One Piece officially upgrades Luffy's Yonko fleet after Elbaf

One piece is currently in the climax of the Elbaf arc, where the straw pirates and giants face the greatest threat of all, which was officially introduced in April 6, 2026 Weekly Shonen Jump #19 Chapter 1179 — Nerona Imu. With the arrival of Imu, the Holy Knights were also strengthened, and they represent a significant threat not only to Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates, but also to the entire country of Elbaf.

One way or another, Luffy and the Straw Hats will have to deal with this threat, and once they do, they'll be rewarded with a massive upgrade to their pirate fleet. Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, has officially lined up support for Luffy and the Straw Hats in the form of the strongest fleet in the entire world, provided they can overcome their suffering in Elbaf.

Luffy's alliance with Loki and the Elbafian Giants makes Luffy's Grand Fleet stronger than ever

Monkey D. Luffy is already one of the strongest pirates in the One Piece world and has a powerful fleet at his disposal. Monkey D. Luffy saw the creation of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet at the end of the Dressrosa arc, specifically in One Piece chapter 800, titled “Sons' Cups”, which was officially released in Weekly Shonen Jump issue 43 on September 19, 2015. This chapter marked the birth of Luffy 5 and grows into a powerful fleet with each transition. Even though Luffy's fleet is significantly powerful and contains several commanders, it still doesn't come close to the elite fighters of the One Piece world.

“We hereby swear to become your sword and shield at any time and under any circumstances, in retribution for all you have done for us in the past. We 7, with every fiber of our being, hereby very selfishly accept, with these cups of sake, our vows to be your subordinates.” — Straw Hat Grand Fleet bows to Luffy, One Piece Chapter #800

However, after the events of the Elbaf Arc and the successful defense of the land against the threat of Nero Imu and the Holy Knights, Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates see a drastic increase in their overall powers. The Straw Hats' grand fleet gets a major boost with the introduction of Loki, the cursed prince, as well as giant pirates. While Loki is also tipped by many to become the Straw Hat, v One piece Chapter 1180, released on April 20, 2026, the Cursed Prince expressed his desire to stay back in Elbaf. Since the land requires a powerful figure at the top to lead it and defend it against forces like Nero Ima and the Holy Knights, Loki's presence in Elbaf is absolutely necessary. That means he can't join the Straw Hat Pirates. However, he can still join them as the king of the land and leader and be a major commander of Luffy's fleet.

“You won't find me anywhere but Elbaf! Do you understand, you idiot?” — Luffy claims you can always find him in Elbaf, One Piece Chapter #1180

Along with Loki, the Giant Pirates will likely team up with Straw Hat Luffy. Previously, in the Dressrosa arc, Hajrudin swore allegiance to Monkey D. Luffy as the 6th Captain of the Grand Fleet. This practically put the New Giant Pirates directly under Luffy's banner. The Giant Warrior Pirates are not currently allied with Straw Hat Luffy. But after the successful defense of Elbaf, the Giant Pirates are likely to team up with Luffy, who was confirmed as this generation's Sun God Nik in Chapter 1044 on March 23, 2022.

Boa Hancock And Kuja Are Set To Officially Ally With Slam Hat Luffy

While the inclusion of Loki and the giant pirates in the fleet will certainly make Luffy significantly powerful, there are other allies to consider, and Boa Hancock is one of them. In One Piece Chapter 1059, Eiichiro Oda, which was released on September 12, 2022, Eiichiro Oda officially showed us the fate of Amazon Lily after the attack by the navy, as well as Yonko Blackbeard. Boa Hancock was caught in a pretty tough position where she could no longer stay in Amazon Lily. She has made her desire to find Luffy clear and right now she has to sail towards him.

“I want to go see Luffy immediately!” — Boa Hancock, One Piece Chapter #1059

Hancock is not about to join the Straw Hat Pirates, but has no choice but to fight side by side with the Straw Hat captain. Her alliance with Luffy further strengthens the Straw Hat Grand Fleet, making it a force so powerful it can rival the influence of the World Government. This is something we are all looking forward to. After Elbaf, One Piece will officially take Luffy's fleet to a whole new level of power and give it a significant upgrade overall.

Why Monkey D. Luffy will have the strongest pirate fleet after Elbaf

Monkey D. Luffy is currently one of the most powerful characters in the One Piece world in his fight against Nero Ima, which was officially teased in One piece chapter 1181, released on April 27, 2026 in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump #22-23, will likely take his overall power to the next level. With the straw pirates greatly improving their strength in Elbaf and the fleet receiving major upgrades in the form of Loki, giant pirates, and potentially even Bo Hancock, this group will make itself known as one of the strongest on the seas. In fact, compared to the other Yonka, their influence will be unmatched after the events of the Elbaf arc.

Right now, Shanks' fleet is known to be remarkably weak overall, and it doesn't look like Blackbeard has made any major alliances at this point. This leaves Buggy behind, who is already the weakest of the four emperors at this point. By forming an alliance with such powerful individuals, Monkey D. Luffy will most likely have the most powerful fleet in the series, which could also make him the most influential and powerful pirate in the entire world considering his overall strength.

It should also be recalled that One Piece Chapter 1146 officially started the Great War to come after the events of the Elbaf Arc, upon its release on April 21, 2026 in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #48. This war will require Luffy to gather as many powerful allies as possible before taking on the forces of Nero Ima and the powerful World Government elites such as the Five Elders and the Holy Knights.

The latest chapters of Eiichiro Oda's One Piece manga are available to read through Manga Plus and Viz Media.