Ryuma, St Ethan Baron V. Nusjuro and Ancient Wano

Shimotsuki Ryuma,ST ETHAN BARON V.NUSJURO AND ANCIENT WANO.

I believe that Shimotsuki Ryuma and Gorosei member St. Ethan Baron V. Nusjuro were rivals during the Era of the Void Century and both come from Ancient Wano.

To begin, I feel it's worth establishing a couple of key things before people rush to shoot this theory down. Firstly the statement about Ryuma from One Piece Magazine Vol.6 released in 2019. From everything I've seen regarding this magazine, it seems that the "400 years ago" figure was sourced from the editorial staff which worked on the magazine at the time.

Chapter referenceChapter 937 · page 6Zoro being told off by Gyukimaru after he claims he met Ryuma

There is nothing in the manga or SBS, or Vivre cards that I'm aware of that give any explicit or numerical timeframe around Ryuma's life or death. See Ryuma's vivre card below, card #0475, released as part of Booster Pack Vol. 11 (the Thriller Bark / Zou themed set. Something directly sourced from Oda, this number of 400 years ago is omitted, thus the claim of Ryuma living 400 years ago being treated as fact can be deemed irrelevant in completely shutting down the theory.

Chapter referenceChapter 937Ryuma's Vivre card

So what in the manga is said about when Ryuma lived?

Chapter referenceChapter 937Gyukimaru explaining the lore behind Ryuma's life

In chapter 937, Gyukimaru says When the Land of Wano was known as the Land/Country of Gold, when pirates and nobles lusted after Wano, Ryuma stood fast and mighty and let the world know that Wano was the land of Samurai. From this chapter we know Ryuma died Centuries ago and he lived during Wano's Land of Gold era. This is interesting because we know that the walls that went up around Wano serve as a natural deterrent and strongly fortify Wano, and as per Sukiyaki in chapter 1055 they went up Ancient Wano, which was at sea level.

The argument I make is that the geological rock formations are Wano's natural defenses which naturally deterred the world government and other pirates prior to Kaido, therefore I don't see how these outside forces would be able to make into Wano to be cut down by Ryuma if they couldn't make it past the rock formations first. Therefore I believe to make what Gyukimaru says on Bandits bridge make sense, Wano in it's Land/country of Gold Era would have to be the Wano which is at sea level.

Lastly if we were to entertain this statement that Ryuma lived 400 years ago, for the life of me it is baffling as to why Wano's most significant figure would be based in such a dead space in the chronological time when the current narrative as of chapter 1191, is well on track to focus on the Void Century. We'll get back to this a bit later though.

Now moving onto Gorosei Member St Ethan Baron V.Nusjuro. It's always been very peculiar why a Gorosei member who appears to be from the land of Wano would be part of the World Government, but recent chapters have given the theory about how he ended up on the World Government's side a bit more meat on the bone.

The second leg to this theory is that Elder Star Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro was Ryuma's greatest rival. This spawns from the cover art of Chapter 1094 which is likely promotional of the adaptation of Oda's one shot 103 mercies dragon damnation, The official coloring of the cover art is what really caught my attention

Chapter referenceChapter 1094Officially colored Cover art for chapter 1094, which was promotional for the Monster 1shot being animated and made an official OP side stor

So in this cover art there is an Individual with red hair in the top left whom the majority of his face is shrouded by a flame so we can only see a part of his face. So in episode 1144 of the one piece anime V.Nusjuro in his Bakotsu form has red mane hair and his tail hair is also red when he uses his centaur form. The anime officially follows coloring provided Oda. Now it's a bit strange as to why a random individual would appear in the promotional cover art for the monsters one shot and he is not even in it the one shot. Now I admit this is light but let me land.

In chapter 907 we get our first look at the empty throne, and we know the swords put down before the empty throne are of the members that founded the World Government. Right there before the throne itself there is a Katana. Now this is interesting Katana are of Japanese design and the story's analogue for Japan is Wano and this means a royal family from Wano left and was among the 20 kings that founded the World Government which would give the foundation to explaining why St. Ethan Baron V. Nusjuro, is a member of the Gorosei. In chapter 1189 it is confirmed by St. Sommers that Imu using Omen brings the 19 weapons which were planted before the throne back to life and as shown by Imu in chapter 1190, he draws the weapon Honebami Toshiro, a Katana.

