Oda Just Confirmed the Biggest One Piece Arc Since Marineford — And It Starts RIGHT After Elbaf
One Piece Chapter 1198 could be the most important chapter in the entire manga, and it has nothing to do with any single fight scene. Here is why Eiichiro Oda’s recent confirmation about the post-Elbaf arc has the entire fandom rethinking everything they thought they knew about Laugh Tale.
During Jump Festa 2026, Oda made a statement that fundamentally shifted the trajectory of One Piece’s endgame: Elbaf will conclude in 2026, and the very next arc will begin on a “remote island” that will become the series’ most consequential setting since Marineford. For a manga already in its Final Saga, this isn’t just schedule talk. It is a promise that the Straw Hats are about to enter the territory where the Pirate King’s throne is actually decided.
The Elbaf Arc: A Warzone That Changes Everything
The One Piece Elbaf arc has already delivered some of the most explosive content Oda has ever drawn. The Holy Knights — led by Figarland Shamrock (Shanks’ own twin brother) — invaded the Land of Giants with orders to force submission. Imu descended on Elbaf in person, possessing Gunko’s body as a vessel and making their first-ever direct field appearance in the manga. The giants, a nation that has never bowed to the World Government, found themselves in the crosshairs of the most dangerous military force in the world.
And then there is Loki. The “Cursed Prince” of Elbaf, imprisoned by his own people for allegedly killing his father, has been revealed to possess power that rivals Yonko-level fighters. His legendary Devil Fruit and raw physical strength make him one of the most unpredictable variables in the entire Final Saga. Every panel with Loki raises the same question: whose side is he actually on?
Here is what nobody is talking about enough: the Elbaf arc has been building toward something much bigger than a straightforward invasion story. The connection between the giants and the Void Century is not incidental. The royal family of Elbaf carries secrets from the ancient conflict between Joy Boy and the First World Government. Loki’s imprisonment wasn’t about a family crime — it was about suppression of knowledge.
The Remote Island: What Oda’s Tease Really Means
When Oda said the Straw Hats head to a “remote island” after Elbaf, he was not describing some random waypoint. In One Piece geography, “remote” is a loaded word. It means uncharted. It means deliberately hidden. And in a world where the World Government controls virtually all known sea lanes, a truly remote island can only mean one of three things:
- The island housing Pluton’s location — one of the Ancient Weapons that Joy Boy designed. We know from the Egghead arc that Pluton’s blueprints were not just about the ship itself. The blueprints point to something older.
- The true location of Laugh Tale — or at least the island that holds the final piece of the four Road Poneglyphs’ converging coordinates. The Straw Hats already have three of four Poneglyphs. They need one more, and the Elbaf arc has positioned Loki as the one who might reveal it.
- An island connected to the Will of D. — Oda has been teasing the meaning of the “D.” initial for over 25 years. A remote island where the truth about the D. lineage is stored would fit perfectly with everything Oda has built toward.
But here is the most compelling theory: the remote island is none of those things alone. It is all three simultaneously.
Chapter 1198 Predictions: The Straw Hats’ Next Move
With Elbaf wrapping up in 2026, Chapter 1198 should be the chapter that transitions the Straw Hats from the Elbaf conflict to their next destination. Here is what we predict:
1. Loki Joins the Crew (Temporarily)
Loki’s character arc has been building toward a moment of agency. After being imprisoned and manipulated by both his own kingdom and the World Government, his path to freedom runs through the Straw Hats. Oda has a pattern of giving each arc’s key ally a reason to travel with the crew (Nico Robin, Franky, Jinbe). Loki fits this pattern perfectly. His temporary crew membership would serve two purposes: getting him away from Elbaf’s politics and giving the Straw Hats access to ancient giant knowledge that only the royal family possesses.
2. The Final Road Poneglyph Is Revealed
The Elbaf arc has been the most lore-heavy arc in One Piece. Between Imu’s personal appearance, the Holy Knights’ true purpose, and the giants’ connection to the Void Century, Oda has been positioning Elbaf as the information hub for the Final Saga. Chapter 1198 could be where Loki reveals the location of the final Road Poneglyph — the one piece needed to find Laugh Tale. This would be the most consequential information drop in the entire manga.
3. Shanks vs Shamrock: The Family Reckoning
Shamrock Figarland being called back to Mary Geoise mid-Elbaf arc is classic Oda misdirection. You don’t reveal Shanks’ twin brother — a Holy Knight commander serving the World Government — just to remove him from the board. Shamrock will return. And when he does, the confrontation with Shanks will not just be a fight. It will be a reckoning over what it means to carry the “D.” in the world’s most powerful family.
4. Imu’s True Identity Gets Closer
Imu’s face was already revealed in Chapter 1179 (April 2026), but the identity remains hidden. The Elbaf arc, with its deep Void Century connections, is the most likely place for Oda to start peeling back the final layers of who Imu actually is. The possession of Gunko showed that Imu has physical form and can act directly — this is not a shadow figure. This is a person with a history, and that history intersects with the giants.
The Endgame Timeline: Oda’s 2026 Promise
Oda confirmed at Jump Festa 2026 that the Elbaf arc ends this year and the next arc begins immediately after. If we are tracking chapter counts, that gives us approximately 15-20 more chapters in Elbaf before the transition. Chapter 1198 is right in the middle of that window.
The stakes have never been higher. The World Government has invaded the one nation that refused to bow. Imu has shown their face. The giants’ ancient knowledge is finally being shared. And Luffy is one step closer to the treasure that will make him Pirate King.
Chapter 1198 won’t just be another chapter. It will be the bridge between the arc that redefined the world and the arc that ends it.
What Do You Think?
Do you think Loki joins the Straw Hats temporarily? Is the “remote island” the actual Laugh Tale, or is there one more arc before the final island? And most importantly — whose side is Shanks really on in this conflict?
Drop your theories in the comments below. The endgame has begun, and every prediction matters more than ever.
For more One Piece theories, check out our coverage of Loki’s True Power and the Secret Pact That Could Turn Elbaph Into a War Zone, the Holy Knights Betrayal Theory, and the Figarland Family War.
