film red spoilers ahead
So a while back I made this theory https://worstgen.alwaysdata.net/for...oc-technique-of-shanks-and-eustass-kid.15974/
The idea was that conqueror's coating was heavily tied to CoA, almost too heavily tied to CoA. And that it wouldn't make sense for CoC to just be CoA 2.0; therefore, if conqueror's coating was the CoA-adjacent version of ACoC, there must also be a CoO-adjacent version of ACoC. I said that shanks had this power and that Kid either had it or would get it as a result of having encountered shanks in the past. That last bit kinda got the theory clowned on, as Kid ultimately showed no forms of advanced haki in wano; however it wasn't entirely misguided for me to theorize some form of power up for Kid at the time, as this was before Oda revealed that he had awakening and Kid clearly needed some power up to fight big mom.
Regardless, I reference this theory now as film red has confirmed that major parts of my theory, in regards to Shanks having a CoO adjacent ACoC variant, was correct.
from the film red spoiler thread
Shanks is able to use CoC to prevent his opponents from using CoO. This, combined with the common variant of ACoC, conqueror's coating, paints a very interesting picture of CoC.
Conqueror's coating is a superior version of CoA. Shanks's observation killing is a direct counter to CoO. From this, we see a pattern. Conqueror's haki is the strongest power in one piece, because it has the potential to counter every other major ability. I specifically highlight the word potential, because CoC is a spectrum and just because you have CoC or even a form of ACoC, doesn't inherently put you above people who don't have that form.
Conqueror's coating is just a superior version of CoA, meaning a conqueror's coating user would have superiority in a fight against a pure CoA user. However a CoO specialist? A DF specialist? Clearly there is no inherent superiority here(unless someone wants to argue Yamato>Akainu, in that case, be my guest).
But this theorized purpose: that CoC has the potential to counter all abilities, is exactly in line with Kaido's statement to Luffy. About how Roger could be PK without a DF because haki surpasses all powers. However, clearly conqueror's coating doesn't surpass all powers. Not only is CC a relatively common ability amongst the top tiers, with most yonko and even some yonko subordinates having it, but DFs can surpass CC. The gura gura no mi was stated to have the power to destroy the world. Conqueror's coating clearly doesn't have that type of power.
Where I am going with this is this. If Conqueror's coating specifically counters CoA, and Observation killing specifically counters CoO, there must be a third ACoC variant that specifically counters DFs. My theory is that this 3rd variant is something so rare, only the greatest CoC users have had it. Specifically Roger. Roger was on par with WB, but in terms of conqueror's coating, they were equals. Yet WB had the gura gura no mi while Roger had no fruit. So how did Roger equal the gura gura no mi? By using the 3rd variant of ACoC, the variant that counters DFs.
I theorize this variant will be called something like "DF conquering". It works like this; the user will focus their conqueror's not on the opponent themselves, but on the soul of the DF that lives within them. In doing so, the user will be able to exert power on the DF. This works similar to how a CoC user can intimidate an animal to back down. However in this case, the animal will be the devil fruit inside the opponent. I also think Luffy might be able to use this technique to intimidate his own devil into surpassing its limits, thereby granting him a gear 6th against Teach.
Lastly, Oda clearly wants a significant power gap between Luffy and his peers. I think Luffy gaining the other variants of CoC; observation killing and DF conquering, will allow Oda to expand haki abilities more and grant them to other characters. Some characters: Kid, Law, Sabo, Smoker, Koby, and Sanji; all have top tier EOS portrayal, but are lacking in terms of CoC or other advanced haki abilities. Oda clearly wants these guys to be legends, yet he also wants Luffy to be far above them. Once Luffy gains his other CoC variants, these guys can get their advanced haki without effecting the power gap.
Overall, I think DF conquering will truly be the strongest variant of ACoC. Its what will turn Luffy's "godhood" from mere words to an actual reality. Against Luffy, DFs will be useless(albeit Teach will be different as he has multiple DFs), whereas Luffy's DF will be boosted to unprecedented levels.