Chapter referenceChapter 1189St Summers lists three of the weapons stuck before the throne

St Summers mentions the name Muramasa in reference to the 19 blades that are before the empty throne. So I looked it up and it is a sword made in real life, "a legendary Japanese blade crafted by the [Sengo Muramasa school](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muramasa) in the Muromachi period famous for their extreme sharpness, distinctive wave-pattern temper lines (hamon), and folklore as bloodthirsty, cursed demon swords (yoto)." So I believe it is very likely that Murumasa is going to be the Katana that is shown amongst the 19 swords before the empty throne and is likely going to be a cursed blade. I believe Muramasa belonged to the Original king from Wano, which explains why Nusjuro is the only Wano presenting member of the World Government.

Chapter referenceChapter 1115Dr Vegapunk explaining how the ancient weapon sunk the world

This brings us on to the Kozuki clan who are the current royal family of Wano. In history it is exceedingly rare that Royal families throughout history also turnout to be craftsman or artisans, the most a craftsman or an artisan will ever be is nobility, as they'd craft stuff exclusively for royalty and the nobility. This means that there had to be a royal family before the kozuki evidenced by the fact of a couple of Katana being planted before the empty throne, is strong evidence that the Kozuki are the clan that replaced the original royal family from Ancient Wano.

Chapter referenceChapter 912Sukiyaki giving lore on the Kitetsu blades. Chapter referenceChapter 955Sukiyaki confirms he made Kitetsu the 3rd

The Kozuki were craftsmen and artisans. This is how they're able to read and inscribe on the poneglyphs, and craft with sea prism stone. As seen in chapter 912 and 955 above, it is confirmed that the Kitestsu II and Kitetsu III are of Kozuki craftsmanship and since Sukiyaki says Kitetsu II was forged by his forefather Kotetsu(certainly Kozuki), I am led to believe that the Kozuki made V. Nusjuro's Kitetsu as well due to the creation of Nidai and Sandai being made by the Kozuki. How does Nusjuro get his hands Kitetsu? I believe Nusjuro was the head Samurai or Scabbard to the Original Royal Family of Wano and therefore he'd be expected to be carrying the finest blade among the Royal family's scabbards. Thus he'd be granted Shodai Kitetsu.

To bring it back to Ryuma and Nusjuro, I suspect that they might have had a Miyamoto Musashi/Sasaki Kojiro(VAGABOND) dynamic, in that Nusjuro was one of the Shogun's samurai while Ryuma was like Musashi in that he was talented samurai who made his name quickly(before the legendary feats) and then a natural rivalry would spawn between the two. What convinces me this might be true is that Oda for some reason includes a figure who's face he decides to obscure leaving only his eye and hair in promotional material for RYUMA'S ONE SHOT ADAPTATION, The question for me is why did Oda decide to include this figure, in that cover art and then obscure his face and place him in a place that is quite easy to miss as if he is some lurking danger? Also given that his name, Another extremely suspicious thing is Nusjuro's name, St Ethan Baron, it's quite odd that a possible Wano native would possess and English name like Ethan, Given the fact there are no japanese named families amongst the celestial dragons, it is quite strange a samurai to encounter a samurai named Ethan. Again Nusjuro was likely given a sword of that rank. Could it be that Nusjuro might also be a Shimotsuki, with how eerily similar he looks to Kuina's father Shimotsuki Koushiro?

That is the basis of why I believe Nusjuro is that figure and I believe that he is Ryuma's greatest rival.

As they are Samurai, it is only fitting to bring up the parallels between them through the sword they carry, Shusui and Shodai Kitetsu. So to quickly touch on Ryuma's black blade Shusui. We know so little but from what do we know, a black blade is permanently infused with Haki, As per Gyukimaru in chapter 937 when he states that Ryuma forged his black blade through battle and As per Sukiyaki in Chapter 955 when he says Enma is yet to be forged into a black and depending on Zoro Enma's rank may still be raised. So the manga confirms that Black blades raise the rank of a sword. Now this is very interesting because Nusjuro's Shodai Kitetsu is not a black blade and is a supreme grade blade.

In light of recent speculation from the community after chapter 1189 about Black blades, that maybe achieved after an encounter with Imu's omen or something to that effect, I think it only emphasized the two blades and their wielders as to how they parallel each other in having special swords which I believe gives credence to my theory of Nusjuro's and Ryuma's rivalry. Cause when you think about it, If in Nusjuro's day as the shogun's samurai/scabbard it would only make sense that he'd receive the finest blade that being Shodai Kitetsu which was created by Oden and Sukiyaki's ancestor in Kotetsu, while Ryuma being a rising dragon(term from Vagabond) like Musashi would forge Shusui into something special on his own merits, rather than just being given a truly cursed sword. Another fact to keep in mind both Shodai Kitetsu and Muramasa are both Yoto or cursed blades in real life and the Kitetsu in the manga.

