A Piece in Elbaf officially lines up two new Yonko level pirates

In the world of piracy, Yonko is the cream of the crop and rises to the top, ruling the New World with an iron fist. Yonko is officially known as Monkey D. Luffy was introduced after the events in Annie's lobby. a piece Chapter 432 on October 30, 2006. Garp said that Yonko is known as a powerful force whose influence the World Government needs the Shichibukai to balance. They rule the New World like kings and have their own powerful realms, and even the Marines think twice before facing them in battle. Yonko are the strongest individuals in the entire world of One Piece, and therefore only a select few characters have monstrous strength in comparison.

However, one piece is now in the final saga, with the latest chapter 1184 taking us deep into the climax of the Elbaf arc. Right now, there are already several powerful Yonko level characters, and the next few chapters are setting up the ascension of two more powerful ones to Yonko's level. These characters are none other than the Pirate King's wings – Zoro and Sanji.

Roronoa Zoro and Sanji of the Straw Hat Pirates are in a Yonko-level coup on Elbaf.

Roronoa Zoro and Sanji are two powerful characters in One Piece. While Yonko are below Yonko's level when it comes to commanders or pirates, Zoro and Sanji are some of the strongest, if not already the strongest. Both of these characters displayed their immense power in the Wano Country arc, where they fought against the All Stars King and Queen respectively, and completely destroyed them in battle. Since then, both Zoro and Sanji have grown in significant ways and gained immense powers.

In Egghead, Zoro battled Luchi in Chapter 1111 on March 25, 2024, raising his overall power to a new level. Sanji was able to pull off incredible feats such as injuring Nuszuro, one of the Five Elders, in Chapter 1113 and destroying Kizaru's laser from Existence 1107 on February 19, 2024—a feat so shocking that it surprised Kizaru himself at first. Clearly, both Zoro and Sanji have great potential, and Elbaf is set to fully unlock it.

In One Piece Chapter 1152, which was officially released in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump issue #30 on June 23, 2025, Eiichiro Oda had the Pirate King's former left-hand man Scoper Gaban, confirming that Zoro and Sanji have immense potential. In particular, Gabon noted that within the Straw Hat Pirates, there is more than one person with the winner's hockey. According to Gaban, Zoro has already used this power but lacks control over it. One Piece Chapter 1152 also set up the Conqueror's Haki power up for Sanji, and with that, both wings of the Pirate King have great powers to gain as Elbaf reaches his conclusion.

“More than one of you has the power to use Supreme King Haki. There you are, swordsman. You're already comfortable with it.” – Scoper Gaban to Zoro and Sanji, One Piece Chapter #1152

Fast forwarding several months, a piece Chapter 1182 has officially lined up Zoro and Sanji's Elbaf battles. Zoro prepares to fight against Super Sommers, boosted by the power of Nerona Imu's Omen, as shown in One Piece Chapter 1180 in Shuisha's Weekly Shonen Jump issue #21 on April 20, 2026 in One Piece Chapter 1180 . Similarly, Sanji prepares to fight Super Killingham, who is also empowered by Nerona Emu's Omen, as shown in the same chapter. These two holy knights are incredibly powerful, especially when boosted by Emu's abilities, and beating them will require Zoro and Sanji to reach even higher levels. Right now, they are both slightly above Yonko Commander level, and the battle against Somers and Killingham will take them up to Yonko level, giving them complete control over Supreme King Haki.

The new Supreme King Haki power up will level up Zoro and Sanji Yonko

Zoro and Sanji fully mastering Conqueror's Haki is officially set up in the story by Eiichiro Oda himself. In Roronoa Zoro's case, he already knows he has the skills of a winner. In his case, he just needs to learn how to control it. Scopper Gaban scolds Zoro for not using Haki properly in One Piece Chapter 1152 on June 23, 2025.

“Absurd.. Haki is a power that needs to be controlled to be used properly. Your captain is one of the Four Emperors. How do you plan to help him without knowing?” – Scopper Gaban scolds Zoro, One Piece Chapter #1152

Since then, Zoro has used this power on several occasions but has never learned how to properly wield it at will. Zoro's fight against St. Somers will set him up against a much more powerful foe and give him the opportunity to control this power.

In Sanji's case, he must awaken this power in the battle against St. Killingham, and it is very clear to see because Ichiro Oda himself said in One Piece Chapter 1170 on January 5, 2026, that only those who obtain the Haki of the Conqueror can defeat the Holy Immortal Knights.

“Give him enough hits, and we might manage to put him out of commission. If these guys have any weakness, it's against those of us who can fill our attacks with the colors of the Supreme King!” – Scooper Gaban in One Piece Chapter #1170

Thus, if Sanji were to stand any chance against Killingham, awakening the victor's Haki would be minimal, meaning that he would be guaranteed to gain this power. By unlocking Conqueror's Haki, Sanji's overall power will be boosted to the next level. Considering that he is already higher than the Yonko First Commanders, Sanji will rise to Yonko level just like Roronoa Zoro.

Why are Zoro and Sanji destined to go beyond Yonko level in the Final Saga?

Zoro and Sanji are set up to rise to Yonko's level in the climax of the One Piece Elbaf arc, with Ichiro Oda setting them up to become even stronger in the future. Wings of Luffy, Zoro and Sanji are the official parallels of Roger Pirates Silver Ray and Scopper Gaban. Both Gaban and Rayleigh are incredibly powerful, and both are known to be above Yonko's level, as are Kaido and Big Mom. Their mastery of Haki is unfathomable, and they are considered to be in the league of Roger and Garp's favorites, as officially confirmed in One Piece Chapter 1139, published in Shuisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump Issue #11 on February 10, 2025.

at the same time, a piece Chapter 968, which was released on January 20, 2020, officially confirmed to us that the Straw Hat Pirates will go on to surpass the Roger Pirates. If Luffy and crew can't do what the Roger Pirates did, they need to be stronger.

“Those voices were telling the truth. Eventually someone will come and overtake us all. We were too early.” — goal d. Roger predicts that the Straw Hats will overcome the Roger Pirates, one piece chapter #968

Luffy is on his way to surpassing Gol D. Roger's legacy, and even surpasses it in terms of strength. Likewise, Zoro and Sanji will have to overcome the power of Silver Ray and Skipper Gaban. In doing so, both Zoro and Sanji would rise above Yonko level and become legendary pirates in their own right. Elbaf has already set them up for a major power-up, but the upcoming Great War will see them reach even greater heights and draw huge legacies as they push one piece towards their end.

All the latest chapters of Eiichiro Oda's One Piece manga series can be read through Manga Plus and Viz Media.