One Piece fans may already know Rocks D. Xebec's mystery Devil Fruits (and it's exactly what you think)

One Piece continues to unravel Rocks D. Xebec’s daring plot to overthrow the World Government about forty years before the current events. After revealing his bold antagonism to Imu-sama, the secretive villain who rules the Empty Throne hidden from the world, the manga now delves into Xebec’s schemes in preparation to launch an audacious all-out assault on Mary Geoise, the Holy Land owned by the Celestial Dragons.

Specifically, One Piece chapter 1156 reveals that two Devil Fruits, shrouded in mystery yet brimming with exceptional potency, were central to Xebec’s ambition. With his formidable crew assembled on Hachinosu, Xebec outlined his plan, emphasizing the need to find these two Devil Fruits. He noted that one of them was safeguarded in Elbaph and that he wanted King Harald to consume it, as he could unlock this particular Devil Fruit’s full potential.

While the chapter reveals neither the names nor the powers of these enigmatic Devil Fruits, it underscores that Xebec’s eventual success would have reshaped the One Piece world. Granted, his ambition was never accomplished, as he perished during the God Valley Incident, not long after his speech on Hachinosu. That said, piecing together the clues, it’s intriguing to try to solve the enigma of the fabled Devil Fruits that Xebec coveted to fulfill his vision.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1156.

In his quest for world domination, Rocks D. Xebec sought two of One Piece’s strongest Devil Fruits

A powerful pirate aiming to become the “King of the World”

Xebec did things no one else even dared to try (Image via Shueisha)

The World Government tried to paint Rocks D. Xebec as a malevolent villain, akin to a bloodthirsty terrorist, but recent One Piece chapters are unraveling a somewhat different truth, depicting him more as a chaotic evil-type character. In One Piece chapter 1156, Xebec beats up a young Kaido, at the time a member of his Rocks Pirates, for disrespecting King Harald.

So, while Xebec repeatedly tried to recruit Harald for his incredible might, he likely respected the king of Elbaph as an individual, and perhaps considered him a true friend, a behavior unexpected for someone with Xebec’s infamous reputation. He and his crew indiscriminately spread chaos and destruction across the seas, but his goals weren’t those of a mere criminal.

Xebec’s awareness of Imu’s existence and his self-proclaimed worship of Davy Jones add depth to his character, portraying him not just as an overwhelmingly powerful pirate but a man bent on reshaping the world, although for his purposes.

The revelation that two Devil Fruits were particularly pivotal to Xebec’s plot to topple the World Government also suggests that he conducted his research, probably during his time on Elbaph, a land rich in history and myths about the One Piece world, including tales of “Sun God” Nika. Elbaph houses the mural of Harley, and given Xebec’s friendship with Harald, it’s plausible that he studied it.

The Human-Human Fruit Model: Nika

One of the two Devil Fruits that Xebec mentioned was in Elbaph, the homeland of the Giants. Elbaph is steeped in myths about the legend of “Sun God” Nika, and it’s also said to safeguard a certain legendary Devil Fruit passed down through generations. Loki, the son of King Harald, was accused of killing his father to steal the Devil Fruit about 14 years before the present narration.

Piecing things together, it seems logical to conclude that this Devil Fruit could only be the Human-Human Fruit Model: Nika that Monkey D. Luffy ended up eating, initially gaining rubbery attributes before unlocking the game-breaking Gear 5 transformation. This Devil Fruit grants the user the powers of Nika, turning them into a Warrior of Liberation with a freely malleable body and reality-shaping abilities.

Nika’s powers enable absolute freedom, not only turning the user into a chaos deity but also making them a symbol of rebellion against all forms of authority, including the World Government. Xebec likely saw this Devil Fruit as the key to overturning the established order with his friend Harald’s help.

Elbaph's legendary Devil Fruit (Image via Shueisha)

The combination of Nika’s reality-shaping abilities with the fearsome physical strength and Haki of the king of Elbaph would have created an exceptional asset to aid Xebec’s audacious bid for world domination. This also explains why Xebec was convinced that only Harald could unlock the true potential of this Devil Fruit.

However, Xebec couldn’t ensure Harald ate the Human-Human Fruit Model: Nika, and the item remained in Elbaph until Harald’s death fourteen years before the present storyline. There are reasonable grounds to believe that the World Government was involved in this event, especially since Elbaph’s legendary Devil Fruit was stolen in this exact occasion.

It's possible that the Human-Human Fruit Model: Nika was in Elbaph (Image via Shueisha)

Just one year later, the World Government, which had been chasing Nika’s Devil Fruit for over 800 years, was suddenly in possession of it, for another compelling coincidence. A concealed ship led by Who's Who transported the item, but the Red Hair Pirates attacked it and seized the Human-Human Fruit Model: Nika.

