"Watch this Zurojuro!" Momonosuke called. Zoro looked up from his swords, watching Momo set his stance and practice a strike. O-Tama and O-Toko both stood nearby, watching and grinning. Tama was clearly excited and while the smile fruit caused Toko to always smile, Zoro suspected that she was actually happy. Turning his attention back to Momo, Zoro watched him make the strike again. A frown came across his features as he saw Momo's stance wabble during the movement. He opened his mouth to correct the young lord, but Momo attempted a third time and broke the stance. He chuckled a little as Momo realized the mistake. Standing up, Zoro drew Wado Ichimonji and took a position next to Momo. Teaching someone how to wield a sword was much different than just doing it himself. Honestly Zoro wasn't sure he should be teaching Momo. Besides the fact that the Nine Red Scabbards were all fully qualified to teach him and they knew Kozuki Oden's philosophy and techniques, Zoro had never taught anyone before. Yet Momo kept making his way over to Zoro's side.
Zoro demonstrated the stance for Momo, which the young boy eagerly copied. They did a few strikes together before Zoro stopped to watch. After Momo did another three, Zoro nodded satisfied with his progress. Momo gave him a wide grin, clearly grateful for the praise. "Momo, Tama, Toko, there's food!" Luffy yelled. The kids all looked in the direction Luffy's voice was coming from. "Zorojuro, come eat!" Luffy added after a moment. Zoro was annoyed that they had to go by these fakes names, but if they didn't make Luffy and Chopper keep practicing them, the two would accidently give away their cover.
"You should go before he eats it all." Zoro encouraged. Momo and Tama started off but Toko hesitated.
"What about you?" she asked. Zoro offered her a smile.
"I'll be along." He promised. She nodded before rushing off. Zoro watched them go before glancing behind him. "The kids are gone, so come out and tell me what you want." he ordered. Zoro had sensed the two samurai come up on them a while ago, but since they stayed back Zoro figured they didn't want to have this conversation while the kids were around. Kawamatsu and Kikunojo both came out of the trees.
"Your good with children." Kiku said. Zoro raised an eyebrow, wondering why she was starting the conversation like that. Zoro had a soft spot for children, he knew that well. It was actually thanks to him helping a child, Riku, that led to him meeting Luffy. Since they had come to Wano, the crew was practically collecting children. It was like Punk Hazard all over again, not that Zoro was complaining. Momo had been with them before they came to Wano, but Luffy instantly picked up Tama and Zoro started to look after her not much long after. Then he met Kozuki Hiyori with Toko and somehow became their protector. Then for whatever reason Momo seemed to want to train with him.
"You also seem pretty good with the locals. I heard how you befriended O-Tsuru and Yasuie pretty quickly, and you even befriended Hiyori-hime." Kawamatsu said. Zoro thought about pointing out the only reason he probably befriended Tsuru and Hiyori so fast was because he saved them both, twice. As for Yasuie, Zoro wasn't exactly sure how they befriended each other. He still intended to kill the shogun for what he did to Yasuie. Back when Zoro met Luffy, fighting for something like revenge was something he never imagined he'd do. Over the last two years however avenging people had started becoming less of an exception and more of a common rule. He figured he should be concerned about that, but it seemed to come with building strong allies.
"It's almost like you know the culture. In fact you seem to blend in rather well to Wano Zorojuro. If I didn't know any better I would assume you grew up with some of Wano's teachings." Kiku said. Zoro crossed his arms and leaned back against a tree, curious where they were going to take this. It was obvious Kiku and Kawamatsu was going somewhere with this. Zoro wasn't surprised though. Of the samurai they had collected, the two seemed like the most observant.
"Zorojuro, do you know the history behind your swords?" Kawamatsu asked. In the last two years, Zoro had five special named swords. Yubashiri was a good blade he picked up in Louge Town. It was one of the fifty Ryo Wazamono and Ipponmatsu had entrusted Zoro with the blades future as well as his own dreams. After the marine captain Shu rusted it away, Zoro had given the blade a proper burial on Thriller Bark beside the Rumbar Pirates. Then there was Shusui. Shusui was one of the twenty-one O Wazamono and previously belonged to the great samurai Ryuma. After Ryuma's death it was buried with him only to be stollen by Moriah over twenty years ago. Ryuma gave the blade to Zoro on Thriller Bark to replace Yubashiri and Zoro carried it until Wano. The blade had been taken by Gyukimaru to return it to Ryuma's grave.
