The final arc of One Piece is revealing ancient secrets at an accelerated pace, and with that, Eiichiro Oda begins to revisit legends that marked the previous era. One name that has always been at the top is Gol D. Roger , the legendary Pirate King . But, surprisingly, Oda has already confirmed: there is a pirate who was stronger than him.
Gol D. Roger was the monster of his generation
Gol D. Roger didn't have a Devil Fruit , but that never stopped him from conquering the seas. With absolute mastery of Haki, he excelled even though he came from the East Blue, considered the weakest sea. In his time, only Whitebeard was able to face him on equal terms. However, that doesn't mean he was never surpassed.
In a revealing passage by Eiichiro Oda, Kaido stated: "Only Haki can overcome everything." And this statement gains even more weight with Sengoku's revelation about the most formidable enemy Roger ever faced.
Rocks D. Xebec: a power that even Roger couldn't face alone
Sengoku revealed that Rocks D. Xebec was Roger's greatest rival, someone so powerful that he demanded an unprecedented alliance between Roger and Garp. This alone indicates that, alone, the Pirate King had no chance against the captain of the Rocks Pirates. Even Whitebeard was subordinate to Xebec—a clear indication of his superiority.
This alliance between rivals was essential to defeating Xebec, solidifying his position as the only pirate Roger couldn't defeat alone.
Luffy: the future Pirate King who goes beyond
Thus, with Nika's Fruit and constantly evolving Haki, Luffy is destined to surpass Roger . His journey symbolizes a new era, and Oda has already indicated that the protagonist will surpass all previous legends.
Eiichiro Oda returns with chapter 1156 of One Piece on August 3, 2025 , available for free on the Manga Plus .
Finally, follow Rocks D. Xebec's One Piece updates on our WhatsApp and follow AnimeNew on Instagram.