With One Piece currently in the climax of the Elbaf Arc, a lot of focus is being thrown on the strongest fighters who are currently in the country. As seen in One Piece Chapter 1183, which was officially released in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #26 on May 25, 2026, One Piece has lined up major battles for the last segment of this Arc. Loki is already taking on Nerona Imu, and Monkey D. Luffy is eager to join in at any moment now.
At the same time, Roronoa Zoro is currently set up to fight against Super Sommers, who was powered up by Imu's Akuma no Mi power called Omen, while Sanji is set to take on none other than Super Killingham, who is also powered up by Imu's abilities. With major battles lined up for the Straw Hat Pirates' Monster Trio already, Eiichiro Oda is set to give major upgrades to the overall combat abilities of the crew, which all of us are eagerly waiting to see.
One Piece's Elbaf Arc Climax Lines Up Conqueror's Haki Upgrades In The Battle Against the Holy Knights And Imu
The Straw Hat Pirates' Monster Trio is going to be pivotal when it comes to taking on the forces of the World Government in Elbaf. As is usually the case,the Monster trio of Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji take on the strongest fighters of the enemy groups. Given that Luffy is the captain of the crew, his eyes are already set on taking on Nerona Imu in combat. To this end, Monkey D. Luffy is consuming exorbitant amounts of food so that he has enough energy to sustain Gear 5 for a long period of time.
This was officially seen in One Piece chapter 1181, where Luffy kept consuming food to prepare for the Imu battle on April 27, 2026. Meanwhile, One Piece chapter 1182 officially lined up the final Elbaf battles of Roronoa Zoro and Sanji. Zoro is officially set to take on Sommers in battle, while Sanji's eventful clash against Super Killingham was already set up in the very same chapter on May 10, 2026, shown in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #24.
"Gotta eat more! I've never felt anything like this before! It's so heavy and harsh! What's with this guy's Haki?" — Monkey D. Luffy eating food to fight Imu in One Piece chapter #1181
As things are, neither Zoro nor Sanji can defeat the Holy Knights, but with their next upgrades, they are sure to level up and triumph over their enemies. Meanwhile, Monkey D. Luffy has what it takes to rival Nerona Imu in battle, but he too needs to take his overall capabilities up a level if he is to stand a chance against the King of the World and defeat him. When it comes to the overall upgrade of the Straw Hat Monster Trio, Supreme King Haki is the most likely one that Eiichiro Oda is going to hand them.
Zoro: Hey, get the job done right!
Sanji: Right back at you!
— Exchange between Zoro and Sanji as they prepare to fight Sommers and Killingham, One Piece Chapter #1182
In the case of Luffy, he is already an avid user of Supreme King Haki; however, his control over it is not as good as it should be. In fact, in Egghead, Luffy was not even able to damage a single Elder properly despite being a user of Advanced Supreme King. This is precisely why Scopper Gaban reminded him to utilize his Haki properly in One Piece Chapter 1152, which was released officially on June 23, 2025, in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #30.
“Listen, Straw Hat! Etch into your mind how you use your Color of the Supreme King. These guys aren't immortal! — Scopper Gaban tells Luffy to use Haki properly, One Piece Chapter #1152
As far as Zoro goes, he was also reprimanded by Scopper Gaban for not being able to utilize Haki at will. According to Gaban, only by using Haki at will can its true power be brought out. Given that Zoro does not know how to do this properly, once he learns it, his overall skill is then destined to reach a much higher level, which is most certainly set up to happen in the battle against Super Sommers.
“Absurd.. Haki is a power that must be controlled to be used properly. Your Captain is one of the Four Emperors. How do you plan on aiding him without knowing that?" — Scopper Gaban scolds Zoro, One Piece Chapter #1152
Finally, there is Sanji, who does not have access to Supreme King Haki yet; however, he has also been set up to awaken this power in One Piece Chapter 1152 on June 23, 2025. Sanji comes from a royal lineage of the Vinsmoke Family, who have ruled over the North Blue for a significant period of time in the past. Sanji's king's blood makes him a prime candidate for Supreme King Haki, and his incredible ambition to find the All Blue also boosts his chances of getting this ability. Most importantly, Sanji cannot win against Saint Killingham without getting Supreme King Haki, which makes it imperative for him to receive this power in the upcoming battle, ensuring that the Monster Trio grows in strength together.
Why Zoro And Sanji Will Edge Closer To Yonko Level Vs Super Sommers And Super Killingham
Luffy, the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, is already Yonko level; however, his power will now go even beyond what fans know it to be. Meanwhile, Zoro and Sanji will officially get closer to Yonko level in the climax of the Elbaf Arc. In One Piece Chapter 1010, which was released in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #19 on April 12, 2021, Kaido stated officially that only a handful of the strongest can infuse their attacks with Conqueror Haki.
Luffy: You can infuse your attacks with the Color of the Supreme King, can't you?
Kaido: Only a handful of the strongest can. Not a dead man walking!
— Exchange between Kaido and Luffy, One Piece Chapter #1010
As such, just utilizing this ability makes one a top tier in the world of One Piece. For Zoro and Sanji to be able to do it willingly in Elbaf means that they will have ascended beyond Yonko First Commander level and officially edge closer to Yonko level. This power is going to improve both their offensive and defensive capabilities and make them two of the most ferocious fighters in the world of One Piece.
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Luffy's Elbaf Upgrade Could Push Him To Shanks's Level
As far as the Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, Monkey D. Luffy, goes, his Supreme King Haki is sure to evolve in the battle against Nerona Imu. In fact, Luffy's control over Gear 5 is also likely to improve if he is to stand a chance against the King of the World. Luffy is already quite strong, as was evident from his battle against Kaido, which was officially concluded in One Piece Chapter 1048, which was released in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #24 on May 16, 2022.
Luffy still needs to get on a higher tier to take on the calamity that is Imu. By officially upgrading his Supreme King Haki even more and refining it to the point where he can injure the immortals of the One Piece world, Luffy will become a calamity for anyone to take on in combat. In the grand scheme of things, the Monster Trio will become one of the most powerful units that any pirate crew has ever had in the history of the One Piece world.
All the latest chapters of the One Piece manga by Eiichiro Oda are available to read via Manga Plus and Viz Media.
One Piece
- Release Date
- October 20, 1999
- Studio
- Toei Animation
- Creator
- Eiichiro Oda
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu, Pluto TV