Zoro knew Kawamatsu wasn't talking about those two blades. At least he was pretty sure he wasn't. Kawamatsu and Kiku were both currently looking at Zoro's hip, telling him they were more interested in the three at his hip. Sandai Kitetsu had been with Zoro since Ipponmatsu gave it to him alongside Yubashiri. Tenguyama Hitetsu had recently informed Zoro that he forged the blade. Despite the fact it was a Wazamono blade, the lowest among the named blades, the sword was very fine. Zoro suspected the reason it was so low was because it was cursed. The blade was said to kill whoever wielded it and Zoro had been forced to use his luck and willpower numerous times to keep the curse in other two blades were o wazamono and were made by the same swordsmith, Shimotsuki Kozaburo. Enma was another blade that killed it's wielder and the only other person who could tame it had been Kozuki Oden. Oden had left it to his daughter Kozuki Hiyori and she gave it to Zoro to leave Shusui in Wano. The other sword was Zoro's greatest treasure, Wado Ichimonji.
"What about them?" Zoro asked, grabbing Wado Ichimonji's hilt.
"Shimotsuki Kozaburo and Tenguyama Hitetsu are the two greatest swordsmiths of this time, and you're blades have been crafted by both." Kiku said. Zoro nodded to show he already knew that fact.
"The Shimotsuki Family is one of the highest respected families in Wano. The hero Ryuma was a member of that family during his life. The Shimotsuki family also had two daimyo's. Shimotsuki Ushimaru of Ringo and Shimotsuki Yasuie of Hakumai." Kiku said. Zoro smirked.
"Is there a point behind you're little history lesson?" he asked. Kawamatsu nodded.
"I find it interesting that you seem to be so connected to the Shimotsuki Family. You bare two blades forged by Kozaburo-dono, Ushimaru-dono's retainer Onimaru, who you knew as Gyukimaru was the one to reclaim Ryuma's blade from you. And you befriended both Yasuie-dono and his daughter Toko." Kawamatsu said. Zoro grunted with a nod.
"You want to just come out with whatever question you want to ask?" Zoro asked. The beating around the bush was getting old.
"Very well. Zorojuro-dono, where are you from?" Kiku asked. Zoro smirked.
"You want to know what my connection is to old man Kozaburo right?" Zoro specified. The two looked surprised. "Tengu guy told me he left Wano about fifty years ago. You think I'm somehow related to him." Zoro elaborated. They nodded. "No, I'm not related to them." Zoro stated.
"But you do know him." Kawamatsu said. Zoro nodded.
"I'm from a village in the East Blue called Shimotsuki Village. Apparently Old Man Kozaburo helped create it when he saved a bunch of people from bandits. He had a son, Master Koshiro, and they ran a place called to Isshin Dojo. The Shimotsuki Family crest was also the crest of the dojo. I trained with Master Koshiro's daughter Kuina. She was my friend and rival." Zoro explained.
"And now?" Kiku asked. Zoro glared and she backed up, clearly getting the hint.
"I see. I never expected Kozaburo-dono to create a village that shared his own name." Kawamatsu said. Zoro shrugged.
"Maybe he wants to see the doors of Wano open to." he suggested. The two samurai looked at Zoro in awe. "So is that all you wanted? To know what happened to the old man?" Zoro asked. The two looked like they couldn't decide if they were offended by the comment or amused.
"When did you figure out he was from Wano?" Kiku asked. Zoro shrugged.
"After I saw Wano, I kinda figured out there was some connection. When I first heard the name and saw the family crest that pretty much settled it." Zoro said.
"And you never spoke up about it?" Kawamatsu asked. Zoro shrugged.
"Why?" he asked. There really wasn't a point in bringing it up. He trained under Koshiro, not Kozaburo. He had no real connection to Wano himself. Besides the last thing he needed was one of them calling him a retainer of the family or some odd thing like that. Zoro actually hadn't known how much he connected himself to that family until now, but it didn't really matter. As far as he knew, they probably saw Wado Ichimonji and sought him out. I wasn't worth putting energy into thinking about, not with the battle against Kaido and Big Mom hanging over their heads.
It seemed the two samurai didn't have an answer either. Zoro turned and started back toward the others. It was time to eat dinner anyway. He didn't think they would bring it up to anyone else. After all it was just a minor connection.
Honestly, I just think it's a shame that all these hints about Zoro's connection to Wano have been all through the arc and NOT A SINGLE SOUL has commented on it.