Luffy meets Zoro while he's being held captive by some marines who agreed to set him free only if he survives with no food or water tied up under the sun for a month. Luffy admits to him that he's looking for a crew so he can become King of the Pirates, to which Zoro replies that there's no way that he'd join his crew since he's 'weaker'. Luffy then says that he wouldn't want Zoro on his crew since he's got bad reputation. When Zoro asks Luffy to feed him the rice that a kid prepared him which has been thrown on the ground and was filled with dirt, Luffy deducts that he's a good guy. When Luffy found out Zoro's going to be executed in 3 days and that Helmeppo lied, he proceeds to beat him up and declares that he's gonna make Zoro join his crew. As Luffy and Coby head back to the marine quarters, Zoro finds out what Luffy did when he found out about his execution. Once Luffy gets his swords back and protects Zoro from gunshots, Zoro comes to admire Luffy's strength and tells him that he's earned a crewmate.After Luffy's been tricked into being captured by the Buggy Pirates due to Nami, Zoro finally arrives to the island and looks for Luffy. When he arrives to set Luffy free, Buggy engages a fight with him and wounds him. Luffy tells Zoro to leave at which Zoro refuses, but then catches on Luffy's plan just through eye contact. After firing at the Buggy Pirates, Zoro carries the cage Luffy's in and leaves.
