A notorious crossroads in the Grand Line, lay shrouded in an unsettling quiet. It was the last stop before the treacherous journey to the New World, a temporary haven where pirates, both legends and rising stars, converged. Here, the "Supernovas"—rookies with bounties soaring past 100 million Beli—were set to gather, their eyes fixed on a singular goal: finding a coating mechanic to brave the 10,000-meter descent to Fish-Man Island. This time, eleven Supernovas had arrived, each step bringing them closer to a destiny none could foresee.
Their objective was clear: secure the ship coating on Sabaody, then dive to Fish-Man Island, 10,000 meters beneath the waves. This perilous underwater passage was the only route pirates could take to reach the fabled New World.
But this time, the Sabaody Archipelago was far from peaceful. The Straw Hat Pirates, a group of these very Supernovas, had ignited a powder keg. They'd committed the ultimate taboo in this world: assaulting a Celestial Dragon. This grave act drew the immediate and formidable intervention of Admiral Kizaru of the Marines.
After a brutal and hard-won battle against the World Government's human weapon, Pacifista PX-5, the Straw Hats were barely catching their breath when they encountered another: Pacifista PX-0. It was then that Admiral Kizaru arrived, plunging the Straw Hat Pirates into the gravest crisis they had ever faced.
Roronoa Zoro, one of the Supernovas, was struck down by Admiral Kizaru's devastating light beam, instantly losing all power to fight. Just as the admiral moved in for the killing blow, a legendary figure emerged: Silvers Rayleigh, the former first mate of the Pirate King, who intervened just in time.
An Unforeseen Twist
Yet, what happened next defied all expectations. Bartholomew Kuma, "The Tyrant"—one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea allied with the World Government—suddenly appeared. With blinding speed, he sent the Supernova Zoro flying with a single, thunderous blow!
It was whispered that once struck by Kuma, a person would fly for three days and three nights, their final destination unknown. And so, Zoro became the first of the Straw Hat Pirates to be torn away from his crew.
Unbeknownst to him, a wisp of his consciousness was also flung away at that very moment, eventually vanishing into the void.
The Straw Hat Pirates' epic journey, for a moment, fell into a stunned silence.
A Strange Awakening
That wisp of consciousness, too, disappeared from the world. When Zoro finally opened his eyes again, he found himself tumbling from a tree. His first instinct was to scan his surroundings, but this was no familiar place. He was deep within a remote, ancient forest.
Then came the unsettling sensation in his body. He remembered the excruciating, soul-wrenching pain when Admiral Kizaru's light beam had pierced through him.
But as he frantically checked, he found no wounds on his body whatsoever. Even stranger, he was wearing clothes strikingly similar to the powerful mummy samurai he'd encountered back on Thriller Bark. He had no idea why.
And that wasn't all—his three iconic swords, usually at his hip, were gone! This was the most perplexing detail of all!
"My swords? What the hell happened?!"
A swordsman's blades were his partners, his very hands. Now, they were all gone? What was he supposed to do? One of them was the precious blade he'd vowed to keep, a promise made with his childhood friend. How could it just vanish?
"No, wait!"
He quickly examined his own body. Sure enough, this wasn't his. There were no familiar scars, no defined muscles; he looked disturbingly thin and frail.
"This isn't my body! What is going on? Shouldn't I be at Sabaody Archipelago? How did I end up like this?!"
Zoro was utterly bewildered. He had no clue why this transformation had occurred. Everything was a complete mystery to him!
"I was sent flying by that damn Kuma! But what in the world happened after that? Can I still find Luffy and the others? Are they still fighting that Kuma bastard right now?! I swore I wouldn't lose to anyone again, so why did I lose?! And what is going on with me now?!"
Zoro punched a large tree several times, his frustration boiling over. He had no idea what he was supposed to do! Why was he here? These were all questions demanding answers! A torrent of "whys" assaulted him. He'd rather be in battle than stranded here, and why had his body changed so drastically?! This wasn't what he wanted at all!
"But where exactly is this? What island am I on?"
Zoro didn't lose hope. Given the situation, there was nothing else he could do. This wasn't ideal, but now, he could only get stronger and find his crew. He still had his Vivre Card!
"That's right! My Vivre Card! Where is it? With my Vivre Card, I'll know where they are!"
He remembered the Vivre Card Rayleigh had given them. With it, he could locate anyone. But reality hit him hard: his Vivre Card was in his belly band, and these clothes he was wearing now... They weren't his.
"It seems fate really doesn't want me to find them yet. Fine! I'll make everyone who stands in my way understand that I will never back down! Since heaven has given me this brand new body, I've been reborn. Just you wait, next time we meet, I will protect every single one of you!"
A New Path
Though Zoro felt a pang of unwillingness, these matters would have to wait until he grew stronger. He was completely in the dark about his current situation. What if something happened that he couldn't resolve?
"First, I need to find someone! I still don't know anything about this place or where on the Grand Line it might be."
His immediate concern was temporarily shelved. Now, he had to tackle the next problem: figuring out where in the world he was!
Without his Vivre Card and with no idea of his location, he needed to find someone to ask. He had a strange feeling about this place, though—as if it perfectly suited him, or as if some unseen power was calling to him.
As he walked, he eventually reached a pond. He peered at his reflection, seeing a soft, rather delicate face, far from the rugged, determined look he was used to.
"Looks like this face is pretty similar to that curly-browed chef's. But I guess this counts as a rebirth? That damn Kuma, next time I see him, I'm going to slice him to pieces!"
Gazing at his new face, he still couldn't fathom what had happened. For now, he only knew of Bon Clay as a Devil Fruit user who could alter appearances. Kuma's ability remained a mystery, so he could only assume he'd been caught in Kuma's power, essentially reborn.