So a while back I made this theory https://worstgen.alwaysdata.net/for...oc-technique-of-shanks-and-eustass-kid.15974/
The idea was that conqueror's coating was heavily tied to CoA, almost too heavily tied to CoA. And that it wouldn't make sense for CoC to just be CoA 2.0; therefore, if conqueror's coating was the CoA-adjacent version of ACoC, there must also be a CoO-adjacent version of ACoC. I said that shanks had this power and that Kid either had it or would get it as a result of having encountered shanks in the past. That last bit kinda got the theory clowned on, as Kid ultimately showed no forms of advanced haki in wano; however it wasn't entirely misguided for me to theorize some form of power up for Kid at the time, as this was before Oda revealed that he had awakening and Kid clearly needed some power up to fight big mom.
Regardless, I reference this theory now as film red has confirmed that major parts of my theory, in regards to Shanks having a CoO adjacent ACoC variant, was correct.
from the film red spoiler thread
Shanks is able to use CoC to prevent his opponents from using CoO. This, combined with the common variant of ACoC, conqueror's coating, paints a very interesting picture of CoC.
Conqueror's coating is a superior version of CoA. Shanks's observation killing is a direct counter to CoO. From this, we see a pattern. Conqueror's haki is the strongest power in one piece, because it has the potential to counter every other major ability. I specifically highlight the word potential, because CoC is a spectrum and just because you have CoC or even a form of ACoC, doesn't inherently put you above people who don't have that form.
Conqueror's coating is just a superior version of CoA, meaning a conqueror's coating user would have superiority in a fight against a pure CoA user. However a CoO specialist? A DF specialist? Clearly there is no inherent superiority here(unless someone wants to argue Yamato>Akainu, in that case, be my guest).
But this theorized purpose: that CoC has the potential to counter all abilities, is exactly in line with Kaido's statement to Luffy. About how Roger could be PK without a DF because haki surpasses all powers. However, clearly conqueror's coating doesn't surpass all powers. Not only is CC a relatively common ability amongst the top tiers, with most yonko and even some yonko subordinates having it, but DFs can surpass CC. The gura gura no mi was stated to have the power to destroy the world. Conqueror's coating clearly doesn't have that type of power.
Where I am going with this is this. If Conqueror's coating specifically counters CoA, and Observation killing specifically counters CoO, there must be a third ACoC variant that specifically counters DFs. My theory is that this 3rd variant is something so rare, only the greatest CoC users have had it. Specifically Roger. Roger was on par with WB, but in terms of conqueror's coating, they were equals. Yet WB had the gura gura no mi while Roger had no fruit. So how did Roger equal the gura gura no mi? By using the 3rd variant of ACoC, the variant that counters DFs.
I theorize this variant will be called something like "DF conquering". It works like this; the user will focus their conqueror's not on the opponent themselves, but on the soul of the DF that lives within them. In doing so, the user will be able to exert power on the DF. This works similar to how a CoC user can intimidate an animal to back down. However in this case, the animal will be the devil fruit inside the opponent. I also think Luffy might be able to use this technique to intimidate his own devil into surpassing its limits, thereby granting him a gear 6th against Teach.
Lastly, Oda clearly wants a significant power gap between Luffy and his peers. I think Luffy gaining the other variants of CoC; observation killing and DF conquering, will allow Oda to expand haki abilities more and grant them to other characters. Some characters: Kid, Law, Sabo, Smoker, Koby, and Sanji; all have top tier EOS portrayal, but are lacking in terms of CoC or other advanced haki abilities. Oda clearly wants these guys to be legends, yet he also wants Luffy to be far above them. Once Luffy gains his other CoC variants, these guys can get their advanced haki without effecting the power gap.
Overall, I think DF conquering will truly be the strongest variant of ACoC. Its what will turn Luffy's "godhood" from mere words to an actual reality. Against Luffy, DFs will be useless(albeit Teach will be different as he has multiple DFs), whereas Luffy's DF will be boosted to unprecedented levels.
