SUMMARY

A theory suggests that through his fifth gear form, Luffy could turn the seawater into a rubbery surface to walk across it.
Luffy would thus no longer be vulnerable to the seas.
The World Government could have been tracking the Hito Hito no Mi for this exact reason.

Devil Fruits are a major part of the One Piece world. Devil Fruit users constitute a sound number among the pirates and World Government officials. While the fruit users can become extremely powerful by honing their skills, their one well-known weakness is always ready to be exploited.

So far, there hasn’t been a single Devil Fruit user who can overcome seawater. But what if Luffy is close to conquering the sea? This would become a legendary chapter in One Piece as Devil Fruit users will finally know how they can find liberation.

Can Luffy’s Gear 5 Surpass the Only Devil Fruit Limitation?

Vegapunk Explains Joy Boy’s Powers | Viz Media

Spoiler Alert!
One Piece spoilers ahead!

Luffy’s Devil Fruit, Hito Hito no Mi might have a major contribution towards his escape from the curse of the fruits. The Hito Hito no Mi was hidden by the World Government for centuries, it was renamed so that it would not be found by anyone. But why would the World Government hide a single Devil Fruit? It did lead to the awakening of Joy Boy, but is that the only reason the Gorosei are so stressed about it?

Let’s examine the properties of the Hito Hito no Mi fruit and Gear 5 Luffy in detail. In his fifth-gear form, Luffy can not only transform himself into rubber, but also the things around him. This is evident from the wacky animation Gear 5 received. In the anime, Luffy’s surroundings bend according to his will. If Luffy’s Devil Fruit indeed allows him to turn anything around him into rubber, then he could try the same with the sea.

According to a theory, if Luffy can turn the sea into rubber ,then he can walk and jump across it freely. Every Devil Fruit user has a common weakness and it’s the sea, but if Luffy can turn the sea itself into rubber then the World Government will lose the upper hand they had on him. Is that why the World Government tried their best to keep the Hito Hito no Mi away from prying eyes?

Overcoming the Sea is Crucial to Finding One Piece

According to the announcements by Vegapunk, the world will soon be plunged into the ocean due to the clash between two forces. The battle between Joy Boy and the World Government will upend not only the world order but also bring devastating climatic changes. If the world does sink underwater, then it is crucial that Luffy knows how to swim or at least not be negatively affected by seawater.

Gear 5 Luffy in One Piece | Toei

A theory also suggests that Luffy could use his Conquerer’s Haki to overcome the sea by emitting an even stronger will. His Haki combined with the Sun God Nika’s powers are bound to produce an individual who can break out of the Devil Fruit’s limitation.

After all, Luffy will find it hard to survive in a world that’s submerged in water, unless he can figure out how to swim or at least navigate the waters. In fact, the last Joy Boy might have been defeated because of this fatal weakness, so Luffy should be ready to face the sea soon.