In the Elbaph arc of One Piece, the ancient Harley Texts emerged as one of the most crucial relics of the Final Saga. Considered a sacred scripture by the Giants of Elbaph, the Harley predates even the Void Century and serves as the original literary source for many of the country’s myths, including the legend of the Sun God Nika.
Engraved in an indecipherable ancient language, the texts recount catastrophic events from eras long forgotten, highlighting the rise and fall of three distinct worlds. These stories don’t just echo the past; they hold ominous implications for the present, as the narrative hints that the world is on the brink of a third destructive war.
With Nico Robin beginning to decipher the text and Franky discovering an ancient mural carved into the legendary Treasure Tree Adam, fans are finally uncovering the deeper history of the One Piece world, one shaped by cycles of chaos, rebirth, and the unextinguishable will of the Sun God Nika.
The First World: Consumed by Fire and the Wrath of Gods
Within the earth there was fire.
Mankind succumbed to greed and touched the forbidden sun.
The enslaved prayed, and the sun god appeared.
The earth god raged, and with its serpent of hellfire, shrouded the world in death and darkness.
And they will never meet.
As revealed by Jarul, the Hero of the Giants, the first destruction of the world predates even the Void Century. According to Robin’s translation of the Harley texts, humanity grew arrogant during the era of the first world and “touched the forbidden sun,” which likely refers to them going against the natural order to amass power and oppress the weak. The enslaved prayed for help, with their prayers were answered by the arrival of the Sun God.
In response, the Earth God unleashed a fiery serpent of hellfire and plunged the world into chaos and death. This could be a reference to Jormungandr, a colossal serpent from Norse Mythology. When Jormungandr releases his tail, it is one of the signs of the beginning of Ragnarok. In the series, Dorry and Brogy have mentioned that only the Great Serpent soaked in blood can withstand their attacks which points to the possibility that the giant serpent still exists today. According to some theories, the Red Line is the giant serpent and when it unravels itself, the world will be plunged into its final war.
The Second World: The Rise and Fall of Joy Boy
The forest god tamed demons and the sun spread the fires of war.
Those of the half-moon dreamed.
Those of the moon dreamed.
Man killed the sun and became god, and the sea god stormed.
And they will never meet.
The second destruction of the world lines up with the mysterious Void Century, a time that the World Government has gone to great lengths to erase from history. But thanks to Dr. Vegapunk’s final message in the Egghead Arc and the confirmation from the Harley texts, a clearer picture is beginning to emerge. This era was once home to a highly advanced kingdom, a civilization far ahead of its time in science and technology.
Living during this age was Joy Boy, believed to be the second coming of the Sun God Nika and the first ever pirate. Joy Boy’s kingdom was seen as a threat by the ruling powers of the time. In response, twenty powerful kings came together to form an alliance, which eventually became the Celestial Dragons and the foundation of the current World Government.
What followed was a war that lasted for one hundred years. It ended in a great disaster, as sea levels rose, drowning lands and reshaping the face of the world. Joy Boy was defeated, but before his death, he left behind a treasure that would later become known as the One Piece. In the aftermath of this devastating war, the World Government took charge, led by Imu and the Five Elders, ruling the world ever since.
According to the Harley texts, this was also when the Forest God created the first Devil Fruit and sided with Imu to defeat Joy Boy. In response, the Sea God, enraged by their betrayal, cursed Devil Fruit users, making them forever unable to swim.
The Third World: Present Day and the Coming Apocalypse
Within the chaos there was emptiness.
The inconvenient remnants recall the promised day and hear the voice of the half-moon.
The sun god dances and laughs, guiding the world to its end.
The sun returns and brings a new morning.
And they will surely meet.
According to the Harley texts, the current era is the Third World where the Sun God will rise again, guiding the world towards its end. Vegapunk’s final message warned that the world is once again on the verge of sinking, this time due to the use of the Ancient Weapons. Imu’s devastating attack on Lulusia marked the beginning of this catastrophe, signaling that the final great war is not just coming; it has already begun.
At the heart of this chaos is Luffy, the third and perhaps final reincarnation of the Sun God Nika. The prophecy from Fishman Island, which foretells Luffy to destroy the island, suggests that he will be forced to make a devastating choice in the battles ahead. Meanwhile, Joy Boy’s long-unfulfilled promise still lingers, hinting that Luffy may be the one to finally complete it. The Harley texts speak of a “new morning,” a phrase that implies not only the collapse of the old world but also the birth of a new one, free from the control of Imu and the World Government.
