (redirector), Karoo, Alubarna.

Alabasta — Alubarna square (Ch. 199) — crew reconvergence; defers Crocodile to Luffy

• Present at the square reunion (Ch. 199 pp. 9-10); part of the crew-line that hands the Crocodile fight to Luffy (“Go get him, Luffy.” p. 9).

Alabasta — Alubarna, Medi Assembly Hall (Ch. 196) — WINNER: ZOLO — defeats Mr. 1; cut-steel thesis paid off

• LOAD-BEARING — defeats Mr. 1 (Ch. 196 p. 13). WINNER: ZOLO caption at the Alubarna North Block, the Medi Assembly Hall, The Battle of the Main Street. The Ch. 0193 cut-steel growth-thesis pays off — Zoro reached the tier that can cut Mr. 1’s sword-metal body. Crocodile (off-site, over Mr. 1’s body): “You actually improved over the course of this battle… Cut through a diamond next? That would be such a waste.” (pp. 12-13). The Mr.-1 duel resolved on-page in Ch. 195 (single-sword Lion Strike); the WINNER: ZOLO caption is registered here in the post-fight regroup. Cross-link Zoro Must Learn To Cut Steel To Defeat Mr 1 Combat-Thesis Seed (Ch. 0196 PAYOFF evidence add — payoff_chapter), Zoro Cuts Steel Defeats Mr 1 Cutting-Ladder Payoff (Ch. 0196 confirmed evidence add).
• Wounded and bleeding (Ch. 196 p. 13) — Zoro: “Gasp… Darn, I’ve lost too much blood. The wound isn’t deep, but it really hurts.” Sits cross-legged amid rubble. First on-page post-Mr.-1 injury-state.
• Cross-link Mr. 1 (Ch. 0196 defeated), Supa Supa no Mi, Alubarna, Worlds Greatest Swordsman.

Alabasta — Alubarna (Ch. 195) — Mr. Bushido — LOAD-BEARING: hears the breathing of all things (Observation-Haki precursor), learns to cut steel, defeats Mr. 1 with single-sword Lion Strike

• LOAD-BEARING — first hearing the breathing of all things perception-doctrine (Observation/Kenbunshoku-Haki precursor) (Ch. 195 pp. 16-17). Cornered in the Tower Crusher rubble, Zoro’s heartbeat thunders (BA-BUMP…): ‘My heartbeat was like distant thunder… standing at the gates of Hades.’ / ‘everything around me was eerily silent…’ / ‘…breathing.’ / ‘I could feel something alive in them [the falling rocks].’ / ‘The earth itself breathing… trees with heartbeats of their own… the rocks… breathing…’ The series’ first on-page sense-the-life-of-all-things heightened-perception register; load-bearing pre-tell of forward-canon Kenbunshoku (Observation) Haki. Cross-link Zoro Hears The Breathing Of All Things Observation-Haki Precursor (new — load-bearing).
• Survives Tower Crusher by knowing where the stones wouldn’t fall (Ch. 195 pp. 12-16). Mr. 1: ‘How did you dodge all that falling rubble?!’ Zoro: ‘Dodge? No, that’s not it. …I KNEW where the stones wouldn’t fall.’ — perception as predictive survival. Quip on emerging: ‘I’m having bad luck with stone today.’
• LOAD-BEARING — Koushirou’s swordsmen who are able to NOT cut anything doctrine recalled; bound to the breathing (Ch. 195 pp. 17, 2). ‘A sword that cuts nothing… to push and keep pushing, that is the true way of the sword!!’ (p. 2) → ‘To not cut anything.’ Is that like hearing the breathing?! Is this… the power to cut steel?!’ (p. 17). Recall of the Koushirou cut-nothing teaching binds it to the perception-doctrine. Cross-link Koushirou Cut-Steel Cut-Nothing Pinnacle Of Swordsmanship Doctrine (Ch. 0195 cut-nothing recall + breathing-bind evidence add), Koushirou.
• LOAD-BEARING — learns to cut steel; defeats Mr. 1 with single-sword Lion Strike (Shishi Sonson) (Ch. 195 pp. 19-21). ‘I don’t need to defend myself anymore.’ / ‘One sword, one strike. …Lion Strike.’ (SWAK) — a single drawn katana cleaves Mr. 1’s steel body; Mr. 1 falls (p. 20). Zoro re-sheathes, blood-dripping: ‘My thanks. …Now I’m stronger.’ (p. 21, CHAK). Pays off the Ch. 0193 cut-steel thesis. Cross-link Zoro Cuts Steel Defeats Mr 1 Cutting-Ladder Payoff (new), Zoro Must Learn To Cut Steel To Defeat Mr 1 Combat-Thesis Seed (now confirmed), Supa Supa no Mi, Mr. 1.
• The chapter-title Mr. Bushido (Zoro’s Drum-arc nickname) ironizes against Mr. 1’s ‘Don’t mistake me for a swordsman… I’m an assassin’ (p. 8) — the true bushido belongs to Zoro.

Alabasta — Alubarna (Ch. 194) — Cutting Steel — the dojo cut-steel philosophy flashback; Oni Giri/Tora Gari land with no cut; resolves to cut steel

• Oni Giri and Tora Gari land flush on Mr. 1 — no cut (pp. 7-8): Zoro lands his two signature named Santoryu strikes on Mr. 1’s body (KRANG / …GIRI!!; WHOOM… TIGER…) but draws “not even a scratch” (Mr. 1’s words, p. 10). First on-page demonstration that Zoro’s full named-attack vocabulary fails against the sword-metal body — the Ch. 0193 cut-steel threshold proven visually.
• First-to-rise fear-tell (p. 10): Mr. 1, surprised — “And you got up after I flattened you. That’s a first for me.” Zoro is the first opponent to rise after Mr. 1 flattens him.
• LOAD-BEARING — the dojo cut-steel flashback (pp. 15-16): Bleeding and cornered, Zoro demands “So what am I lacking?! I’ve pushed myself harder than anyone. I’ve been to the brink of death a thousand times!!” — triggering a childhood flashback to the dojo. Sensei Koushirou teaches: swordsmen who can cut through anything, even steel (with the same instrument); swordsmen who can choose to NOT cut anything; “A blade that injures all that it touches isn’t really a sword.”; “The pinnacle of swordsmanship is the power to protect what one wishes to protect, and cut what one wishes to cut.” Young Zoro vows: “Sensei, I’m gonna become a swordsman who can cut through anything!!” First on-page articulation of Zoro’s foundational swordsman philosophy — the cut-steel goal AND the protect-and-cut discipline. Pre-loads the forward-canon cutting-mastery ladder (cut steel → cut the unbreakable). Cross-link Koushirou (Ch. 0194 dojo-doctrine source), Koushirou Cut-Steel Cut-Nothing Pinnacle Of Swordsmanship Doctrine (new — load-bearing), Worlds Greatest Swordsman (Ch. 0194 evidence add).
• Resolves to cut steel (pp. 17-18): Mr. 1: “Unfortunately, you’re not going to get to see me cut steel…” Zoro: “You’ll never cut me if you’re the one always taking the beating.” / “A sword that doesn’t cut anything, eh?! …I’ll dice everything in sight!!” (DOOM!! DOOM!!). The cut-steel threshold is locked as the explicit win-condition. Advances Zoro Must Learn To Cut Steel To Defeat Mr 1 Combat-Thesis Seed.
• Cross-link Mr. 1 (Ch. 0194 duel-opponent), Supa Supa no Mi (Ch. 0194 human-blade mechanic), Alubarna (Ch. 0194 fight-site), Shimotsuki Village Dojo (Ch. 0194 flashback-site).

Alabasta — Alubarna (Ch. 193) — Utopia — the cut-steel thesis vs. Mr. 1

• First on-page cut steel combat-thesis (pp. 17-18): Zoro’s slashing rings off Mr. 1’s body (KLANG! KLANG!). Mr. 1: “Slashing and hacking have no effect on me. …My body is as hard as sword metal.” Zoro: “I can’t cut steel yet, so… I’ve been waiting to be driven into a corner like this… so that I could take it up a notch in strength. …That means I’ll be able to cut through steel. When I defeat you…”
• Zoro reframes being cornered as the training-pressure that unlocks cutting steel — pre-loads the forward-canon Zoro-cuts-Mr-1 arc-climax beat.
• Cross-link Zoro Must Learn To Cut Steel To Defeat Mr 1 Combat-Thesis Seed (new), Mr 1 Body Is As Hard As Sword Metal Slashing No Effect Doctrine (new), Supa Supa no Mi.

Alabasta — Alubarna (Ch. 190) — Climate Baton — intercepts Mr. 1’s stone-column-slice protecting Nami; Mr. 1 vs. Zoro begins; LOAD-BEARING pre-Strawhat Baroque-Works-recruitment-rejection + killed-Mr.-7 backstory reveal

• LOAD-BEARING — intercepts Mr. 1’s arm-blade stone-column-slice protecting Nami (Ch. 190 pp. 4-6). Nami fleeing through the Alubarna stone-arched streets; Mr. 1 (dark cloak, 壱/ONE chest-tunic) silently arm-blades a stone column vertically (KROOM!! / KRASH!!). Zoro arrives mid-swing and blocks with both katana (KLANG!!). Nami: ‘Zolo!!’ Zoro reads the arm-blade tell from the sound: ‘Meddling… broke? Not likely.’ / ‘That was the sound of a sword.’ / ‘You cut that with your arm, didn’t you?’ Mr. 1 confirms; Zoro: ‘Quite a weird body you got there.’ First on-page Zoro-vs-Mr. 1 engagement begins. Cross-link Mr. 1 (Ch. 0190 Officer-Agent-pair-tier opponent), Mr 1 Cuts Stone Vertically With Arm-Blade Combat-Debut (new).
• LOAD-BEARING — pre-Strawhat Baroque-Works-recruitment backstory revealed (Ch. 190 pp. 7-8). Mr. 1 (full-body, hands spread): ‘A few years ago on the East Blue… you also turned down an offer to work for Baroque Works. You’re that pirate hunter who took out Mr. 7.’ Zoro: ‘That brings back memories. But it wasn’t my fault. You guys rejected my conditions.’ / ‘I told your agent… I’d join if I could be the boss.’ / ‘Instead of agreeing to my demand he attacked me, so I dealt with him.’ / ‘Of course, I’m not interested in being the boss anymore. Only an idiot would want that job.’ / ‘Do you have a new offer for me?’ First on-page Zoro-pre-Strawhat-Baroque-Works-recruitment-offer backstory reveal + first on-page confirmation that Zoro killed Mr. 7. The I’d join if I could be the boss counter-demand pre-loads Zoro’s forward-canon World’s Greatest Swordsman / Swordsman of the Pirate King register as a no-one-is-my-boss-but-me-and-Luffy operational stance — Zoro’s exception is Luffy. The chapter also implies a possible Mr. 7 = the agent who recruited and attacked Zoro chronology — Mr. 7’s Ch. 155 roster-debut may be a posthumous-recognition placement. Cross-link Mr. 7 (Ch. 0190 Zoro-killed-him backstory evidence add), Baroque Works (Ch. 0190 pre-Strawhat-recruitment-attempt East-Blue evidence add), Zoro Took Out Mr 7 East Blue Pre-Strawhat Baroque-Works-Recruitment Backstory Reveal (new — load-bearing), Zoro Rejected Baroque Works Recruitment I’d Join If I Could Be The Boss Doctrine (new — load-bearing).
• LOAD-BEARING — Mr. 1’s cross-officer recognition of Whisky Peak 100-men solo-massacre (Ch. 190 p. 7). Mr. 1: ‘The swordsman who took down a hundred men at Whisky Peak.’ — Zoro’s Ch. 0108 solo-100-man-takedown is operationally-known intelligence within Baroque Works’ Officer-Agent tier. Zoro is now cross-officer cross-arc canonized at Officer-Agent-pair-tier in BW’s threat-grading. Cashes Zoro Solo Whisky Peak Massacre Continued at the cross-officer reputation-anchor tier. Cross-link Zoro Whisky Peak Hundred-Men Massacre Acknowledged By Mr 1 Cross-Officer Recognition (new — load-bearing), Mr 1 Recognizes Zoro On Sight As Pirate Hunter Tier (new).
• Engages in sword-lock with Mr. 1; receives the hollow tin soldier / mindless puppet sold a fantasy world ideology-taunt (Ch. 190 p. 9). Mr. 1: ‘Don’t get cocky with me. You’re just the swordsman of a little band of no-account pirates… …or maybe you’re more like a hollow tin soldier!! You’re a mindless puppet who’s been sold a fantasy world!!’ Zoro: ‘So what if I am? What’re you?’ — Zoro’s counter-question is the first on-page Zoro-as-ideology-defender combat-register against BW’s no-account-pirates dismissal. Cross-link Mr 1 You’re A Mindless Puppet Sold A Fantasy World Ideology Taunt (new).
• Concedes Nami to Doublefinger; takes Mr. 1 as combat-target (Ch. 190 p. 10). When Doublefinger arrives and offers to take Nami, Zoro: ‘She’s gone… Darn it! Nami!!’ — Zoro recognizes the pair-split; commits to the Mr. 1 fight. The Officer-Pair-Combat-Composition is now canonical. Cross-link Officer-Pair-Combat-Composition Zoro-Vs-Mr1 Nami-Vs-Doublefinger Pair-Allocation (new).
• Cross-link Mr. 1 (Ch. 0190 Officer-Agent-tier combat-opponent), Nami (Ch. 0190 protected-from-Mr.-1-stone-column-slice), Supa Supa no Mi (Ch. 0190 fruit-named-on-page evidence add), Alubarna (Ch. 0190 fight-site).

Alabasta — Alubarna North Block (Medi Assembly Hall) (Ch. 189)

• Chases Nami through the Medi Assembly Hall plaza (“That idiot!! …I told her to hide and keep quiet!!”).
• Assigned to the Mr. 1 + Doublefinger pair-fight at the chapter-end (caption: “MR. 1 AND MS. DOUBLEFINGER VS. ZOLO AND NAMI”).
• Cross-link Mr 1 Doublefinger Rule One Weaker Target First Professionals-Operate Doctrine (new), Alubarna North Block Medi Assembly Hall Battle Caption-Debut (new — confirmed), Nami (Ch. 0189 pair-fight partner + pursuit target), Mr. 1 (Ch. 0189 pair-fight opponent — Pacifista-tier swordsman pre-tell), Ms. Doublefinger (Ch. 0189 pair-fight opponent), Alubarna (Ch. 0189 North Block / Medi Assembly Hall evidence add).

Alabasta — Alubarna approach (Ch. 183) — X-mark imposter-test deployment doctrine articulated; first on-page operational use of the Ch. 0157 Bon-Clay counter

• LOAD-BEARING — X-mark imposter-test doctrine articulated (Ch. 183 p. 2). Zoro to the crew on the Going Merry: “Now listen up. That swan guy can impersonate people perfectly. He could show up at any time and pose as one of us to kill Vivi. So, if anybody’s acting suspicious… have them remove their bandage and show the symbol underneath. If they don’t do it, then they’re an imposter.” Rolls up his left sleeve to reveal the X-mark (SWUP!). First on-page operational use of the X-mark counter — pays off the Ch. 0157 Vivi-briefing-and-Luffy-fellowship-sign install. Cross-link Strawhats Deploy X-Mark Fellowship Test On Each Other Pre-Alubarna (new — load-bearing), Straw Hat Crew X-Mark Left-Arm Fellowship Sign (Ch. 183 operational-deployment payoff), Mane Mane no Mi (Ch. 183 first-on-page-X-mark-counter-deployment evidence add).
• Cross-link Luffy / Sanji / Nami / Usopp / Tony Tony Chopper (Ch. 183 X-mark test subjects), Bon Clay (Ch. 183 impersonation-threat).

Alabasta — Supersonic Duck Quiz (Ch. 181) — Vivi-decoy-cape participant; TOO BAD. reveal-line in the colonnade

• Vivi-decoy-cape participant in the colonnade reveal (p. 16). Zoro (smiling, mid-air, opening cape, DOOM!!): “TOO BAD.” — first in the TOO BAD. / TOO BAD. / TOO BAD. / WRONG. reveal-sequence. The decoy-trick succeeds; Bon Clay is duped.
• Pre-loads forward-canon Zoro-vs-Mr.-1 pair-battle — Bon Clay’s “OKAY, ZOLO, GET IT OVER WITH!!” / “YOU KEEP QUIET!!” (p. 18) explicitly addresses Zoro as the next-to-go combatant; Sanji wants the Bon-Clay fight. The pair-battle assignments are pre-set: Zoro will fight Mr. 1 in a later chapter.
• Cross-link Bon Clay (decoy-trick target), Sanji (Bon-Clay-fight claimant — Zoro stands down).

Alabasta — Rainbase-to-Alubarna escort (Ch. 177) — Crazy kid… — first-mate-tier diagnosis of Luffy-stays-to-fight-Crocodile; charges Vivi with the no matter what happens you have to survive survival-mandate; leads the Vivi-escort to Alubarna

• LOAD-BEARING — Crazy kid… — first-mate-tier diagnosis of Luffy-vs-Warlord-decision (Ch. 177 p. 2). Zoro (relaxed grin, watching Sanji’s airborne kick depart): “CRAZY KID…” First on-page Zoro-articulated first-mate diagnosis of Luffy-vs-Warlord-tier-fight beat. The first-mate registers the captain’s decision as crazy but agrees with it operationally — the grin is the tell. Pre-loads forward-canon: Zoro’s role across the saga is the first-mate-who-validates-the-captain’s-crazy role-grammar; this is the on-page debut of that register. Cross-link Zoro Crazy Kid Diagnosis Of Luffy-Versus-Warlord Decision (new).
• Charges Vivi with the no matter what happens… you have to survive survival-mandate (Ch. 177 pp. 3-4) — “Listen, Vivi… no matter what happens… which means you have to survive!!!” / “You’re the only hope of preventing that…” / “This is something you started.” / “You’re not fighting all alone anymore.” First on-page Zoro-articulates-Vivi’s-survival-as-load-bearing-mission beat. The swordsman’s role in the bifurcation is to ground the princess-of-Alabasta in the survive-to-stop-the-rebellion objective.
• Confirms the bifurcation-grammar to Vivi (Ch. 177 p. 3) — Vivi (panicked): “ZOLO!! YOU’RE ABANDONING LUFFY?!” / Zoro: “It’s okay, Vivi!! He’ll be all right!! Luffy’s going to keep Crocodile busy so that we can get away.” First on-page Zoro-frames-the-captain’s-solo-fight-as-cover-for-the-crew beat. The first-mate is the bifurcation-translator — converting the captain’s tactical decision into the crew’s mission-grammar.
• Leads the Vivi-escort to Alubarna (Ch. 177 pp. 2-5). Joins Sanji, Chopper, Usopp, Nami, Karoo, Igaram in the airlift-by-Pell from Rainbase to Alubarna. First on-page Zoro-functions-as-mission-escort-leader beat in the Alabasta arc.
• Cross-link Luffy (the crazy kid), Vivi (the survival-mandate recipient), Sanji (co-escort), Alubarna (destination).

