In One Piece Chapter 932, after the Wano Country’s Shogun Orochi was defeated by the mysterious figure Komurasaki, he transformed into the form of a giant black snake. This image left many people pondering the sinister nature of Orochi, reminiscent of the legendary creature Yamata no Orochi from Japanese mythology. Indeed, in Chapter 933, Oda confirmed this connection, revealing that Orochi had consumed a sinister fruit that allowed him to transform into the Yamata no Orochi model.
In Japanese mythology, Yamata no Orochi is an eight-headed serpent that dwelled in the Shinto shrine, often referred to as “The Great Eight-Headed Serpent.” Within the same shrine, there is a deity named Susanoo, the god of storms and seas, known for slaying the fearsome Yamata no Orochi.
The tale goes that Susanoo, after angering Amaterasu, was banished and traveled to Izumo, where he encountered the eight-headed serpent Yamata no Orochi, which had devoured seven young maidens. Susanoo saved the eighth maiden, Kushi-inada-hime, and transformed her into a rice deity, using eight sake barrels to intoxicate the serpent, ultimately leading to its demise.
From the tail of the great serpent, Susanoo discovered the legendary sword Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, which was later known as Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi when gifted to Amaterasu.
Returning to One Piece, one key point I want to highlight in this article is that many speculate that Zoro could potentially inherit the Shusui sword in Wano, as this sword was originally obtained from Ryuma – a legendary samurai of Wano. Zoro could become the rightful heir to Ryuma’s legacy while in Wano. If this scenario unfolds, Zoro will be left without a sword and will need a new sword to replace it.
Connecting this somewhat to Japanese mythology mentioned earlier, if Oda intends to incorporate the Yamata no Orochi into Orochi’s character, there’s a high possibility that he will also include the deity Susanoo to enhance Zoro’s character arc.
Thus, in a hypothetical scenario, Zoro would acquire a new sword after defeating or overcoming Orochi, and this sword would surpass the Shusui in strength. The Shusui is classified as a Grade 2 sword among the 21 Great Grade Wazamono swords, which are national treasures of Wano. The quality of Wazamono swords is lower than that of the 12 Saijo O Wazamono (Cực Phẩm Đại Bảo Kiếm), but these swords are regarded as the highest quality in One Piece.
Currently, there is only one legendary sword known to exist, which is the Kokoutou Yoru, currently held by Dracule Mihawk.
To evolve into the greatest swordsmanship, Zoro will undoubtedly need a legendary sword to aid him in his battle against Orochi, which will serve as a key to his growth.
