Nearly a year after its debut, the Elbaf arc is steadily proving to be one of the best storylines in One Piece. Although it has been lengthy, it has yet to reach its conclusion, leaving fans eagerly awaiting new developments in the wider world.
The events in the Elbaf arc are not only thrilling but are also expected to permanently change the course of One Piece. In particular, there is a detail many fans might have missed: Elbaf will play a key role in triggering the next timeskip for the Straw Hat crew. This won’t be an ordinary timeskip but one with a very unique nature. This explosive information has been subtly confirmed by Eiichiro Oda himself, not once but three times within the story.
Why Has the Second Timeskip Been Confirmed?
Although the Elbaf arc is still ongoing, Oda has dropped clear hints about the upcoming timeskip. Unlike the previous two-year timeskip after the Marine Headquarters event, this time the Straw Hats will not be separated. Instead, time will pass much faster outside of Elbaf. Oda has quietly confirmed this three times in the story.
The first hint comes from Louis Arnote’s warning. He advised travelers not to stay too long on Elbaf.
The second is Imu’s complaint. Upon arriving at Elbaf, Imu grumbled that the Holy Knights took too long to bring the children to Marijoa. For Imu, it might have been just a few days, but on Elbaf, time seemed to pass only in hours.
The third is Gaban’s flashback. In a memory about Loki, while Shanks and Gaban talk, Gaban believes it’s been three to four years since Roger’s death, but Shanks corrects him, saying it has actually been ten years. Gaban’s sense of time was distorted after being on Elbaf.
The idea behind this second timeskip that Oda mentioned is that time on Elbaf is perceived differently. Note that time itself on Elbaf does not actually flow differently. If it did, it would disrupt many aspects of the One Piece world. However, for some reason, those on Elbaf experience time as passing more slowly.
The Impact of the Timeskip After the Elbaf Arc
When the Straw Hats leave Elbaf, time outside could have sped up significantly. If they spend one month on Elbaf, the outside world might have experienced three and a half months. This means many important events could have unfolded.
For example, the battle between the Revolutionary Army and the World Government might have reached its climax or even concluded. Or the remaining Four Emperors could have made major advances, surpassing Luffy.
Oda’s decision to introduce another timeskip shows his intent to elevate the story to a new level, creating major and surprising changes for the One Piece world. This is definitely great news, promising an exciting future for the Straw Hats and all readers.