Alabasta — Rain Dinners exterior (Ch. 176) — Saves Smoker at captain’s-order; debt-detoxifier doctrine articulated

• LOAD-BEARING — saves Smoker (Sea-Stone-cuffed, drowning) at Luffy’s order (Ch. 176 pp. 8-10). SF-LASH! — Zoro pulls a soaked Smoker out of the floodwater and drops him to the sand. Quip: “Sheesh! People with Devil Fruit powers sure have some rotten weaknesses.”. First on-page Strawhat-saves-Marine beat — and a Logia-Marine. Strawhats react in unison (“WHY DID YOU SAVE HIM, ZOLO?!”) — Sanji explicitly objects (“Huh?! He’s the enemy. Leave him.”); Vivi clocks the Devil-Fruit-drowning risk (“He’ll sink like an anchor!!”); Luffy: “ZOLO!! SAVE HIM!!”. Pre-loads the Strawhat-Smoker arc-long uneasy-alliance-grammar — the doctrine is enforced even when the rescued enemy will resume hostilities. Cross-link Zoro Saves Smoker Enemy-Of-My-Enemy Debt Doctrine (new).
• LOAD-BEARING — articulates the I’d have let you drown debt-detoxifier doctrine (Ch. 176 p. 10). Zoro (eyes-down to Smoker): ”…I’d have let you drown.” / “You don’t owe me anything.” / “It was captain’s orders.”. First on-page Zoro-personal-doctrine-vs-captain’s-orders split at the Logia-Marine tier. The line operates as a debt-detoxifier: by re-attributing the rescue to captain’s-orders-not-personal-mercy, Zoro breaks the debt-chain that would otherwise bind Smoker to repayment — preserving the chase-grammar for future chapters. This is Zoro’s anti-debt doctrine — distinct from Luffy’s no-thanks-needed doctrine — and pre-loads the forward-canon Zoro-vs-Mihawk I-owe-nothing-to-no-one register.
• Tashigi re-confrontation (Ch. 176 pp. 9-10). Tashigi appears with Wado-Ichimonji at the ready (KLANG!! / “RO-RONOA ZOLO!!!”); Zoro silent (”…”). After saving Smoker — Tashigi (sword-arm-ready): “Then… You won’t mind if I do my duty now…” — but Smoker intervenes (the just-this-once favor scene that follows). Second on-page Zoro-Tashigi confrontation (Ch. 173 was first). Pre-loads the Tashigi-as-Kuina-doppelganger forward-canon thread.
• One-shots the second Bananagator (Ch. 176 p. 6, 7) — Luffy + Zoro one-shot the two remaining gators at the cage-room entrance (“Those two aren’t normal!!”). Officer-tier gauntlet-clearance grammar canonized at the Rain Dinners exterior.
• Cross-link Smoker (saved-and-debt-detoxified), Tashigi (re-confrontation), Luffy (captain’s-order issuer), Rain Dinners Casino (Ch. 0176 escape-set-piece).

Alabasta — Rainbase (Ch. 168) — deflects Marines; refuses to fight Tashigi on face-grounds; first open articulation of the Kuina-face refusal

• Tactical agreement with Vivi at the outskirts (pp. 3-5) — Vivi: “Do you think Baroque Works knows we’re here?” / Zoro: “Probably.” / “They know what we look like. We’d better be careful.”. Zoro accepts Vivi’s threat-assessment without question — the strategic-deferral register continues.
• Deflects Marine-officer’s blade with style (pp. 14-15) — K-LANG!! Marine officer’s sword flies away; Zoro: “You call yourselves the Navy? Try again.” Mid-chase swordsman-comment continues the Zoro-vs-anonymous-Marine combat-grammar (cf. Loguetown chase).
• Refuses to fight Tashigi on face-grounds (p. 15) — Tashigi: “So we meet again, Roronoa Zolo!!” Zoro: “I’ve got no beef with you!! Our business is finished!!” / “Crap! I can’t fight her!!” / “Don’t tell me what to do!!” / “Don’t look at me with that face!!” First on-page direct dialogue with adult Tashigi and first open articulation of the Kuina-face-refusal doctrine. Pre-loads forward-canon Punk-Hazard now I can fight you gender-swap inversion. See Zoro Refuses To Fight Tashigi Kuina-Face Doctrine (new).
• Escapes the Tashigi-pursuit (p. 16) — “Noooo!!” (Tashigi) / DOOM!! — Zoro disappears into the chase.
• Last to arrive at Rain Dinners (p. 18) — “Zolo!!” (the crew calls him in from off-panel). The face-refusal slowed him down — the recurring Zoro-arrives-last trope (cf. Whisky Peak after combat) lands here as a consequence of the face-refusal, not the directional-confusion register.
• Cross-link Tashigi (Ch. 168 face-refusal evidence add), Kuina (Ch. 168 face-blocked-combat evidence add), Tashigi Kuina Look-Alike Debut (Ch. 168 face-refusal-articulation evidence add), Zoro Refuses To Fight Tashigi Kuina-Face Doctrine (new).

Alabasta arc (Ch. 166) — restrains Nami; lets the Vivi-Luffy fight play out

• Restrains Nami from intervening in the Vivi-Luffy fight (Ch. 166 p. 16) — “Nami, wait…” First on-page Zoro-intervenes-to-let-the-captain-fight beat. The trust-the-captain’s-judgment register canonized.
• Stands silently among the crew during the chapter’s emotional pivot; observes the Even princesses cry Chopper-capstone (p. 19).

Alabasta (Ch. 162) — Adventure in the Kingdom of Sand — Three Swords Style: Twister!! Whip!! Sprawl!!! — new named triple-attack vs Sandora dragon; one-cuts a Sea-King-tier desert predator

• Three Swords Style: Twister!! Whip!! Sprawl!!! (Ch. 162 p. 13) — new named triple-attack; combined-with-Sanji’s Dragon… Épaule! one-cuts the giant Sandora dragon. First on-page English-named (translated) Zoro triple-attack — worth verifying the original Japanese name. The dragon is a Sea-King-tier desert-apex predator that drops in a single attack-stack; signals adequate power-scaling for the Alabasta-arc combat-ramp.
• Cross-link Three Swords Style Twister Whip Sprawl Attack-Debut (new), Sandora River Giant Dragon Lizard Sea-King-Tier Desert-Apex Predator Debut (new).

Alabasta (Ch. 161) — The Green City Erumalu — Erumalu walk-through, subdued

• Background-presence throughout (Ch. 161 pp. 6-19). Sand-scarfed (third-time-this-arc convention). Atypically silent — listens to Vivi’s exposition without rebuttal or quip. First sustained on-page Zoro-as-silent-listener beat.

Alabasta voyage / Nanohana (Ch. 157) — X-mark / left-arm fellowship-sign joining-beat; too many secrets tactical read on Baroque Works; Sounds like a freak to me on the Mane Mane no Mi

• Joins the X-mark / left-arm fellowship-sign (pp. 10-11) — Zoro ties the bandages and draws his X first (“Tie them on tight. This enemy has too many secrets.”, p. 8). First on-page Zoro-as-prep-supervisor for a crew-wide tactical adjustment. Cross-link Straw Hat Crew X-Mark Left-Arm Fellowship Sign (new).
• Sounds like a freak to me (p. 8) — Zoro’s deadpan-affect read on the Mane Mane no Mi user. Pre-loads the Zoro-vs-Mr.-1 forward-canon (Officer-Agent-tier swordsman duel that defines Zoro’s arc-climax).
• So do those things behind us, right? (p. 5) — first to spot the Baroque Works fleet on the horizon. Zoro-as-threat-detector register.

Alabasta voyage (Ch. 155) — Just what kind of outfit is this Baroque Works? What’s with all those numbers?

• Asleep through most of Vivi’s exposition (pp. 14-16, SNORE / SNUFF SNUFF). Wakes long enough to register confusion at the codename system (p. 16): Just what kind of outfit is this Baroque Works? I mean, what’s with all those numbers? — establishes Zoro’s don’t-process-the-org-chart, just-cut-the-targets register.

Drum Island (Ch. 148) — arrives Big Horn; carries Sanji + Nami up the mountain

• First on-page Zoro since the mountain-climb split (the prior chapters had Luffy/Sanji/Nami climbing while Zoro/Usopp/Vivi remained off-page). Arrives at Big Horn (pp. 2-4) and reads the situation — Sanji broken-backed but vowing to carry Nami to the castle.
• Knocks Sanji unconscious with a THWAK THWAK (p. 3, Usopp: “Ouch! Hey, what’re you doing!!?”) and lifts both Sanji and Nami in a single SHW UMP…!! — “That idiot… I can’t let such heroism be wasted!!!” / “To the top of the mountain, right? You want to fight for your country and defeat Wapol, right!!? I was about to get serious!!!”.
• First on-page articulation of the Zoro-carries-the-crew-up-the-mountain register — pre-loads forward-canon Zoro-shoulders-the-burden beats (most notably the Pain Endurance / Nothing Happened register at Thriller Bark). See Zoro Carries Wounded Crewmates Up The Mountain Setup.

Drum Island (Ch. 141) — Big Horn massacre, What a bunch of wimps

• First on-page Zoro-Big Horn combat beat (pp. 2-3). Cold-open ankle-cut: Zoro stands centered over a snowfield of dozens of fallen Wapol foot-soldiers (DOOM!!), sheathing his three swords (TUP) — “It’s over? … What a bunch of wimps!!” (Villagers: “Amazing.” / “All right!! Good job, Zolo!! Just what I ordered.”)
• Confirms the Straw Hat division at the Wapol invasion: Luffy → Drum Castle, Zoro → Big Horn. Zoro one-shots an entire foot-soldier battalion off-page. Pre-loads Zoro’s ground-anchor arc-role — the swordsman who holds the entry-line while Luffy advances on the boss.

Drum Island (Ch. 139) — avalanche survivor, shirtless in the blizzard; steals coats; Mr. Bushido tag

• Avalanche survivor, shirtless, frostbitten (p. 4) — “I-I’m f-freezing and I get c-caught in an a-avalanche. What r-rotten luck. … Some midwinter swim that was.” Exceptional cold tolerance: stands and walks normally in the blizzard.
• Steals Usopp’s coat (pp. 5-7) — and then steals the vassal-leader’s coat after kicking him in the face (“You just wanted his coat!” — vassal; Zoro: “Ahhh ha ha! Nice and warm!!!”) — Mr. Bushido nickname-tag (p. 7) — the bushido register sticks.
• First on-page Drum Rock altitude figure is delivered about Zoro (referring to the Luffy/Sanji/Nami climb): “All the way to the top of 15,000-foot Drum Rock!?” (p. 16). Zoro’s own arrival is via the avalanche-survivor route, not the climb. See Zoro Climbed Drum Rockies Bare-Chested Straw-Hat-Carrying-Carrying-Crew Feat.

Drum Island (Ch. 136) — Gyasta sled team passenger

• On the Vivi/Usopp Gyasta sled-team (p. 4) — visible jogging on snowshoes alongside the sled or riding on the runners. Non-speaking. The first on-page Zoro Drum-arc appearance since landfall.

Drum Island (Ch. 132)

• Present for the weather-discussion; deck-work panel (hammer and barrel, p. 6). Notes the Grand Line sea here is “not even dependably unpredictable.”

Alabasta voyage (Ch. 130)

• Minor beats: never-been-sick comic line (p. 5); endorses Vivi’s selfless favor-request (“You’ve got a big heart”, p. 16).

Little Garden (Ch. 126) — Instinct — freed from the wax-statue prison by Luffy’s heat; cuts down Mr. 5 with a flaming sword (first on-page Zoro elemental-coated-blade combat-improvisation; first Usopp-Zoro combo-attack composition)

• Freed from the wax-statue prison by Luffy’s heat (Ch. 126 pp. 5-6) — Luffy ignites Karoo’s saddle-rope and uses the flame to melt the wax-statue prisons; Zoro is freed and immediately re-enters combat.
• LOAD-BEARING — cuts down Mr. 5 with a flaming sword (Ch. 126 pp. 9-10) — Zoro slashes Mr. 5 with a blade carrying one of Usopp’s fire-projectiles (-GIRI!!!! / DA-DOOM!!). First on-page Zoro elemental-coated-blade combat-improvisation — pre-loads the forward-canon elemental-coated-blade combat-axis (Zoro vs. Mr. 1’s steel-body anticipation; far-forward Conqueror’s-Haki-coated and Enma blades). Mr. 5 (going down): “A burning sword. Not bad…” The Usopp-fire-projectile → Zoro-blade hand-off is the first Usopp-Zoro combo-attack composition — pre-loads the recurring Strawhat sniper-sets-up-swordsman-finishes tag-team grammar. Cross-link Mr. 5 (defeat-recipient), Usopp (combo-attack partner), Bomu Bomu no Mi.
• “It’s good to be alive. Heh…” (Ch. 126 p. 10) — Zoro’s terse post-rescue line, freshly un-waxed.
• Cross-link Luffy (rescuer), Mr. 5 (downed in a single move), Usopp (first Usopp-Zoro combo composition).

Little Garden (Ch. 125) — Candle Champion — wax-pedestal-bound + affect-painted captive (Goldenweek paints him to agitation); calls “Hey! You out there!?” under affect-distortion; offstage between Ch. 119 (separated in jungle) and Ch. 125 (now wax-statue)

• Wax-pedestal-bound + affect-painted captive (Ch. 125 pp. 3-4) — Zoro is bound on a wax-pedestal alongside Vivi and Nami. Goldenweek has affect-painted him to feel agitation/aggression — he shouts “Hey! You out there!?” under the affect-distortion. First on-page Zoro-as-affect-distortion-target. The jungle-lost separation (Ch. 119 — rats) has resolved into wax-statue-capture by Mr. 3’s set-piece between chapters.
• Crescendo-Stone gravity-pressure victim (Ch. 125 pp. 15-16) — Zoro screams “UNGAA!!” (p. 15) as Goldenweek applies the Crescendo Stone paint-attack to his wax-statue (the weight-scale ticks from 10 KILOS → 200 KILOS → 500 KILOS, pp. 15-16). First on-page Zoro-as-gravity-pressure-victim.
• Cross-link Mr. 3 (Zoro’s wax-imprisoner), Miss Goldenweek (Zoro’s affect-painter + Crescendo-Stone-attacker), Vivi / Nami (co-captives).

Little Garden (Ch. 124) — The Tea Is Good — wax-bound on the Wax-Wax House execution-chamber platform; off-stage line “Your loss.” mocking the tea-tranced Luffy

• Wax-bound on the Wax-Wax House execution-chamber platform (Ch. 124 pp. 2-3, 11-17) — Zoro is one of three wax-bound Strawhats (Vivi, Zoro, Nami) on the wax-platform under the candelabra-arch canopy. His wax-binding is arms-raised, body-pinned — the execution-statue pose.
• Off-stage line: “Your loss.” (Ch. 124 p. 12) — Zoro mocks the tea-tranced Luffy from the wax-platform. Re-keys his Ch. 0117 captain-isn’t-helping impatience-register at the execution-clock tier.
• Cross-link Luffy (mocked target), Vivi (co-wax-bound), Nami (co-wax-bound), Doru Doru no Mi (wax-bound-on-execution-platform).

Little Garden (Ch. 123) — arrives at the wax-pillar combat with arms already hardened from perimeter wax-exposure; MR. BUSHIDO!? codename re-keyed by Vivi; can’t-fight-with-hardened-arms set-piece pre-loaded

• LOAD-BEARING — arrives with arms already hardened (Ch. 123 p. 11) — Zoro, lost in the jungle since Ch. 119, finally rejoins the group — but his arms have already hardened from passive perimeter wax-exposure: “WAIT A MINUTE!! MY BODY’S HARDENING TOO!!” / “I CAN’T MOVE AT ALL NOW!! I HAVE NO CHOICE. MY ARMS HAVE ALREADY HARDENED.” The Ch. 119 forward-payoff target (Zoro is the agent who breaks Mr. 3’s wax-prison) is temporarily delayed by Mr. 3’s pre-emptive perimeter-saturation of the combat-zone. The wax-area-effect operates at passive perimeter scale — anyone present in the candle’s proximity hardens, even without being struck by Candle Lock. Pre-loads the classic I-can-fight-with-three-swords-even-with-my-arms-stuck Zoro set-piece. Cross-link Doru Doru no Mi (Ch. 0123 wax-perimeter-passive-effect evidence add), Mr 3 Candle-Proximity Hardening Speed Mechanic (new — load-bearing).
• MR. BUSHIDO!? codename re-keyed by Vivi (Ch. 123 p. 11) — Vivi’s persistent Ch. 109 codename for Zoro re-keyed in shock at his condition. The Mr. Bushido address-grammar continues into the Little Garden arc.
• Lost-in-the-jungle running gag arrives at the combat-zone late — Zoro’s geographic-disorientation has been load-bearing across Ch. 119-122 (his absence is what allowed Mr. 3 to wax-prison the rest of the crew). The Ch. 123 arrival re-introduces Zoro to the combat-zone but immediately constrains him (already hardened). Forward-payoff: Zoro will fight Mr. 5 + Miss Valentine (or Mr. 3 directly) in the next chapters with hardened arms — the classic Zoro handicap-fight register.
• Cross-link Mr. 3 (combat-zone-controller), Vivi (Mr. Bushido address), Luffy (entrust-our-lives subject), Doru Doru no Mi (wax-perimeter-passive-effect canonization), Mr 3 Candle-Proximity Hardening Speed Mechanic (new — load-bearing).

Little Garden (Ch. 122) — A Dead Body Is Useless — chapter-title-line speaker; self-mutilation combat-resolve doctrine debut; first Brogy-endorsement; commences leg-cut, attenuates to halfway-cut fake-out; break the pillar tactical-cooperation with Sanji

• LOAD-BEARING — chapter-title-line speaker (Ch. 122 p. 9) — “A giant without hands and feet… is still more useful than a dead man.” The chapter-title A Dead Body Is Useless is directly drawn from Zoro’s line. First Zoro-line-as-chapter-title in the arc — elevates Zoro’s tactical-grim register to doctrine-canonization at the title-frame. Pre-loads forward Zoro-line-as-chapter-title beats (Thriller Bark Nothing happened, Wano combat-resolve titles).
• LOAD-BEARING — cut off my legs self-mutilation combat-resolve doctrine debut (Ch. 122 pp. 9-10) — “If I cut off my legs.” — first on-page Zoro-self-mutilation register. Zoro’s combat-doctrine: survival-via-mutilation > honorable-death-without-action. The doctrine is grim, tactically-rational, and rhetorically-extreme. Vivi (horrified): “Your legs!? Your own legs!!?” Zoro (deadpan): “You never know until you try, right?” Load-bearing seed for Zoro’s lifetime self-injury-as-combat-resource doctrine: Thriller Bark Nothing happened (Ch. 485), Wano I can still cut register, Marineford Bushido combat-grammar. Cross-link Zoro Cuts Off His Legs Self-Mutilation Combat-Resolve Doctrine (new — load-bearing), A Giant Without Hands And Feet Is More Useful Than A Dead Man Doctrine (new — load-bearing).
• LOAD-BEARING — first Brogy-endorsement (Ch. 122 p. 11) — Brogy: “I like your spirit!!! But I’m with you.” — first on-page Elbaf-giant endorsement of Zoro’s combat-spirit. Cross-cultural register-match: Brogy’s Elbaf honor-doctrine and Zoro’s self-mutilation-resolve-doctrine both reject don’t-die-prudential reasoning in favor of fight-at-cost-honor reasoning. First on-page seed of Zoro-recognized-as-honor-warrior-by-giants — pre-loads Final-Saga Elbaf-arc Zoro-recognition. Cross-link Brogy I Like Your Spirit Endorsement Doctrine (new — load-bearing), Brogy (giant-endorser source).
• Commences leg-cut (Ch. 122 pp. 13-14) — SH WUP / PLURT (p. 13) → BOOM!! GRAAAAAAAAH…! (p. 14) — Zoro draws all three swords and screams. The actual leg-cut completion is held off-panel across the page-break. Pages 13-14 are the chapter’s set-piece visual of the self-mutilation commitment.
• Attenuates to halfway-cut fake-out (Ch. 122 p. 19) — “Yeah. I guess I hacked about halfway through ‘em. Heh heh…” Sanji (wide-eyed): “H-hey! Your legs are bleeding!!!” The rhetorical cut my legs off doctrine attenuates to tactical halfway-cut — Zoro stops where it’s sufficient (to free himself from wax), not where it’s symbolic. First Zoro-rhetorical-escalation-followed-by-tactical-attenuation beat. The halfway-is-enough tactical-judgment becomes Zoro’s standard combat-economy register across the series.
• Break the pillar tactical-cooperation with Sanji (Ch. 122 p. 19) — Sanji: “Could you break the pillar?? We’ll let you finish up here.” Zoro: “Yeah.” — first on-page Sanji-asks-Zoro-for-tactical-assist beat. The Sanji-Zoro rivalry register pivots into tactical-cooperation under combat-duress — the rivalry is operationally suspended in mortal danger. Companion to their Ch. 0115 hunt-rivalry — pre-loads the Sanji-Zoro tactical-pair-when-it-matters register that recurs across the saga.
• Sustains combat-grin throughout the self-mutilation set-piece — Zoro’s deadpan-confident register is operationally on display: he proposes the impossible-seeming strategy with a Heh heh smile (p. 19), commits with a DOOM (p. 10), screams during the cut (p. 14), then casually announces halfway through (p. 19). The affect-control is the chapter’s character-canonization signature.
• Cross-link Brogy (cross-cultural endorser), Sanji (ugly-fight doctrine parallel + break-the-pillar tactical-pair partner), Mr. 3 (the trap-craftsman whose wax-petrification Zoro plans to escape), Zoro Cuts Off His Legs Self-Mutilation Combat-Resolve Doctrine (new — load-bearing), A Giant Without Hands And Feet Is More Useful Than A Dead Man Doctrine (new — load-bearing).

