It will be a callback to their first duel where it was Mihawk who broke Zoro's swords and will prove there's nothing he cannot cut.
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A Mihawk without Yoru has no purpose.
I don't want any Black Blades to be destroyed, especially not Yoru ("the finest in the world").
a giant fire dragon outside onigashima flying over the capital will probably be seen by most people on the ground
If this happens, it'll make me seriously reconsider ZKK.
if you look at the draw the dragon is beheaded in the image. the panel is a reference to the panel oda attacked kaido and the beheading is a reference to ryuma beheading a dragon in the past and the editor note makes clear we will notice it.
Zoro cuts cleanly through the dragon, he doesn't behead it:
I wouldn't say failed. Getting pushed back with a lil scratch does not mean he failed to counter it.
The AP behind Imperial Flame didn't look like the main problem it was the lethality of the element and I'd argue Marco can fly out of the way when Zoro can even dodge it with not so great mobility.
I mean that he didn't counter it the way he did Prometheus' Flames.
He was able to successfully block it though.
But he can't block Imperial Dragon Flame as it required his strongest defensive technique for Imperial Flame.