Chapter 955

In a flashback, Hiyori tells Zoro and Kawamatsu she will keep away from the others rather than stir their feelings, and bows in encouragement before, in the present, the Scabbards and Momonosuke rejoice at word that she survives. His preparations done, Hitetsu reclaims Nidai Kitetsu and lays out Oden's two swords. Since Momonosuke admits he cannot yet handle Ame no Habakiri, the other blade passes to Zoro; when he tests it, the weapon carves away a whole cliff face while siphoning enormous Armament Haki from his arm. Zoro wrenches the Haki back under his own control, earning Hitetsu's praise for mastering a sword that would sap any ordinary swordsman.

With three days to spare, Robin reports roughly 20,000 Beasts Pirates and a 10,000-strong Orochi escort, towering over the alliance's 4,000, so Kin'emon rules out a frontal assault. Luffy drills his Haki in the Mines, and as Kin'emon's party forms up, events roll toward the Fire Festival. Orochi, though, unravels Yasuie's trick, discovers the Udon uprising, the fresh rendezvous at Port Tokage, and where Hiyori has gone to ground.

Word that Hiyori still lives reaches Momonosuke, the Scabbards, and Shinobu by way of Kawamatsu. Zoro takes possession of Enma, a blade that pulls its wielder's Armament Haki to hugely amplify each cut, tamed before only by Oden. Nidai Kitetsu is handed back, and Hitetsu's motive for lingering at Amigasa Village, safeguarding Enma and Ame no Habakiri, comes to light. Luffy at last commands advanced Armament Haki. Both Enma and Wado Ichimonji are confirmed to be the work of Shimotsuki Kouzaburou, who fled Wano illegally more than fifty years earlier. Orochi learns the alliance's scheme and Hiyori's whereabouts, and this installment brings the Wano arc's second act to its close on Fire Festival day.

The cover serial's sixth part docks the Fire Tank Pirates at Dressrosa to restock. Hitetsu, disclosed as the smith who forged both Ame no Habakiri and Sandai Kitetsu, believes Enma will at last become a Black Blade under Zoro. Graves are raised for Yasuie and Pedro, and departing from earlier act bookends where she sang, Hiyori plays the shamisen as the act ends.