Little Garden (Ch. 121) — I Knew — captured off-panel by Mr. 5; delivered unconscious to Mr. 3’s wax-camp; possibly conscious-witness to Brogy’s I knew doctrine articulation; chapter-end positioning as the agent-who-will-break-the-wax-prison

• Captured off-panel by Mr. 5 (Ch. 121 mentioned p. 3) — Mr. 5 to Luffy: ‘We’ve captured your swordsman friend and the other girl as well!!’ — the Ch. 0119 unwitting-independent-threat deduction (Zoro lost in the jungle, panel-juxtaposed with Mr. 3’s Improvise and Conquer monologue) is now operationally resolved: Mr. 5 captured Zoro off-panel. The capture-by-officer-tier-opponent register installs Zoro’s defeat-tier at this point in the series as vulnerable to Officer Agent ambush when wounded / disoriented (cf. Zoro is the strongest combat-tier Strawhat at this point, but he was caught off-guard).
• Delivered unconscious to Mr. 3’s wax-camp (Ch. 121 p. 11) — THUD..!! — Zoro and Nami dumped at Mr. 3’s feet. Mr. 3: ‘Mr. 5, bring me the swordsman and the girl!!’ First on-page Zoro-and-Nami delivery to the wax-execution-chamber. Cross-link Doru Doru no Mi (Ch. 121 captive-victim list extends to Zoro).
• Possible witness to Brogy’s I knew doctrine articulation (Ch. 121 p. 17) — Zoro silhouette in the panel margin alongside Brogy’s I knew Dorry was hiding something / how could I dishonor him by showing mercy monologue, with a small voice-bubble ’…!!’ / ‘But now I know the whole story.’ attributed to Zoro. First on-page Zoro-as-witness-to-Brogy’s-honor-doctrine — pre-loads Zoro’s forward-canon swordsman-respect-for-Brogy register and the Zoro-as-the-agent-who-frees-the-giants beat in subsequent chapters. The swordsman-recognizes-warrior-honor register pre-loads Zoro’s later beats with Mihawk, with Kuina-flashback, with Ryuma at Thriller Bark, and with Kawamatsu at Wano. Cross-link Zoro Witness To Giant Honor Doctrine (new), Elbaf Code Of Honor (Ch. 121 cross-cultural-recognition evidence add).
• Cross-link Mr. 5 (off-panel captor), Mr. 3 (the wax-camp executioner), Brogy (the honor-doctrine articulator Zoro witnesses), Nami (co-captive delivered alongside).

Little Garden (Ch. 119) — lost in the jungle alone; panel-juxtaposed with Mr. 3’s Improvise-and-Conquer monologue as the unwitting independent threat the dossier-plan hasn’t accounted for

• Lost in the jungle alone (p. 11) — Zoro is shown turned-back-to-camera, scratching his head, muttering “rats.” Confirms the Zoro-loses-his-way running gag is operational on Little Garden — Zoro’s geographic-disorientation is canonical even within a Grand-Line jungle (the famous Zoro-direction-sense gag is now arc-spanning).
• Panel-juxtaposition with Mr. 3’s Improvise and Conquer monologue (p. 11) — Zoro’s lost-in-jungle panel is composed adjacent to Mr. 3’s gloating monologue over the photograph-dossier. The juxtaposition makes Zoro the unwitting independent threat the Baroque Works dossier-plan hasn’t accounted for in their target-pickoff sequence. Mr. 3’s plan is to lure them into the jungle and pick them off one at a time — Zoro is already in the jungle, separated from the dossier-pickoff-staging-grounds, and operating outside the trap-perimeter. Forward-payoff: Zoro is the agent who breaks Mr. 3’s wax-prison in subsequent chapters — the unaccounted-for-Zoro sub-plot is set up here.
• Cross-link Mr. 3 (the trap-designer whose plan doesn’t account for Zoro), Doru Doru no Mi (Ch. 0119 forward-payoff target: Zoro breaks the wax-prison).

Little Garden (Ch. 115) — Little Garden of Adventure — accepts Sanji’s hunt-challenge; bilateral rivalry-format canonized

• Returns to the deck mid-chapter (p.13) — “I think I’ll take a walk.”; decides to also explore Little Garden after Luffy leaves. Vivi: “Ms. Wednesday sure is brave.” — Vivi-perceiving-Zoro-as-already-departing register.
• Accepts Sanji’s challenge (p.14) — “THEM’S FIGHTIN’ WORDS!!!”. Sanji: “YOU THINK YOU CAN BAG A BIGGER BEAST THAN I CAN!?”.
• The hunt-contest is formalized (p.15) — “It’s a contest over the most kilos of meat” / “Sounds good to me” / “Why not? Tons?”. First on-page bilateral Zoro/Sanji rivalry-contest with explicit numerical stakes (kilos of meat). Cross-link Zoro Sanji Hunt Contest Rivalry Origin (new).
• Parting shot exchange with Sanji (p.15) — Sanji: “Same to you!!” Zoro: “You’re useless.” Pre-loads the lifetime Zoro/Sanji insult-grammar.
• Cross-link Sanji (hunt-rival), Little Garden (new).

Whisky Peak (Ch. 114)

• Drew his sword first against Miss All Sunday (KLIK, p. 10) — Strawhat-tier threat-assessment.
• First on-page flipped-by-Devil-Fruit moment: invisible-force flip into mid-air (p. 11, WAH!!! / WHIP) — Zoro is registered as a Devil-Fruit-vulnerable swordsman from his first Robin-encounter. End-chapter: “I don’t have a problem with forceful men.” (p. 17 — Sanji’s I-don’t-like-her gender-coded line; Zoro responds with the same line gender-flipped — a comedic register, but also installs the Zoro-treats-women-warriors-as-equivalent-to-male-warriors doctrine).

Whisky Peak (Ch. 113) — It’s All Right — comic-reactor role; you just told us… deadpan; deadpan funeral-toast for Igaram

• Opens the chapter in tier-confused reaction mode (page 2): “They’re so noisy.” — Zoro’s signature unimpressed-with-Officer-Agent register continues from Ch. 0112.
• Iconic comic-deadpan reaction to Vivi’s Crocodile-blurt (page 9): GAS——P / “You just told us…” — the on-page comic-reveal-pattern is anchored on Zoro’s reaction-shot. This is the chapter’s most-memed panel.
• Articulates the three of us are on Baroque Works’ hit list line (page 12) alongside Luffy — Zoro is the third of us (Sanji + Luffy + Zoro). Tactical-acceptance register, not the comic-excitement Luffy carries.
• Deadpan funeral-toast for Igaram (page 16): “HE’S GONE. THAT GUY WAS A LAUGH TO THE VERY END.” — the chapter’s most emotionally-load-bearing Zoro line, pivoting from comic-deadpan to genuine respect-on-loss. Cross-link Zoro Spares Tashigi Kuina Face Doctrine (sister-pattern of Zoro’s quiet-respect register).
• Silent stunned reaction to the offshore destruction (page 17) — three-male-fighter reaction-shot in synchrony with Sanji and Luffy.

Whisky Peak (Ch. 112)

• Defends Vivi from Mr. 5’s booger-cannon attack on the ruined street, then becomes Luffy’s combat target when Luffy refuses to believe his bounty-hunter explanation.
• Tries repeatedly to de-escalate (pp. 3, 5, 11) before relenting: “All right, you idiot!!! Have it your way!! I’ll fight for real!!!” (p. 12). Draws all three swords into Three-Sword-Style stance.
• Names Oni Giri in clash with Luffy’s Gomu Gomu no Bazooka (p. 13). Frames the fight as “swordsman vs. fighter” (p. 14) — Zoro’s preferred self-taxonomy.
• Synchronized “SHUT UP!!!” with Luffy at interrupting BW officers (p. 17) — pre-loads the long-arc Zoro-understands-Luffy-without-words combat-trust grammar (culminates Wano second-in-command framing).
• SBS Vol. 13 Q8 (p. 18): Wado Ichimonji classified as Ō Wazamono / Excellent Grade — one of the 21; lacquered-wood white-painted scabbard, suguha (straight) temper-pattern. First on-page canonization of Zoro’s signature blade’s grade.

Whisky Peak (Ch. 111) — The Secret Criminal Organization — refuses Vivi’s plea; coerced by Nami’s 300%-interest debt-fabrication; slices Mr. 5’s booger-projectile in mid-flight; Vivi calls him Mr. Bushido! (third utterance); Luffy challenges him to a fight at chapter close

• Refuses Vivi’s plea to wake Luffy (page 5) — “Why should I go along with your silly moneymaking scheme!? I don’t like being used! I’m not like that stupid cook!” — first on-page Zoro-doesn’t-trust-Nami’s-pricing doubt-register.
• Coerced by Nami’s 300% interest debt-fabrication (page 6) — Nami invokes the Loguetown sword-debt; editor’s footnote confirms the math is fictional. Zoro is trapped into combat-cooperation via crew-internal financial-extortion.
• LOAD-BEARING: slices Mr. 5’s booger-projectile in mid-flight (pages 13-14) — SHE ENK!!! / DOOM!!! / I sliced your boogers in two!! — first on-page sword-vs-Devil-Fruit-projectile interception in the series. Zoro’s Santoryu meta-grammar now includes anti-DF-projectile interception as a known capability. The booger-projectile’s Ch. 0110 apparent invulnerability against Igaram’s gunpowder is broken by Zoro’s three-sword slash. Forward-pattern: Zoro’s mid-flight blade-defense against DF-projectiles recurs across the Alabasta-saga Officer-Agent fights (Mr. 1, etc.) and beyond.
• Vivi calls MR. BUSHIDO! (page 13) — third on-page utterance of the nickname, in rescue-call register. Cross-link Mr Bushido Nickname Origin Doctrine (triple-context payoff).
• Luffy challenges him to a fight at chapter close (page 18) — “ZOLO!!! I’ve had it with you!!! We’re gonna fight!!!” — Zoro is taken aback (“What!!?”) — the chapter ends mid-confrontation. Cross-link Luffy Vs Zoro Intra Crew Duel Setup (new).

Whisky Peak (Ch. 109) — A Question of Duty — solo-defeats the surviving Baroque-Works officer-team (Mr. 8/Igaram, Mr. 9, Ms. Wednesday/Vivi); first on-page Mr. Bushido nickname coined by Vivi-as-Wednesday with VIZ translator-asterisk; extracts Vivi from her Baroque-Works combat-formation (spare-doctrine identical to Ch. 100 Tashigi); I’m embarrassed to fight these guys tier-mismatch self-evaluation

• Solo-defeats the surviving Baroque-Works officer-team (Mr. 8 / Igaram, Mr. 9, Ms. Wednesday) while Luffy is unconscious-hostage and the rest of the crew sleep off the Whisky-Peak banquet-trap. Continues the Ch. 0108 captain-sleeps-while-Zoro-clears-the-arc register. Cross-link Zoro Solo Whisky Peak Massacre Continued (new), Captain-Asleep Officer-Cohort Combat Composition.
• First on-page Mr. Bushido epithet — Vivi (in Ms. Wednesday disguise) coins the nickname at page 9 with VIZ on-page translator-footnote canonization (“*Bushido means ‘the way of the samurai’ in Japanese.”). Will become Vivi’s lifetime-permanent address per Vol-23 SBS. Cross-link Bushido Asterisk Translation Note (new).
• Combat-grammar line — I’m embarrassed to fight these guys (page 11) — first on-page Zoro-self-evaluation of opponent-tier-mismatch. The tier-mismatch self-evaluation becomes a recurring Zoro combat-grammar register.
• Defeats Bat of Guts + Home-Run Hide-a-Bat (Mr. 9’s double-state metal-bat weapon-set), Igarappa + Igarap-pappa (Igaram’s saxophone-shotgun and multi-barrel saxophone-cannon), Vertigo Dance + Peacock Slasher (Vivi’s spinning-hypnotic and peacock-feather throwing-blade attacks). Three-officer ambush cleared sequentially in one chapter.
• Saves Vivi from Igaram’s friendly-fire (page 17) — extracts her from the impact-zone with a rope-cutting maneuver, displacing her physically from her Baroque-Works combat-formation. Spare-doctrine register identical to his Ch. 100 spare of Tashigi (back-of-blade mercy and extract-the-non-target-from-the-impact-zone sub-doctrines).
• Pre-loads Zoro-as-Vivi-protector register — the Ch. 109 extraction is the literal-grammar foreshadow of Zoro’s arc-long role as a defender of Vivi’s defection-trajectory. Forward-pattern: the Whisky-Peak-arc-close defection will be enabled in part by Zoro’s tactical-acceptance of Vivi as a non-target.
• Recognized as Baroque Works officer-tier opponent — Mr. 9’s we’ve failed him line (page 2) frames the three-officer team as the Baroque-Works boss’s commissioned defenders of the town; Zoro’s solo-defeat of them is the first cross-tier defeat of Frontier Agents under direct boss-commission.

Whisky Peak (Ch. 108) — 100 Bounty Hunters — only Straw Hat to see through the welcome-trap; names Yubashiri on-page; deploys Sandai Kitetsu in combat for the first time; solos 100-cohort while crew sleeps; out-muscles Ms. Monday one-handed; back-of-blade mercy-strike sub-doctrine installed; “I like to finish what I start” doctrine articulated

• Sole Straw Hat to register the Whisky Peak hospitality-as-trap (page 3): “AND YET HE SHOWED HIS HAND.” / “HE KNOWS ABOUT BAROQUE WORKS.” The crew (Luffy, Nami, Usopp, Sanji) is passed out from welcome-feast booze (SNOOORE!) on the floor of the building behind Zoro. Zoro acts on the read solo. Installs the Captain-Asleep Officer-Cohort Combat Composition register — Zoro fights the arc-opening ambush solo while his captain literally sleeps through it.
• Tests his new Loguetown-purchased swords on the 100-cohort (page 3 bottom): “I’LL GIVE THEM A GOOD WORKOUT. THIS IS THE PERFECT CHANCE TO TEST MY NEW SWORDS.” The Ch. 97 Matsu-shop purchase (Sandai Kitetsu + Yubashiri) lands its first combat-deployment.
• Names Yubashiri on-page in Japanese with translator footnote (page 6): “FIRST, IT’S… YUBASHIRI!” + “means RUNNING SNOW in Japanese”. First on-page utterance of Yubashiri’s meito-name. Cross-link Yubashiri Named On Page.
• Sandai Kitetsu’s cursed-blade combat-debut — cuts clean through Ms. Monday’s stone mallet (page 10): “KITETSU III HAS A GREAT EDGE! IT SLICED THROUGH THAT STONE MALLET! BUT A LEGENDARY SWORD SHOULD ONLY CUT WHEN ITS MASTER WANTS IT TO. THIS ONE’S A PROBLEM CHILD.” The Ch. 97 Sandai Kitetsu Cursed Sword Bet luck-vs-curse arm-bet now confirms in living-opponent combat — the cursed blade serves its tested wielder.
• Back-of-the-blade mercy-strike sub-doctrine (page 11): After a praying-old-man bystander (“OH, PLEASE, HAVE MERCY ON US!”) suddenly produces a bazooka, Zoro disarms with Yubashiri’s reverse-edge — “USE THAT SORRY TRICK ON SOMEONE WITH A KINDER HEART.” / “I USED THE BACK OF THE SWORD. FORGIVE ME.” The Zoro-spares-fakers-with-back-of-blade sub-doctrine installs as a non-killing combat-option. Cross-link Zoro Back-of-Blade Mercy Combat-Beat.
• Out-muscles Ms. Monday one-handed in strength-test (pages 17-18): Ms. Monday brass-knuckle-headbutts Zoro’s forehead (THWANG!! …BRASS KNUCKLES!!!). Zoro lifts her one-handed off the ground (KRK… KRK…): “YOU THINK YOU’RE STRONG? WANNA SEE WHO’S STRONGER?” She crashes (FWUMP…): “NO WAY! MS. MONDAY LOST THE BATTLE OF STRENGTH!” The chapter installs the Zoro-out-muscles-named-strength-tier-officer-without-effort Grand-Line-floor combat-baseline.
• “I like to finish what I start” combat-doctrine articulated (page 19): Zoro (mid-sword-lick SLUP… in the cinematic blood-flick): “SHALL WE KEEP GOING, BAROQUE WORKS? I LIKE TO FINISH WHAT I START.” First on-page articulation of the doctrine. Forward-pattern: every later Zoro-refuses-to-leave-a-fight-half-done beat re-keys here.

Whisky Peak (Ch. 107) — Moonlight and Tombstones — only Straw Hat awake at chapter-end; true swordsman never drinks himself into a stupor doctrine canonized; reveals Baroque-Works recruitment-attempt backstory; takes on ~100 bounty hunters alone

• Only Straw Hat awake at chapter-end — pretended to drink along with the celebration but actually paced himself and stopped at 13 men (Miss Monday out-drank him at 15+). The “a true swordsman never drinks himself into a stupor” doctrine is canonized for the first time on-page (page 12 caption-tier). Cross-link A True Swordsman Doctrine (new).
• Reveals he was recruited by Baroque Works during his pre-Romance-Dawn bounty-hunter career and turned them down (page 13): “Your organization tried to recruit me. Naturally, I turned you down. Long ago, when I was in your line of work…” — retroactively reframes the Ch. 3-22 Pirate Hunter Zolo register as visible-enough-to-attract-secret-society-recruitment. Cross-link Zoro Was Recruited By Baroque Works Backstory (new).
• Confronts the entire 100-strong Baroque Works Whisky Peak cell alone on a moonlit rooftop with sword drawn (pages 12-14): “I’ll take you on, Baroque Works.” First on-page utterance of the Baroque Works organization-name in the series. Cross-link Baroque Works Organization Named-Before-Shown.
• Uses smoke-and-displacement tactics: vanishes mid-volley, reappears with sword at Igarappoi’s throat (pages 15-17). Triggers Igarappoi’s panicked IGARAPPA!!! saxophone-shotgun discharge that hits the Baroque agents themselves.
• Mihawk-parallel visual composition: lone-swordsman-on-elevated-platform vs. army-below mirrors the Ch. 51 Mihawk-on-the-cross-dagger-coffin-galleon tableau — Zoro stepping into the Mihawk-aspirant register at the start of the new saga. Cross-link Zoro Mihawk Target Locked.

Reverse Mountain (Ch. 104) — Background presence with crew on the Twin Cape; single dialogue line on Luffy’s mast-climb

• On-panel with the crew on the Twin Cape during the Crocus / Laboon exposition (pages 5-11). Background presence; no exposition contribution.
• Sole dialogue line: “Maybe he likes mountain climbing.” (page 12) — Zoro’s deadpan-comment on Luffy sprinting up the Going Merry’s mast. Re-keys the Zoro-as-dry-observer comic-grammar (cf. Ch. 76 Nami-strike-as-Arlong-officer reaction).
• Backgrounds the mast-snap → head-butt-draw sequence (pages 13-17).

Reverse Mountain (Ch. 102) — Deadpan-on-deck register; arms-crossed reaction-stance to Laboon-encounter; somebody lives here observational beat

• Deadpan reaction to Laboon-encounter (page 6, 16): Zoro is the chapter’s reaction-anchor — arms-crossed, slumped, smoking-pose against the railing. “What do I think?” (page 16) — deflective single-word register at the dream-or-hallucination beat post-emergence.
• First observational somebody lives here call (page 18): “It looks like somebody lives here.” — the cottage-island recognition. Zoro is the crew-member who first identifies the lighthouse-island as inhabited, pre-loading Crocus’s introduction.

Reverse Mountain (Ch. 101)

• Operationally silent through most of the chapter — Zoro mostly sleeps / reacts in the galley scene. His only major line is the I’ve never heard of anyone sailing over a mountain before (page 13) — operating as the swordsman-as-cultural-baseline-witness of how unusual the Reverse-Mountain mechanic is. Even the crew’s swordsman has not heard of this geography.

