In the transition zone of the first half of the Grand Line lies the Sabaody Archipelago, the island closest to Navy Headquarters. This place is a hub where prominent and emerging pirates often converge. Among them, rookies with bounties exceeding 100 million berries are customarily given the title "Supernova." This time, eleven Supernovas have arrived on the Sabaody Archipelago.
Their goal is to find a coating craftsman on the island who can prepare their ships to dive to Fish-Man Island, located 10,000 meters below the sea. Only by passing through this route can pirates enter the New World.
However, the Sabaody Archipelago is unusually restless this time, thanks to the Straw Hat Pirates. They committed the ultimate taboo of this world—assaulting a Celestial Dragon, an act that provoked Admiral Kizaru's intervention.
After a grueling battle against the World Government's humanoid weapon, the Pacifista PX-5, the Straw Hats encountered yet another Pacifista, PX-0. At the same time, Admiral Kizaru arrived, placing the crew in their most perilous situation to date.
Supernova Roronoa Zoro was struck by Kizaru's light beam and rendered incapable of fighting. Just as the admiral was about to deliver the fatal blow, a legendary figure appeared—Silvers Rayleigh, the former first mate of the Pirate King, intervened to save him.
But something even more unexpected occurred. Bartholomew Kuma, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea allied with the World Government, appeared. In the blink of an eye, Kuma used his powers to send Zoro flying!
It is said that anyone hit by Kuma's paw-like attack flies through the air for three days and three nights. Where they land is a mystery. Zoro became the first member of the Straw Hats to be separated from the group.
Unbeknownst to him, when Kuma sent him flying, a sliver of Zoro's consciousness was also expelled from his body, disappearing into the void.
For now, the legendary journey of the Straw Hat Pirates came to an abrupt halt.
That fragment of Zoro's consciousness vanished from this world. When Zoro next opened his eyes, he found himself falling from a tree. His first reaction was to look around and assess his surroundings, only to discover he was in an unfamiliar, dense forest.
As he regained his senses, he felt an odd sensation in his body. Memories of being struck by Kizaru's devastating light beam came flooding back—the searing, gut-wrenching pain of it tearing through his flesh.
Yet, upon inspecting himself, Zoro found no injuries on his body. Strangely, he was wearing clothes similar to those of the powerful samurai he had encountered on the Thriller Bark. However, he had no idea why he was dressed like this.
To make matters worse, his three swords—his most cherished companions—were gone. This was the most troubling realization of all.
"My swords... Where are they? What happened?"
For a swordsman, their blades are their partners and lifelines. Losing all three of them was unthinkable. Among them was the treasured sword that represented a childhood promise with a dear friend. Losing it was unbearable.
"This isn't right!"
He urgently examined his body again. This wasn't his body—it lacked his familiar scars and muscles. Instead, it was frail and thin.
"This isn't my body! What's going on? I was just on the Sabaody Archipelago. How did this happen?"
Zoro was stunned. He couldn't fathom the reason behind these changes. Everything felt inexplicable.
"That damn Kuma sent me flying, but what's really going on? Can I find Luffy and the others? Are they still fighting that bastard Kuma? I promised myself I wouldn't lose again, so why did I fail? What's happening now?"
Frustrated and lost, Zoro punched a tree several times. He had no answers to any of his questions. Why was he here? Why had his body changed? These were mysteries he desperately wanted to solve. He'd much rather be fighting than dealing with this bewildering situation.
"Still, where exactly am I? What island is this?"
Despite his frustration, Zoro didn't despair. Faced with this unfamiliar situation, he resolved to grow stronger and reunite with his crewmates. He still had his Vivre Card, after all.
"Wait! My Vivre Card! Where is it? If I have that, I can find them!"
He recalled the Vivre Card that Rayleigh had given them, a reliable means of tracking his friends. But to his dismay, the card was missing—it had been kept in his waistband, which was now gone along with his previous outfit.
"It's like the world doesn't want me to find them... Fine! I'll show anyone who stands in my way that I never back down. If the heavens have given me this new body, then I'll treat it as a second chance. Just wait—I'll protect all of you next time!"
Though reluctant to accept his current situation, Zoro knew he had no choice but to adapt. He couldn't afford to dwell on his frustration. If he didn't figure out where he was, he wouldn't be able to take the next step.
"I need to find someone who can tell me what's going on. I don't even know where in the Grand Line I am."
With that, Zoro set out, determined to find answers. As he wandered through the forest, he eventually came across a clear pond. Looking at his reflection, he saw a face that was unfamiliar—soft and delicate, lacking the ruggedness he was accustomed to.
"This face... It kind of looks like that curly-browed cook's. So, is this what it means to be reborn? That bastard Kuma... Next time I see him, I'll cut him down!"
Gazing at the unfamiliar face, Zoro could only guess at the cause. The only person he knew capable of altering appearances was Bon Clay, but Kuma's abilities remained a mystery. For now, Zoro could only assume he had fallen victim to Kuma's powers. Rebirth or not, he would use this chance to grow stronger.
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