This article contains spoilers from One Piece's Final Saga.
One Piece is currently in the ending stage of the Elbaf flashback, and it is safe to say that things are getting incredibly heated as major battles are unfolding one after the other. Finally, the flashback is at its ultimate battle, which is also extremely important. That is the fateful clash that happened in Aurust Castle of Elbaf, 14 years ago, which saw the death of King Harald at the hands of Loki. This battle has been hyped up and teased for the vast majority of the Elbaf arc, and it finally took place in chapter 1170.
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In the process of illustrating this battle, Oda gave the fans a very intriguing clash and broke the power scaling of the series forever. The likes of the legends of the One Piece world, that is, Harald, Rocks, Roger, and even Garp, have now officially been surpassed by one new legendary monster of the One Piece world and that is none other than the Accursed Prince of Elbaf, Loki. This might seem ridiculous on the surface level, but Loki is just that strong, as seen clearly in One Piece Chapter 1170.
Rocks And Harald Were Much Stronger Than The Yonko
- Rocks Became Stronger With Domi Reversi
- Harald Gained the Deep Sea Covenant
To understand how strong Loki is, one first needs to understand the true strength of the legends of the One Piece world. When speaking of Rocks and Harald, Oda clearly portrayed these two as equals. Rocks and Harald had their first clash atop the Red Line, and their clash was so powerful that it blew away every sign of life in a five-kilometer radius. This went to show that they were equally matched.
Later down the line, they clashed again in Elbaf, and this time too their battle was a draw. Harald and Rocks were always evenly matched in terms of strength, and there is no denying that fact. Rocks even clearly stated to his own crew, which included the likes of Whitebeard, that Harald's strength was so great that even they would be shocked at his level of power. On God Valley, Rocks tried to fight against Imu but failed. In a twist of fate, he gained even greater power here. Rocks was Domi Reversi'd by Imu, and his already great strength was boosted to sky-high levels.
I have done all of this to help Elbaf escape the cycle of violence and fighting. Of course, I have always intended to allow those who wish to enlist in the Navy to do so, but not like this! I only wish to serve you myself. Guards, tie me to the post and call Elder Jarul and Loki quickly. — King Harald, One Piece Chapter 1168
This new level of power that Rocks received was so great that even the strength of Roger and Garp was dwarfed and they had to combine their Haki to officially defeat him. Now, fast-forwarding to 14 years ago in the One Piece world, Harald had grown much stronger in this time. It would be safe to say that Harald had surpassed the original Rocks by this time, since he was still in his prime years as a Giant.
On top of that, Harald received the Deep Sea Covenant from Imu. This Deep Sea Covenant gave him immortality as well as insurmountable strength. This boost on top of his own strength should have made him equal to Domi Reversed Rocks. This is proven once again by the fact that Shanks and Scopper Gaban together could not defeat him. The fact is that Gaban himself is comparable to Roger in terms of power and if Gaban could not beat him on his own even with Shanks at his side, then it is a fact that at this point, Harald was as strong as Domi Reversed Rocks, if not stronger.
Rocks Was Domi Reversi'd While Harald Received A Covenant
Two things are very important to note here, and that is Domi Reversi and the Deep Sea Covenant. Both of these powers buffed up those who received them. When Rocks was Domi Reversed, his powers reached sky-high levels. Similarly, when Harald received the Deep Sea Covenant, his strength reached unimaginable levels. Their strength was such that none could match them at that point single-handedly. It can be said that in their primes, Roger and Garp could have taken on Domi Reversi'd Rocks. After all, during the God Valley Incident, neither of the two was in their prime.
Perhaps in their peaks, which Oda confirmed came around a decade after God Valley, they could have single-handedly taken down Domi Reversed Rocks. However, they were most likely not stronger than these monsters. At best, they would have been equal to them in terms of power. Yet there exists a monster in the One Piece world who was able to overwhelm them single-handedly and this person is none other than Loki.
Loki Was Able To Overpower Harald With The Deep Sea Covenant
In One Piece Chapter 1170, fans finally saw how strong Loki truly is. On his own, Loki was never going to be able to defeat Harald. He was quite clearly weaker than Scopper Gaban, and probably around the same level as Shanks. However, Loki received his first power-up in the form of Ragnir. Ragnir was fully accepting of Loki, and this made Loki the first person in centuries to wield Ragnir. Ragnir itself was almost as strong as Loki, so technically, this is a Yonko level power up for Loki, making him about as strong as two top tiers of the One Piece world. On top of this, Loki received the legendary Devil Fruit of Elbaf, which Harald clearly stated was the only way to kill him for good.
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Upon receiving this power, Loki became so strong that he completely overwhelmed Harald with a Deep Sea Pact. For reference, Harald should be as strong as Domi Reversed Rocks here, if not stronger. In other words, Loki was able to do something that Roger and Garp could not do by combining their strength. In other words, this version of Loki is even stronger than the Pirate King, or at worst, on the same level as him, which is truly terrifying. The fact is that Loki is still growing and potentially has the power to even surpass these levels in the future.
Loki Is Stronger Than Rocks, Harald, Roger, And Whitebeard
At this point in time, it can safely be said that Loki is the strongest in the One Piece world, apart from only one. Loki has surpassed the level of Rocks D. Xebec without Domi Reversi. He has surpassed the level of King Harald without the Deep Sea Pact, and potentially even with the Deep Sea Pact. In the same way, he is technically even stronger than the God Valley Roger, as well as the strongest man after the death of Roger, Whitebeard. Loki is, quite simply, the strongest in the One Piece world, apart from Imu, and of course, one other individual.
I am the Sun God enshrined in the legends of this land. You will not speak to me without permission, human. I consider myself the strongest alive in the Lands. This is the Warland, Elbaf's Kingdom of Violence. The most powerful nation in the world which once lived and breathed warfare. And I'm the Sun God who brings the world to an end, Loki! — Loki introducing himself in the Elbaf Arc.
Six years ago, in the One Piece world, Loki was finally defeated by one man, and that person is none other than Red-Haired Shanks. This, in other words, fully confirms to the fans that Shanks is the strongest human alive in the One Piece world and that he is the second strongest overall after Imu. In other words, this also means that Shanks surpassed Roger, Whitebeard, and even the likes of Rocks and Harald. His strength must be absolutely monstrous to beat Loki with Ragnir and the legendary Devil Fruit of Elbaf.
Eiichiro Oda's One Piece focuses on the journey of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates as they sail the seas to lay claim to the grand treasure known as the One Piece. The manga is currently in its Final Saga. One Piece will be featured in this week's Weekly Shonen Jump Issue. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1170 is January 4, 2026. In Japan, One Piece drops at 12AM JST on Monday, which is 11:00 AM EST, or 8:00 AM PT. Fans can read the chapter for free on Manga Plus and the Shonen Jump apps. Doing so will ensure that fans always support the author.