Loguetown / East-Blue saga close (Ch. 100) — First named-encounter with Tashigi; Wado Ichimonji canonized; can’t-fight-Kuina’s-face spare-doctrine canonized; states world’s-greatest-swordsman vow on Going Merry; enters Grand Line

• First named-encounter with Tashigi on the rain-soaked Loguetown street (page 9). Tashigi (rectangular glasses, Marine uniform, MASTER CHIEF TASHIGI rank-citation balloon, page 10): “RORONOA ZOLO!” — recognizes him by name. Zoro recognizes her face as identical to Kuina’s and is immediately stunned silent (the Ch. 96 stunned-silent reaction recurs).
• Wado Ichimonji named on-page by Tashigi (page 10): ”…THIS SWORD TOO! / DO YOU PLAN TO COLLECT…!? …I’M GOING TO TAKE WADO ICHIMONJI AWAY FROM YOU!” First on-page utterance of the meito-name of the sword Zoro has carried since Ch. 6 — Tashigi recognizes it on Zoro’s hip in the field (Ch. 97 was book-recognition; Ch. 100 is field-recognition in active combat-context). Cross-link Wado Ichimonji Pre-Owned-By-Kuina Marker, Tashigi Wado Ichimonji Recognition.
• Brief sword-duel with Tashigi (pages 12-13). KLANG! KLAK KLAK KLAK KLANG / WOOO — Tashigi loses her sword in a single move and falls. Zoro stands over her with Wado Ichimonji drawn.
• Zoro’s can’t-fight-Kuina’s-face spare-doctrine canonized (pages 12-13). Tashigi demands he kill her or treat her as a combat-peer: “WHY DON’T YOU KILL ME!? / …A WOMAN MAY NOT BE AS STRONG AS A MAN… / …BUT TO GO EASY ON ME IS AN INSULT.” Zoro walks away silently in KSHHHH rain-silhouette rather than killing her. Tashigi reads it as gender-condescension; Zoro never explains. The mismatch between Tashigi-doesn’t-know-she-wears-Kuina’s-face and Zoro-can’t-fight-Kuina’s-face installs as the structural-grammar of every later Zoro-Tashigi encounter. Cross-link Zoro Spares Tashigi Kuina Face Doctrine, Tashigi Refuses Easy Treatment Doctrine.
• Extracts Luffy from the scaffold-wreckage with Sanji during the storm (page 19 onward).
• States his vow on the Going Merry as the crew enters the Grand Line (page 21, five-vow-stack ritual): “I’M GOING TO BE THE WORLD’S GREATEST SWORDSMAN! / KLUNK!” The Ch. 6-7 Mihawk-target-locked doctrine and the Ch. 52 never-lose-again vow are here re-articulated at the threshold of the Grand Line. Foot planted on the shared keg. Cross-link Three Vow Stack Pre-Grand-Line, Worlds Greatest Swordsman.
• Enters the Grand Line aboard the Going Merry at the chapter’s final panel. East-Blue saga closes.

Loguetown (Ch. 99) — Charges execution platform with Sanji; recognized by crowd as Roronoa Zolo; spotted by Tashigi

• Charges the execution platform with Sanji to stop Luffy’s beheading.
• Plans: ‘If I can just chop down the platform!!!’ — fails to take it down before Buggy’s swing.
• Recognized by the crowd as Roronoa Zolo (the bounty-hunter) — past identity overlapping with present (page 10: ‘Zolo’s working with that monkey guy… and his pirates!!!’).
• Spotted by Tashigi in the crowd (page 10): ‘Roronoa Zolo!? Here!?’ — first on-page Tashigi-recognizes-Zoro beat.

Loguetown (Ch. 97) — Wado Ichimonji named on-page; Sandai Kitetsu III acquired via luck-vs-curse bet; Kuina named aloud for the first time in ~92 chapters

• Solo-arc protagonist for this chapter — Zoro disperses from the crew to find replacement swords (page 4). Internal monologue “I was so weak. Darn it!” — he is still processing his Ch. 96 stunned-encounter with Tashigi.
• Names Kuina aloud for the first time in ~92 chapters (page 4, internal): “And she’s even a swordsman! Like two peas in a pod. It’s uncanny how much she looks like Kuina.” The Ch. 96 stunned-silent reaction is verbalized; the Tashigi-look-alike processing-beat installs as operational Zoro-internal combat-grammar.
• Enters Matsu’s Sword Shop with 100,000 berries (page 5). The chapter installs the Zoro-is-cash-poor-going-into-the-Grand-Line economic-frame — “Sell me two swords. I have 100,000 berries.” Matsu’s reaction: “You’ll only get a blunt sword for 50,000…” Zoro’s first-mate cannot afford a Famous Sword.
• Wado Ichimonji is named on-page for the first time (page 8) — Tashigi identifies it from her book: “The Wado Ichimonji, the Straight Road of Peace!! … One of the famous 21!! Worth 10 million berries!!” The sword Zoro has carried since Ch. 5 (Kuina’s blade) finally receives its on-page proper name, rank, and price.
• Refuses to sell Wado at any price (page 7) — Matsu escalates from 200K → 300K → 500K → 650K; Zoro flat: “This sword isn’t for sale at any price.” The Ch. 5 promise-anchored prop-tell is operationally inviolable.
• Acquires Sandai Kitetsu III via the luck-vs-curse bet (pages 13-16). Matsu refuses to sell the cursed blade (“Famous swordsmen have died tragic deaths because they wielded the Kitetsu swords”); Zoro proposes the wager: “Why don’t we find out which is stronger? My luck… versus this sword’s curse. If I lose… then I’m not man enough to possess it.” Throws Kitetsu III spinning above his bare extended left arm (page 15 FWIP / FWIP / FWIP!); the blade falls past the arm without cutting (page 16). Installs Zoro’s-luck-as-operational-combat-resource — luck as an explicit Zoro-grammar alongside skill and willpower.
• Receives a second sword as a gift (page 16, off-panel). Matsu’s wife: “Imagine a miser like you giving away your shop’s treasures.” — implying Matsu has gifted Zoro an additional high-grade sword beyond the cursed Kitetsu III. The sword is not yet named on-page in this chapter (the Yubashiri naming is Ch. 98-pending).
• Three-sword kit operationally restored: Wado (retained), Kitetsu III (won), Yubashiri (gifted, name-pending). Zoro’s caption (page 16): “Ahh, having three swords… makes me feel whole again.”
• Compositional irony: the Kuina-look-alike Marine names Kuina’s sword on-page in Zoro’s presence; Zoro neither corrects her nor confirms his identity (he silently buys his swords and leaves). The thread that began with Kuina’s death (Ch. 5) is carried into Loguetown by the Marine wearing Kuina’s face (Ch. 96-97).

Loguetown (Ch. 96) — Splits up for equipment; encounters revenge-thugs from bounty-hunter-era; saved (and stunned) by Tashigi

• Splits up from the crew for equipment-shopping (page 12). The Roguetown city-arc split-and-reconverge structure opens.
• Encountered by revenge-thugs (page 13). Three thugs in fish-print bandanas confront Zoro: ‘OUR BOSS IS IN JAIL, THANKS TO YOU LOT. NOW YOU’RE GOING TO PAY. SO… YOU’RE NOT WITH THAT MONSTER TODAY, EH!?’ — the monster reference implies one of Zoro’s bounty-hunter-era partners (Yosaku or Johnny) or a target. Zoro accepts the fight.
• Saved by Tashigi from a giant-axe-strike from behind (pages 14-15). The figure with short dark hair and rectangular glasses appears (WUP / SHWUNK), slashes the thug’s axe, drops her own glasses, picks them up, asks ‘HEY. ARE THESE YOURS?’ and blushingly thanks Zoro.
• Stunned silent by Tashigi’s face (page 15 final). Tashigi has the face of Kuina — Zoro’s dead childhood rival from the Shimotsuki Village dojo. Zoro: full-face sweat, dot-dots, no dialogue. The chapter installs the Zoro-can’t-fight-Kuina’s-face psychological block that governs every later Zoro-Tashigi combat-encounter.

Arlong Park (arc-resolution + departure) (Ch. 95) — Background presence; partial-recovery from Mihawk-wound aftermath

• Background presence on the Going Merry at sail-raising (page 13). Visible at the rail as Luffy commands “RAISE THE SAIL!!!” — the chapter’s combat-recovered post-arc Zoro register.
• Background presence on the beach (page 16) during the Genzo-Nojiko tattoo-reveal exchange — tied to a column / leaning by Yosaku-Johnny. The chapter does not give Zoro dialogue; his recovery-status from Hatchan-fight + Arlong-fight wounds is implied-still-recovering.

Arlong Park (arc-climax — post-victory recovery + first direct strike on a Marine officer) (Ch. 94) — Slumped exhausted at chapter open; KRUNCH face-grip on Nezumi

• Slumped at the village-side wall, exhausted from the prior chapter’s combat (page 2): ‘WHAT’S GOING ON? WHAT’S ALL THE RACKET?’ (covering his eye with his hand, slumped, PLUP PLUP blood-dripping).
• First on-page direct combat-engagement with a Marine officer (page 9): seizes Nezumi’s face with one hand — KRUNCH KRUNCH KRUNCH / AAAAAGH!!!. The captain-of-the-corrupt-Marine-base-is-not-untouchable doctrine installs through Zoro’s grip.
• Status at chapter close: at Cocoyasi, recovering from Arlong-arc combat (wounds from Mihawk Ch. 51 + Arlong Ch. 88 + courtyard); witness-side of the celebration.

Arlong Park — combat-spectator (bandaged) (Ch. 91)

Arlong Park (launched off-stage; in the water) (Ch. 90) — Removed from combat-arena

• Physically launched off-stage by Arlong (page 3 — small panel KROOSH SPLASH showing Zoro splashing into the water; villager line: ‘Hey, where did Brother Zolo fly off to!?’). Off-page between Ch. 89 and Ch. 90 Arlong’s force-volume removes Zoro from the Park combat-arena. The chapter installs the captain-alone-in-the-final-act combat-composition as East-Blue prototype.
• In the water against his own combat-rule: the Ch. 86 Zoro-can’t-dive-because-of-Mihawk-wound tactical-rule (articulated by Sanji as ‘IF YOU GO INTO THE OCEAN LIKE THAT YOU’LL DIE!!’) is here operationally violated by Arlong’s force-volume. Zoro is in the water both wounded (Mihawk chest-slash + Arlong-water-shotgun) and unable to swim well at his current condition.
• Status at chapter close: in the water off-stage. Rescue/re-emergence pending.

Arlong Park — restored; two-sword block vs Hatchan’s six-sword stance (Ch. 89)

• Restored from Ch. 88 captain-water-attack downed-state, holds the line against Hatchan on the pool-deck (pages 2-4).
• Two-sword block against Hatchan’s six-sword stance (KLANG!! page 4).
• ‘GO, ZOLO!’ directive triggers Zoro’s continued engagement.
• Collateral to Sanji’s Octopus-Fritter Frenzy engagement pages 5-8 (taking hits in the background).
• Still injured throughout; combat-engagement is continuous-pressure rather than decisive.

Arlong Park (stopped by Sanji from diving) (Ch. 86) — Brief intercept; Mihawk-wounds canon-canonized as gating Zoro’s underwater-rescue capability

• Attempts to dive for Luffy (pages 2-3) but is caught by Sanji’s intercept: “STOP, ZOLO!! IF YOU GO INTO THE OCEAN LIKE THAT YOU’LL DIE!!” Zoro is panting (WHUP / WHEEZE) and bleeding from the Mihawk-wound canonized by Nojiko in Ch. 84.
• Acknowledges the time-pressure (“HAVE TO HURRY… LUFFY…” / “I CAN’T WAIT AROUND FOR YOU TO FIGHT!!” / “I KNOW!!”) — the Ch. 84 Mihawk-wounds-half-year-cripple-tier canonization now structurally gates Zoro’s combat-options. Pre-loaded by Sanji’s “I’M STOPPING YOU BECAUSE I KNOW THAT ALL TOO WELL”.
• Off-panel from page 3 onward. Presumably re-engaged with Hatchan on a different part of the courtyard — the Ch. 84-87 Zoro-vs-Hatchan Six-Sword-vs-Three-Sword combat continues.

Arlong Park — defeats Hatchan; I cannot fall / Hawk-Eye Mihawk interior monologue (Ch. 85)

• Defeats Hatchan (pages 15-16) with an Onigiri-coded finisher (strike-impact fragments visible —GIRI!! / ONI— on page 15). The two-chapter (84-85) Hatchan-vs-Zoro duel resolves; three weightier blades beat six lighter blades — the chapter’s blade-weight-over-blade-count axiom.
• Names Streaming Wolf-Swords (page 5) — Santoryu counter-to-rotational-multi-blade-storm technique. First on-page utterance; adds to the animal-coded Santoryu naming convention (Onigiri / Tora Gari / Streaming-Wolf-Swords).
• Mihawk named by epithet in interior monologue (page 15 — “I have to live to defeat ‘Hawk-Eye’ Mihawk… I… cannot fall.”). Ch. 84’s external “there’s a man I have to meet” is here resolved internally to the named-target. First Mihawk-named-interior-monologue since Ch. 52.
• Three-fold I… cannot fall willpower-mantra (pages 14-15). Mihawk-wounds-overridden-by-vow combat-grammar canonized. The Ch. 84 Nojiko suffer-in-silence outside-witness statement is here interior-monologued by Zoro himself in real-time combat.
• Contemptuous-rename: “I’m a swordsman, not an acrobat” (page 14). Companion to the Ch. 84 “Six-Sword-Style is for chopping vegetables” contemptuous-rename grammar.
• Mathematics-dialogue (page 7): asserts “They’re much weightier than yours” against Hatchan’s “Three blades is the maximum you can hold”. The chapter’s blade-weight-over-blade-count axiom.
• Chapter-closing line: “The rest of you are beneath my notice.” / “I have to save Luffy!!” (page 16). Status: standing, wounded, sword drawn, moving toward Luffy’s rescue but still in the courtyard.

Arlong Park (Hatchan-vs-Zoro duel locks) (Ch. 84) — First on-page combat post-Mihawk; Mihawk-wounds canonized as half-year-cripple-tier; never-lose-again vow restated in active combat; borrowed swords from Yosaku/Johnny; names Hatchan’s discipline as Six-Sword Style

• First on-page combat after the Ch. 51-52 Mihawk-Yoru loss. Fights Hatchan with one borrowed sword for the chapter’s first half (pages 2-15), then re-armed with all three Yosaku/Johnny swords for the closer (page 16).
• Takes the Ink Jet (Ch. 84 pages 4-5 — FLOOP) — black ink burns hair-tip. Reaction: ‘EEK!! MY HAIR!!!’ / ‘HUMAN SCUM!!!’ The human-scum slur reveals Zoro’s combat-rhetoric does not internalize the Ch. 71 fish-man Lords of All Creation doctrine either.
• Takes Hatchan’s Sword Catch / Hachi’s Triple (Ch. 84 page 7) on three-sword charge — Zoro’s three-sword-style stopped on Hatchan’s three head-mounted katanas. The 3
  sword-count geometry locks.
• Takes the six-arm whap-attack (Ch. 84 page 8 — WHAP WHAP WHAP).
• Takes the three-ton Octopus-Fritter Frenzy stomp (Ch. 84 page 13 — KA-BLOOOSH!!). Stands back up (page 14 — HUFF / ‘I’LL CRUSH YOU.’) — the chapter’s title Zombie attaches structurally here.
• Mihawk-wounds canonized as half-year-cripple-tier by Nojiko’s outside-witness statement (Ch. 84 page 14 — ‘I thought it was strange that he could get cut up like that and recover so fast!! … They would’ve killed any normal man — or at least crippled him for half a year!! … Our brother’s been suffering in silence all this time!!’). The arc-spanning post-Mihawk-convalescence register reaches canonization by an outside witness. Wound is not healed through Ch. 84; Zoro has been fighting through it the entire arc.
• Never-lose-again vow restated in active combat (Ch. 84 page 16): ‘LISTEN UP, OCTOPUS!! THERE’S A MAN I HAVE TO MEET, AND UNTIL I SEE HIM AGAIN… NO ONE CAN TAKE MY LIFE!!!’ The Ch. 52 Zoro Never Lose Again Vow is here operationalized in non-Mihawk combat — Mihawk invoked obliquely as ‘a man I have to meet’. Vow becomes operational doctrine for every Zoro fight forward.
• Borrows swords from Yosaku and Johnny (Ch. 84 page 16 — ‘YOSAKU, JOHNNY… YOUR SWORDS!’). The Ch. 71 Nami-confiscation has not yet been reversed; Zoro’s three-sword-style is restored via the Ch. 76-exited bounty-hunter duo’s blades. The Ch. 76 farewell scene is structurally walked-back at the moment of need.
• Names Hatchan’s discipline as Six-Sword Style (Ch. 84 page 16) — ‘NOW I’LL SHOW YOU THE THREE-SWORD STYLE’ / ‘SIX-SWORD STYLE SOUNDS SILLY. IS THAT FOR CHOPPING VEGETABLES!?’ Contemptuous-rename grammar (cf. Ch. 51 Buzzard Eye) reactivated at the post-Mihawk-restart point.
• Status at chapter close: re-armed with three borrowed swords; vow restated; about to engage Hatchan’s Six-Sword Style with his own Three-Sword Style.

Arlong Park (combat-grammar articulator — tables have turned / don’t jump in the ocean) (Ch. 83) — First sustained Arlong-arc combat-chapter; tables-have-turned role-inversion; chef-grammar absorption; Devil-Fruit-tactical-axiom deployed

• First chapter-line: the tables have turned (page 10): ‘THAT’S ANCIENT HISTORY. WHAT YOU THINK DOESN’T MATTER. THE TABLES HAVE TURNED. / AND YOU WIPED OUT MY COMRADES!!! / YOU GUYS AREN’T DOING THE TERRORIZING ANYMORE. / WE ARE!!’ — Zoro publicly counter-claims the who-terrorizes-whom axis. Hatchan recognizes Zoro by reputation as the courtyard-massacre perpetrator (‘AND YOU WIPED OUT MY COMRADES!!!’ / ‘I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT YOU!! RORONOA ZOLO!!’ page 9). The chapter installs Zoro’s villain-side reputation among the Arlong-Pirates at the tier-equal-threat level.
• Calm-katana-drawn role-inversion pose (page 10, full-shoulder wide-shot, three swords visible): the Straw-Hats-now-terrorize-the-terrorizers role-inversion combat-grammar.
• Hatchan-vs-Zoro pairing locks (page 11 — Sanji to Zoro: ‘OKAY, ZOLO, I’LL LET YOU DEAL WITH THE OCTOPUS.’) — the chapter installs the Zoro-vs-Hatchan combat-pair assignment, pre-loading the Ch. 85-87 six-vs-three-sword duel.
• CHAPTER’S TACTICAL-AXIOM PANEL (page 17, calm, two swords drawn): ‘FINISH THESE CUSTOMERS OFF, THEN DRAG HIM OUT! / THERE’S ONLY ONE WAY TO RESCUE LUFFY!!! / JUMPING INTO THE OCEAN IS JUST WHAT THEY WANT US TO DO!!!’ The Sea Hates Devil Fruit Users Axiom is deployed by Zoro as a load-bearing combat-tactical-axiom for the first time. The crew (or at least Zoro) has internalized Luffy’s water-weakness as a tactical fact to be accounted for, not just a comic gag. Forward-resonance: every Straw-Hat water-combat scene through Alabasta / Skypiea / Fish-Man Island will deploy this axiom.
• Chef-grammar absorption (page 17): ‘FINISH THESE CUSTOMERS OFF’ — Zoro deploys Sanji’s chef-grammar (customers = opponents) as Zoro’s-combat-language. The chef-and-warrior verb-categories are bleeding in the crew’s operational language. Cross-link: Customer Is King Doctrine.
• Deadpan no, he’s just an odd one re Usopp (page 14): the crew-side-decoder-of-Usopp register installs.
• Status at chapter close: on the pier with Sanji, swords drawn, mid-combat-pivot to finish off the three Arlong officers before rescuing Luffy underwater.

