Shanks Red Hair

One of the Four Emperors who inspired Luffy to become a pirate and gave him his straw hat. Shanks the Red-Haired stands out in the world of One Piece for being one of the most feared Yonkou (Emperors of the Sea) without ever having consumed a Devil Fruit. All of his devastating strength comes from his absolute mastery over the three forms of Haki, reaching a spiritual level that very few characters in history can even come close to. His greatest differentiator is his Conqueror's Haki (Haoshoku Haki), which he projects over impressive distances to knock out thousands of pirates at once, intimidate Navy Admirals, and even inflict real physical damage on the surrounding environment through his sheer presence alone. ​Beyond the passive use of his aura, Shanks masters the advanced coating of Conqueror's Haki on his sword, Gryphon. By infusing this power into his strikes, he can unleash colossal slashing attacks without even directly touching his opponent — as demonstrated by his Kamusari (Divine Departure) technique, which is capable of defeating high-bounty pirates with a single blow. He also possesses an Observation Haki so refined that he can see several seconds into the future to anticipate tragedies, paired with a rare ability known as "Observation Haki Killer," which prevents enemies from sensing his presence or predicting his movements. ​Even after losing his left arm early in the story to save Luffy, Shanks' swordsmanship combined with his spiritual energy keeps him at the very peak of world power. He doesn't rely on monstrous transformations or elemental powers to dominate the seas; his reputation and extreme strength stem from pure force of will and an unrestricted control over combat energy, making him one of the most respected and dangerous figures in the entire series.