Before he meets Luffy, Zoro traveled the world in search of "Hawk-Eye" Mihawk. In a flashback, Zoro captures the target of the bounty hunters Johnny and Yosaku in a bar. According to bounty hunter rules, they demand that he relinquish the victim's body to them. Zoro, who does not consider himself a bounty hunter, complies, explaining that he only brings in a bounty from time to time so that he can survive until he can become the greatest swordsman in the world. Later that day, a group of bandits, led by a man with a much higher bounty, plunders the village. Johnny and Yosaku, inspired by Zoro's conviction, decide to take on the villain, but are quickly defeated. As the bandits prepare to kill the pair, Zoro returns and saves Johnny and Yosaku. After he defeats the bandits and their leader, Johnny and Yosaku become his followers.