Summary:
While Levely is taking place, Nekomamushi manages to find Marco. Marco settled in Whitebeard’s homeland, which his crew now protects. With the threat of Edward Weevil possibly coming to this country, Marco stays behind to protect her, but gives Nekomamushi a message to pass on to Luffy.
Meanwhile, Zoro’s group made it to Wano Country. Kin’emon orders them to interfere, but Zoro is arrested after being accused of cutting down some people at night. He is condemned to commit seppuku because Tsujigiro takes Shusui for himself, but Zoro instead kills Tsujigiro with a seppuku blade.
On their way to Wano Country, Nekomamushi and his crew stop at the island that Whitebeard grew up on, which is referred to as his homeland. It turns out that the Norse chose to stay along the coast because they were warriors on the island of peace. Marco has taken on the role of the island’s doctor and helps a few citizens before going to sit with Nekomamushi. He describes that Whitebeard grew up as an orphan on this island and was too poor to join the world government. When he began his pirate career, Whitebeard took care of the island by bringing money to it, despite having no family ties there. After Blackbeard killed Whitebeard and took his place as Emperor, Marco wanted to fight him as revenge for taking everything from the remaining Whitebeard pirates; he breaks down when he mentions that his share of the treasure went to support the island, and thanks Shanks for burying Whitebeard as his ‘last memory’. Marco then brings up the subject of Edward Weevil hunting down anyone with ties to Whitebeard, and while he doesn’t know if his claims about being Whitebeard’s true son are true, he admits that Buckin was a pirate around thirty or forty years ago with Whitebeard and for the sake of the island I cannot travel to Wano; he informs Nekomamushi to relay the message to Luffy instead.
Shortly after arriving in Wano country, Kin’emon warns Franky, Usopp, Robin, and Zoro that they must assimilate into the country until they gather enough support to overthrow Shogun Kurozumi Orochi, who is loyal to Kaido. He urges them to conceal their identity and not to provoke any of the officials; if so, Kaidou will know about it and destroy their plans. Franky, Usopp, and Robin are able to blend in by getting jobs as a carpenter, a salesman, and a geisha.
Zoro posed as a ronin, but was detained by local magistrate Toyama Tsujigiro for allegedly murdering three people in the night. Additionally, he is accused of desecrating the grave of the famous hero and swordsman Ryuma, using the fact that Zoro is in possession of Ryuma’s sword Shusui as evidence. Despite acknowledging that Zoro may have stolen the sword from the original thief, Tsujigiro gleefully expresses his joy at now being in possession of the sword and orders Zoro to commit seppuku for “his” crimes. As Zoro prepares, he notes that Tsujigiro himself reeks of blood and questions if he is the real culprit; Tsujigiro is caught off guard and Zoro slices through the air, cutting Tsujigiro and part of the building. While the onlookers are shocked that so much damage was done with just a seppuku blade, Zoro mentally apologizes to Kin’emon and prepares.