Why RYUMA IS NARRATIVEly RELEVANT

Ancient Wano is going to be at the crux of the void century conflict, we know this for a fact. As per Sukiyaki in chapter 1055. The Ancient Weapon Pluton is resting beneath Ancient Wano. Toki time travelled 800 years and her parents are from Ancient Wano. The Kozuki clan can read and write onto the poneglyphs. Sea prism stone comes from or is crafted in Wano. There are Katana before the empty throne. The only method to resolving the entire plot of the story is through the poneglyphs and they contain messages from JoyBoy including the coordinates to Laughtale.

Ryuma is undoubtedly the most significant figure from the land of Wano. He is the character whom the land of wano is introduced through all the way back in thriller bark. He is only 1 of 2 people in the entire history of One Piece to achieve a black blade and we know this is relevant to Zoro's plot specifically. Ryuma's blade Shusui is a sacred treasure to the land of Wano evidenced by Hiyori being willing to give up Oden's Enma for Shusui to return to Wano and her own words in chapter 954. Hiyori attributes Wano's suffering and misfortune to Shusui being stolen. Seeing as Ryuma only gets snippets of information if that, during the Wano Arc, which is more focused around Oden. The only other place we should get more Ryuma information is to do with anything pertaining to Ancient Wano.

Chapter referenceChapter 1023Kawamatsu reveals Ryuma like Zoro was a one eyed Samurai

It is quite interesting that Zoro is a one eyed swordsman like Ryuma, he returns Shusui to Wano and with it's return, Joyboy returns as well. Kawamatsu attributes this to fate. In chapter 1052 the residents of Wano compare this Joyboy's heroism to the God of the Blade. In this same chapter it's Nusjuro who confirms that Zounisha's departure means that Wano will remain impregnable. I don't need to explain who important the Gorosei are going to be.

Chapter referenceChapter 1052Joyboy's is compared to Ryuma as a hero Chapter referenceChapter 1052Nusjuro confirms that Wano will remain a fortress

The dichotomy between now becomes the clearest, and there is a deeper Asymmetry which only soldify why Nusjuro and Ryuma would be rivals and likely bitter enemies till the end. Ryuma was likely the unrefined talent whilst Nusjuro was the natural talent, one could say had God given talent with the blade. Nusjuro was likely given a sword of that rank, while Ryuma turned a skillful grade blade like Shusui into great grade blade by turning it black, Nusjuro is reveared figure because he was a scabbard of the old royal familiy and today he is an elder star, the highest seats amongst the celestial dragons who consider themselves gods, a position granted to him by Imu. Ryuma is revered for his legendary battles consecrated as a God who's blade is a sacred treasure. One earned a legend and left his descendants as part of the daimyo of wano; the other's position was granted and endures institutionally regardless of merit. That's a clean thematic mirror.

Chapter referenceChapter 954Kozuki Hiyori pleads with Zoro to return Shusui

WHAT LIKELY HAPPENED DURING THE VOID CENTURY

Since the monsters One Shot adaptation is cannon, I'll begin with that. The setting of One shot is clearly not Wano, so I think it's likely he left Wano for a time and this when he gets the Epithet Ryuma de King(this is in his vivre card btw) from those he's saved during his time away. This is an interesting parallel with Joyboy who had the powers of Nika whom slaves prayed to for salvation. During Ryuma's time away this is likely when the original royal family of Wano chose to align with the other 20 kings against Joyboy and the ancient kingdom. There is clearly a disagreement between the other daimyo and the Shogun thus as soon as they leave the Kozuki are elected to fill the role and Ryuma likely takes up the role of the head scabbard or protector of the land of Wano.

The war plays out how it plays out, in the harley the Samurai are depicted there so I think Nusjuro and Ryuma get one final battle but I think they don't get settle it due to the circumstances of JoyBoy's defeat. After Joyboy's defeat, he begins taking measure to prepare for his successor and he leaves Pluton in Wano, along with recording the events of the void century on the poneglyphs. Joyboy then had the walls go up around the land of Wano but there needed to be a 2nd layer of deterrence like Kaido was in more recent, thus that role is filled by Ryuma. Sukiyaki confirms that the people of Wano migrated up Mt. Fuji due to flooding, Ryuma obviously migrates up there which explains why he's buried where current Wano is.

While Imu likely disposed of the old shogun and royal family from Wano, keeping only Nusjuro, the strongest of the old shogun's scabbards, tying or already having tied him to a deep deep sea contract at the void century Nusjuro would become one of the Gorosei.