Summary:
Zoro confronts Ryuma in Hogback’s lab while Franky tends to an injured Brook. Neither Zoro nor Ryuma can gain any advantage over the other as they are constantly dealing with the other’s attack. Their attacks quickly destroy the lab, forcing them to escape the room and continue their wild duel on the roof. As Brook watches, he comes to the conclusion that Ryuma never took their arguments seriously. After an intense sword fight during which the entire roof collapses to the ground, Zoro finally defeats Ryuma using a technique that sets him on fire. Zoro lands hard on the edge of the roof below. Ryuma manages to land on a higher ledge. Ryuma staggers slightly, then acknowledges his defeat at Zoro’s hands. Ryuma throws Shusui into Zoro’s sheath. Ryuma collapses in flames and to his great joy, Brook’s shadow finally returns to him. Acknowledging Ryuma’s skill as a swordsman, Zoro says he wishes he could meet Ryuma before he died. He also agrees to forget the outcome of their fight.
In Hogback’s lab 5 minutes earlier, Ryuma mocks Zoro’s intention to take the Shusui Sword from him. Zoro shows how he was carrying three swords, one of which was broken. A swordsman prepares to fight using two swords. Reveling in the challenge Zoro presents, Ryuma blocks a hard attack. Ryuma then uses Aubade Coup Droit and shoots bullets of air from his sword. It would appear to be a draw as the lab is about to fall into place. Brook knows that in Ryuma’s previous life he was still a fearsome samurai.
Ryuma then thrusts his sword at Zoro with Prelude Au Fer to break his swords, with the latter retaliating with lightning. It won’t go through. He then uses Demon Magma Bear, but the attack is also blocked. The zombie samurai then uses Gavotte Bond en Avant and launches an intense onslaught on his enemy with Zoro using sword-style Rashomon dashing around. Ryuma takes a hit and the structure of the lab begins to weaken.
Franky hopes to take Brook to safety while Zoro and Ryuma continue their fight using the Phoenix 72 and Polka Remise on them. Franky then fires his gun to the left to get away safely. On the roof, the Straw Hat Swordsman and the Zombie Samurai seem balanced even with limited movement. The two continue to swing their swords and Zoro is about to lose ground. Zoro is breathing heavily, worried that his swords will break if he keeps it up. Suddenly, part of the roof is blown off. Zoro almost lands on the Soaring Dragon and the skeleton uses Arrow Notch Slash, greatly injuring Zoro. At that moment, Ryuma is fired up.
As Zoro lies on the ground, Ryuma admits defeat. He passes Shusui to his opponent because the sword has a long history of owners. Zoro catches the sword and Ryuma believes that he is ashamed of his failure. Zoro wishes they could have met when Ryuma was alive. Just then, Brook’s shadow finally returns to its rightful owner, allowing Brook to walk in broad daylight and making another skeletal joke. As Ryuma is cremated, Zoro wants to pretend the fight never happened.
Usopp runs down the hall, hoping to inform his friends of his victory over Perona, and dodges a group of Wild Zombies using an empty frame.
Elsewhere, Hildon told a group of armored zombies that the downed zombies should have been restrained by the oars. Just then Oars arrive and the bat zombies order a retreat. However, the zombie warriors try to attack the giant zombies anyway, but Oars breaks through the generals. The oars remember the orders and continue marching.
Luffy is now starting to feel tired while Moria gloats how he can be the pirate king without lifting a finger. Doppelman then lunges at Luffy and then punches past the Straw Hat Captain. Moria warns that his backup will arrive at any moment.