This article contains spoilers for One Piece’s Elbaf Arc.
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One Piece’sElbaf arc has been absolutely brilliant so far, and currently, Oda is revealing bits and pieces about the flashback of Loki, one of the most legendary characters in the world. Through this flashback, Oda has already revealed some very intriguing lore to the fans, such as the bits concerning the Galleila Band, but also, some extremely hyped characters, such as Rocks D. Xebec.
With the introduction of Xebec, Oda has now officially confirmed a sword user even stronger than Mihawk, and it also puts into perspective how Shanks compares to the legendary Hawkeyes.
Dracule Mihawk Is The World’s Greatest Swordsman
When it comes to swordsmen in the world ofOne Piece, few stand out at the very top, and Dracule Mihawk is certainly one of them.Fans know that Mihawk fought consistently against strong enemiesin the past, and this earned him his World’s Greatest Swordsman title. At the same time, Mihawk was also betrayed by the Navy at some point, which is why he hunted Marines. Mihawk also had constant duels with Shanks in the past, and even though there wasn’t a winner in their duels, fans know that they were incredibly exciting, that is, until Shanks lost his arm.
Learn more about the world, and come seek me out, Roronoa Zoro! — Dracule Mihawk
While Shanks and Mihawk certainly fought, fans know very well thatMihawk is the one with superior sword skills. He is the world’s best after all. Despite that, Shanks is still stronger overall. Oda has now confirmed this once again through the character of Rocks D. Xebec.
Rocks Was A Stronger Sword User Compared To Mihawk
Rocks’s Unique Sword Doesn’t Cut, It Blasts
In One Piece chapter 1155, it was finally confirmed to the fans that Rocks D. Xebec was actually a user of the sword, but a unique one at that. Most swordsmen in the world of One Piece use their blades to cut. Rocks had a sword that didn’t cut. Instead, it blasted the opponents. Rocks’s sword usage had a unique characteristic that allowed him to produce shockwaves instead of slicing enemies. In other words, Rocks’s blows felt like a hammer or a cannon instead of a blade. Fans already know that Rocks was far strongerthan the likes of Mihawk, which had never been up for debate anyway.
Rocks’s sword attacks were known to hit like a hammer or cannonfire. — Narrator
But, this also means other characters that have previously been called into question by those who believe Mihawk to be the strongest are now confirmed to be stronger.
Roger And Shanks Are Users Of The Same Style
One Piece chapter 1155 is proofthat Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King, wasn’t a traditional swordsman and neither is Shanks. These characters use their swords as cannons or hammers that blast enemies with shockwaves. Roger likely learned this from Rocks D. Xebec, and as fans know, Shanks copied it from him at a very young age.
In other words, it has now been confirmed that whole traditional swordsmen use their blades to cut and slash, there are other skills that exist, such as being able to blast enemies with swords,and that’s why Mihawk can be the Greatest Swordsman in the Worldand have sword skills better than Shanks, yet still be weaker than him, as his powers don’t strictly fall under the umbrella of traditional swordsmanship.
One Piece Chapter 1156 will be out this week. As usual, One Piece is going to drop on Sunday. In Japan, One Piece drops at 12AM JST on Monday. However, the vast majority of international readers will see the chapter available on August 3. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1156 is July 13, 2025. Fans can read the chapter for free onManga Plus.
One Piece
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One Piece is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. The series follows protagonist Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirate crew as they explore the Grand Line to find the King of the Pirates' ultimate treasure, the One Piece, in order to become the next king. The manga’s popularity helped it spin off into a larger media franchise, including an anime with more than 1,000 episodes.
