One Piece officially upgrades Luffy's Yonko fleet after Elbaf

One Piece is currently at the climax of the Elbaf arc, where the Straw Hat Pirates and Giants face the greatest threat of all, which was officially introduced in Chapter 1179 on April 6, 2026, in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #19 — Nerona Imu. With the arrival of Imu, the Holy Knights have also gained power, posing 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 dealt with, a significant reward awaits them in the form of a massive upgrade to their pirate fleet. Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, has officially lined up a boost for Luffy and the Straw Hats in the form of the strongest fleet in the entire world, provided they make it through the ordeal of Elbaf.

Luffy's alliance with Loki and the Elbaf Giants makes Luffy's great fleet stronger than ever

Monkey D. Luffy is already one of the strongest pirates in the world of One Piece, and he 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's powerful fleet, which is said to grow by 5,6,50 passing arc. Although Luffy's fleet is very powerful and has multiple commanders, it is still nowhere near the elite fighters in the One Piece world.

“We hereby swear to, at any time and at any time, become your sword and your shield, in repayment for all you have done for us in the past. We 7, with every fiber of our being, hereby very selfishly, with these goblets of sake, take our vows to be your minions.” — 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 Nerona Imu and the Holy Knights, Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates will see their overall powers drastically upgraded. The Straw Hat Grand Fleet will receive a significant boost with the induction of Loki, the Cursed Prince, as well as the Giant Pirates. While Loki is also tipped by many to become a Straw Hat, i One Piece Chapter 1180, released on April 20, 2026, made the Cursed Prince known for his desire to stay back in Elbaf. With the land requiring a powerful figure at the top to lead it and defend against forces like Nerona Imu and the Holy Knights, Loki's presence in Elbaf is imperative. That means he can't join the Straw Hat Pirates. But he can still ally with them as the king of the country and leader and be a significant commander of Luffy's fleet.

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

Along with Loki, the Giant Pirates will also likely ally with Straw Hat Luffy. Previously, in the Dressrosa arc, Hajrudin swore allegiance to Monkey D. Luffy as the sixth ship captain of the Grand Fleet. This practically put the New Giant Pirates directly under Luffy's flag. The Giant Warrior Pirates are currently not allied with Straw Hat Luffy. However, after a successful defense of Elbaf, the Giant Pirates are also likely to ally with Luffy, who was confirmed as the Sun God Nika for this generation in Chapter 1044 on March 23, 2022.

Boa Hancock and Kuja are set to officially ally with Straw Hat Luffy

While the addition of Loki and the Giant Pirates to the fleet will certainly make Luffy significantly more powerful, there are other allies to consider as well, and one of them is Boa Hancock. In One Piece Chapter 1059, Eiichiro Oda, which was released on September 12, 2022, Eiichiro Oda officially revealed to us the fate of Amazon Lily after an attack by the Navy as well as Yonko Blackbeard. Boa Hancock was caught in a rather difficult position where she couldn't stay in Amazon Lily any longer. She made her desire to seek out Luffy clear, and right now she must sail towards him.

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

Hancock will not join the Straw Hat Pirates, but she has no choice but to fight side by side with the Straw Hat Captain. Her alliance with Luffy will further strengthen the Straw Hat Grand Fleet and make it a force so strong it can rival the influence of the World Government. It's something we're all eagerly waiting to see. After Elbaf, One Piece will officially take Luffy's fleet to a whole new level of strength and give it a significant upgrade overall.

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

Monkey D. Luffy is one of the most powerful characters in the One Piece world at the moment in his fight against Nerona Imu, which was officially teased in One Piece chapter 1181, released on April 27, 2026, in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump issues #22-23, it will likely take his total power to the next level. With the Straw Hat Pirates greatly upgrading their strength in Elbaf and the fleet receiving a major upgrade in the form of Loki, the Giant Pirates, and potentially even Boa Hancock, this group will make a name for itself as one of the strongest on the seas. In fact, compared to the other Yonko, their influence will be unmatched after the events of the Elbaf arc.

Right now, Shank's fleet is known to be remarkably weak overall, and Blackbeard doesn't seem to have any major alliances at the moment. This leaves behind Buggy, who is already the weakest of the four emperors at the moment. By forming an alliance with such powerful individuals, Monkey D. Luffy will surely have the strongest fleet in the series, which could also make him the most influential and strongest pirate in the entire world, given his overall strength.

It must also be remembered that One Piece Chapter 1146 officially set up the Great War to come after the events of the Elbaf Arc, when it was released 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 Nerona Imu 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 via Manga Plus and Viz Media.