Zoro's new sword after Elbaf, explained

This article contains spoilers from One Piece's Elbaf Arc.

Summary

• Zoro's three current swords are Wado Ichimonji, Enma, and Sandai Kitetsu.

• Zoro values ​​Wado Ichimonji because of its spiritual connection from the beginning of his journey.

• Zoro can replace Sandai Kitetsu with Nidai Kitetsu after the Elbaf Arc.

Zoro is one of the best swordsmen in One Piece and one that aims to reach even greater heights and surpass the current greatest swordsman, Dracule Mihawk. Zoro has made great strides over the years. Having gone from a nameless swordsman all the way to being considered a monster in the new world, Zoro has achieved power worth being proud of.

However, it is safe to say that Zoro has yet to reach the highest heights. It's clear that Zoro needs to get stronger, and he can only do that by getting stronger weapons. Currently, Zoro has a pretty impressive array of swords, but maybe he'll get a new sword upgrade soon enough.

Zoro's current three swords

• Zoro will always stick to Wado Ichimonji

• Zoro got his latest Sword Enma in Wano

Currently, Zoro has access to some of the most powerful blades in existence One Piece. Zoro's current lineup of swords includes the Enma, Wado Ichimonji, and Sandai Kitetsu. All three of these blades are incredibly powerful, each special in their own way. It is unclear which blade Zoro considers the best, but the spiritual connection he has with Wado Ichimonji suggests that this blade is indeed his favorite.

When I tame this sword, I will become stronger. – Zoro

Zoro was given Wado at the beginning of his journey as a swordsman. This is one of the 21 Great Swords, and this blade originally belonged to Kuina. After her death, it passed to Zoro, and he uses the sword to keep the promise he made to her to become the greatest swordsman in the world. No matter what, Zoro will never give up this sword. This sword will also be taken by Zoro to the next level, possibly being blackened at the end of the story. It must also be remembered that this blade is far too special for Zoro to be replaced, meaning that even as Zoro continues to receive a power upgrade, in terms of his arsenal, Wado Ichimonji cannot be touched and will remain with him forever until the end.

Then you come over to the other sword that is quite difficult to replace, and this sword is Enma. Enma is the reason Zoro is as strong as he is right now. He got the sword in the Wano Country Arc of One Piece as a replacement for Shusui, who ended up returning to the country. Zoro received Enma from Hiyori, and this sword is incredibly powerful as it pulls Ryuo from the user's body and forcibly brings it to the surface. It is believed that only a handful of individuals in One Piece the world can tame this sword. Zoro has yet to fully master Enma, meaning his chances of actually replacing the sword anytime soon are very low.

At the same time, Zoro must blacken the sword Enma, meaning he cannot simply give it away until he has achieved it. This plot was set up in the Wano Country arc when Zoro was training with Enma and talking to Sukiyaki. It was made clear that Emma didn't turn black under Odin because it wasn't given enough time and Odin died an untimely death. Zoro will have to fulfill that sometime later. Considering that Zoro is not close to blackening this sword yet, it is highly likely that he will have to keep the sword until the end.

Why the Sandai Kitetsu needs to be replaced

Sandai Kitetsu is strong, but not strong enough

Considering that both Enma and Wado Ichimonji cannot be replaced, the only sword fans can turn their eyes to is the Sandai Kitetsu. The Sandai Kitetsu is a very powerful blade, known to be one of the 50 Skillful Swords. This blade is quite powerful to say the least, and Zoro defines it as a sharp blade that is a bit hard to hold. This sword is also known to have its own bloodlust, which shouldn't come as a surprise, given that this is a cursed sword. It belongs to the Kitetsu line, and all swords in this line are said to cause a terrible death upon their owner.

But the Wano Country Arc of One Piece made it clear that there is no such thing as “cursed” swords. These are tools made for murder, and when someone fails to control a sword, they start calling it cursed, because they simply weren't up to the task of controlling the blade. The blades choose their owners, and only the worthy are strong enough to sustain their powers.

Are you telling me Odin used to swing you like you were light as a feather? – Zoro

Zoro has proven himself worthy of using the Sandai Kitetsu, but unfortunately this sword is not as strong as the other two. Although Zoro continues to blacken the sword, it will not rise to the highest grade, like the other two. As such, this sword needs to be replaced, and sometime after the Elbaf arc, it's possible that Zoro will pick up a brand new blade. What sword Zoro will pick up, fans don't know. The perfect sword for Zoro to replace the Sandai Kitetsu with would be the Nidai Kitetsu. This sword was introduced in Wano, but for some reason Zoro didn't get it.

That said, just because Zoro didn't get it during the Wano Country arc doesn't mean he can't receive it later. It must be remembered that the country of Wano will join the Straw Hat Pirates when the main One Piece war begins. After all, Pluto is sleeping under Wano and the barriers around the country must be torn down. When that happens, Momo, Yamato, Kinemon and even Sukiyaki, along with the country's samurai, will join in on all the action. It is possible that at this point Zoro will continue to replace Sandai Kitetsu with Nidai Kitetsu.

Why Nidai Kitetsu?

Of course, fans may wonder why Zoro needs to have the Nidai Kitetsu and why he simply can't go for any other sword after the Elbaf arc. The answer to that question is quite simple. Oda has already established a fight between Zoro and Nusjuro. As fans know, he has the Shodai Kitetsu, and Zoro has the Sandai. As such, this is a Kitetsu sword fight set up by Oda himself. Zoro simply cannot enter this battle without a Kitetsu Sword, meaning that either Zoro continues to use the Sandai Kitetsu until the end, or, if the sword is replaced, it is done with the Nidai Kitetsu. The possibility of Zoro obtaining the Nidai Kitetsu is in One Piece, and hopefully it will become a reality at some point later.

One Piece is available to read via Viz Media. The series can be read by fans officially and for free in the Shonen Jump and Manga Plus apps. The release date for the next chapter of One Piece, One Piece 1136, is set for January 19, 2025.