Monkey D. Luffy learned the basics of Haki during the two-year time skip while training with Silvers Rayleigh. Since then, he has improved his Haki drastically, and now in the Elbaph arc, it can be said that he is a master of Haki, standing tall as one of the Four Emperors of the Sea. Luffy's strength is immaculate, and he can rival the likes of the Yonko and the Marine Admirals without too much trouble. However, this level of strength is insufficient against Nerona Imu, which is why Oda is upgrading Luffy's Haki in Elbaph after 15 years. The basis for it has already been laid in the previous chapters of the One Piece story.
Breaking Down Luffy's Haki Growth In The Land Of Giants
One Piece has upgraded Luffy's Haki in the Elbaph Arc in two ways. The first upgrade comes in the form of Observation Haki, and this was quietly teased when Luffy was in the Underworld with Loki. While spending time waiting for Loki to recover, Chopper and Scopper Gaban started falling from the Sun World of Elbaph, and Luffy was immediately able to pinpoint who it was and what was happening without actually seeing it. In contrast, Sanji was able to sense two souls falling from above, but was not able to pinpoint the person it was yet. Luffy was able to do this with his incredibly perceptive Observation Haki, or the "Voice of all Things".
The Voice of all Things, in particular, is a branch of Haki that is connected to the Color of Observation, but it is a skill that takes it beyond any limitations. The true extent of this power has not been shown yet, and Luffy has also not mastered this power, but he first used it in Fishman Island, 15 years ago. It has started to awaken properly in the Elbaph Arc and is already a significant boost to his overall arsenal. It might allow Luffy to do things like kill the Observation Haki of his enemies later down the line, which is something that Shanks is a master of.
Why Refined Conqueror's Haki Is Next For The Straw Hat Captain
Another major power-up in terms of Haki that Luffy is gaining in Elbaph is Refined Conqueror's Haki. When Luffy met Scopper Gaban, the latter made it clear to him that in order to defeat the Holy Knights, he needs to etch into his mind how to use Conqueror's Haki properly, as only then would he be able to deal sustained damage to the immortals of the One Piece world.
Etch into your mind how you use your Color of Supreme King. These guys aren't Immortal! — Gaban, Chapter 1152
So far, Luffy has failed to do that. All the damage dealt to the Immortals, even with Conqueror's Haki, has not been able to incapacitate them, and that must change soon. The Elbaph arc is certainly going to give Luffy this power-up, given that he has to pull past the level of the Holy Knights, the Five Elders, and even rival the likes of Nerona Imu in battle. As such, a refinement in Conqueror's Haki is absolutely a must for Luffy in the Elbaph arc and something that he must gain in order to take his skills to the next level.
GameRant Quiz
Yonko Luffy's Overall Power Level After Elbaph
As a Yonko, Luffy is already one of the strongest characters in One Piece, but with his new Haki upgrades in Elbaph in the departments of the Color of Observation and the Color of the Supreme King, he's certainly going to be a cut above the rest. Luffy must be stronger than all the Yonko of the One Piece world and leave even the Admirals in the dust. He is the man who has to face off against Nerona Imu, the King of the World and the creator of the World Government, and crush this organization that has oppressed the world for 800 years.
Luffy must truly embody Sun God Nika, and that requires him to reach a tremendous level of power never seen before. He must pull past the likes of Roger and Rocks and all the other legends that existed before. Elbaph is the starting point for that. With two major Haki power-ups already under his belt, Luffy is going to pull past the level of the Yonko and edge closer to the likes of the Pirate King in terms of overall power level. That is certainly going to be very important moving forward as the Great War begins.
One Piece Chapter 1180 will be available to read on Manga Plus on April 19, 2026, at 11 a.m. EST.
