As One Piece barrels toward its long-awaited final saga, fans often focus on flashy power-ups like Conqueror’s Haki clashes and awakening abilities. Yet amid all the spectacle, one core ability remains just as crucial as ever: Armament Haki, also known as Busoshoku.
While it may not always steal the spotlight, Armament Haki continues to serve as the backbone of high-level combat — and its importance has only grown as the series approaches its endgame.
The Foundation of Top-Tier Combat
From its introduction, Armament Haki has functioned as the great equalizer. It allows users to bypass Devil Fruit defenses, harden their bodies and weapons, and dramatically amplify their offensive and defensive capabilities. Without it, even the strongest fighters would struggle against Logia users or heavily enhanced opponents.
For Monkey D. Luffy, mastering advanced Armament was a turning point. His training to project Haki internally — a technique later refined in Wano — proved essential in damaging seemingly invincible foes. Similarly, Roronoa Zoro relies on powerful Armament to turn his blades into blackened weapons capable of cutting through near-impenetrable defenses.
Even in an era defined by Conqueror’s Haki coatings and mythical transformations, Armament remains the structural core of every clash.
The God Valley Arc Has Taken Over the Fandom
While fans debate power systems and final-saga mechanics, attention has shifted heavily to the God Valley flashback crafted by Eiichiro Oda. The God Valley Incident has brought legendary figures like Rocks D. Xebec, Gol D. Roger, Monkey D. Garp, and the mysterious Imu into the spotlight.
Rather than feeling like a brief historical aside, the arc unfolds like a grand epic. It explores the power struggles that shaped the modern pirate era and reveals secrets about the Celestial Dragons and the foundations of world authority. For longtime readers, it feels like decades of mystery are finally being unraveled.
Fans Aren’t Ready to Leave the Past
Interestingly, some fans say they aren’t ready to return fully to the Straw Hats’ present-day storyline. Social media reactions praise the arc’s darker tone and lore-heavy revelations. One fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “If we return to the Straw Hats now, it’ll feel like waking up from a dream.”
That sentiment highlights how deeply the fandom has been drawn into the series’ layered history — sometimes even more than its current battles.
Why Armament Still Matters More Than Ever
Yet even within the spectacle of God Valley and final-saga revelations, Armament Haki quietly proves its enduring value. Advanced techniques like internal destruction demonstrate that mastery of Busoshoku isn’t outdated — it’s evolving.
As the story moves toward global war and confrontations with the world’s strongest figures, brute force alone won’t be enough. Precision, control, and refined Haki application will determine victory. The flashiest powers may capture attention, but the fighters who have honed their Armament to perfection will be the ones who survive the coming storm.
In the end, Armament Haki isn’t just a stepping stone to greater abilities — it’s the foundation upon which all of them stand. And as One Piece sails into its final saga, that foundation may prove more important than ever.