Supporting this theory, the two Devil Fruits coveted by Xebec were mentioned in chapter 1156. In Japanese, the number 56 can be read as “Go” (5) and “Mu” (6), forming “Gomu”, a clear pun on the Gomu-Gomu no Mi, the name the World Government used to conceal the true nature of the Human-Human Fruit Model: Nika. One Piece author Eiichiro Oda’s love for numerical references further strengthens this connection.

The Dark-Dark Fruit

The second Devil Fruit that Rocks D. Xebec sought likely was the Dark-Dark Fruit, a Logia-type power allowing the user to create, control, and transform into darkness while commanding its gravitational properties. Labeled “the most evil” Devil Fruit due to its ominous powers, the Dark-Dark Fruit is unique even among Logia types, as it doesn’t grant elemental intangibility to the user’s body when they transform into darkness.

So, unlike the other Logia, the Dark-Dark Fruit’s user can’t let attacks pass through them, and can be injured like any ordinary person, even without the use of Haki. However, this drawback is offset by the fearsome ability to nullify all other Devil Fruit powers upon physical contact with the user.

In One Piece, this Devil Fruit was eaten by Marshall D. Teach “Blackbeard”, a vicious pirate who has eventually risen to become one of the Four Emperors. Shockingly, Blackbeard is the son of Xebec, which also makes him the metaphorical second coming of the captain of the Rocks Pirates. Given this connection and the Dark-Dark Fruit’s sinister yet exceptional potency, it’s highly likely that this was the second Devil Fruit Xebec pursued.

The most sinister Devil Fruit (Image via Shueisha)

As of this article’s writing, it remains unknown whether Xebec ever obtained the Dark-Dark Fruit, but his son undoubtedly succeeded where he may have failed. Blackbeard joined the Whitebeard Pirates solely to find this Devil Fruit, believing that if he sailed with such a powerful crew, his chances of acquiring it would increase.

When Thatch, one of his comrades, found the Dark-Dark Fruit, Teach “Blackbeard” killed him without a second thought to steal the item. Since then, Blackbeard has used this Devil Fruit to unleash black holes and obscure vortex, pulling his enemies into crushing darkness or rendering them powerless by nullifying their own Devil Fruit abilities.

While Monkey D. Luffy battles for universal freedom, Rocks D. Xebec fights to plunge the world into chaos, then seize control of it. Despite these opposing ideals, however, they are united as they share a common enemy in Imu. Xebec openly defied the enigmatic ruler, and Luffy is set for an unavoidable clash with the same individual.

Marshall D. Teach "Blackbeard" (Image via Toei Animation)

Xebec’s second coming, Blackbeard, embodies the antithesis of Luffy’s values, not only in his personality but also in his powers. The Dark-Dark Fruit reflects Blackbeard’s character, its abilities echoing a desire to consume everything out of oppression and greed.

If Xebec had possessed the Dark-Dark Fruit, or at least sought to claim it, this would further cement a parallel with his son, Blackbeard. This parallel would only be more striking as Blackbeard contrasts sharply with Luffy, just as Xebec was antagonistic toward Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King, whom Luffy is fated to exceed.

The Dark-Dark Fruit contrasts with the Human-Human Fruit Model: Nika in terms of abilities, visuals, and themes, which suggest a deliberate dichotomy of these two Devil Fruits. Most likely, Xebec wanted to combine their powers to create an unstoppable force, wielding the Dark-Dark Fruit himself while Harald would become the user of the Human-Human Fruit Model: Nika.

Alternative possibilities

Assuming that the Devil Fruit intended for Harald corresponded with the mysterious, legendary Devil Fruit kept in Elbaph for centuries, it’s also possible that it was a Mythical Zoan type based on Norse folklore, which Elbaph and the Giants are inspired by. Perhaps, it was a Devil Fruit granting the powers of Jormungandr, the creature destined to trigger Ragnarok, the world’s destruction and rebirth.

As for the other Devil Fruit that Xebec sought, another possibility was the Quake-Quake Fruit, which enables the user to unleash vibrations with immense destructive power. Xebec didn’t lack power, but this Paramecia-type Devil Fruit would elevate his might dramatically.

Xebec revered Davy Jones, the mythical figure said to be cursed to live at the bottom of the sea forever, sinking ships and amassing their treasures in his “locker”, a metaphor for the abyss. If Davy Jones was a real person and the devil who cursed him was Imu-sama (who seemingly possesses a devilish transformation), it’s conceivable that Xebec wanted the Quake-Quake Fruit to shake the ocean, dismantling Davy Jones’ “locker” to free him.

What’s certain is that Rocks D. Xebec wasn’t seeking ordinary Devil Fruits. He needed abilities capable of making a difference in a war against Imu and the Five Elders. To accomplish such a monumental feat, he couldn’t have settled for anything less than the most extraordinary powers.