Oda Sets Up Elbaf’s First Major Battle

The Elbaf arc of One Piece is well and truly underway, but knowing Oda’s writing style, major arcs such as this one take some time to build up. Egghead started off on a much faster note for a reason, given that it was a considerably shorter arc, but Elbaf is different. This is an arc fans have waited decades for and Oda himself has been itching to draw for long. As such, Elbaf was bound to take some time to finally get going, but with the previous chapter, it seems like things are finally moving towards the conflict of the arc.

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With the banquet in Elbaf now done, fans know that the focus is going to be turned towards something much bigger, and with the arrival of two mysterious hooded individuals in the land of the Giants, it Isn’t too difficult to guess what that is.

The Arrival Of The Holy Knights In Elbaf

• Two Hooded Individuals Affiliated with The Government Showed Up
• One Of Them Is Related To Red Hair Shanks

In One Piece Chapter 1134, fans saw the arrival of two mysterious chapters in the land of the Giants. These characters shocked the fans as soon as the black lightning hit the auburn castle in the Western Elbaf Village. Fans could two a summoning circle, the likes of which was abundantly present in the Egghead Island arc, but this time, instead of an Elder, it was two completely different individuals who emerged from the circle. One of them appears to be a Shanks Lookalike, while the other is a bandaged woman whose face is partially hidden. Fans were unsure as to what these individuals were in Elbaf to begin with, but it didn’t take Oda long at all to reveal the true purpose of their visit. The mysterious warriors are in Elbaf to talk to Loki, for one reason or another.

We’re looking for the one named Loki. – Gunko

One Piece Chapter 1135 showed these mysterious individuals once again, and this time around, one of them was shown giving readers a glimpse of their abilities. When approached by two giant guards in the village, the bandaged woman approached them and asked where Loki was. Upon not receiving the answer that they desired, she decided to bring him to heel but using mysterious powers. Upon closer inspection, it is clear that the ability utilized here was of bandages, which makes sense, given that over half of her body is covered with them. So far, these individuals, who are members of the Holy Knights, have not caused much harm to the country, but things will change soon enough and that’s exactly what fans are itching to see in the upcoming One Piece chapters. It is later clear that they’ll encounter both Loki and the Straw Hat Pirates at some point in the Elbaf arc, and when that happens, all hell is going to break loose.

The Straw Hat Pirates vs The Holy Knights

The Straw Hats Are Bound To Run Into The Holy Knights

As the two mysterious hooded individuals finally make their appearance in Elbaf, fans know that things are going to get incredibly intense. Although their goal is to simply get to Loki for now, it is entirely possible that they’ll eventually run into the Straw Hat Pirates. The map of Elbaf Village, which Oda has some had highlighted already, suggests that Luffy and Usopp, along with many other powerful individuals are stationed right outside the Aurust Castle of Elbaf, which is where the mysterious hooded individuals first spawned. Naturally, to get to Loki, they have to leave the castle and then get to the Underworld, which is on a completely different level from Elbaf. They could either take the rope bridge to get down, or possibly use their own abilities to traverse to a different level. Depending on which path they end up taking from here, the battle vs the Straw Hat Pirates could begin.

If they run into the Straw Hat Pirates first, then, there is absolutely every chance of Luffy and the Shanks look-alike engaging in immediate battle. However, this is likely to not be the case. If a battle unfolds between the two, it is likely to be in the Underworld as a meeting between Loki and the Shanks look-alike is essential. This leads one to believe that the Holy Knights will move to the Underworld first and make contact with Loki. It is there that Oda will finally have the Straw Hat Pirates meet with the Holy Knights and set up a potential clash with them.

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A battle between Luffy and the Shanks look-alike looks inevitable right now, especially given that the red-haired pirate who was expected to be in Elbaf himself is nowhere to be seen at be moment. Clearly, the lookalike is going to take the responsibility of giving fans a massive battle and that’s something every reader of the story is incredibly excited about.

The Future Battle Of Elbaf

Loki Elbaf Will Have To Face Bigger Enemies

While Luffy vs the Shanks Lookalike seems like a battle destined to happen, fans also need to keep in mind that this clash is a bit too easy for the Straw Hat Pirates at the moment. Luffy has his entire crew, as well as the Giant Warrior Pirates with him. There is also Loki, who, although not exactly an ally, would have no sympathy for the Holy Knights, given how prideful he is. Loki will most certainly not be welcoming to them either, which means that it is essentially impossible for the Holy Knights to even hope to win here. But, that only makes things more exciting as it implies the coming of an even stronger force to Elbaf. It is entirely possible that some other World Government powers will come to Elbaf eventually, or Imu might even make use of the Ancient Weapon Uranus, given that they now have access to extra Motherflame.

Elbaf might give fans a skirmish right now, but bigger things are sure to follow, and fans absolutely cannot wait to see what chaos ensues in this country as Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates adventure across it. With exciting characters such as Loki and the two members of the Holy Knights thrown into the mix, it goes without saying that this arc will be spectacular in terms of combat, and at the same time, will go on to deliver some of the most exciting lore to the readers yet. All fans need to do is patiently wait for the story to unfold further and for Oda to do what he does best.

One Piece is available to read via Viz Media. The series can be read by the fans officially and for free on the Shonen Jump and the Manga Plus apps. The release date for the next chapter of One Piece, One Piece 1136, is set to be January 19, 2025.

Release Date

October 20, 1999

Creator

Eiichiro Oda

Number of Episodes

1122