Summary:
Zoro goes to a weapons shop to buy swords, and with the help of a woman he met earlier, finds a high quality Sandai Kitetsu. After testing his luck against the cursed blade by playing roulette with it and coming out intact, Ipponmatsu’s owner agrees to give him both the sword and his prized Yubashiri heirloom. Unbeknownst to Zoro, the woman is actually a marine named Tashigi, who wishes to retrieve all the high quality swords from criminals like him, though he does not know who she is.
Nami tries on several outfits that make the owner swoon, only to end up not buying any. Meanwhile, Luffy stands in front of Roger’s execution platform and contemplates the event that happened there that started the Great Age of Pirates. Elsewhere, Zoro is still upset after meeting a woman who looks just like Kuina, plus she’s a swordsman. Assured that he won’t see her again, Zoro heads to the gun shop where he is greeted by the owner of Ipponmatsu. Zoro asks to buy two swords for Beli100,000 and Ipponmatsu says that for that little money he can only sell low quality blunt swords. Then, in shock, he recognizes Wado Ichimonji at Zoro’s side and asks to see it. After confirming that it is Wado Ichimonji, he tries to cut it down and buy it from Zoro for 200,000 Beli. Zoro refuses to sell it, even when Ipponmatsu triples his offer.
Just then, a woman Zoro met walks in and immediately recognizes Wada. He reveals that it is one of the 21 O-class Wazamono swords and, to Ipponmatsu’s horror, is worth no less than Beli 1,000,000. He yells at the woman, threatens to sue her for obstructing business, and throws her her Shigure sword, which she came to pick up . They end up bumping into a rack and he yells at her to clean it up before Zoro admits that his sword is indeed as valuable as the woman claimed. Zoro doesn’t bother to understand what the previous exchange was about, and when the woman recognizes him, he goes back to pick out some of the shoddy swords. Not knowing who he is, she says that his three swords remind her of Zoro and condemns how Zoro uses his blades to make money. He laments that the famous swordsmen who now own all the swords of the highest quality are all criminals and says that the blades cry. Ipponmatsu says that he has no problem with criminals as they were his customers before Smoker gained power over the city; considers Smoker a “monster” because he is a Devil Fruit user. The woman vows to retrieve all high quality swords that are used for evil.
He then notices the Sandai Kitetsu, another high quality sword worth over 1,000,000 Beli, selling for 50,000 Beli. After hearing its true value, Ipponmatsu refuses to sell it and Zoro comments that it is cursed. Ipponmatsu confirms this, stating that just like his predecessors, his bearers also suffered tragic deaths. Zoro still wants to buy it, but Ipponmatsu still refuses to sell it despite his wife’s insistence. Zoro then offers to test her curse against his luck by blowing her up and extending her arm. Despite its unique sharpness, the Sandai Kitetsu does not leave a scratch on Zoro as it spins around his arm, causing Ipponmatsu to fall in shock. Zoro then tells the woman to choose another sword for him, but Ipponmatsu gives him Yubashiri, a Ryo Wazomono-class sword that is the best he owns. Letting Zoro take it and the Sandai Kitetsu for free, he apologized for trying to trick him and was stunned that the other sword chose him. Zoro then leaves and Ipponmatsu’s wife is surprised that he gave away their family heirloom. Ipponmatsu replies that he confided his dream to Zoro, and when his wife sends him to clean the bathtub, the woman is left kneeling in awe of what she just witnessed.
At the naval station, Smoker asks where Chief Petty Officer Tashigi is. The underling says she went to pick up her sword at the gun shop, and Smoker tells him to go bring her back because he got an eyewitness report about the pirates. He curses Tashigi to himself, calling her a disgrace to the Marines. Meanwhile, Sanji stares in love at a beautiful woman standing nearby on the street.