#4 – Sengoku the Buddha
Sengoku was the fleet admiral of the Marines pre-timeskip, succeeding Kong and preceding Akainu. He was also one of the major figures along with Whitebeard, Shiki, and Monkey D. Garp during the times when Gol D. Roger was still alive, and still continues to be in the present, even after his retirement from the Marines.
Even without his Devil Fruit powers, Sengoku has great strength and speed; he is also shown to have a strong will as he was able to resist Luffy’s unconscious burst of Haoshoku Haki. Sengoku is one of a very small number of people who can use all three types of Haki: Kenbunshoku, Busoshoku, and Haoshoku.
Sengoku ate the “Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Daibutsu”, a rarer-than-Logia Mythical Zoan-class Devil Fruit which allows him to turn into a gigantic Daibutsu. This ability gives him a massive power boost to his already impressive strength, enough to cause the execution stand to collapse in one indirectly connecting punch, despite the combined effort of Luffy’s Gear Third and Mr. 3’s Candle Wall to absorb the attack. He can also launch an explosive shock wave with a palm thrust, enough to send a majority of the Blackbeard Pirates flying a fair distance.
#3 – Monkey D. Garp
Garp is one of the most powerful characters seen in the series so far. Alongside Roger, he fought and prevailed against the very powerful Rocks Pirates led by the most dangerous and strongest pirate of their time Rocks D. Xebec, earning him the epithet of “Hero of the Marines”.
He is known for cornering and fighting Gol D. Roger many times. Roger also stated that he and Garp had almost killed each other on numerous occasions. As another true testament of sheer power, Garp defeated and nearly killed Don Chinjao in the past with a single punch, whose bounty was worth over 500,000,000 Berries in his prime and was said to be able to split a continent with a headbutt.
The extent of Garp’s power and fame is evident round the time of the Battle of Edd War, three years before the future Pirate King died. It was revealed that he was offered the promotion to the rank of admiral more than once, but repeatedly refused the promotion.
Despite his advanced age, Garp still posseses tremendous strength.
#2 – Akainu
Akainu has an immense amount of superhuman durability, illustrated by the fact that not even two Haki/Busoshoku Haki enhanced quake-powered blows, which caused far more damage at point-blank range, from Whitebeard were able to keep him down, the one of which was powerful enough to split Marineford in two, and he was still able to fight the Whitebeard Pirates and two former Shichibukai (Crocodile and Jinbe) all at the same time. He is also shown to possess tremendous strength, as seen when he pinned Whitebeard’s giant bisento down to the ground with just one leg.
Akainu possesses the Magu Magu no Mi, a Logia-class Devil Fruit which grants him the ability to transform his body into magma and manipulate it at will, as well as produce near-limitless amounts of it. His ability is naturally of a higher order than Ace’s pyrokinetic abilities, as the higher heat and smothering abilities of his magma allowed him to successfully harm Ace despite Ace’s Logia-defense, and ultimately kill Ace due to this superiority. During the decisive ten day battle on Punk Hazard for the position of fleet admiral, Akainu showed the furious power of his Devil Fruit as he changed the weather of one side of Punk Hazard and left it in a blaze. His Devil Fruit also boasts the highest offensive power amongst all the Devil Fruits.
#1 – Monkey D. Dragon
Monkey D. Dragon is the infamous leader of the Revolutionary Army. He is the World Government’s greatest enemy, and is the most dangerous and most wanted man in the world.
Dragon is already a powerful threat in his own right, as well as having powerful subordinates such as Sabo, Ivankov, Bartholomew Kuma, and Inazuma who are in comparison, lower in rank. This only speaks volumes of his true power.
Dragon has been shown to control the air and even lightning, just whether in general. He probably has the strongest Zoan Devil Fruit in the series.
When he was mentioned at the Summit War everyone froze, just at the thought of Dragon. Everyone is scared of him. He is at least Yonko level. Maybe the strongest character of the series.