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The Elbaf arc ofOne Piececontinues to surprise fans in shocking ways, and fans know very well that things are only going to take an even more exciting turn once the arc concludes the Harald flashback. Many exciting battles will follow, and at the same time, fans will also get to hear more lore about the country.
Elbaf is a massive country with some of the most significant history, and the enigma of this country is unmatched. While a lot of how Elbaf functions remains mysterious still, Oda has already highlighted that time might flow differently in the country, in one way or another.One Piecechapter 1152 only reaffirmed it even further
Elbaf Time Isn’t Slower Than The Rest Of The World
Theories about Elbaf having slower time first started when Louis Arnote’s message was revealed at the beginning of the arc. Louis Arnote asked travellers not to spend too long in Elbaf, and to never overstay their time. At the time, fans thought this was because time flows slowly in this country. But, that isn’t entirely true. Elbaf time isn’t slower than the rest of the world, and this has been confirmed by Oda already. If it were slower, the ages of the characters would be different when they were outside. For instance,Gaban came to Elbaf 20 years ago, and he certainly looks like he’s aged 20 years since then.
It’s really been 40 years since the captains have been gone? — Kashi in Big Mom’s flashback
At the same time, Oda himself highlighted during the Big Mom flashback in Whole Cake Island a section about Oimo and Kashi, where they speak of Dorry and Brogy. In One Piece chapter 866, Kashi specifically states that Dorry and Brogy have been fighting for 40 years, and at the time, they’re in Elbaf. This means time in Elbaf is the same as time outside Elbaf.
Elbaf Dulls The Perception Of Time
Elbaf Time Feels Different From Other Countries
While it is true that time inElbaf doesn’t flow slower than outside, it isn’t exactly normal either. Elbaf most certainly dulls the sense of time. One loses perception of time in this country, which is why it feels as if time passes slower. In simple words, once someone enters Elbaf, they lose perception of the flow of time. This why precisely why Louis Arnote told travellers to “not regret their lost time” in this country. In a way, since time feels like it hasn’t passed enough, the outside world has moved a lot ahead.
Has it been 3 or 4 years since we’ve last seen each other? — Gaban
It also explains why Louis Arnote said clearlynot to overstay their welcome in Elbaf. This is proven once again by Gaban in One Piece chapter 1152. Both Shanks and Gaban can be seen talking about Roger’s death. Gaban says he thinks it has been 3-4 years since, but according to Shanks, it’s been 10 years. In other words, time feels 3 times slower in Elbaf to humans or outsiders, but it actually flows at that same rate.
When Luffy leaves Elbaf, the crew will likely feel they were in the country for a week or two, but in reality, the world outside would’ve been three times ahead.
One Piece Chapter 1153 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 June 29. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1152 is July 13, 2025. Fans can read the chapter for free onManga Plus.