Arlong Park (arrival-at-Arlong-Park; ‘Now the real players appear.’ scene-set-line; co-interposes with Sanji) (Ch. 82) — Combat-mobile at Arlong Park; physical interposer; scene-set narrator

• Arrives at Arlong Park alongside Sanji and Usopp (page 7). First on-page chapter at Arlong Park since the Ch. 71 capture / Ch. 76 exit. Green-haramaki visible; convalescence-register effectively ended.
• Co-interposes with Sanji between Yosaku (or villagers) and the Arlong-Pirates (page 8): ‘If you insist on butting into this fight, you’ll have to go through us!!’ / ‘You’ll only be getting in our comrades’ way here.’ / ‘You can’t defeat the fish-men yourselves.’ The chapter installs the Zoro-and-Sanji jointly-defending-non-combatants register.
• Delivers the chapter’s scene-set-line (page 17, bottom tier): ‘Now the real players appear.’ — scene-set narration for the next chapter’s combat-pivot. The chapter installs Zoro’s scene-narrator register at the officer-pairing pivot.
• Status at chapter close: on-deck for the officer-trio fight, alongside Luffy and Sanji.

Arlong Park (dropped by Arlong’s water-attack alongside Hatchan) (Ch. 88) — Off-panel between Ch. 87-88; downed on pavement throughout the chapter

• Dropped by Arlong’s water-pressure attack alongside Hatchan, off-panel between Ch. 87 and Ch. 88 opening (page 6). Villager-witness: ‘It looked like he just splashed them with water… but then they coughed up blood and collapsed!!’ Arlong’s own narration (page 8): ‘A handful of water is all it takes.’
• Down on pavement throughout the chapter — does not re-engage. The Ch. 84 borrowed-blade three-sword-style + restated never-lose-again vow are now in combat-failure-state — Zoro lost via captain-overrides-the-officer-duel grammar (a category his vow grammar does not handle).
• Storyboard Presentation #14 backmatter (page 18) revisits Ch. 51 Mihawk-vs-Zoro composition with new on-paratext line: ‘おれの傷から触るな!!!’ (‘Don’t touch my scars!!!’) — pre-seeds chest-scar-as-sacred-wound doctrine (forward: Thriller Bark Nothing happened, Wano Wounds on the back are a swordsman’s shame).
• Status at chapter close: unconscious on pavement next to Hatchan.

Arlong Park (Cocoyasi Village beach) (Ch. 77) — Stays to hear Nami’s backstory; opposite stance to Luffy

• Page 2-3: ‘He’s quirky. Don’t worry about him.’ (re Luffy) / ‘Me too. ♡’ (re wanting to hear the backstory) / ‘Well, I’d like to hear what you have to say!’ The chapter installs the Zoro-and-Luffy-take-opposite-stances-but-act-aligned dynamic — Zoro wants the backstory, Luffy doesn’t, both will fight Arlong anyway.
• Color title-page (page 1) — Zoro center, slicing the cork on a wine bottle with his katana, Yosaku and Johnny dining alongside. The Yosaku/Johnny-with-Zoro composition acknowledges their arc-spanning Ch. 49-76 expository-courier role.
• Off-page for the rest of the chapter (no on-page involvement in the flashback).

Arlong Park — convalescent skeptic + farewell to Yosaku/Johnny (Ch. 76)

• Meta-line: “You stay out of this!! You’ll complicate the story!!!” (page 3, to Sanji) — the Zoro-vs-Sanji-comic-rivalry register installs at the arc-opener tonal level.
• First Zoro-skeptical-of-the-witch-mode line: “Witch woman?” (page 12) — Zoro is the crew’s least-prone-to-believe-the-rhetoric character (paired with Usopp’s witch-misdirect-interpreter role).
• Farewells Yosaku/Johnny (page 9): “Farewell, then.” — calm-profile, mutual-respect register. The Ch. 43-75 ally-relationship closes properly.
• Convalescence continues (still post-Mihawk-wounded — page 5 Sanji jab: “After your humiliating defeat…”).

Arlong Park (Marine-engagement chapter) (Ch. 75) — Post-Mihawk-convalescence register ends; combat-ready and traveling with the crew

• First chapter Zoro is on-page combat-mobile after the Ch. 51-70 post-Mihawk-convalescence register. Rides Mohmoo aboard with Luffy and Sanji (page 4 — ‘WE’RE FALLING…!!!’); on-page at the crew-reunion (page 7). The Ch. 70 bound-and-tortured-comic-prop register is off-page-ended in the inter-chapter gap.
• Operationally crew-mobile with Sanji as fellow-crew for the first time. The Ch. 68 Sanji-joins-the-crew decision is now operationally on-page with Zoro in adjacent panels.

Arlong Park (off-page captive → escaped) (Ch. 73)

• Off-page; confirmed to have been held captive by the Arlong Pirates between Ch. 72 and Ch. 73 (page 16): “THE ONE IN THE SASH!! THAT WAS ZOLO!!!” / “HE WAS OUR CAPTIVE…!!”
• Suspected of beating up the Arlong Park courtyard (page 16) — perpetrator’s identity held off-page for the next chapter’s reveal.
• Yosaku/Johnny’s Ch. 70 fake-defection-with-Zolo-as-bounty scheme apparently executed off-page — Zolo was delivered to Arlong Park as a captive between Ch. 70 and Ch. 73.

Arlong Park (capture sequence) (Ch. 71) — First on-page Zoro-inside-Arlong-Park; half-fish slur; Nami self-confirms officer status to Zoro; trip-into-pool; jailed by Nami’s order

• Captured inside Arlong Park’s central pagoda (Ch. 71 page 5) — bound on the floor surrounded by Arlong-Pirates officers; sweat-drenched and panting (post-Mihawk convalescence continues). “I told you, I’m looking for a woman!!!”
• Triggers the chapter’s half-fish slur-and-correction beat (Ch. 71 pages 5-6 — Zoro: “You darn, dirty half-fish!!!” → fishman officer: “Watch it, human! I’ll let it slide once, but don’t ever call me a half-fish again!!”). Zoro’s slur is the exposition-prompt for the fishman Lords of All Creation doctrine that follows.
• Witnesses Nami’s Surveyor role-naming and I was a pirate all along self-confirmation (Ch. 71 pages 7-8). Reaction: narrow-eyed “Surveyor?! Nami?!! Are you in cahoots with these freaks?!” (page 7); narrow-eyed “So this is the real you?” (page 8). Zoro is the chapter’s betrayed-crewmate reaction-character.
• Tripped into the pool by Nami (Ch. 71 page 10 — TUMP…! / SPLOOSH!!). Sinks bound and helpless (page 11, blub blub).
• Rescued from the pool (Nami dives; Usopp also rescues him from the gate-side) (Ch. 71 pages 11-12). The chapter’s pool-rescue beat is structurally a Nami-and-Usopp-parallel-rescue of Zoro.
• Grapples with Nami after the rescue (Ch. 71 page 13 — WHAK!! / OW!! / YOU JERK!!! / WHAM WHAM / OOF!!). The post-Mihawk wounds visibly opening (Usopp’s deadpan: “All those bandages…”).
• Ordered jailed by Nami: “Throw him in jail. I’ll deal with him.” (Ch. 71 page 14). Zoro becomes Nami’s prisoner inside Arlong Park.
• Notices Arlong’s hunt for Usopp (Ch. 71 page 14, sweat-drenched narrow-eyed close-up: “Usopp… they found him, too…”).
• Status at chapter close: alive, jailed inside Arlong Park, under Nami’s I’ll deal with him management.

Arlong Park (opener) (Ch. 70) — Convalescent; bound and dragged as comic cargo; arc-spanning post-Mihawk-recovery state installs

• Convalescent throughout the chapter. Usopp/Johnny refuse to let him hack-and-enter (page 1: “ARE YOU CRAZY?!! … You’ll open your wounds!! You’re still recuperating, you know?!”). The Ch. 51-52 Zoro-wounded-from-Mihawk state extends into the Arlong arc as arc-spanning convalescence, not a single-chapter beat.
• Bound and dragged as comic cargo (page 7, after Usopp/Johnny’s fake-defection cover-story collapses). “Looks like they tortured you some.” / “I’ll kill those guys…” (Zoro, growling). The Zoro-as-cargo register that the Ch. 36 Usopp-as-cargo-on-Zoro’s-shoulder inverted is now restaged with Zoro himself as the cargo.
• Chapter cover page (page 2): full-page Zoro in Wano-aesthetic color art — red/wine-colored samurai-style hakama with white spiral patterns, swords drawn and crossed, hand at his throat. Long-burn wardrobe-foreshadow for the Wano arc (cf. the chapter-color-spread page 3 also in Wano wardrobe). The chapter is structurally opened by a Wano-aesthetic two-page color sequence on Zoro.

Arlong Park (off-page reference) (Ch. 69) — Mihawk-as-Warlord reframes duel-debt at government-scale

• Ch. 69 off-page reference — Mihawk-as-Warlord retroactively reframes the Ch. 50-52 duel-debt as government-scale. Zoro’s training-and-return arc now targets a World-Government-licensed swordsman; the duel-debt operates at system-tier.

Baratie (Ch. 60) — Wounded background-presence; single advisory line; paratextually rank 2 in 1st popularity poll

Baratie (Mihawk duel) (Ch. 52) — Loses to Mihawk; takes the Yoru-chest-slash in cruciform pose; spared and commissioned by the title-holder; swears the “I will never lose again” oath to Luffy; Ch. 3 cross-post splash compositionally re-staged at climax

• Loses to Mihawk via Yoru-chest-slash (pages 8-9). Two-stage duel: (a) Mihawk catches the three-sword Onigiri charge with the cross-dagger pendant alone, not the Yoru (pages 6-7); (b) Zoro drops his swords, holds his arms out wide, and turns chest-first to receive the Yoru-stroke. Mihawk: “Splendid!” The swordsman’s-wounds-must-not-be-on-his-back doctrine is articulated in action.
• Compositional rhyme: Zoro’s Ch. 3 full-page cross-post introduction-splash is re-staged at the duel’s climax (pages 8-9: arms-wide cruciform pose receiving the chest-slash). The 49-chapter visual-grammar of crucifixion-pose-as-swordsman-stakes is here paid off on-page. See Zoro Cross Splash.
• Spared by Mihawk (page 10, panel 1): “I left him alive. Don’t worry.” — the world’s-greatest-swordsman explicitly does not kill Zoro.
• Commissioned by Mihawk as future challenger (pages 11-12): “My name is Dracule Mihawk!! It’s too soon for you to die. Discover yourself!! See the world!! And grow strong, Zolo!!! Strive to surpass me, Roronoa Zolo!!!” The world’s-greatest-swordsman has on-page named Zoro as his future successor. The teacher-by-commission relationship that pays off at Kuraigana Island (Ch. 597) is installed.
• Swears the “I will never lose again” oath to Luffy (pages 15-16): from the water, one-arm-raising-the-sword, blood streaming — “From now to the day I beat him to become the greatest swordsman… I WILL NEVER LOSE AGAIN!!!” The chapter’s title-line. Second life-pact of Zoro’s arc (the first is the Ch. 6 hara-kiri-clause pact). Every later Zoro near-loss is graded against this oath. See Zoro Never Lose Again Vow (proposed).
• First-mate covenant bonded to captain’s dream (page 17): Luffy responds to Zoro’s oath with “Got a problem with that… King of the Pirates?” Zoro: “King of the pirates!!?” Luffy: “NOT AT ALL!!!” The captain’s dream and the first-mate’s dream are mutually load-bearing — rendered as a single vocal exchange across the water.
• Mihawk recognizes Zoro + Luffy as a paired unit (page 17, panel 4): “They make a good team.” External-validation of the crew by a Warlord-tier figure.
• Mihawk addresses Zoro by family name Roronoa Zolo, not by the Pirate Hunter epithet — the chapter’s precise naming-grammar implies Mihawk recognizes Zoro by lineage-identifier, not bounty-identifier. recent-chapter inference: the Roronoa family-name carries Wano-arc-payoff register (the Shimotsuki lineage is in the etymology). Verify forward.
• Bears the Ch. 6 hara-kiri pact’s first major arc-test — the test is passed. The dream is not abandoned; the never-lose-again oath is sworn instead. The failure-clause never fires.

Baratie (Ch. 51) — First total combat defeat; entire named-attack vocabulary fails against Mihawk; Three Thousand Worlds (first Ougi) deployed and slipped; mid-combat Kuina-flashback; spared by Mihawk; oath: “I’ll never lose again”

• First total combat defeat in the series. Zoro’s three named attacks all fail against Mihawk:
  • Onigiri caught (page 6, KLAWGIRI!!!!) on Mihawk’s cross-pendant dagger. The Ch. 17 signature attack is stopped for the first time. Witness names it on-page: “He stopped brother Zolo’s Onigiri Demon Cut!!!” (page 7) — first time the VIZ Demon Cut translation is dialogued, not just footnoted.
  • Tora Gari caught (page 13, SHUNK!!) on the same cross-dagger. The Ch. 33 second-named attack is also stopped.
  • Three Thousand Worlds (Santoryu Ougi: Sanzen Sekai) — first on-page Ougi (page 18) — slipped by Mihawk untouched. The three-sword centrifugal rotation grammar (both side-katanas spinning, Wado in mouth) installs. See Three Thousand Worlds First Ougi.
• Mid-combat Kuina-flashback (pages 9-10) — first time the Ch. 5 dojo-flashback is visually recalled in a duel. Childhood-Kuina speaks her “my name will be known even in heaven” line in her own voice; childhood-Zoro and childhood-Kuina shake hands on the “someday one of us will be the greatest” promise. The mid-combat dream-flashback as motive compositional beat installs as a Zoro-specific recurring beat.
• Yosaku/Johnny’s recruitment of Zoro flashback (page 10, panel 5) — first on-page origin of the bounty-hunter partnership. “WE’RE IMPRESSED BY YOUR SKILL!! LET’S PARTNER UP!!” — Yosaku/Johnny arrive in DA-DOOM!! SFX (the Mihawk-debut-grammar SFX) after a Zoro feat.
• “I prefer death to defeat” (page 15, panel 5) — Ch. 6 hara-kiri-pact’s death-before-dream-loss clause operationalized in no-win combat. Mihawk’s reaction: “What strength of spirit!!” The pact is now title-holder-witnessed-and-approved. Forward: every later Zoro arc-finale (“nothing happened” at Thriller Bark, the Enma-mastery at Wano) is graded against this baseline.
• Speaks his name to Mihawk (page 16, panel 1): “Roronoa Zolo.” Mihawk: “I’ll remember it. It’s been a while since I’ve met one so brave.” — the title-holder-recognizes-the-challenger rematch-door beat.
• Three swords shatter (visible page 18-19) — the side-katanas break against Mihawk’s Yoru; only Wado Ichimonji (Kuina’s blade, in his mouth) survives intact. The Wado-is-the-only-irreplaceable-one rule installs — Forward-payoff: Loguetown-arc Sandai Kitetsu + Yubashiri replacements; Wano-arc Enma + Shusui.
• Face-the-blade honor-pose (page 19) — spreads arms wide, accepts Mihawk’s chest-slash from the front. The take-the-cut-in-front combat-honor grammar installs.
• Post-strike oath (page 17, immediately after the strike): “Luffy, I’ll never let you down again. From now on… until I defeat him and become the world’s greatest swordsman… I’ll never lose again!! Are you OK with that, King of the Pirates!?” — the chapter’s second loyalty-oath beat. Defines the never-lose-again / no-defeat-streak premise for subsequent arcs.
• Mihawk’s frog-in-the-puddle doctrine (page 5) is delivered to Zoro mid-charge. Zoro internal: “Am I really such a little frog?” (page 8, panel 1) — the East-Blue-baseline shattering is internalized in his monologue.
• Status at chapter close: chest-slashed from the front, falling backward off the Baratie’s edge into the East Blue water — the chapter’s title “Zolo Overboard” refers to this fall. Zoro is alive (intentional non-killing-stroke) but unconscious/wounded; the Ch. 52 cliffhanger.

Baratie (opening) (Ch. 50) — Meets Mihawk on-page; world’s-greatest-swordsman target identified; Kuina-promise invoked in the title-holder’s face

• Recognizes Mihawk as the world’s-greatest-swordsman on-page (page 16, panels 3-4): “I see. …Then you are the greatest. I went to sea to find you!!” — the 45-chapter setup (Worlds Greatest Swordsman, opened Ch. 5) pays off in two panels. The title-holder is now named, faced, and challenged.
• Witnesses Mihawk’s tier-ceiling demonstrated: (a) the cleaved Krieg-flagship (page 16, panel 1: galleon-class destruction with a single sword); (b) the bullet-deflection at-range (pages 14-15: “Without subtlety, a sword is but an iron bar”). The subtlety-vs-power doctrine is the swordsmanship-philosophy curriculum Zoro will spend the rest of the series fulfilling.
• Invokes Kuina promise aloud in Mihawk’s face (page 18): “It comes from ambition. And from a promise to a friend.” — the Ch. 5 Kuina promise and the Ch. 6 hara-kiri pact are vocally invoked in front of the title-holder. The recruitment-pattern’s promise-from-an-absent-figure grammar is now operationally connected to the world’s-greatest-swordsman title-holder. The promise-and-dream-and-target are all on the same panel.
• Recognized by the Baratie crowd on first sight (page 17, panel 4): “WHOA!! The three-sword style!! That’s ZOLO!! Roronoa Zolo!!!” — the pirate hunter Roronoa / three-sword style identifier-stack is now an East-Blue-wide reputation. Zoro’s pre-recruitment bounty-hunter career has produced a name-recognition tier that precedes him into every later arc. The reputation-precedes-the-fighter pattern is a Zoro signature for the rest of the series.
• Draws swords in profile (pages 17-18) for the duel-preamble. Two katanas visible in-hand; Wado-in-mouth pending Ch. 51. The chapter ends mid-preamble; the duel itself is the Ch. 51 payload.
• Mihawk’s strength-vs-confidence monologue (page 18) directly addresses Zoro: “Does the courage to point your blade at me come from confidence… to know that I far surpass your puny skills. If you’re a competent swordsman, you don’t need to cross swords… or from ignorance?” — the title-holder articulates the doctrine that true duels are only fought between near-equals. Pre-loads Zoro’s long-arc training-to-equal grammar.
• Cleaning-sword ritual continues from Ch. 40 page 7 — Zoro is shown holstering and unholstering throughout (no on-page wipe in Ch. 50, but the sword-grammar is consistent).
• Travels on Yosaku/Johnny’s ship (page 9 onward) — first time Zoro is on a ship that is not the Merry. The chapter’s compositional choice to separate the swordsman from the gifted-Merry-ship for the Mihawk-duel is itself a structural beat: Zoro fights his title-holder on a neutral ship, not on his crew’s ship. The duel is the swordsman’s individual test.

Baratie (Ch. 49) — Identifies Mihawk as named target; first insult-trade with Sanji; Johnny/Yosaku “brother” register

• Names Mihawk as his target (page 6): “Now I know where I have to go. To the Grand Line. That’s where I’ll find HIM!!!” The Ch. 5/6 world’s-greatest-swordsman dream now has a named living opponent. First time on-page the current title-holder is identified in Zoro’s mouth. The Worlds Greatest Swordsman thread escalates from aspirant-without-target to aspirant-with-named-target. Dream-restatement-under-provocation pattern continues from Ch. 16: when Sanji insults him as a fool, Zoro restates the dream (“The day I decided to be the world’s greatest swordsman, I gave myself up for dead” — page 6). Every dream-challenge triggers a dream-restatement; the pattern is now a rule.
• Reveals he has been actively hunting Mihawk via Johnny’s intelligence (page 4): “He’s the man I’ve been looking for. Johnny said he comes here.” Johnny lied — the Baratie has a “Red-Eyes”, not a “Hawk-Eye”. Zoro’s “That sea snake! He lied to me!!” — first on-page Zoro betrayal-grammar. The liar-friend trust-rule is on-page for the first time.
• Brother-register with Yosaku (page 17): Yosaku in the water addresses Zoro as “brother Zolo” — first on-page indication of Zoro’s bounty-hunter brotherhood with Johnny/Yosaku. The relationship is vocative-only; the chapter does not flash back.
• First insult-trade with Sanji (page 6): Sanji’s first on-page line is an insult to Zoro (“You’re fools. You’ll both be killed as soon as you get there.”) Zoro’s response: “Nobody calls me a fool but me. I have my reasons.” The Sanji-Zoro rivalry is installed on first contact — no buildup. The rivalry-from-meeting beat that defines their relationship for 1100+ chapters.
• At the dock for Nami’s flight (pages 17-18): “Where’s our ship!? Where’s Nami!?” / “SHE TOOK THE SHIP!!!?” Standard Straw-Hat shock-reaction triptych with Luffy and Usopp.

