One Piece: Oda Confirms A New Class Of Fighters Even Stronger Than Haki Users

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This article contains spoilers from the Elbaf arc of One Piece.

In the world of One Piece, creator Eiichiro Oda has built a large and varied cast of characters who battle using different techniques. While most powerful fighters rely on Devil Fruits – special abilities that are central to the series’ power system – Haki is equally crucial, and arguably even more so, particularly in the challenging New World.

Recently, Oda has expanded the already complex power system in One Piece by introducing new abilities used by members of the World Government. These powers vary in strength – some are relatively easy to overcome, while others are powerful enough to bypass even Haki defenses. Currently, only a select few characters can effectively counter the World Government’s elites, and they all achieve this through unique agreements with Saint Imu Nerona, the Sovereign of the World. These agreements grant them incredible abilities, including regeneration and even immortality, making them some of the most dangerous powers seen in the series.

Haki Users Are The Most Skilled Fighters In The New World

  • Haki Is Present Within Everyone In One Piece
  • Only A Handful Can Utilize Haki Of The Highest Order

As I’ve watched the battles in the world of One Piece, it’s become clear that those with Haki consistently rank among the strongest. It makes sense when you consider what Haki actually is – a spiritual energy that demands intense training of both body and mind. It’s like developing a sixth sense, greatly enhancing your awareness, or it can be used to simply make you hit harder and take more damage. And then there’s the rare ability to use Supreme King Haki, which can completely overpower an opponent.

Everyone possesses a hidden power called Haki – the ability to sense spiritual energy and dominate opponents. While everyone has it to some extent, most people never unlock it. True power comes from unwavering confidence. Now, pay attention! Haki generally manifests in two distinct forms or colors. – Silvers Rayleigh speaking to Luffy in Ruskaina

As a huge One Piece fan, it’s become super clear to me that Devil Fruits, while amazing, aren’t enough to reach the very top. In the New World, anyone with strong Haki can basically negate a Fruit’s powers! That’s why the strongest characters usually have both a Devil Fruit and incredible Haki. You can still become a top-tier fighter with just Haki, pushing that skill to its absolute limit, but relying solely on a Devil Fruit? Forget about it. It’s a tough reality for Fruit users!

Throughout the One Piece series, it’s become clear that Haki is crucial for reaching the highest levels of power. Whether you’re one of the Four Emperors, a Navy Admiral, or a leading figure in the Revolutionary Army, strong Haki is essential to be a major player.

The tables have turned in the story, thanks to Oda. We’re now seeing powerful figures from the World Government who possess abilities that normal Haki can’t defend against. This means most Haki users are ineffective against them. These individuals – known as the Holy Knights and the Five Elders – all have a deal with Imu, which gives them unique powers.

Users Of Imu’s Abyssal Covenant Are The Strongest In One Piece

  • Armament And Observation Haki Is Useless Against Them
  • Only Conqueror’s Haki Works In Some Cases

We first saw the full extent of Imu’s powers during the Egghead arc, which marks the true beginning of the final story arc in One Piece. Saint Saturn, one of the Five Elders, was the first to demonstrate this ability, showcasing a power to completely heal from any injury. He was clearly immortal, and also possessed a mysterious and incomprehensible Yokai ability.

Despite putting up a good fight against Saturn, Luffy couldn’t seem to hurt him significantly and ultimately had to escape the island.

During the Elbaf arc, the Holy Knights have started taking action, and it’s become obvious they can’t be defeated through ordinary methods. Similar to the Five Elders, the Holy Knights draw their power from Covenants given by Imu, but their specific abilities are unique. The Elbaf arc has revealed that there are three different kinds of these Covenants existing in the world of One Piece.

First, there’s the Shallow Sea Covenant. It doesn’t offer much in the way of powers, but it does allow the user to bypass the Abyss mark and teleport instantly. Importantly, anyone carrying the Abyss mark can also be controlled by Imu if they’re close enough.

The Deep Sea Covenant is the second of these powerful artifacts, and it’s commonly used by the Holy Knights. It grants immortality and incredible strength, along with instant healing from any injury. However, there’s a terrible price: those marked by the Deep Sea Covenant gradually lose their sanity and become puppets controlled by Saint Imu.

The ultimate agreement is known as the Abyssal Covenant. While its full extent is still unknown, observing the Five Elders reveals it bestows Yokai powers, alongside incredible strength, immortality, and rapid healing. They also possess the ability to communicate with each other telepathically and effortlessly create the Abyss Circle.

Only Conqueror’s Haki Can Slow Down Immortals In One Piece

image by Viz Media
  • Advanced Conqueror’s Haki Can Slow Down Immortality
  • Killing Them Is Still Nearly Impossible

The abilities granted by Imu’s various Covenants are remarkably powerful, and as Eiichiro Oda has stated, most Haki users in the world of One Piece are unable to defend against them.

In the world of One Piece, Haki generally overcomes any supernatural power, like those granted by Devil Fruits. However, Haki isn’t effective against individuals connected to Imu and their unique abilities. There’s a key exception: only those with Supreme King Haki can hinder the healing and immortality of someone bearing Imu’s mark.

According to Scopper Gaban, the immortals’ greatest vulnerability is anyone wielding weapons coated with the Color of the Supreme King, as seen in One Piece chapter 1170.

As demonstrated with Scopper Gaban’s fight in Elbaf, imbuing weapons with Supreme King Haki and attacking the Immortals drastically reduces their ability to heal. This also overcomes their immortality, allowing them to be defeated with sustained attacks.

Loki Is The Only One Who Could Kill An Immortal

Loki demonstrated his incredible power by defeating a Holy Knight. It’s important to remember that Conqueror’s Haki is exceptionally rare – only about one in a million people in the world of One Piece can use it. And even among those who can use Conqueror’s Haki, very few are able to arm themselves with it.

From what I’ve observed, most Haki users – I’d say around 99% or even more – simply aren’t powerful enough to affect those who wield the Covenants. This leads me to believe that, overall, Covenant users are stronger than the average Haki user in the world of One Piece.

Eiichiro Oda’s popular manga, One Piece, follows Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, as they search for the legendary treasure, the One Piece. The story is currently in its final arc. A new chapter, 1171, will be released in this week’s issue of Weekly Shonen Jump on January 18, 2026. In Japan, it will be available at midnight on Monday, which is 11:00 AM Eastern Time and 8:00 AM Pacific Time. Fans can read the chapter for free on the Manga Plus and Shonen Jump apps, and by doing so, they directly support the creator.

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2026-01-16 16:09