This article contains spoilers from One Piece's Elbaf Arc.
After the conclusion of the events of the Wano Country Arc, One Piece fans were treated by Oda with some of the most intense action as well as massive reveals, as the story officially entered the final saga. Years ago, Oda promised the fans that once the Wano Country Arc ends, they would start seeing the shape of what the One Piece truly is. Now, fans are finally understanding what Oda truly meant, as One Piece is in its final phase at the moment.
One Piece: Oda Reveals What Will Happen After Luffy Becomes The Pirate King
Luffy will become the pirate king. Oda reveals what comes next in One Piece.
With the first arc of the Final Saga already over, now is the time for Elbaf to head towards its climax and wrap up as well. After the conclusion of Elbaf, One Piece will truly be heading incredibly close to its conclusion, and fans are now holding their breath. This monumental series has continued for almost 29 years now, and with Oda's latest update, it seems that the ending is closer than ever before.
One Piece Is In The Final Saga Right Now
- Final Saga began with the end of the Wano Country Arc
- Elbaf paves the way for the Great War to come
One Piece's Final Saga began after the conclusion of the Wano Country arc. It was in this arc that Luffy awakened his Devil Fruit and the world saw the return of Sun God Nika. At the same time, the fall of two Emperors meant that new Emperors needed to be elected, and Luffy and Buggy ended up taking the positions. It was officially the beginning of a new era for the world of One Piece, and with that, the chaotic seas became even more turbulent and the preparations for the Final War began.
From now on, this will be ONE PIECE! I will draw all the mysteries left in this world that I have been hiding until now. It's going to be really interesting. Please fasten your seatbelts. Thank you so much, I hope you keep up with me a bit longer. — Eiichiro Oda, One Piece
The first arc in the Final Saga of One Piece was Egghead, and it was here that Oda decided to reveal some of the biggest pieces of lore in the world of One Piece. Through the character of Vegapunk, Oda explained the creation of Devil Fruits as well as some bits and pieces from the Void Century. More than that, Oda established the final villains of the One Piece story, those being Imu and his demonic army, which consists of the likes of the Five Elders and the Holy Knights.
Now, One Piece is in Elbaf, where the Holy Knights and Imu stand as the main enemies. Quite clearly, the final saga of One Piece is exciting already, but at the same time, with each passing chapter, fans know that the story edges closer to its conclusion as Luffy gets closer to his eventual goal.
Oda Confirmed The Next Arc Will Take Luffy To The Place Where The Pirate King Went
- The Elbaf Arc will end in 2026 according to Oda
- The next island takes Luffy to the island that only the Pirate King reached
One Piece's Elbaf arc will most certainly end rather soon. It can be said that fans are already halfway through this arc. Elbaf officially began in late 2024, and right now, half of it has wrapped up fully. Fans just saw the conclusion of the Loki flashback, and now is the time for the final battles in this arc to begin. As the final battles kick start, fans know that Elbaf will be edging closer to its conclusion, and it is certainly going to be incredibly intense. With the conclusion of Elbaf, One Piece will enter its last phase, and this was confirmed recently in Oda's update.
According to Oda himself, after the conclusion of the Elbaf arc, One Piece will enter a phase where reunions will become a common theme. These reunions are not going to be friendly in nature necessarily. While some, such as Luffy and Shanks, will have a much-awaited friendly reunion, others could be in the form of rivalries, such as Shanks and Blackbeard. More than that, Oda stated that following the events of Elbaf, Luffy and the Straw Hats will head to the place where only the Pirate King set foot.
To that island that only the Pirate King ever reached!? The man marked by flames appears!! Two people who never crossed paths finally meet!! And those two run into each other as well!! Is next year going to be a full-blown festival of encounters?
The story moves at lightning speed, but I’ve unfortunately gotten older, so while taking care of my health, I’ll continue next year to sail through One Piece at its fastest pace yet—steady and full force. Ahead lies a festival!!
Please look forward to it!!!” — Eiichiro Oda
This could very well be the Final Island, Laugh Tale, or it could be the final island in the Grand Line that is Lodestar. In either case, One Piece's ending is coming at a blazing fast speed, and fans are not ready for it.
One Piece's End Is Very Close According To Oda
- Luffy's journey will end after Laugh Tale
- Laugh Tale could be within reach after Elbaf
Given that the final saga of One Piece has officially begun already, it can be said that One Piece doesn't have too long left before it concludes.
The previous saga of One Piece, that is the Four Emperors Saga, began with the Zou arc, and it gave fans four arcs in total. As such, it would be a solid guess to say that this final saga will also consist of four major arcs. With one arc already done and one about to end, fans might just be left with two more arcs after Elbaf, and that just goes to show that this story is now wrapping up.
One Piece: Oda Reveals He Might Change One Piece's Ending And Here's Why
Oda has said he could change One Piece's ending if fans do this one thing. Here's what he said.
Oda already confirmed that the arc after Elbaf is the one where Luffy reaches the place only the Pirate King has set foot on, and that goes to show that he is planning to end the series soon. If Luffy truly goes on to reach Laugh Tale after Elbaf, then only the Final War of One Piece remains. It would mean that the series will end even sooner than fans expected.
Oda's Story Should Wrap Up By 2032
Based on Oda's estimates, one can say that One Piece will most likely end in about five years. However, it must also be remembered that Oda is often wrong with his estimates. For instance, Oda stated previously that he wanted to put an end to One Piece by 2025. As fans know, 2025 is already over, and One Piece is nowhere near its conclusion. Quite clearly, Oda's estimates are not always accurate, which means that if, based on his estimates, One Piece will end by 2030, the truth is that fans should see the series wrap up by sometime in the early 2030s.
At the moment, 2032 seems like a solid estimate, which means that fans still have a couple of years left. However, that timeframe still isn't long, because at the end of the day, the series is in the Final Saga, and this last stretch is going to see Luffy and the Straw Hats fulfill their dreams.
It must also be remembered that Oda is way too old now and has dedicated the vast majority of his life to this series. He has delighted fans for many years, and the run was truly unforgettable, but it must come to an end sooner or later. When One Piece does end, it will truly be the end of an era, but that doesn't mean that the franchise itself will die.
Fans know very well that One Piece still has tremendous potential, and Oda himself has stated that he might draw some spin-off stories every now and then following the conclusion of the main manga. In either case, fans are both excited and nervous about the conclusion of this brilliant story.
Eiichiro Oda's One Piece focuses on the journey of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates as they sail the seas to lay claim to the grand treasure known as the One Piece. The manga is currently in its Final Saga. One Piece will be featured in this week's Weekly Shonen Jump Issue. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1172 is February 1, 2026. In Japan, One Piece drops at 12AM JST on Monday, which is 11:00 AM EST, or 8:00 AM PT. Fans can read the chapter for free on Manga Plus and the Shonen Jump apps. Doing so will ensure that fans always support the author.