Monkey D. Luffy is currently one of the strongest characters in One Piece thanks to awakening his Devil Fruit and achieving Gear 5. This transformation turns him into the Liberation Warrior, granting near-invincible power limited only by his imagination.
However, Luffy’s Devil Fruit is definitely not the strongest. Creator Eiichiro Oda has introduced a far more terrifying Devil Fruit awakening ability, belonging to one of Luffy’s greatest rivals: Blackbeard.
The Key Role of Devil Fruit Awakening
In the Final Saga of One Piece, Devil Fruit awakening will become extremely important. This ability allows users to surpass all limits of their Devil Fruit powers to gain new strengths, sometimes even abilities that don’t fit the original fruit’s criteria.
Luffy has awakened his Devil Fruit, achieving a completely new form he calls Gear 5. Naturally, any major enemy he faces in the Final Saga should also have this power to keep the balance. Rob Lucci and the Five Elders are clear examples.
Still, the strongest awakened Devil Fruit in One Piece belongs to no one else but Blackbeard, thanks to the darkness power of the Yami Yami no Mi.
Yami Yami no Mi Awakening Outshines Gear 5
Blackbeard is one of the most dangerous pirates in the world. His power was already terrifying even before awakening. With the Gura Gura no Mi, he can create world-shattering earthquakes, but that’s not all. He also wields the Yami Yami no Mi, which allows him to nullify the powers of all other Devil Fruit users.
However, the weakness of this ability is that Blackbeard must physically touch his target. But if awakened, the Yami Yami no Mi takes this power to a whole new level. Simply put, Blackbeard could nullify Devil Fruit powers without needing to touch his opponents. He could spread his darkness ability so anyone standing on the ground affected by his awakened power would be nullified.
Luffy Faces Off Against Blackbeard
Luffy relies heavily on Gear 5 to battle Yonko-level opponents. However, when facing Blackbeard, Luffy can hardly use Gear 5, putting him at a significant disadvantage. Although Gear 5 is a powerful awakening, once Blackbeard’s Yami Yami no Mi is awakened, it will elevate him to a new level, becoming Luffy’s greatest threat.