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The Wano Country saga has been a great training ground for One Piece characters, particularly for the Straw Hats.
Going up against Kaido and the Beasts Pirates is no easy task in the One Piece series. The world's strongest creature leads one of the most powerful crews in the entire world. Luffy and his friends have no choice but to step up or get stepped on, since Wano Country depends on their success.
The Straw Hats and their allies have gotten much stronger in this particular arc. From deadly weapons to advanced techniques, everybody has stepped up their game. Remember, One Piece is entering its final stages. Being good is no longer good enough, so characters have to be great.
Note: this article will contain major spoilers from the manga.
One Piece characters got plenty of great power-ups in the Wano Country arc
10) Nami finally takes control of Zeus
This powerful thundercloud previously belonged to Big Mom, who took it back from Nami during the Wano Country arc. However, she ended up replacing him with Hera, a Special Homie with similar abilities.
Luckily, Nami managed to retrieve Zeus' soul with her Clima-tact, right before his body was fully devoured. She now has the attacking power to knock out dangerous foes like Ulti of the Tobiroppo.
9) Sanji puts on the Raid Suit
Reluctantly, Sanji finally put on the Raid Suit during the Onigashima Raid.
However, he ended up destroying it when his body and mind started to feel strange. It turns out that Sanji unlocked the genetic enhancements of the Germa 66 experiments. He can finally live up to his potential after the One Piece timeskip.
Sanji developed a very hard exoskeleton, so normal weapons break upon impact. Not only can Sanji avoid being crushed to death by Queen, his body will start to recover almost immediately.
8) Sanji adds Ifrit Jambe to his arsenal
During his fight with Queen of the Beasts Pirates, Sanji developed a stronger variation of his Black Leg Style, entitled Ifrit Jambe. His legs now have a light blue color scheme, which indicates extremely hot temperatures. Sanji's exoskeleton allows him to endure these flames.
Ifrit Jambe is a really dynamic technique, especially when used in combination attacks. Sanji was able to defeat Queen with Bœuf Burst, which targeted multiple body parts with a series of kicks.
7) Zoro is gifted the cursed sword Enma
Zoro's swords have always carried significance for him. With that said, it was time for him to leave Shusui behind, since it was a stolen treasure of Wano Country. In return, he received the highly dangerous Enma, which belonged to Kozuki Oden.
Enma is an extremely sharp katana that can draw out Busoshoku Haki. Zoro ended up taming this powerful sword after extensive training.
Like Oden before him, Zoro gave Kaido yet another permanent scar. Even though he lost that particular fight in the Skull Dome, it's a very impressive showing for Zoro. Only a select few One Piece characters have pulled that off.
6) Zoro learns how to use Haoshoku Haki
One Piece fans were hyped when Zoro finally unlocked Haoshoku Haki. This is an exceedingly rare trait that only belongs to the strongest fighters. Zoro finds himself with highly esteemed company, such as Silvers Rayleigh and Gol D. Roger.
This ability gave Zoro the ability to scar Kaido and defeat his right-hand man King. Zoro is one step closer to becoming the best swordsman in the One Piece series.
5) Trafalgar Law awakens the Ope Ope no Mi
Law is already too dangerous to deal with. The Ope Ope no Mi is among the most broken Devil Fruits in the One Piece series. Now he fully awakened it during his fight with Big Mom.
He can now apply his techniques to random objects, which means his targets no longer have to be within his ROOM. Instead, Law will bring it directly to them.
His most powerful move is Puncture Willie, a devastating move that caused a massive crater in Wano Country. Big Mom could barely defend herself from this vicious attack.
4) Eustass Kidd awakens the Jiki Jiki no Mi
One Piece fans waited a long time for Eustass Kid to develop his fighting style. With the use of his awakened powers, he can now turn objects and people into magnets. He showed it off during his fight with Big Mom, where he managed to defeat the indefeatable.
Kid's ultimate move is Damned Punk, which is an electromagnetic cannon with massive attacking power. He sent her right through the floating island of Onigashima.
3) Luffy masters his Busoshoku Haki
Luffy has gained some major power-ups with the Wano Country arc. The main protagonist of the One Piece series is finally an elite fighter.
With the help of Hyogoro in the Udon Prison, Luffy was able to hone his skills with Busoshoku Haki. The advanced techniques allow him to exude force without physical contact.
Luffy demonstrated his new ability by destroying Yamato's exploding collar during the Onigashima Raid. Silvers Rayleigh used the same exact technique back in Sabaody Archipelago, where he saved Camie from her imprisonment.
2) Luffy learns the Infusion technique for Haoshoku Haki
The Straw Hat now has the physical means to damage Kaido. Very few characters can use this powerful technique in One Piece.
Haoshoku Haki provides a major power boost with physical attacks. Luffy can use it the same way he coats his punches with Busoshoku Haki.
After getting knocked out by Kaido in the Onigashima Raid, Luffy figured out how it works. He then delivered a satisfying beatdown to the world's strongest creature.
1) Luffy awakens his Devil Fruit and learns Gear Fifth
Based on Kaido's remarks in One Piece Chapter 1046, fighters can only awaken Devil Fruits if their minds and bodies catch up to it. Luffy did just that after Kaido defeated him yet again.
Gear Fifth allows him to become a living cartoon figure, complete with wacky effects. It's not everyday that someone can use Kaido like a jump rope. This is a significant development in the One Piece series.
Zunesha officially declared Luffy to be the next Joy Boy. Furthermore, the real name of the Gomu Gomu no Mi is actually Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika. It's also classified as a Mythical Zoan, which explains Luffy's endurance. For over 800 years, the World Government failed to capture this fruit.
Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.
