WARNING: The following contains spoilers for One Piece Chapter 1033, "Shimotsuki Kozaburo," by Eiichiro Oda, Stephen Paul, and Vanessa Satone, available in English from Viz Media.
In the last chapter, Izo and Marco were heading towards the burning castle, passing by the now-towering Big Mom. The Animal Kingdom Pirates were trying to escape the blaze, but the Samurai were blocking exit, forcing them to start bringing out canons. In the 2nd Basement Level, Yamato was still hurrying towards the armory, with Apoo following and trying to convince him to form an alliance. Behind Apoo was X-Drake, who was attempting to stop the flaky pirate, with the Numbers completing the line.
Brook and Robin fall form the upper levels, with the two Masked CP0 members close behind, but the spirit entity catches the two agents as it heads down, separating them from the Straw Hats. Drake and Apoo then picked a fight with the masked agents as Zoro and King continued their brawl outside of the Dome. King unveiled his special dinosaur ability when he pulled his head back and it shot like a slingshot. As he continued to explain his abilities, Zoro asked about the flame on his back and figured out that the feathered wings King normally has move. His attacks didn't seem to faze King, and he was eventually knocked to the ground. Suddenly, he heard a shamisen and Enma began draining his Haki dramatically. In the Treasure Repository, Orochi found Hiyori as her Komurasaki persona playing the shamisen. The chapter closed as she said she's always by Orochi's side.
Chapter 1033 picks up with Enma continuing to drain Zoro's energy uncontrollably. King charges forward, but stops just in front of Zoro. Confused, Zoro takes this opportunity to get in a direct hit, but this plays right into King's plan. He explodes upon impact, sending a plume of smoke towering into the sky. In the Pleasure Dome, Queen is taunting Sanji by saying Zoro can't beat King. He goes on to explain that King is indeed a Lunarian and that their race could survive almost environment; they were considered gods in the past. Sanji asks how a race that strong could be wiped out, and Queen readies a laser in response.
Back outside, Zoro narrowly survives the explosion by using his Armament Haki to shield himself. King, however, is completely unharmed. Zoro uses his One-Sword Style, Iai Death Lion Song attack and lands a hit, but again, it doesn't have any effect on King, who once again stretches his head back and unleashes an Imperial Deep Pride Stake attack. Zoro tries to use Enma, but it starts draining his Haki again. The attack hits Zoro and destroys the nearby cliffs. King mocks Zoro for not being able to control his own sword as the swordsman begins plummeting.
As he falls, he sees Sandai Kitetsu and thinks back to when he first received it and when he learned that Tenguyama created it. King takes this chance to kick Zoro into the ground, mocking him for risking his life for a sword. Zoro looks up and finds Wado Ichimonji sticking up from the ground. Reaching for the sword, he remembers when he made his vow to become the World's Greatest Swordsman after Kuina's death. He also remembers what Tenguyama had said about Wado Ichimonji: that it was forged by the same man that forged Enma, Shimotsuki Kozaburo.
Then, it hits him. How did a Wano sword get to the East Blue? He doesn't have long to dwell on the question and King launches another assault. He tries to block, but is sent flying again. Airborne, his mind begins putting the pieces together. Momonosuke explains that he was told to never say "Sunacchi." We learn that there was an elderly man living in the village Zoro grew up in who would sit by the shore. He was Kuina's grandfather, though Zoro didn't learn this until after he had passed. Then, he remembers that Tenguyama said Shimotsuki Kozaburo illegally left Wano 50 years ago.
13 years before the present battle, a young Zoro was training at the dojo and the old man said "Sunacchi" was a word that could fill one's heart with strength. Zoro asked the old man if he was really a samurai, but the man refused to answer because the Marines would come after him. The man observed Zoro has he practiced on his own outside of the dojo after losing to Kuina again. He gives Zoro two swords to use for training before explaining that swords are meant to cut people down and that when created, the smith makes sure they can kill as many people as possible. Each sword is different and it is up to the swordsman to master them. Finally, he declares that the weak spread nonsense that deadly swords are cursed. On that note, he talks about he created a sword in his youth that was named after the Lord of the Underworld.
Upon the realization that he was wielding the same blade the old man spoke of, he concludes that the man was indeed Shimotsuki Kozaburo. Enma is testing him, and he hasn't been living up to its expectations. He rises to his feet with renewed determination. As a group of Animal Kingdom Pirates decide to gang up on him alongside King, he figures out that he's meant to continue feeding the sword his Haki. He begins emitting Conquerer's Haki, knocking out the lower-ranking pirates. King asks him if he also has intentions of being a king, and Zoro confirms this, recounting the promise he made to Luffy.
The next chapter of One Piece will be available on Sunday, December 5th.