WARNING: The following contains spoilers for One Piece Episode 954, "Its Name is Enma! Oden's Great Swords!," now streaming on Crunchyroll and Funimation.
The battle for the liberation of Wano draws ever nearer and in One Piece Episode 954, Zoro is zeroing in on one of his primary goals: recovering his stolen Shusui sword. After inadvertently helping reunite Hiyori and Kawamatsu, as well as locate a weapon supply that could arm the gathering revolution, it would seem that reclaiming his sword would be the logical next step. However, Hiyori instead implores the Straw Hat swordsman to leave the blade in Wano. In exchange, she makes an incredible offer: she'll give Zoro another legendary sword named Enma, once wielded by her father, Kozuki Oden.
In the One Piece world, certain swords of heightened quality are considered rare and renowned. Enma, however, is particularly noteworthy, as it is one of the two swords that were used to injure Kaido, an incredibly powerful Emperor of the sea. While Shusui has been a treasured blade of Zoro's since it was gifted to him by Ryuma on Thriller Bark, gaining one of the blades wielded by the legendary Kozuki Oden would be a more than worthwhile replacement for the man aiming to become the strongest swordsman in the world.
Zoro's Sword, Shusui, Belongs In Wano
Alongside his swords, Wado Ichimonji and Sandai Kitetsu, Zoro's sword Shusui has been with him since the events on Thriller Bark. Notoriously powerful, Shusui is also one of only two confirmed Black Blades in the One Piece world, the other being Dracule Mihawk's Yoru. As skilled of a swordsman as he is, Zoro is, of course, aware of the power of the blade and has committed much of his time and efforts to retrieve it since it was stolen from him. The sword, however, wasn't stolen because of its power; rather, it's the blade's status as a national treasure that causes Hiyori to request Zoro leave it in Wano.
Zoro, initially, isn't thrilled at the idea of leaving his blade behind. As far as he's concerned, it's his -- rightfully earned by the zombie of its original order, and utilized in countless battles before and following the series' time skip. Parting ways with the sword is not an easy request to make of him. Hiyori is, of course, likely aware of this, and thankfully her offer of trade seems to quickly and effectively pique Zoro's interest.
Enma Would Be A Worthy Replacement For Shusui
Fans may not know very much about Enma at this point in the series, but even the little details that are known are enough to make it clear that this is no small offer. Famous Swords in One Piece are incredibly rare, and the resident Straw Hat swordsman hasn't procured a new one in quite some time. The fact that Enma was a blade once wielded by Oden, the legendary hero of Wano is impressive in and of itself, but being one of the blades that gave Kaido his tell-tale scar also speaks to the blade's capabilities in the hands of the right wielder.
This prospect visibly excites the Straw Hat swordsman and is likely to excite fans as well. Even Luffy lost in a decisive battle against the Emperor. In Zoro's case, however, having a weapon that has been proven already to be able to damage Kaido would be an incredible upgrade. With this weapon as a part of his arsenal, it could very well be that Zoro ends up playing a much larger part in Kaido's defeat than viewers may have expected. That is, of course, assuming that Zoro accepts Hiyori's offer and can master Oden's blade.