In the recent chapter 997, Zoro rages against Queen, screaming that he doesn’t want to waste his time with him. Queen gets intimidated. In the exact meantime, Kaido causes earthquakes in Onigashima, because he is lifting the island; Oda teases everyone, making the fodders scream that the earthquakes are caused by Zoro rage, and also has Brook stating the same thing as well, also directly linking the earthquakes to Zoro’s Conqueror’s Haki.
That seemed a pun to the readers, but nowadays we understand it wasn’t. When an earthquake happens and Zoro is around, the first thing that people think is that it is due to Zoro being enraged and exerting his Conqueror’s Haki.
This is uncertain, but, look: when Zoro was training to control Enma, to tame the sword and avoid it sucking his Armament Haki, it’s heavily possible that the green swordsman used, uncosciously, his Conqueror’s Haki. The focused “glare” is literally the same that Oda uses when he draws usage of Conqueror’s Haki.
And what is Zoro doing… think about that: he is literally imposing his will to the sword, he is overwhelming the sword with his will!
Also, one would think that he uncosciously used the Conqueror’s Haki even in the Sandai Kitetsu issue back in Rogue Town, to put his luck and destiny on the line, as price to tame that cursed sword…
Not to mention this. When Luffy exerts his Conqueror’s Haki and takes out tens of thousands of fodders, pay attention to what reaction did Oda make Zoro to have.
No further words are needed.
Why that? It’s because, while all the other Straw Hats followed Luffy as underlings who accepted or needed his protection and his superior strength, Zoro was the one and only who did follow Luffy only out of his will. Infact, Zoro’s strength is so close to Luffy’s, he is almost his equal, but he respects and trusts Luffy so much that he doesn’t step of his role. Want further proof? Read what other Supernovas think. That Zoro “is not the type to obey anyone”. That for him to follow anyone, that person “must be something else”.
This concept is also clearly stated in the databooks.
Zoro’s strength is nearly equal to Luffy, but he follows Luffy out of trust and respects him not going further than his role if not needed (aka stepping up to Luffy’s side or i Luffy’s place only if needed).
Massive respect for the Grandmaster.
– At the End of the Series will be one of the strongest characters ever, by the virtue of being the Future Pirate King’s Right Hand/First Mate and the Future World’s Strongest Swordsman.
– Narrative link with the current strongest characters: Mihawk is Zoro’s enemy and ultimate goal and at the same time his teacher, the same Mihawk who is an “eternal rival” for Shanks, a Yonko and Luffy’s inspiring mentor.
– Also, like Luffy has a parallel to legendary figures in the recent past (Roger) and distant past (Joy Boy), Zoro has a parallel to legendary figures in the recent past (Rayleigh) and distant past (Ryuma). These two are the only Straw Hats who have similar benchmarks.
