Zoro was known as the no. 2 in-verse as recently as Dressrosa. It's not senseless to think he was referring to Zoro, even if Sanji's bounty is higher. Either way, you have to make an assumption because there was no direct clarification.
Barto's only info on Zoro was irrelevant shit like Bounty/SN etc. Barto hs never been inside the crew at that point. He doesnt know the dynamic. How can you expect him or any Non SH to know the actual fucking heiarchy.
Sanji got the higher bounty in Wano. Thus was seen as No 2 by Queen and Maria.
How do you know what they know about the SHs? As readers we only have bounties, they clearly have more info within the verse. Otherwise Bartolomeo wouldn't have known about Usopp shooting down the WG flag
And besides that, do you have no comment on Zoro being referred to as the no.2/second-strongest in supplementary material by Oda himself? Why is that not sufficient enough?
And besides that, do you have no comment on Zoro being referred to as the no.2/second-strongest in supplementary material by Oda himself? Why is that not sufficient enough?
When. Oda has just admitted Zoro is no VC. He stated that he had to pick between No 2s. That being plural. And we also know that Zoro wouldve always appeared om this colourspread.
This is literally no different to the potrayal, Sanji got with Bepo and Killer Pre timeskip. Why tf do yall literally love to forget that moment. That literally happened in the cannon...and its worth far more than a colourspread.