Luffy’s journey centers on finding the One Piece and becoming King of the Pirates. However, over 1,000 episodes of the anime later, the Straw Hats are no closer to discovering Gold Roger’s titular treasure.
The closest they come is during the Sabaody Archipelago Arc. At this time, the Straw Hats meet Silvers Rayleigh, who served as Roger’s first mate on his pirate crew and is one of the few characters left alive from Roger’s time as Pirate King. Interestingly, he was also part of the crew that Roger took to Laugh Tale. So not only does Rayleigh know what the One Piece is, but he also knows where it is, leading Usopp to ask about it when the Straw Hats meet him. Of course, that would be too easy, and Luffy quickly ends the questioning, stating there’d be no point in searching for the One Piece or becoming King of the Pirates if they knew anything about the legendary treasure.
Because the search for the One Piece has spanned decades, many fans — and some characters — began to believe Gold Roger’s mysterious treasure is just a myth. Thankfully, Eiichiro Oda put that to rest through Whitebeard, with the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates confirming its existence with his final words, claiming a massive war will engulf the world once someone finds it. Oda himself has reiterated that the series will end once the treasure is found, so until he’s finished telling his story, the One Piece will remain a mystery.