One Piece 1145 Brings Rocks D. Xebec Back Into the Spotlight

One Piece anime returned on April 5, 2025, after a six-month hiatus. With the franchise finally returning to its former self, the manga also brought back one of the most mysterious characters in One Piece‘s history. One Piece chapter 1145 was released on April 6, 2025, and a certain portion of it featured the infamous Rocks D. Xebec, leaving Loki in a battered state, barely clinging to his life.

The Elbaf arc had some great panels, and with the story progressing, it is getting more exciting and tense at the same time. Elbaf has always been on the radar of the pirates as well as the World Government, since it is believed to have some connections to One Piece, and a major piece in gaining the forbidden information about the world, and crucial to reach the last island, Laugh Tale. Rocks’ presence on Elbaf only magnifies the island’s importance.

Why Did Rocks And Loki Fight?

One Piece 1145 featured Rocks D. Xebec fighting a younger version of Loki. It was the latter who challenged the infamous pirate to a duel, and if he won, Rocks would have to let him join his crew. Unfortunately, Rocks brutally defeated him, even used a blade on Loki, and left him on his last breath. It should have been a lesson to Loki for being so immature, but instead, Rocks became an inspiration to him.

He started to idolize the pirate and wanted to become like him. Since the first chapter, One Piece has highlighted several instances where younger people have idolized seniors, with Luffy and Shanks being the most common ones. Even when Loki narrates the incident, he compares it to Luffy and Shanks so that the protagonist knows how he feels.

Why Was Rocks D. Xebec Feared?

While the World Government has always despised Gol D. Roger and the Yonko, Rocks D. Xebec was someone who surpassed them in notoriety and power. Under the leadership of Rocks D. Xebec, the strongest pirate of the Golden Generation gathered, making the Rocks Pirates’ most powerful and feared faction. Apart from the captain, there were Whitebeard, Big Mom, Kaido, Gold Lion Shiki, and several other feared entities of the sea.

It is known to everyone how destructive, powerful, and enigmatic all these individuals were, and yet they formed an alliance and considered Rocks as their captain. They were ruthless in their ways and did not consider anyone weaker than themselves. During the God Valley Incident, Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join hands to defeat Rocks D. Xebec, so it goes without saying that the mysterious pirate was a menace to everyone.

Rocks D. Xebec And Elbaf

While the latest chapter revealed that Rocks D. Xebec was on Elbaf in the past, it remains a mystery as to why he was there. There are several speculations surrounding the matter, and with Rocks D. Xebec being one of the most notorious pirates of the Golden Era, he may have wanted to reach Laugh Tale and discover the truths of the world.

With such a powerful crew, there was only a handful who could challenge. He knew pretty well that Elbaf was one of the most crucial islands in his journey, and made a stop on the island to gain information that was stored on the island that was inhabited by the Giants. Elbaf remains one of the few islands that the World Government has failed to bring under its control.

With the Elbaf arc featuring the island is filled with people and objects that are centuries old, it goes without saying, that it is a major piece in solving the mystery of the world government. Unfortunately, One Piece 1145 quickly changed its focus to the present situation, where Jinbe saved the sleepwalking children from walking into the fire. While Rocks’ presence made the chapter interesting, fans will have to wait for two weeks for the next chapter, since next week there won’t be any chapter released.

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Also Read: Every Inanimate Object That Ate a Devil Fruit in One Piece

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Source: One Piece 1145 MangaPlus