Apprenticing Under Shimotsuki

East Blue, Shimotsuki Village.

Thirty-nine years ago, after the legendary Wano Country swordsmith Kozaburo Shimotsuki forged the famed blade Enma and entrusted it to Kozuki Oden, he led his samurai out to sea. After countless hardships, they eventually reached this small island in the East Blue.

After driving off the local bandits and protecting the villagers, Kozaburo fell in love with one of the native women. He settled here and established a village named after his own family.

As time passed, thirty-nine years went by, and Shimotsuki Village became a well-known peaceful village in the East Blue.

Kozaburo's son, Koshiro Shimotsuki, opened Isshin Dojo here and taught swordsmanship.

By the shore.

"How could this be..."

Zoro hung his head, his tone beyond description.

"Why did I end up at the shore? I was clearly trying to get back to the dojo..."

He turned around and headed back along the path he had come from. Or rather, the path he believed he had come from.

A moment later, when Zoro passed the same house for the fifth time, he finally realized something was wrong.

"This place... I feel like I've been here before, but also like I haven't... Is it an illusion?"

Meanwhile.

The clouds parted, and a white streak stabbed toward the earth like a sharp sword. Dawn descended from the sky. When he was several meters above the ground, gravity control slowed his fall, allowing him to land lightly.

He looked around—a typical East Blue village, with low wooden houses, neat dirt roads, and farmland and windmills visible in the distance.

A villager happened to pass by. He was visibly startled when he saw Dawn; a man this tall was not a common sight here.

Dawn stepped forward with a gentle smile.

"Excuse me, could you tell me how