Baratie (Ch. 48) — Arrives at the Baratie mezzanine with Usopp; refused by Luffy’s captain-side-duel-claim; silent observer of the Mihawk-recollection

• Arrives at the Baratie’s upper-floor mezzanine (page 10) with Usopp: ‘I’ll lend a hand. Time to fight, Luffy?’ Katanas at hip, ready to draw.
• Refused by Luffy (‘Nah, I can handle this.’, page 10). Stays as observer-and-backup throughout the chapter.
• Mostly silent. Visible reacting to the Mihawk-recollection (page 18, sweat-drop). The future-Zoro reader notes: the man Zoro will fight in Ch. 51 to claim the World’s Greatest Swordsman title is introduced in this same chapter, and Zoro is visibly present to hear the dread-build. The reader’s recruitment-pattern Theory A (signature feat predicts crew role) intersects with the WGS thread here — Zoro’s path to the WGS title runs through this exact swordsman.

Baratie (Ch. 45) — Title-page splash; dining at Baratie; SBS Volume 6 splash

Baratie (Ch. 44) — Off-page; implied aboard the Going Merry

Baratie (Ch. 43) — Crew-banter observer; first crew-banter line in the Baratie arc

Syrup Village → Baratie transition (Ch. 42) — Pre-Straw-Hat bounty-hunter era backfilled via Johnny/Yosaku; Hawk-Eye Mihawk identified as old hunt-target; accepts conditional captaincy from Luffy

• Pre-Straw-Hat bounty-hunter team revealed — Yosaku and Johnny are introduced (page 16 title-card splash) as Zoro’s old bounty-hunting partners (“We’re brother Zolo’s old bounty-hunting partners!! Pleased to meet you!!”, page 16). The “Pirate Hunter Zolo” reputation that has preceded Zoro into every East Blue arc is now revealed to have a named pair behind it — Zoro hunted with partners, not solo. Establishes that Zoro’s pre-Straw-Hat career had operational continuity (named partners with a shared team-name: “Johnny and Yosaku”) rather than being a solitary-hero baseline.
• Recognises Johnny on sight (page 12 — “Huh?… Well, I’ll be… it’s Johnny!”). The recognition lands one panel after Johnny’s identity is established (the intruder is Johnny). The composition (Zoro grounded, Johnny dangling upside-down from Luffy’s grip) is recognition-from-above — physically encoding the I-know-you-but-you-can’t-see-me-from-here beat.
• Hawk-Eye Mihawk identified as Zoro’s old hunt-target (page 19, Johnny to Zoro: ”…Even that Hawk-Eye you were hunting goes there.”). The world’s-greatest-swordsman title’s living holder is named on-page for the first time in the series — and is identified as someone Zoro’s bounty-hunter team was actively hunting. The chapter performs the Zoro-was-already-chasing-the-title-holder operational backfill — the dream from Ch 5/6 is not a future aspiration alone, but was already an active hunt in his bounty-hunter career. Cross-link Worlds Greatest Swordsman.
• Accepts conditional captaincy from Luffy (page 7) — Luffy: “Okay, you can be captain… for now. But if you ever show cowardice… I’ll take over in a heartbeat.” Zoro: “Fine with me.” The captain/first-mate hierarchy formalised as a mutual pact with an escape-clause. Zoro reserves the right to take over if Luffy shows cowardice — the captaincy is negotiable, not fixed. Forward-tell: the clause is never invoked across the rest of the series. See Captain Title Two Way Negotiation.
• Silent observer of the Jolly Roger painting + cannon-test beats (pages 2-6). Speaking role limited to the captaincy-acceptance (page 7), the Johnny boarding (pages 8-10 — “Who are you?!” / “Let Luffy handle it.” / “How many?”), and the Johnny-recognition (page 12). Otherwise positioned as the crew-side observer of the chapter’s recruitment-grammar beats.
• Status at chapter close: at sea aboard the Going Merry, sailing north toward the Baratie with Johnny and Yosaku as escorts. The Pirate Hunter Zolo era is structurally closed (he is a Straw Hat now); the Mihawk hunt is structurally re-opened (the title-holder has a known location).

Syrup Village (Ch. 41) — Single-line presence: enforces Usopp’s boarding (‘Stop babbling and get on board.’)

• One spoken line all chapter, deployed as the recruitment enforcer: “Stop babbling and get on board.” (page 11, from the Going Merry’s deck). Zoro’s line is the operational recruitment beat — Luffy’s “We’re a team” (page 12) is the emotional recruitment beat; Zoro’s “get on board” is the physical recruitment beat. The two beats together complete the recruitment.
• Also a quiet barb at Kaya (page 9): “Try ‘adding icing to the cake,’ moron.” — Zoro’s first-mate-as-curmudgeon register is locked in.
• Restaurant opening scene (page 2), shipboard toast (page 18). Otherwise silent observer.
• Status at chapter close: alive, on the Going Merry, three swords intact.

Syrup Village (Ch. 40) — Arc-finale: blade-cleaning ritual implies offscreen Sham/Buchi resolution; silent observer of Usopp’s recruitment choice

• Cleans his sword in the woods post-fight (page 7 — SWIK / TUNK SFX) before rejoining the group. The blade-cleaning ritual is implicit confirmation of an offscreen Zoro fight resolution (Sham/Buchi, Chs. 38-39).
• Mostly silent observer of Usopp’s recruitment choice; speaking role limited to page 12 (“What are you talking about?”) and a sword-readied posture at the climax.

Syrup Village (Ch. 36) — Knocks Butchie off Usopp; first time he physically transports a (future) Straw Hat as cargo

• Knocks Butchie off Usopp with a sword-strike from above (FWIP/WHOMP — page 7-8): “You’ve been a very bad kitty… stay down and shut up, and I may let you live.” — kitty-cat naming-confirm of the Black-Cat-themed crew aesthetic. The cat-themed enemy is addressed as a cat by the swordsman who fells him — first on-page Zoro use of the naming-the-enemy-by-their-theme combat-tongue.
• Second strike on Butchie when he gets back up (page 12, SLISH!!): “I told you… kitty-cat… never to get in my way again.” — re-engagement after the hypnosis-buff lets Butchie return to standing. The Black Cat officer-tier staged-re-engagement combat-structure continues unchanged from Ch 33-35 (Buchi’s blubber + Django’s hypnosis-buff both delay the single-stroke-finish).
• Carries paralyzed Usopp up the slope to catch Kuro (page 13, FSSSSS / SHING with both Usopp and a sword): “Luffy! I’ll carry Usopp and go after the hypnotist!” — first time Zoro physically transports a (future) Straw Hat as cargo. Same caretaker-Zoro beat that will recur with unconscious Sanji at Whole Cake Island and others. The Zoro-as-Straw-Hat-load-bearing-carrier role-shape installs here.
• Climbs the slope while Luffy stays to fight Kuro (page 14-15) — Luffy enforces the captain/first-mate division-of-labor rule that was canonized at Orange Town: first-mate handles the secondary threat, captain holds the boss matchup. Same rule that pinned Cabaji-vs-Zoro in Ch. 17, inverted here (Zoro escorts the wounded while Luffy fights the boss — the delegation-of-trust the rule produces). The Ch 35 defensive-duo flanking position breaks because the wounded must be relayed inland; the rule still holds because Luffy stays at the boss-matchup.

Syrup Village (Ch. 35) — First gatekeeper role; one-strike Buchi rematch finish; end-chapter flanking with Luffy

• First gatekeeper role (page 10): “STOP. You shall not pass. Beyond this point…” — first time Zoro is composed as the line-defender of a non-combatant retreat. The role-template that recurs at Thriller Bark (“nothing happened”), Wano (the Bao Huang corridor block), and every later arc finale where the first mate alone holds a corridor a fleeing party needs to escape through. See Zoro Gatekeeper Role (proposed and created this chapter).
• One-strike Buchi defeat (page 14): “Lost to me once. So stop… pestering me!!!” — refers back to the Ch 33 Tora Gari-stroke Buchi survived (“all that blubber saved him”). Zoro fells Buchi in a single overhead strike (“UMF!! / WHACK!!”). The Black Cat officer-tier has staged re-engagements with Zoro (Bara Bara fight was one continuous engagement; Black Cat fight has staged re-engagements). The combat-grammar holds — the recovered Meowban brother is dispatched in one move at the rematch.
• End-chapter flanking position with Luffy (page 19 final panel): “Leave it to us.” Zoro speaks the duo’s commit. First time Luffy + Zoro are composed as a defensive duo in series. Cross-link Worlds Greatest Swordsman indirectly — the line-defender archetype is one half of Zoro’s eventual “strongest swordsman” role (the defensive half; the offensive half is the duel-to-victory finale combat established Ch 17 Onigiri / Ch 33 Tora Gari).

Syrup Village (Ch. 33) — ‘Tora Gari’ (Tiger Hunt) — second named Santoryu finishes both Meowban Brothers in one stroke

• On-page with the Luffy faction at the slope above the beach where the Black Cat Pirates have landed; in active combat alongside Nami / Usopp / (unconscious) Luffy.
• Nami throws his swords back to him (page 12). She had kicked them aside in a prior beat (off-panel before chapter open — implied by ‘First you trample me, then you kick my swords!?’ / ‘WHAT? No “thank you”?’ tone-gag). The chapter’s Nami-Zoro mutual-respect beat: Zoro replies ’…Yes…’ / ‘Thanks!!’ The composition mirrors Ch 6’s iconic three-sword-recovery panel (where Luffy hands Zoro his swords back) — the swords-leave-Zoro’s-hands-and-return-to-them ritual continues as a recurring beat across arcs. Reinforces Zoro Three Swords Treasure.
• Articulates the Santoryu philosophy on-page for the first time (page 13): ‘You don’t understand. Wielding three swords, and following the three-sword technique… are very different things.’ First on-page statement that technique is distinct from wielding — a key Zoro-philosophy that recurs through the Mihawk training, the Asura-form revelation (Thriller Bark), and the Enma-mastery beat (Wano). Santoryu is now established on-page as a system, not just a stance. The Ch 32 ‘If I just had even one more sword!!’ interior monologue is now upgraded into an explicit philosophical articulation — the swords aren’t the technique; the technique is what the swordsman knows. See Worlds Greatest Swordsman.
• ‘Tora Gari’ (Tiger Hunt) — second named Santoryu attack on-page in the vault’s index (after Onigiri, Ch. 6/17). Pages 13-14, drawn as an iaijutsu draw-and-name composition: Zoro draws Wado Ichimonji (the white-handled sword, Kuina’s blade) with a ‘FWIP…!’ SFX, calls ‘Tiger…’, then unleashes ’…HUNT!!!’ in a single stroke. The draw-and-name composition is the standard Santoryu attack-call shape. See Tora Gari First Named and Onigiri First Named Santoryu.
• Fells both Meowban Brothers in a single sword-stroke (page 14, full-page splash; page 16, reaction shot). The named-lieutenant-class fight is resolved in one panel — the third on-page instance of the Zoro-resolves-named-lieutenant-class-opposition-in-one-move pattern (Marine sabres Ch. 6; Cabaji Ch. 17; Meowban Brothers Ch. 33). The pattern is now a confirmed combat-role rule: Zoro’s signature feat at every arc’s mid-point is the single-stroke lieutenant-finish, freeing the chapter’s narrative weight for Luffy’s villain-confrontation. The Black Cat crew’s reaction line (‘He beat the Meowban Brothers!!! Gasp!! One sword-stroke!!!’) is the chapter’s power-statement for Zoro.
• Companion observation — kit displaced and recovered continues from Ch 28-32. The Ch 29 Nami-wields-Zoro’s-swords, Ch 31 Siam-disarms-Zoro, Ch 32 Sham-strips-Zoro-of-two-swords, and Ch 33 Nami-throws-swords-back beats are a sustained four-chapter sequence of the three swords leave-and-return as a narrative beat. The kit-displacement-and-recovery is now a running structural device of the Syrup Village arc — and the Ch 33 Tora Gari finish is the recovery-completed combat resolution.
• Status at chapter end: uninjured, in fighting posture at chapter close. The Meowban Brothers staggered but alive (Buchi ‘all that blubber saved him,’ page 17). Zoro is centre-frame standing with sword extended; the chapter’s narrative weight shifts to the Jango-vs-Nami cliffhanger.

Syrup Village (Ch. 32)

• Disarmed of two of three katanas mid-fight by Sham (the slim Meowban Brother) in a single feline “SWUP” beat (page 3). Zoro fights the rest of the chapter single-sword — the structural inciting handicap of the chapter. First on-page chapter where Zoro’s three-sword kit is taken away by an opponent (as opposed to handicapped by his own choice in Ch. 16 hara-kiri pact or Ch. 7 onigiri). Sham’s gloat: “They’ll just slow me down.” Reactivates Zoro Self-Wound Handicap in a stripped-by-opponent variant. See Zoro Disarmed by Opponent Variant.
• Fights Sham + Buchi as a paired-officer engagement — first on-page paired-officer enemy team in the series. Blocks their combined “Pussy-Willow March” finisher (page 11) single-sword. Buchi’s “Cat-a-pult” / “Cat-astrophe!!” leap-strikes crack the ground around him (pages 7-9) but Zoro evades each.
• Takes a friendly-fire slingshot pellet from Usopp at the worst possible moment (page 13) — Usopp’s covering shot misses the cats and clips Zoro instead. Cat-Brothers exploit the opening (“SLISH!! CESH!!” page 14) and connect paired strikes mid-recovery. Zoro doesn’t retaliate against Usopp — the friendly-fire is absorbed without rebuke.
• Internal-monologue character beat (page 15): “If I just had even one more sword!! … There is no time to worry about others!!” — the chapter’s character thesis: Zoro’s three-sword identity is load-bearing, not cosmetic. The kit is the character. The interior monologue is what Nami acts on next page (charging into contested ground to bring him his discarded katanas).
• Addressed as “Zolo” by Nami continues — “He swiped Zolo’s swords!!” (page 2). VIZ spelling on-page consistent with prior chapters.

Syrup Village (Ch. 31)

• First on-page sword-theft against Zoro in the series (pages 17-19). Siam (Meowban Brother, cat burglar) vaults over Zoro’s slash mid-air with a “KA-CHING!!” and ends up holding all three of Zoro’s katanas. “I was just pretending to be a scaredy-cat. You fell for it!” (page 18). Zoro is empty-handed at chapter’s end. The world’s-greatest-swordsman aspirant has been disarmed by a trick, not by combat skill — a humiliation-before-comeback structure that recurs in subsequent Zoro fights (Mr. 1, Tashigi, Enma). See Zoro vs Cat Burglar First Sword Theft.
• Combat-readiness call (page 17): “I’ll cut your fool head off if you don’t stop!” — standard Zoro warning grammar (name the consequence, then act). Composition mirrors his Ch. 11 Buggy-fight stance; the chapter is seeding a Zoro combat-win shot, then subverting it on the next page.
• Addressed as “ZOLO!!” in dialogue by Nami (page 19) — the VIZ name spelling locked on-page. (Vault canonical remains Zoro.)
• Operates without Luffy for the chapter’s interior — Luffy is asleep further down the beach (“ZZZ”, page 12) while Zoro and Nami watch the pirates arrive. First chapter where Zoro is in a combat encounter and Luffy is deliberately structurally absent.
• Combat-half co-lead of the chapter — confronts Siam (Meowban Brothers) on the beach (pages 17-19). The chapter’s combat structure: Zoro is foregrounded because Luffy is offstage, then immediately humiliated to set up the comeback. The defeat-state-is-disarming premise locks in here.

Syrup Village (Ch. 30)

• Dismisses Django’s hypnotism as “a load of bilgewater” (page 6) — only to be proven wrong moments later.
• Identifies the Meowban Brothers by name from earshot of Django’s shouted “Butchie!” (page 18, panel 4). Suggests pre-existing reputation knowledge (bounty-hunter past or Oda exposition shortcut — unspecified).
• Tends to Nami/Luffy in the wind-down — “Don’t worry about him. He’ll be fine.” (page 17).

Syrup Village (Ch. 29)

• Stripped of swords by Nami (implied off-panel before chapter open; confirmed on-page when Nami wields his three swords against Django on pp. 6-7, 14-15). First instance of the three-sword kit displaced from its bonded user — establishes that the swords are prop-physical, not character-bonded-by-magic. See Nami Steals Zoros Swords.
• Marooned in oil on the slope (pp. 10-11): “Curse that Nami! When I see her again…” / “It’s just an oily hill!!” — Nami greased the approach so the Black Cat charge would bog down, and Zoro got caught in the same trap. The engineer-vs-swordsman grammar (Nami’s pre-engineering vs Zoro’s brute-force) is on full display.
• Climbs the slope laboriously (p. 11: “SHLUP SHLUP SHLUP”) — Zoro takes the long-form approach with no movement-tech. The swordsman has no rubber-stretch shortcut, no slingshot, no anything except the slope itself.
• TA-DA! arrival (p. 21) — alongside Luffy, hands at hips, three swords resheathed at his side (the swords have presumably been retrieved from Nami between panels). First-mate-position composition. “Not much of a challenge. What WAS that?” — the off-panel-defeat is delivered in the same understated grammar the Marine-defeat in Ch. 6 was framed in.

Syrup Village (Ch. 28)

• The crew-role triad (page 5): self-introduces with “I cut.” — single-verb identity statement completing the “I steal / I stretch / I cut” crew-role-summary panel. The minimal grammar of Zoro’s identity at this point in the series. See Crew Role Verb Triad.
• Faster than Luffy on foot (pages 17-18): Zoro arrives at the north beach in time to cut Nami free from the oil-slick (“SWAP!! / SPLAK!!” page 17), then sprints toward the village so fast that Luffy can’t even see him (Luffy page 18: “But that guy sure is fast! I can’t even see him!!”). First explicit running-speed hierarchy beat.
• Cuts Nami free of the oil with two precise sword strokes (page 17). The sword-as-everyday-tool register — Zoro uses the sword for rescue, not just combat. Continues the Ch 5 / Ch 6 sword-as-extension-of-self register.
• The “Zolo” name is pronounced by a friend for the first time (page 17): Nami’s grateful “Thanks, Zolo!! Sorry, Zolo!!”. The Roronoa-Zolo-name-before-face seed (see Roronoa Zolo Name Before Face) is here voiced by an ally — the name’s social register has shifted from rumor/reputation to crew-vocative.
• Reaction to Nami: “Someday I’m gonna kill that girl!!” (page 18) — the friction-between-Zoro-and-Nami running-joke is established. Companion seed to whatever Zoro-Nami friction beats accrue across the East Blue saga.

Syrup Village (Ch. 27)

• Silent through Ch. 27 — no spoken lines visible. Present at every important scene (cliff-hollow meeting, moonlit beach, Luffy’s recruitment-offer). His non-objection to the we’re going to help offer is the chapter’s crew-side consent.
• Cover splash of the previous chapter’s Zoro-bamboo cover-story arc appears to resolve on this chapter’s title splash — Zoro is staged in mock-combat with the Usopp Pirates kids holding bamboo training-swords (visual echo of his ongoing bamboo-grove cover-story side adventure). Visual continuity tell.

Syrup Village (Ch. 26)

• Cover splash only (page 1) — visible at the right edge of the ship-deck binoculars tableau, in the background behind Luffy and Nami. Does not appear in the chapter plot; the cliff-eavesdrop and village-warning scenes proceed without him.

Syrup Village (Ch. 25)

• Present in the Kaya Estate confrontation panel (page 2) alongside Luffy and Nami — same costume as the Ch. 20 cover splash (white shirt, striped pants, sheathed swords at hip). Dialogue: zero. Functions as visual confirmation that the cover-story Zoro of Ch. 20 has rejoined the active plot; the bamboo-grove side adventure resolved offscreen.
• Confirms cover-story device convention — the bamboo-grove cover splash side adventure (Ch. 20) is not tracked into the main plot; Zoro simply rejoins the crew between chapters. Establishes the cover-story-as-margin-B-plot convention: the side comics are extra-canonical flavor that may or may not surface in the main plot. See Zoro Bamboo Cover Story.
• Cover splash (page 1): stands alongside Nami and Luffy with the giant orange-spotted fish — first cover splash to feature the Straw Hat trio together as an operationally-cohesive crew.

