One Piece Just Introduced Its Most Mysterious Haki Power of All Time

While all eyes might not currently be on the Straw Hats in One Piece, this hasn’t stopped new discoveries from emerging in the manga’s latest release. As Eiichiro Oda’s epic closes the books on the God Valley Incident, one key undertaking, the final struggle with Rocks D. Xebec, may have revealed a new potential power for Haki users.

Zoro in One Piece

The moment in question, teased in chapter #1165 as a “critical mass” of Conqueror’s Haki, was when Monkey D. Garp and Gol D. Roger broke through Rocks’ seemingly impenetrable demonized state. While it’s largely the result of an anime trope, key characters combining their maximum might against a common enemy, the curious naming choice could indicate powerful future Haki implications.

One Piece Teases a New Haki Technique

One Piece Garp with Roger and Rocks in the background

While it could easily be dismissed as a turn of phrase for Garp and Roger to target their combined Conqueror’s Haki to defeat Rocks, the results in One Piece chapter #1166 speak for themselves. While it effectively put Rocks out of his misery as he was rampaging under Imu’s Domi Reversi control, his infusion of Conqueror’s Haki made this attack necessary.

Roger and Garp recognized that, with Rocks repelling their Armament and Conqueror’s Haki attacks, they needed a concentrated assault to meet the mass of their adversary’s demonized state. It wasn’t even only them who knew this needed to be done; a tearful Rocks, even under Imu’s control, was begging for them to kill him in chapter #1164, thanking them in #1166.

This “critical mass” technique was proposed by Roger to an exhausted Garp, with them knowing that, unless they broke down Rocks’ line of defense in his demonized state, it’d be a battle of attrition they’d knowingly lose. It’s a last-ditch effort, where hitting would leave all three down for the count, but missing would mean certain death.

Critical Mass Could Be Crucial in the Elbaph Arc

Luffy looking to the front with a confused expression on his face. Behind him, a destroyed ship can be seen.

While Garp and Roger aren’t on Elbaph, one of Roger’s crewmates certainly is. Scopper Gaban, in fact, could be key in teaching the Straw Hats to overcome these defenses, even empowered by Imu. This, in addition to overcoming the regenerative powers of the Holy Knights or Five Elders, could be a huge asset.

But as for Critical Mass, until Sanji is officially confirmed to have Conqueror’s Haki, Luffy and the newly-confirmed Zoro would be the best bets to use this ability. Typically, their biggest fights have been separate, but joining their might in such a fashion would make for a spectacular finish. In fact, it’s arguably a grand anime tradition at this point.

But as for Critical Mass, until Sanji is officially confirmed to have Conqueror’s Haki, Luffy and the newly-confirmed Zoro would be the best bets to use this ability.

This combination of the series’ power system and its most powerful users isn’t unique to One Piece. In Naruto, a classic example of this was when Naruto’s Tailed Beast Mode was enveloped by Sasuke’s Susanoo while fighting Obito Uchiha. In Black Clover, Asta shares his most powerful asset, his Anti-Magic, with his fellow Black Bulls in the final arc.

Whether One Piece definitively takes this path is uncertain, at least for now. But with the confirmation of Zoro’s Conqueror’s Haki in chapter #1152, it seems like the pieces are being assembled. In the next fight, perhaps fans will see the next “critical mass” unfold.