As an ability that weaponizes a user’s willpower, Haki is said to be the true judge of a pirate’s caliber in the New World.

HIGHLIGHTS

 Introduction of Haki in One Piece was a game-changer, offering users superhuman feats to complement Devil Fruit powers.
 Three types of Haki – Observation, Armament, Conqueror’s – offer varied benefits, with advanced techniques vital in battling strong foes.
 Masters of Haki like Luffy, Shanks, and Kaido show its critical role in surpassing Devil Fruit users in the New World.

Although there were many clues about Haki’s existence scattered throughout the first half of One Piece, Eiichiro Oda did not formally introduce this power system until just before the time skip. Initially, this unique ability — which manifests a user’s willpower as strength and permits them to perform superhuman feats — complemented the main Devil Fruit-based power system of the series quite well.

By the time of the Wano Country Arc, there were still a few major questions concerning Haki’s significance and how it was harnessed by the more powerful characters of the previous generation, such as Gol D. Roger and Whitebeard. Fortunately, many of them were answered during the Raid on Onigashima, which shed light on Haki’s importance in the New World. With even Kaido attesting to how it is a critical weapon for any pirate to have, is Haki really the secret to conquering the Grand Line in One Piece?

Of all the new forms that Luffy has taken on in critical fights throughout the series, which one among them eclipsed the rest?

The Basic Tenets Of Haki

It is well known that there are three forms of Haki: Observation, Armament, and Conqueror’s. The vast majority of people in the world of One Piece have the ability to use the first two types, whereas Conqueror’s Haki is a rare ability awakened only by a select few. Moreover, Haki is a difficult skill to master, as even Silvers Rayleigh has stated that even two years’ time might not be enough to fully grasp the fundamentals.

To improve one’s control over their Haki, it is best to hone it in battle, where an individual’s abilities will be pushed beyond their limits. Among the three types, Observation Haki allows users to sense the intent and movements of living organisms and objects in their vicinity, providing them with a sixth sense of sorts.

Next, Armament Haki gives users the ability to reinforce parts of their body with invisible armor, and nullify Devil Fruit abilities, which comes in extremely handy when dealing with Logia-type or special Paramecia-type users. Finally, Conqueror’s Haki manifests the user’s willpower and permits them to exert it over others, incapacitating weaker-willed individuals around them in the process. At the simplest level, this is how these three abilities work.

Wielded At An Advanced Level

For more seasoned users, each form of Haki has an advanced application which is necessary to contend with opponents of a similar level. In the case of Observation Haki, users will gain the ability to foretell events just before they occur, through the technique known as “Future Vision.” At its most potent, Future Vision lets the user peer a few seconds into the future, to devise countermeasures against whatever they are facing. So far, only Luffy, Shanks, Kaido, and Charlotte Katakuri are confirmed users of this ability.

When it comes to Armament Haki, there are two distinct advanced applications: Emission and Internal Destruction. Emission is a technique through which users let Haki flow outward for a short distance from their body to inflict damage on a surface or object without making direct contact. On the other hand, Internal Destruction directs Haki into a target’s body to inflict damage from within. This ability negates most external defenses, which is why it is extremely handy against tough opponents such as Kaido, for instance.

When used together, Emission and Internal Destruction make for a deadly combo. There are quite a few people who can use Emission, but only Luffy and Rayleigh have been depicted using Internal Destruction. In the case of Conqueror’s Haki, the main advanced ability is Infusion, which grants users the power to coat their bodies or weapons with it, bolstering the destructive force of their attacks by an immense degree.

This can also be combined with advanced Armament Haki to devastating effect. While there is one other ability known as “Observation Killing,” which affords users the ability to conceal their presence and prevent opponents from using their own Observation Haki, its capabilities are not fully known, since the only confirmed user so far in the series is Shanks.

With Sentomaru out of the picture, the momentum swings in favor of CP0. How will the Straw Hats handle the problem?

Evidence Of Haki’s Importance In The New World

Two of Luffy’s most recent major battles against Charlotte Katakuri and Kaido, prior to the Egghead Arc, were partially decided by his ability to master advanced forms of Haki in the heat of the moment. At first glance, this may be enough of a sign of how important Haki is against extremely strong opponents.

By the end of the Wano Country Arc, Luffy had become an expert user of all three types of Haki in their advanced forms — attaining Future Vision against Katakuri, and achieving Emission, Internal Destruction, and Conqueror’s Infusion while fighting Kaido.

Despite the boost in power he gained from his Devil Fruit Awakening, Luffy simply would not have been able to beat Kaido with it alone, as his attacks were too “shallow” for someone with a body as durable as the former Governor-General of the Beasts Pirates.

Furthermore, he was also struggling to deal any damage to Katakuri before focusing on gaining Future Vision, which illustrates how these abilities can be the difference between life or death against enemies who can also use advanced Haki. A similar case could also be made for Roronoa Zoro, who was struggling to keep up with the Lunarian, King, until he awakened his latent Conqueror’s Haki.

The Will Of A True Conqueror

In short, Haki’s benefits are incredibly varied, and those with extremely potent Haki can overcome most Devil Fruit powers with this ability alone. For instance, three of the strongest pirates from the previous and current generation — Gol D. Roger, Silvers Rayleigh, and Shanks — all based their fighting styles on Haki alone, without ever having consumed Devil Fruits.

While this may be hard to believe at first, it is not too much of a stretch to imagine, since their abilities have already been demonstrated in One Piece. Since these individuals have been shown fighting evenly with powerful Devil Fruit users such as Whitebeard, Admiral Kizaru, and Eustass Kid, it is quite evident that an extremely skilled Haki user — especially someone who possesses Conqueror’s Haki — has a huge edge over the rest of the pirates in the New World.

During a fight between two Devil Fruit users, the margin of victory can often amount to a test of who possesses superior Haki, with a few exceptions. Looking at all this evidence, it is fairly safe to say that Haki can be a deciding factor in whether a rookie pirate will be able to rise to the level of a Yonko, or crumble under the pressure of those who wield greater willpower in the New World.