User blog comment:Kaido King of the Beasts/Chapter 912: A Futile Feudal Life/@comment-80.112.150.83-20180720154343/@comment-24850639-20180725193652

Tengu's sword definitely seems like a more personal heirloom, or something's specifically suited for him. Just basing this on the feathers. It seems a little extravagant for Zoro's style.

Shusui is an interesting development. In my opinion, Zoro's magistrate scene highlighted that while all of Wano definitely respects Ryuma and his legend, his sword isn't necesarily off-limits to the corrupt officials. The magistrate that held Shusui seemed rather intent on using Shusui himself afterwards, hinting that there may indeed be some kind of finders-keepers rule as far as they are concerned. While anyone other than the corrupt magistrates are probably forbidden from using it, it doesn't seem like it'd be the end of the world if the officials themselves used the power of the blade. I still expect it to cause a bit of friction when they finally meet Kin'emon's allies, but it's no longer the "give it back or else" scenario that I had in my head. I expect them to be ok with Zoro using it once they realize how powerful of any ally he is. I'm pretty sure some kind of ancestral connection to Ryuma will be revealed too, but thats another discussion.

It's a theory just like any other, but I'm willing to hold fast to the belief that the Shodai Kitetsu is indeed wielded by our boy Ghandi of the Gorosei. He's a freakin Gorosei who's been around for god knows how long, for him to not have the absolute best of the best when it comes to blades is preposterous to me. If the World Government can secure just about any Devil Fruit they'd like, I find it hard to believe that they can't exert a similar amount of influence when it comes to finding a freakin sword. We've actually seen him clean the blade, and can assume a fair degree of swodsmanship as well due to his Wano-esque outfit and the blade, so I'm pretty sold. Oda can draw sword hilts as uniquely as he'd like, it's unlikely to me that he'd use the exact same one for different Meito if they weren't somehow related.

Zoro doesn't take his swords lightly. He carried around Yubashiri just because he didn't like the feeling of being without it, and even gave it a whole funeral. I'm hard-pressed to believe that he'd just say "What, a better version of my kitetsu? Sorry Sandai!" and trade it for Nidai. If Zoro is going to use Nidai this arc, it will be because something literally happened to one of his blades. And since Mihawk made the whole big deal about covering them in haki so that they never chip, I'm not willing to buy that Sandai will get damaged beyond repair either. Sandai is also lightly implied to be responsible for Zoro's glowing left eye when he attacked and Asura, so there's that. This blade isn't just gonna be thrown by the wayside in favor of something stronger.

That would leave the blade he potentially loses, if he is getting a new one, to be the Wado Ichimonji. "But thats the one he CAN'T lose!" - Well, enter the various "Kuina is alive" theories. A lot of people are of the mindset that Kuina turning out to be alive would make Zoro's dream/promise empty, but I beg to differ. Zoro would have wanted to be the world's greatest swordsman regardless, it was a dream that was originally introduced as him being in direct competition with Kuina. It was only after her "death" that it spurred him on as a "promise" to her instead. But then Zoro meets Luffy, and achieving his dream becomes just as much about being there for his captain as it was his promise to Kuina. Finding out Kuina is still alive wouldn't rob Zoro of his desire to be the best, because that dream still has a foundation of his dedication to his captain (rememeber he almost gave up said dream FOR his captain).