One Piece: Zoro and Sanji are two of the strongest fighters in the Straw Hat crew. Together with Luffy, they are called the Monster Trio. From the very beginning of One Piece, both of them have shown great strength and skill. Over time, they have grown even stronger, and there is no sign of them slowing down. By the end of the series, they are sure to reach levels that very few characters can touch. But no matter how much they improve, there will always be one person above them, and that is Luffy.

Right now, Zoro and Sanji are close to the level of a first commander of a Yonko crew. This means they can fight against people like King, Katakuri, or Burgess and hold their ground. But this is not their limit. In the future, both of them are expected to reach the same level as the Yonko themselves. They are the wings of the Pirate King, which means they will be the ones taking on the strongest enemies to protect their captain.

The story of the Roger Pirates gives a good comparison. Rayleigh and Gaban were Roger’s closest fighters, and in their prime, they could have faced almost anyone, even the Yonko of today. Rayleigh himself admitted that if he were younger, he might have been able to defeat Blackbeard. In the same way, Zoro and Sanji are the new Rayleigh and Gaban of this era. Their growth will be huge, but they will always remain one step behind their captain.

That is because Luffy is on a completely different path. From the start, he has been fighting the most powerful characters in the world. He has lost many battles, but those losses gave him experience that no one else has. To become the King of the Pirates, he needs to be the strongest in the world, and everything in the story points to him achieving that. Right now, he already stands equal to the Yonko, and his strength is only going to keep rising.

Luffy has mastered all three types of Haki in only a few years, something that takes most fighters a lifetime. He can even use the advanced versions of them. Soon, he will learn to master these powers completely, which will make him even scarier. On top of that, Luffy has the power of the Nika fruit, also known as the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika. This is no ordinary Devil Fruit. It gives him the abilities of the Sun God, a power so feared that the World Government tried to erase its existence. With this fruit, Luffy has already beaten many legendary fighters, but he still doesn’t have full control of it. That will change as the story moves forward.

Even though Luffy will always be ahead, Zoro and Sanji’s roles are just as important. Both of them have personal dreams, but they are ready to put everything aside for Luffy’s sake. They know he cannot become the Pirate King on his own. He needs them, just like Roger needed Rayleigh and Gaban. The rest of the crew will also be important, even if they are not as strong.

In the end, Zoro and Sanji will rise to the level of legends, but they will never surpass Luffy. And that balance is what makes the Monster Trio so special.