This article contains spoilers from One Piece.
In the world of One Piece, Oda has introduced the fans to many powerful characters over the years, and some of them hold quite a tremendous amount of strength up their sleeves. While some rely on Devil Fruits, others utilize Haki of the highest level, and some combine both to maximize the power efficiency they possess.
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One such character the fans saw in the One Piece manga was Whitebeard. He was labelled as the world's Strongest Man upon his debut, and the Paramount War showed the fans why he received this title in the first place. Now, however, many years after the Paramount War, Oda has officially revealed to the fans another character who was even stronger than Whitebeard, and thus, the real strongest man in the world, although for a very brief time period.
Before Whitebeard, Harald Was The Strongest Man In The One Piece World
It is unclear when exactly Whitebeard received his title of the Strongest Man in the World and in the manga, there has been no confirmation of this. As things stand, fans can assume that after the death of Roger, Whitebeard went on to be known as the Strongest Man in the World. It must also be noted that his title is directly tied to his Devil Fruit, which gives him the power to destroy the world itself.
King Harald passed after a vicious battle with Loki. What you are seeing are the scars of that fight. Loki is strong for sure but King Harald was also known to be a Great Warrior in his own right. All this destruction was inevitable. The only surviving members in the castle were Chief Jarul and Loki that day. — Rodo on the Battle in Aurust Castle, 14 Years Ago
Regardless, in 1v1 combat, Whitebeard certainly wasn't the strongest after the death of Roger. The strongest man following the death of the Pirate King would only be Harald, the King of Elbaf. While some fans might find it hard to believe, the fact is that Harald was an equal of Rocks. Even if Whitebeard went on to reach the same level as Rocks following the events of God Valley, he would still not be on Harald's level.
In every single way, be it strength or Haki, Harald was the strongest in the world up to 14 years ago, and Oda goes on to show that quite clearly on multiple occasions. Since Elbaf was cut off from the world and Harald wasn't truly a pirate but just played the role of a simple king, it makes perfect sense why he never had these ferocious titles associated with him.
Harald Was Even Stronger Than Whitebeard
Harald was already on the level of Rocks around 38 years ago, but in the following time, he became even stronger. It is a known Fact that Harald received the Shallow Sea contract from the Five Elders, and even though it did not boost his strength, it certainly gave him some abilities.
Hey, I'm talking to you. I am the Sun God enshrined in the legends of this land. You will not speak to me without permission, human. I consider myself the strongest alive in the Lands. This is the Warland, Elbaf's Kingdom of Violence. The most powerful nation in the world which once lived and breathed warfare. And I'm the Sun God who brings the world to an end, Loki! — Loki introducing himself in the Elbaf Arc.
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The real power Harald gained was the Deep Sea Pact, which he officially received in One Piece Chapter 1168. When Harald received this pact, he clearly stated that new power was surging through his body and it boosted him overall tremendously. In other words, Harald's already incredible strength, which was on par with the likes of Rocks, was now on a completely different level, making him the strongest in the world.
On top of that, it was also quite clearly stated in the story that Harald now had access to immortality as well, which meant that he wouldn't die in combat. All things considered, Harald was quite clearly the strongest man in the world up until the moment of his death.
Harald Died Under Mysterious Circumstances 14 Years Ago
14 years ago, the fate of Elbaf shifted. When Harald was asked by Imu to create a massive army that rivals the Navy and fight for him, he decided to disobey the Great One. It is here that Imu eventually took control of his body, and fans know that a mysterious battle unfolded next and Harald died.
After the death of Harald, Whitebeard was the undisputed strongest man in the world of One Piece, and he held this title until the moment of his death. It is a shame that fans never got to see Harald in his prime go all out, but it is a fact that he was the strongest in the world up until a certain point in the story.
Eiichiro Oda's One Piece focuses on the journey of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates as they sail the seas to lay claim to the grand treasure known as the One Piece. The manga is currently in its Final Saga. One Piece will be featured in this week's Weekly Shonen Jump Issue. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1169 is December 21, 2025. In Japan, One Piece drops at 12AM JST on Monday, which is 11:00 AM EST, or 8:00 AM PT. Fans can read the chapter for free on Manga Plus and the Shonen Jump apps. Doing so will ensure that fans always support the author.