Syrup Village (Ch. 24)

• Present at the restaurant table and at the mansion gate; largely silent across the chapter.
• One spoken line: “That’s what he said. Then he left.” (page 5).
• Does not appear on the cover splash — the Orange Town cover-story format has handed off to Nami’s solo cover-story for the Syrup Village arc.
• Author-column reveal in this chapter’s volume bonus (The Path To Becoming a Manga Character! Part 2): in early versions of the story, Zoro was going to be a bodyguard on Buggy’s ship before joining Luffy. Plot was dropped. Most narratively significant discarded-canon authorial note for Zoro in the vault so far — implies authorial pre-history for the structural symmetry between Zoro’s swordsmanship and the Buggy-era.

Syrup Village (Ch. 23)

• Mostly silent throughout (in the dinghy p. 2, on the beach p. 13, at the restaurant p. 16).
• Notably present in the active chapter, ending his cover-story B-plot from Ch 20-22 — he is back on-page in the A-plot as of Ch 23.
• Single notable reaction: the gasp at Usopp’s bluff (Ch 23 p. 13 bottom), the cut-off “So… what do you think is up…” line.
• Disambiguation note for the vault: the Ch 23 page 20 volume-bonus Rough Sketch shows a character labeled “Zolo the Swordsman” — this is a non-canon Buggy-Pirate scrapped design, NOT Roronoa Zoro. Different design (glasses, short hair, single katana). The romanization collision is paratext-only.

Gaimon Island (Ch. 22)

• Off-stage for the entire chapter — asleep on the boat (page 5, page 6 “HKNK” SFX), recovering from his Buggy-arc wounds. Composition rule: when a chapter is a non-recruit (refused/declined offer), the first mate is structurally absent. (Re-test this rule in subsequent arcs.)
• Implicit injury-recovery beat — Nami (page 6): “Let him rest. He’s still recovering from his injuries.” The Ch. 15-17 wound is still on-going, not skipped.

Orange Town (Ch. 21)

• Confirmed depleted post-Cabaji duel (page 4): “It’s no good. I don’t think I can walk.” — first on-page Zoro stat-state where the Ch. 17 duel left him at functional zero. Establishes that Cabaji-Onigiri cost Zoro something — Oda’s swordsman-pays-physical-cost-for-named-techniques axiom.
• Headbutts and KOs three Buggy mooks in a single sequence (pages 12-13) — even from a half-walked state. “OW.” + TMP-TMP-TMP. Statbreak: Zoro’s floor is still above the Buggy mooks’ ceiling. The deadpan close-up + minimal-SFX panel composition (page 13) becomes a recurring Zoro visual grammar.
• First on-page laughing at Luffy’s “WE’RE PIRATES!!” (page 7): “HA HA HA! YOU IDIOT!” — Zoro endorses Luffy’s identity-claim while mocking the timing. Establishes the Zoro thinks Luffy is an idiot AND respects him interpersonal grammar that defines their dynamic across the series.
• First “Zoro at sea on the Straw Hat ship(s)” — leaves Orange Town with Luffy and Nami on the captured Buggy flagship + Nami’s sailboat. The crew is now Zoro + Luffy + Nami at sea.

Orange Town (Ch. 20)

• Cover-splash only — Zoro’s solo cover-story begins (page 1). Zoro stands sword-raised in a bamboo grove with a samurai-armored sword-bearing panda companion; cut bamboo stumps litter the foreground. This is the start of Oda’s cover-story B-plot device — Zoro slips offstage from the active arc and the B-plot tracks where he is via subsequent chapter covers.
• Japanese-coded visual context: bamboo + samurai panda + sword-training composition. Long-burn forward-tell for the Shimotsuki/Wano identity that the Shimotsuki frontmatter field anticipates. Zoro is composed in the visual register of his birth-coding for the first time outside the Ch. 5 Shimotsuki Dojo flashback. See Zoro Bamboo Cover Story (proposed).

Orange Town (Ch. 17)

• First named santoryu technique on-page: Onigiri (p. 16, with VIZ footnote “ONIGIRI = DEMON SLASH”). Three swords cross around Cabaji in mid-air, sword-in-mouth (Wado Ichimonji) — the iconographic santoryu kill-strike panel. Canonical first-named-three-sword-attack panel in the series. Establishes the named-attack vocabulary for santoryu that runs 1100+ chapters (Tora Gari, Tatsu Maki, Asura, etc.). The “demon” framing is bonded to the in-mouth third sword from the very first named attack — long-burn seed for Asura (Thriller Bark) and King of Hell.
• First in-active-combat re-anchor of the hara-kiri pact (p. 3): “To anyone who calls himself a swordsman… I can’t lose, not even once. If I lose to the likes of you when my wounds are only this light… then I may as well give up my dream right now.” The Ch. 6 verbal contract is now an operational mid-fight rule Zoro applies to himself. First test-case (Cabaji), passed.
• Defeats Cabaji — Buggy’s first named lieutenant — in single combat after taking sustained damage. Drew two swords for the duration of the duel (nito-ryu); only deployed Wado-in-mouth for the Onigiri kill-strike. The escalation to santoryu = kill-shot combat grammar is established here.
• Addresses Luffy by first name (p. 18): “I’m going to sleep now. Luffy…” — first time Zoro addresses the captain by name rather than “Captain”. Post-victory off-duty register. The captain/first-mate hierarchy formalized in Ch. 6 is now elastic — Captain at work, Luffy at rest.
• Co-declares pirate identity with Luffy (p. 18): “We’re not common thieves…” / “…we’re PIRATES!” — first time Luffy and Zoro identify themselves to a defeated enemy as a verbal unit. Captain/first-mate verbal-unison grammar codified.
• Pirate-Hunter Zolo defeats Pirate-Captain Cabaji and helps defeat Pirate-Captain Buggy — the chapter operationally completes Zoro’s identity-pivot from Marine-aligned bounty hunter to active pirate. The “I gave up pirate hunting” stated in Ch. 10 is delivered in action here.

Orange Town (Ch. 16)

• First arc-test of the Ch. 6 hara-kiri pact (p. 16, full-page SLISH!). Cabaji has spent the duel kicking Zoro’s still-bleeding Ch. 15 stomach wound; Zoro neutralises the exploit by slashing himself across the stomach with his own katana, on-page declaration: “My goal is to be the world’s greatest swordsman… Is that enough of a handicap for you?” First on-page enactment of the pact-renewal mechanic — when offered a way to dim his ambition (rest, tag out, lose with the wound as excuse), Zoro doubles the price instead. Same self-pricing logic recurs in Baratie (vs. Mihawk), Thriller Bark (“Nothing happened”), Wano (Enma). Pays off Zoro Hara-Kiri Pact.
• First on-page Santoryu-stance return since Ch. 6 (p. 17, DA-DOOM panel) — bites katana, three-sword stance reasserts. Visual grammar: the stance is unlocked by the pact-renewal, not by the swordsman. Cross-link Zoro Three Swords Treasure.
• Restated dream (p. 17): “My goal is to be the world’s greatest swordsman…” — first restatement of the ambition mid-duel rather than as a pre-fight declaration. Establishes the “under-duress restatement” pattern Zoro will repeat in every later arc-test of the ambition.
• Refuses Luffy’s tag-out offer (p. 9): Luffy: “Hey, Zolo! Maybe you should rest. Let me handle him.” — Zoro silently refuses. The first first-mate refusal-of-captain-protection beat in the series. Recurs as Zoro’s standard mode (Whisky Peak Mr. 1 duel, Thriller Bark, Wano).
• Engaged by Cabaji as a swordsman-fraternity peer: Cabaji (p. 9) “Roronoa Zolo, as one swordsman to another… It will be an honor to cut you down.” — and (p. 11-13) Cabaji immediately violates the fraternity by kicking Zoro’s wound, throwing dust, mocking him. Establishes Oda’s framing rule that swordsman fraternity is a claim, not a property — only the title-holder has it for real. Cross-link Worlds Greatest Swordsman.
• First on-page rendering of Zoro bleeding through a full-chapter duel — Zoro is wounded for the entire chapter. Establishes the pain-tolerance baseline that every later “Zoro absorbs damage” arc-beat is graded against.

Orange Town (Ch. 15)

• Re-enters the active Buggy fight (page 11) in a long brown duster overcoat — atypical wardrobe, possibly transitional from bounty-hunter look. Three swords visible at left hip. “But this time you won’t escape me!!! Have fun fighting, boys…” — carry-over line from prior chapter (likely Ch. 11-14, currently unread in vault).
• First three-person Straw Hat composition shot (page 11) — staged alongside Luffy and Nami in the same frame for the first time.
• Captain/first-mate trust dynamic in micro (page 14): when Luffy knocks Mayor Boodle unconscious mid-challenge to keep him safe, Zoro nods “Good thinking…” — first time on-page Zoro endorses a Luffy tactical decision without question. Reinforces Zoro’s pragmatic-adult role.
• Zoro’s deflate-the-protagonist deadpan style continues (page 18): “You could have at least told us what you were planning…” and (page 19) “Made me worry for nothing…” — registers Luffy’s Gum-Gum Balloon as the expected idiocy rather than a surprise.
• Implicit duel set-up with Cabaji: Cabaji is introduced as “Buggy’s second mate” with caption framing identical to Zoro’s own first-name caption from Ch. 10. The Buggy crew’s second mate vs. the Straw Hats’ (de facto) first mate is the implicit matchup the chapter holds in reserve.

Orange Town (Ch. 14)

• Recovering from off-page injuries — present in the chapter as the wounded comrade with a belly-band bandage, sleeping inside Mayor Boodle’s house (implied by page 12: Boodle’s “MY HOUSE! IT’S RUINED!” over the building where Zolo had been sleeping).
• First “Zolo sleeps through everything” running gag (page 13): Buggy Ball levels the building he is in; Zolo emerges intact mid-rubble: “That’s one heck of an alarm clock!” — established as a recurring gag (Skypiea, Thriller Bark, etc.).
• First on-page Zolo line about reputation as motive (page 19): “I’m more worried about my reputation than my guts right now. I’ve got a score to settle!” Parallel to Buggy’s reputation-vanity beat one page earlier (page 18 Buggy’s “WHO DARES?”) — Oda is paralleling Buggy and Zolo’s reputation-currency on the same chapter, foreshadowing convergent later trajectories where Buggy’s reputation is comedic while Zolo’s is structurally won. Cross-link Roronoa Zolo Name Before Face.
• Joins Luffy in the Buggy fight despite his wounds (page 19, “Let’s do it”) — first time Zolo’s swordsman-pact behavior overrides physical condition. Anchor for every later “Zolo fights past survivability” beat (Thriller Bark “nothing happened”, Onigashima, Wano).

Orange Town (Ch. 13)

• Referenced but not on-page. Luffy on page 7: “I’m going to look for Zolo. I’d better find him before that weird costume guy does.” — confirms (a) Zoro’s offstage plot is still running concurrent with Luffy’s Chouchou interlude, and (b) Zoro and Mohji have not yet crossed paths on-page as of Ch 13. The Ch 10 cliffhanger Zolo-vs-Buggy-Pirates standoff is still in progress somewhere off-camera.
• The “weird costume guy” framing in Luffy’s mouth implicitly marks Mohji as a Zoro-tier threat in Luffy’s read — Luffy is worried Mohji might find Zoro, not that Zoro might be hurt. The asymmetry tells us about Luffy’s estimation of his crewmate.

Orange Town (Ch. 12)

• First on-page post-fight collapse (page 5) — Zolo, bleeding from the Ch. 11 Buggy duel, can run no further: “It’s no use… lost too much blood… got to… rest…” Drops face-down in the street next to the rolling cage. First time Zolo’s body fails him on-page; this becomes the canonical “Zolo recovers in his sleep” character trait that gets called back every arc (Whisky Peak, Thriller Bark, Sabaody, Dressrosa).
• Snoring through Boodle’s exposition (page 11) — “I told ‘im there’s a doctor at the refugee shelter, but he said he just needs a little sleep!!” Zolo refuses medical care on principle; sleeps the chapter off at the mayor’s house. Confirms the sleep-as-medicine character trait, on-page in the second chapter where it’s narratively possible.
• Out of action pages 5-22 — Zolo is unconscious or asleep for everything after page 5. The chapter’s payoffs (Mohji-vs-Luffy, Chouchou parable) all happen without him.
• Mohji’s stated mission (page 18): “Now tell me where Roronoa Zolo is.” Confirms Zolo, not Luffy, is Mohji’s primary target — reinforces the Zoro reputation precedes him into every arc pattern. Cross-link Roronoa Zolo Name Before Face.

Orange Town (Ch. 11)

• First on-page combat clear in Orange Town (p. 2): one sword-flash takes out four Buggy mooks (“FLUMP!! FLUMP!!”). Drawn deliberately without a full-page splash (compare the Ch. 10 reveal which got the full-page treatment) — Oda is signaling that, for Zoro, this is routine. “Heh heh heh… that was almost disappointing… hmph!”
• First combat-loss in the series — takes a near-fatal Bara-Bara segment-stab to the back from Buggy’s floating hand (pp. 4-5, “FWMP!! FWIP!!”). Survives because “looks like I missed your vitals… but you still took a serious wound!” (Buggy, p. 7). First time Zoro is hurt on-page.
• Character anchor holds under fire (p. 11): refuses Luffy’s “RUN!!!” order — “What? I’m not going anywhere! We’re trying to save you!”. The “man of my word” anchor from Ch. 3 graduates from prison-stoicism to combat-stoicism. Every later Zoro tank-the-damage moment (Thriller Bark, Whole Cake, Wano) inherits its logic from this beat.
• Parries the impossible (pp. 12-13): catches Buggy’s Chop-Chop Cannon (a guided detached arm) on two swords — “KLANG! KLANG!”. First two-sword draw in the series (he was still one-sword on p. 2 — the engagement escalates Zoro’s draw in real time). Still no full Santoryu / three-sword on-page demonstration.
• Repeats the folk-myth wrong (p. 7): “I heard that this clown had eaten devil-tree fruit. I should have been prepared!” — Zoro echoing the Koby-page-23 (Ch. 2) folk explanation. Second protagonist to misstate the DF origin in-universe; reinforces the reader-calibration rule from Devil Fruit Tree Myth (the in-universe layman’s lore is myth, not canon).
• First on-page tactical retreat with a teammate: carries the rolled iron cage + Nami to escape under Buggy Ball fire (p. 14ff). First time Zoro is not the strongest force in a fight; first time he tactically runs. This is the structural inverse of his Ch. 10 single-flash arrival: from one-shot-four to bleeding-out-with-an-iron-cage in two chapters.

Orange Town (Ch. 10)

• First physical on-page entry into the active Orange Town plot (final pages of Ch. 10). The chapter cliff-hangs the Ch. 9 dock arrival into a tavern-street confrontation with the Buggy Pirates.
• Single-sheathed-sword feat (p. 20 full-page panel) — catches four Buggy mooks’ swung weapons on his still-sheathed katana. “How many pirates does it take to handle one girl?” First on-page combat demonstration in the series, executed with sword sheathed. The composition — three blades visible on his belt, white shirt, green haramaki, earrings — is the canonical first reveal of the future First Mate.
• Luffy already knows the name — the “ZOLO!!!” reaction shout is off-panel from Luffy in the cage; Luffy recognizes Zolo on sight, seeding the East-Blue-wide reputation.
• Crowd and Buggy crew recognize him as “Zolo the Pirate Hunter” — bounty-hunter reputation precedes him into Orange Town just as it did into Alvida’s island and Shells Town. Reinforces Roronoa Zolo Name Before Face.
• Stated retirement from bounty hunting (p. 22): “I gave up pirate hunting” / “I have no interest in you.” — the “I quit” framing is the structural pivot that makes the next-chapter recruitment offer land. Implicitly: the swordsman ambition (be #1 in the world) was never compatible with the Marine-aligned bounty-hunter career.
• Deadpan threat style established (p. 22): “Back off before I pluck all your feathers” — callback to Buggy’s “nice feather in my cap” line one panel earlier. First instance of Zolo’s signature deflate-the-villain banter.
• Buggy declares him a prestige kill — Buggy frames killing Zolo as “a nice feather in my cap.” Confirms the bounty-as-trophy framing that drives every future arc; sets up the Ch. 11 duel.

Orange Town (Ch. 9)

• Second consecutive Zoro cover (page 1 splash — Zoro under a tree with three swords and a sleeping cow). Cover-stacking is Oda’s “incoming character” signal — Zoro is being foregrounded as the next plot vector for two chapters running before he physically enters the active arc.
• Arrives at Orange Town’s dock (page 21) — three swords visible, white shirt, haramaki, earrings. The chapter cliff-hangs on his arrival.
• Already hunting Luffy by name — orders Buggy’s men to take him to their captain because “maybe he knows where Luffy is.” Carries forward from Shells Town: Zoro is searching for his captain across East Blue.
• Cliffhanger paired with Luffy’s caging (page 20) — the two Straw Hat ends of the chapter mirror each other (Luffy bound in tavern, Zoro free at the dock).

Orange Town (Ch. 8)

• Drifting with Luffy across East Blue; explicitly identifies the crew’s need for a navigator, a cook, and a musician (page 3) — “What kind of pirate doesn’t know how to navigate a ship?” Zoro is the one to articulate the recruitment rhythm of East Blue, not Luffy. The pragmatic-adult role from Ch 7 deepens.
• Reputation confirmed mid-sea: shipwrecked Buggy Pirates mooks recognize “Pirate Hunter Zolo” on sight and instantly capitulate (page 7). Even East-Blue rank-and-file pirates know the bounty-hunter name. Reinforces Roronoa Zolo Name Before Face — Zoro’s name precedes him into Orange Town just as it did into Alvida’s island.
• First on-page evaluation of Nami: “She used the weather to her own advantage. She must really know the seas… She’d make a great navigator…” (page 13). Within the same chapter that defines the crew’s need for a navigator, Zoro identifies the candidate by capability — before Nami is even introduced by name. Cross-link Nami Robbing Pirates Code.
• Rows after Luffy when the Gum-Gum Rocket carries him off; ends the chapter still at sea while Luffy crash-lands into Orange Town.

Romance Dawn — Shells Town (Ch. 7)

• Departure caption locks the bounty-era epithet (page 20): “the former, infamous, demonic Pirate Hunter Zolo” — VIZ’s rendering of Kaizoku-Gari no Zoro. From this chapter on, the press-and-Marine framing of Zoro precedes him into every new arc.
• First time on-page as Luffy’s first crewman (page 20). The two-man Straw Hat unit is formalised in the chapter’s closing caption: “Luffy and his first crewman… set sail…”.
• Accepts the Grand Line specifically (page 5): when Luffy declares the route, Zoro affirms “Well, I guess if we’re after the ‘One Piece’…” — voluntarily scoping his swordsman’s quest to coincide with Luffy’s treasure hunt. The crew is now defined by destination, not just captain. Cross-link What is the One Piece and Worlds Greatest Swordsman.
• Positioned as the informed crewmate (page 7): warns Koby that the Navy screens enlistees for pirate backgrounds — “If they find out about your background, they won’t let you enlist.” First time Zoro is shown to understand the institutional machinery the crew is sailing against, anticipating his role as the crew’s pragmatic adult.

Romance Dawn — Shells Town (Ch. 6)

• Untied from the execution post by Luffy and reaffirms acceptance of the crew offer: “All right, so I’m a pirate. I gave you my word.” (page 6) — the character anchor (“I’m a man of my word”, Ch. 3) governs his transition from bounty hunter to pirate.
• Declares his life-pact mission statement (pages 5-6): “I’m going to be the world’s greatest swordsman! My name may be infamous… but it’s gonna shake the world!!!” — first time the dream is announced as a binding pact rather than a personal goal. Structurally parallel to Luffy’s “King of the Pirates” declaration at the end of Ch. 1. See Zoro Hara-Kiri Pact.
• Imposes the hara-kiri clause on Luffy (page 6): “If I have to abandon my dream for any reason… then I’m going to make you commit hara-kiri!!” — every later Zoro arc is graded against this on-page rule.
• Deflects an entire Marine sabre line in a single move (page 8, “KLANG”) — first on-screen demonstration of swordsman-tier skill, with the rope still binding his arms.
• First addresses Luffy as Captain (page 23): ”…No sweat… Captain!” — the moment the captain/first-mate hierarchy is verbalized.
• Iconic three-sword stance silhouette established (page 23, final panel): back to camera, one sword in mouth, two crossed at his sides — the visual signature for the next 1100+ chapters.

