Copium overdose.
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Imagine trying to convince yourself that the Dark King and King of Hell aren't parallels. Holy shit the Zorotard agenda is so cooked that they're actually divorcing Rayleigh after riding his agenda for literal years. You can't make this up even if you tried.
You're confused. Rayleigh still exists as a benchmark for Zoro, he's simply not a direct parallel.
Sharing similarities doesn't make you a direct parallel.
Parallels are made in-canon - Roger is Luffy's parallel because countless characters have said hey, you remind me of Roger. Sanji is Gaban's parallel because characters have said hey, you remind me of Sanji. Zoro is Ryuuma's parallel because characters have said hey, you remind me of Ryuuma.
No one has
ever said Zoro reminds them of Rayleigh - he is not a direct Rayleigh parallel. But you can share similarities with characters such that they become benchmarks or you could even call it an indirect parallel. Zoro has plenty:
Direct parallel: Ryuuma
Indirect parallels: Oden, Mihawk, Rayleigh, Roger, Whitebeard, Shimotsuki Ushimaru.
This is common sense. Take Luffy:
Direct parallel: Roger, Joyboy, Nika
Indirect parallels: Shanks, Ryuuma, Oden
Or Sabo:
Direct parallel: Ace
Indirect parallel: Oden
None of your headcanon changes this. I'll change my mind if you can provide a single manga panel where Zoro reminds someone of Rayleigh, I'll wait. Until then, hush.