This article contains spoilers from One Piece’s Elbaf Arc.
The Elbaf arc of One Piece continues at a blazing speed and fans are eagerly waiting to see their beloved Straw Hat Pirates in action once again. The Loki flashback of this arc recently concluded, and it was officially the longest flashback that the fans have witnessed, and at the same time, a stretch that cast aside the Straw Hat Pirates for about seven months, which is the longest time that they’ve been away. Naturally, fans are desperate to see their beloved characters once again, and that includes the swordsman of the crew, Roronoa Zoro.
For Zoro, the Elbaf arc has already shaped up to be quite exciting, as Oda has lined up big power-ups for him. It is this arc that will see him shape up to be an elite fighter, and at the end of it, he might even turn out to be Yonko-level. Clearly, Zoro’s next Yonko level power-up is on the horizon, and in the next few chapters, he will push himself beyond all limits once again in the hopes of reaching the levels of Dracule Mihawk.
One Piece: Elbaf Is Zoro’s Most Important Arc, And Oda Has Already Confirmed It
Many fans thought Wano would be Zoro’s arc, but Oda confirmed it will be Elbaf in One Piece.
Zoro Is On The Cusp Of Yonko Level in One Piece
- Zoro has already beaten the Yonko Commanders
- He has access to all three types of Haki
It goes without saying that Zoro is quite powerful in One Piece at the moment. During the timeskip, he was trained in the basics of Haki by Mihawk himself, and this pushed him to the next level. However, Haki is an ability that can only get stronger by getting through battles, and that is why Zoro needed to push himself by fighting stronger enemies and then surpassing them.
Have you ever seen a wild animal that you were sure didn’t bite? — Roronoa Zoro to Monet
In the Wano Country Arc, Zoro received his biggest power-up in the form of Enma. This sword started to draw out his latent Haki, and this allowed him to not only scar Kaido, but at the same time, defeat King as well. Since then, Zoro hasn’t grown all that much in One Piece, but Elbaf is where that will officially change. In this arc, Zoro will have to go on to surpass his limits once again and reach the Yonko level officially.
It must be remembered that One Piece is currently in the Final Saga, and this means all the Straw Hats should be closer to their goals. Zoro wants to surpass Dracule Mihawk, and that forces him to be at a certain level of power. Mihawk is clearly a Yonko-level individual, and for Zoro to be able to stand his ground against him, he must be Yonko level as well. That is precisely why Zoro’s upcoming power-up in the Elbaf Arc will push him to Yonko level officially, and fans absolutely cannot wait to see that. As far as the power-up itself is concerned, this new ability is going to be mastered Conqueror’s Haki Infusion, something that Zoro lacks at the moment.
Zoro’s Haki Mastery Will Take Him To Yonko Level
- Zoro can use Conqueror’s Haki with Enma
- He must learn to bring out his Haki by himself
Up until the Elbaf arc of One Piece, Zoro was deeply reliant on Enma to draw out his Conqueror’s Haki. In fact, Zoro did not even know that he possessed Conqueror’s Haki, and this limited him greatly in combat. Once Zoro met Scopper Gaban, the latter made it clear to him that the true power of Haki can only be brought out once the user is familiar with what this power is and learns to control it. In other words, Zoro was not at his peak during his fight against King and even Lucci.
The true power of Haki can only be brought out when the user is aware of it. — Scopper Gaban
Zoro can go on to reach even higher levels if he learns to control his Conqueror’s Haki, and that is the next step for him. In one way or another, Zoro is going to learn Haki control in Elbaf, and once he manages to do that, he will have to defeat the likes of the Holy Knights and the demon slaves of Imu. This arc is going to be a big step for all the Straw Hat Pirates, but especially Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji.
These three individuals are going to rise to the occasion and become the new Roger, Rayleigh, and Gaban of the next generation.
Say Hello To The Newly Awakened Haki User In The Straw Hats
A Straw Hat has secretly awakened his Haki. In Elbaf, this Straw Hat could learn to use this power in One Piece.
Elbaf Will Be The Biggest Test For Roronoa Zoro
Of course, Zoro cannot reach Yonko level without putting his newly acquired powers to the test. As such, once Zoro learns to master his Conqueror’s Haki, he will most likely have to prove himself in battle against someone worthy.
- At the moment, two possibilities exist for Zoro’s enemies in the Elbaf Arc, and both are interesting match-ups. The first one is Saint Sommers, who is a very powerful swordsman belonging to the ranks of the Holy Knights. Sommers is quite skilled, both with a sword and with his Devil Fruit, Iba Iba no Mi. He also has the power of Imu’s Deep Sea Covenant, and that essentially means that he has received a superhuman buff in terms of strength, regeneration, and immortality. Somers cannot die unless Supreme King Haki is used repeatedly against him, as was clarified by Scopper Gabon. Zoro will need to muster out his strongest Haki and then control it perfectly in order to defeat him in battle.
- The other enemy for Zoro in this arc is someone even stronger than Sommers, and that is none other than Dorry of the Giant Warrior Pirates. As fans might remember, Dorry is the Co-Captain of the Giant Warrior crew, and his bounty is 1.8 billion berries. He is a monster who should be close to the level of a Yonko right now after being buffed up by Imu’s Domi Reversi. In order to defeat him, one would need incredibly powerful Conqueror’s Haki, and Zoro might be the one to step up to the occasion and cleanse him of Imu’s spell, as Sanji does the same to Brogy.
After Elbaf, Zoro Will Be Ready For Mihawk
- One Piece’s biggest sword fight is just on the horizon now
Once the Elbaf arc concludes, Zoro will officially be on the level of the Yonko, or at the very least, close to them. He should be able to stand his own against even someone like Dracule Mihawk, and this is where the final battle for Zoro will begin. Following the events of Elbaf, One Piece will enter the last stretch where the Great War will unfold. It is at some point during this war that Zoro and Mihawk will cross blades, and this will be the perfect time for the Straw Hat swordsman to surpass the world’s greatest once and for all.
Learn more about the world and strive to surpass me, Roronoa Zoro. I will wait for you atop this throne. — Dracule Mihawk
Zoro will put his newly acquired power to the test and once again, aim for newer power-ups such as blackening his swords, along with much else, when he fights Mihawk. He can truly go on to reach the next level of power, and fans absolutely cannot wait to see that happen. One way or another, Zoro is most certainly going to reach Yonko level and surpass the likes of Dracule Mihawk. After all, he has a promise to fulfill to his best friend, and to that end, he is going to push himself beyond all limits.