Romance Dawn — Shells Town (Ch. 5)

• Still tied to the cross in the Marine courtyard awaiting execution; Helmeppo’s 30-day-survival deal is revealed as a lie — Captain Morgan ordered immediate execution all along (page 6).
• Flashback established (pages 9-15): childhood at Koushirou’s dojo; 2,001 losses to Kuina; mutual promise that “one of us will become the greatest swordsman ever” (page 14). Kuina dies the next morning falling down a stairs. Zolo inherits her sword (Wado Ichimonji, unnamed in this chapter) and vows to become a swordsman “whose name will be known even in heaven” (page 15). Canonical origin of his lifelong dream — see Zoros Promise to Kuina and Worlds Greatest Swordsman.
• Rejects Kuina’s “boy/girl” excuse on-page (page 14): “Someday I’ll beat you because I worked hard, not because you got weaker!! It’s got nothing to do with being a boy or a girl!!” — first articulation of his earned-not-inherited hierarchy principle.
• First on-page naming of Santoryu (page 19): “I practice Santoryu — three-sword style. They’re all mine.” Pays off the three-swords-as-treasure seed from Zoro Three Swords Treasure (count → identity → technique).
• Accepts Luffy’s offer to join the crew (page 19): “You’ve got yourself a pirate!!!” — the Straw Hat Pirates are founded in this moment. Pays off Zoro Joins the Crew.
• First “demon spawn” / oni framing applied to Zolo on-page (page 19) — long-burn seed for his Asura/King-of-Hell iconography in later arcs.

Romance Dawn — Shells Town (Ch. 4)

• Still tied to the cross-post at the Shells Town Marine Base parade ground.
• Refuses Luffy’s first pirate-crew offer: “If this is about me joining your pirate crew, my answer is still NO!” (page 5). Reaffirms: “I live by my own code… I’ve never done anything I regret, and I don’t intend to in the future. I don’t care what people think.”
• Identifies himself as a bounty hunter, not a pirate: “I’ve got my own mission… and it doesn’t involve becoming a stinking pirate!”
• First articulation of the three-sword identity: confirms his three swords are his “dearest treasures next to my life” (page 7) — taken by Helmeppo. The three count is seeded before santoryu is named or demonstrated. See Zoro Three Swords Treasure.
• Conditional deal struck: if Luffy retrieves the swords from Helmeppo, Zoro will join the crew. See Zoro Joins the Crew — the template for every later Straw Hat recruitment arc.
• First external reaction to Luffy’s “King of the Pirates” dream (page 19): “King of the Pirates!? Does he know what that means!?” — first character outside Foosha to register the colossal scale of Luffy’s stated goal. Cross-link What is the One Piece.

Romance Dawn — Shells Town (Ch. 3)

Long Ring Long Land — Groggy Ring (Ch. 309)

• Delivers the chapter’s emotional core: rebukes a sobbing Chopper — “The choice to become a sailor was your own and no one else’s!… Pirates have no pity for crybabies! If you’re a man… then act like one. And see this through to the end!” (pp. 13–14). Hard-edged but steeling (Nami: “That’s mean!” → “That’s better!!” once Chopper toughens up).
• One of the two Straw Hat players for Round 2, the Groggy Ring (with Sanji) — outnumbered 2-vs-3 by the Groggy Monsters after losing Chopper (p. 16).

Long Ring Long Land — Groggy Ring (Ch. 310)

• Plays the Groggy Ring without his swords (weapons banned: “Is that okay? A swordsman without a sword is… kind of pathetic!” — p. 8).
• Refuses to cooperate with Sanji the entire round; tries to block Pickles (pp. 14–15) and ultimately breaks up Foxy’s goal attempt himself (“You’ll never score! Not while I’m still alive and kicking!” — p. 19), denying Hamburg’s dunk (pp. 18–20).

Post-Enies Lobby — Water Seven (Ch. 435)

• New bounty 120,000,000 berries (“Zolo the Pirate Hunter”, p.16). Knows of Fish-Man Island (“even the crappy swordsman knows”, p.11); wary of the ghost-ship talk.

Thriller Bark (Ch. 442)

• Warns the barrel is “bad karma”; on the ghost ship’s song: “If it’s an enemy, I just have to cut it down” (pp. 6, 13).

Thriller Bark (Ch. 444)

• His sword “moves on its own” and stabs the invisible intruder; reasons that the thing could have killed them in a thousand ways but hasn’t — so its purpose is unclear, perhaps to keep them aboard the ship (pp. 11, 13). See Invisible Beast-Growling Intruder Aboard The Thousand Sunny.

Thriller Bark (Ch. 447)

• Volunteers to “take care of” the three-headed Cerberus; tries to calm it, is bitten, then one-punches it unconscious (“Dumb dog!”, pp. 2-4).

Thriller Bark (Ch. 448) — immune to the negative ghosts

• Alone among the forest group, Zoro shrugs off Perona’s negative ghosts, attributing the others’ collapse to a lack of “discipline and willpower” — “you guys are pathetic” (pp. 9-10). An early on-page marker of his exceptional mental fortitude.

Thriller Bark (Ch. 452) — off-page; Zoro’s stolen shadow animates a Zombie General

• Zoro’s stolen shadow is shown imprinted on a Zombie General, Jigoro of the Wind, who fights with Zoro’s One-Sword Style: Thirty-Six Pound Phoenix and voices Zoro’s creed “A scar on the back is a swordsman’s shame!!!” The group recognizes the move (“That move! Zolo?!”). Zoro is referenced, not shown (pp. See Thriller Bark Zombies Carry Their Owners Shadow Abilities And Personality.

Thriller Bark (Ch. 458) — captured & shadowless; only “Sword master?!” stirs him

• Captured and shadowless, tied up and asleep with Luffy and Sanji in Mast Mansion’s dining room; stirs only at Robin’s bait word “Sword master?!” (pp. 17-19).

Thriller Bark (Ch. 460)

• Wants to “see how strong that legendary samurai zombie is” and pairs with Franky toward Perona’s room (pp. 4, 14).
• Post-collapse, ends up with Sanji and Franky facing a giant zombie they first mistake for a fallen wall (p. 19).

Thriller Bark (Ch. 461)

• With the Oars group; struck by Perona’s Negative Hollow and reduced to grovelling self-loathing (“I apologize for even standing on the same ground as you guys”), then dragged back to his feet by Usopp’s rally (pp. 13-18).

Thriller Bark (Ch. 466) — duels zombie-Ryuma for the Shusui; fights Santoryu with a broken blade

• Duels the zombie samurai Ryuma over the famed black blade “Shusui”; tells Ryuma he will take “the sword that will be lying by your corpse” (p. 16). See Shusui Black Blade O Wazamono Named At Thriller Bark, Worlds Greatest Swordsman.
• Reveals one of his three swords is broken, yet still wears it at his side and fights Santoryu (three-sword style) with the broken blade (p. 17). (The broken sword is not named on-page here.)
• Relishes the fight (“as if I am about to fight a giant beast… my body wishes to dance”, p. 17); the duel’s smoking aftermath is shown before the chapter flashes back to its opening clash (pp. 13-19).

Thriller Bark (Ch. 469)

• Watches Oars (the Luffy-zombie) bellow out the crew and grins “Sounds like fun!!!” — the chapter’s closing beat sets up the crew-vs-Oars showdown (p. 19). (last_appearance advances 0467→0469.)

Thriller Bark (Ch. 470)

• Takes command on the rooftops against Oars (“Both of you, get down to another roof!”) and strikes the giant’s face with Three-Sword Style: Two Gorilla… One Gorilla… Double Gorilla Split!!! (pp. 11-12).
• Knocked falling by Oars’s Gum-Gum Volcano; caught mid-air by Robin’s Cien Fleurs: Spider Net (pp. 13, 15-16). (last_appearance advances 0469→0470.)

Thriller Bark (Ch. 471)

• Among the recovered Straw Hats regrouping in the rubble around the injured Oars, swords ready (pp. 18-19). SHOWN.

Thriller Bark (Ch. 472)

• Coordinates the takedown of Oars: borrows Franky/Usopp gear (“Mind if I borrow this?!”), deflects Oars’s left hand so Robin can lock it, and lands Armée de l’air: Power Shoot and Shock Slash in the combination assault (pp. 9–11). Cautions that the Luffy-shadow Oars “can still move like Luffy.”

Thriller Bark — testing Shusui (Ch. 473)

• Stalling Oars, Zoro tests his newly-won black blade: “I just got this Shusui sword. This is the perfect time to test it out… It won’t bend one bit even if a dinosaur steps on it. Hardness is one of the special characteristics of the black blade.” Frames his fight as finishing what Oars started, not chasing Moria (Sanji: “Luffy will beat Moria for us!!”) (p. 9). See Worlds Greatest Swordsman, Shusui Black Blade O Wazamono Named At Thriller Bark.

Thriller Bark — first combat with Shusui vs Oars (Ch. 474)

• Deflects Oars’s punch with a sword and answers with Three-Sword Style: 108 Pound Phoenix (pp. 3-5). First real combat use of the black blade Shusui won Ch. 467: “Compared to my Yubashiri, this Shusui blade… is much heavier”; “You gave me a great sword… Swordmaster Ryuma!!”; “It’s too big and slow… proof that I can’t fully control it yet” (pp. 3, 5). Cross-link Shusui Black Blade O Wazamono Named At Thriller Bark, Worlds Greatest Swordsman, Yubashiri Named On Page.

Thriller Bark (Ch. 475)

• Joins the assault with Three-Sword Style, slicing a tower into the tower-dropping “Jenga” combo against Oars (pp. 6-7).

Thriller Bark (Ch. 476)

• After Brook’s lightning strike opens Oars up, Zoro lands the Two-Sword Style “Tower Climb” (pp. 16-17). Brook: “Good job, Bones!”

Thriller Bark (Ch. 477)

• On Chopper’s call (“Get Robin away from here, now!!”), Zoro helps carry the unconscious Robin clear of Oars’s line of fire (p. 13).

Thriller Bark (Ch. 478) — one of the last three standing vs. Oars

• Among the only crew still fighting (with Usopp and Nami); “I’ll create an opening!!” and lands Santoryu “Demonic Raven” and “Tiger Trap” on Oars (pp. 3-5) — but Oars shrugs them off, mocking the repeated strikes.
• Stands between Luffy and Oars at the “STOP…!!” beat as the real Luffy arrives to fight his shadow-puppet (p. 14).

Thriller Bark (Ch. 480)

• Stands despite his injuries (“I don’t know who’s more undead — you or the zombie!!” said of him) and uses Three-Sword Style “Three Thousand Worlds” in the combination attack to help bind/straighten Oars (pp. 6, 14-15).

Thriller Bark — Zoro vs. Kuma (Ch. 484)

• Despite grievous injuries from the Oars battle, accepts Kuma’s challenge alone and forbids help (“I’ve accepted the challenge. I don’t need help… If I die here… then I wasn’t worth much to begin with,” pp. 3-4).
• Attacks with Rashomon (Two-Sword Style, p. 5), 36 Pound Phoenix (p. 8), and Streaming Wolf-Swords (p. 12) — every strike repelled by Kuma’s paw pads; he is repelled mid-attack (p. 13).
• On the bargain: “You want us to sell out a comrade?” — refuses to hand over Luffy (p. 17).

Thriller Bark — aftermath (Ch. 486)

• Lies unconscious and bandaged one day after Moria’s defeat — “I’ve never seen Zolo in such bad shape” (pp. 6-7).
• The hidden cause is revealed via Lola’s pirates: Zoro told Kuma “Leave him, take me!” and absorbed all of Luffy’s pain that Kuma drew out, nearly dying (pp. 8-9, 12). Sanji and Robin agree to keep it from Luffy. See Zoro’s Hidden Sacrifice And The Nothing-Happened Silence.
• The crew sets aside his portion at the feast; “He’s usually the toughest guy around… yet he doesn’t even open his eyes” (p. 12).

Thriller Bark (Ch. 489) — wakes from his recovery; the crew sets sail

• Wakes at the Rumbar memorial (“Are you feeling better?” / “Yeah, I slept too much”), trades barbs with Brook (“This crew is a handful, you know?”), and is up and ready to set sail — pointedly having “took off your bandages again” (the wounds from the Kuma incident, Ch. 485) (pp. 16-17).

Fish-Man Island (Ch. 605)

• Goes out in a Franky-made swim-coating bubble to fight the Kraken; carves a tentacle with Three Sword Style — “Crossing the Six Paths” (Santoryu: Rokudo no Tsuji) (p. 13).
• Swept into the deep-sea down-welling current with Luffy and Sanji — separated from the Sunny (p. 16).

Fish-Man Island (Ch. 607)

• Wants to go outside the bubble to cut the falling boulders, but is stopped — at 25,000 ft the water pressure would crush him (p. 9); cuts a hazard inside the bubble instead (pp. 9-10).

Fish-Man Island (Ch. 613)

• Captured and jailed by the Ryugu soldiers (the swordsman “who came to the castle before the others,” p. 8), then breaks himself out to join the others — “I heard you guys having fun… so I broke out!” (p. 15). (VIZ renders him “Zolo.”)

Into the New World (Ch. 654)

• Uses “One-Sword Style: 360 Pound Phoenix” on a giant deep-sea fish during the fishing scene. (p. 7)

Punk Hazard (Ch. 695)

• Present with the alliance during the Caesar-retrieval brawl; “Just get on with it!!” / “We get it already!! Leave the enemies with their backs turned to me.” (pp. 12, 18).

Dressrosa (Ch. 703)

• Has a sword stolen by a “fairy” / “dirty thief” (an unseen, fast pursuer) and wanders off after it; Sanji gripes that he “let the lost little mosshead wander away” (pp. 5-8). The thief is part of the “Mystery Fairy Pursuit Team” subplot.

Dressrosa — recovering at Kyros’s house (Ch. 796)

• Present at Kyros’s house, peeking at the conversation; greeted by the Tontatta as “Mistah Zolo,” and joins the escape (pp. 13–17).

Zou arc (Ch. 803)

• Climbing the elephant with Luffy’s group (pp. 4, 12-13).

Zou (Ch. 804)

• Arrives on Zou with Luffy’s group; senses the ambush and counter-slashes Carrot’s leaping attack (p. 16). Stays wary of the unseen watchers.

Zou (Ch. 805)

• Travels with Law/Usopp toward town rather than trust “some strange animal’s instructions” (p. 7); surveys ruined Kurau City (pp. 15–16).

Wano Country — Onigashima Raid (Ch. 989)

• Insists on going up with Luffy toward Kaido (“Wait wait wait!! I’ll go with you!!”), pp. 12-13.

Wano Country — Onigashima Raid (rooftop) (Ch. 1000)

• Arrives on the Skull Dome rooftop alongside Luffy, Kid, Killer, and Law to face Kaido + Big Mom (pp. 10-11).

Onigashima Raid — Rooftop (Ch. 1001)

• Cuts apart Big Mom’s Prometheus flames with Kin’emon’s “Foxfire Style: Flame-Rend”, admitting “Heh heh… I stole it” (pp. 5-6).
• Trades named slashes with Killer (Three Sword Style: Purgatory Oni Giri, p. 10); notes he must “unleash Enma a bit more” to draw out the blade (p. 11). Charges the Emperors again at chapter’s end (p. 17).

Wano Country — Onigashima rooftop (Ch. 1002)

• Cuts at Kaido with Enma; unleashes One-Sword Style: Flying Dragon — Blaze (also “Flame-Rend”), the blade igniting with flame (pp. 8-13).
• Kaido and Big Mom sense Oden’s presence inside the blade — “That’s no ordinary sword!!!”, “…the presence of Oden within it?!!”, “We’ve underestimated them” — the first time the Emperors register Enma’s true nature in Zoro’s hands (pp. 12-13).
• Frustrated he didn’t fully connect: “Huff, huff… dammit!! I missed!!” (p. 13). Feeds Zoro Inherits Oden’s Sword Enma, Enma Drains The Wielder’s Ryuo And Is Not Yet A Black Blade, Worlds Greatest Swordsman.

Wano Country — Onigashima Raid, rooftop (Ch. 1003)

• Leaps onto the rooftop to stop the dragon-form Kaido eating the unconscious Luffy: “Not so fast! Don’t you dare go… eating our captain!!!”
• Lands “Black Rope Dragon Twister” (Three-Sword Style, using Enma) and cuts Kaido — slicing the dragon’s scales and drawing blood. “He actually cut Kaido!!” / “That must be Oden’s sword!!” The first Straw Hat to wound Kaido.
• Enma publicly recognized as “the source of that strange Haki.” Pays off Enma Odens Sword The Only Blade To Have Wounded Kaido Offered To Zoro. See Worlds Greatest Swordsman, Enma Drains The Wielder’s Ryuo And Is Not Yet A Black Blade.

Wano Country — Onigashima Raid (Ch. 1008)

• Rooftop: “It doesn’t feel like our attacks are doing anything!!”; with Law and Kid weighs how to “peel them apart” (pp. 15–16).

Wano Country — Onigashima rooftop (Ch. 1009)

• Takes Kaido & Big Mom’s combined “Conquest of the Sea” head-on to shield the others (“Move, all of you!!! Or we’re all done for!!!”); survives blocking it (“It’s a real feat you blocked that…”, pp. 9–11).
• After Law shambles Big Mom, slices her before she can revert — technique captioned “Crossing the Six Paths!!! Flame-Rend!!” (p. 16).

Wano Country — Onigashima Raid (rooftop) (Ch. 1010)

• Steps in front of the downed Luffy against Big Mom (“if you wanna crush anyone’s skull, you’ll have to start with mine!!”), then unleashes Nine-Sword Style: Asura on Kaido (p. 9).
• Leaves Kaido a lasting wound (“this wound will remain with me…”), becoming the first since Oden to permanently scar him (p. 10).
• Kaido reveals Zoro unconsciously infused Conqueror’s Haki (“the color of the Supreme King too?!”); Zoro has no idea he did it (p. 10). See Kaido Names Conquerors Haki As Odens Special Trick, Worlds Greatest Swordsman.

Wano Country — Onigashima Raid (Ch. 1012)

• Wrecked by the rooftop fight vs Kaido and Big Mom — Law cites “20 or 30 broken bones.” Evacuated by Law, switched mid-air into Sanji’s arms.
• Mistaken by Beasts mooks for a “jackpot” being carried by Sanji; keeps drifting between trying to get up and falling asleep (“Don’t give orders and then fall asleep!!”).

Wano (epilogue) (Ch. 1058)

• New bounty 1,111,000,000, captioned “Master Swordsman: Pirate Hunter Zoro.” (p.5)

Egghead arrival — bounty cited (Ch. 1062)

• Vegapunk’s satellites name him on-page as “Pirate Hunter Zolo, worth a bounty of 1.111 billion berries,” noting his presence makes the crew dangerous to attack at range (p. 6). Among the half-crew at Egghead menaced by the Sea Beast Weapons before Shaka takes them in.

Egghead escape — Rashomon combo, boards the Sunny (Ch. 1117)

• Combines with Jinbei against a Five Elder — “Piggyback!!! Two Sword Style… Fish-Man Jiu-Jitsu… Restful Paradise… Rashomon!!!” (pp. 7–8); a Gorosei recognizes his cursed blade — “Kitetsu?!” (p. 8). Cracks/launches with the ship and jumps aboard (“Zolo!!!”, “Gotcha!!”, p. 8).

Elbaf (Ch. 1132)

• Knocks out the collector Rodo together with Sanji (“You overdid it, Zolo and Sanji!!”), while the crew jokes they “didn’t touch him” to avoid trouble (pp. 10–11).

Notes

• Spelling: VIZ uses “Zolo” (changed from “Zoro” to avoid Zorro IP conflict). JP romaji is “Zoro”. Most fan/Wiki references use “Zoro”. Vault convention: filename = Zoro.md, primary alias = Roronoa Zolo.
• See Roronoa Zolo Name Before Face for the chapter-2 name-before-face setup that this chapter pays off.

SBS reveals

technique/sbs-leak