Following the timeskip of One Piece, Eiichiro Oda's work has been getting denser with time. The majority of the arcs after the Paramount War saga have been quite long with Dressrosa racking up a total of 104 chapters and Wano topping that with 149 chapters. Finally, with chapter 1057, the Straw Hat Pirates have finally left Wano Country behind and are on course for a brand new adventure.
With Luffy having become one of the Four Emperors of the Sea and earning major recognition and infamy throughout the world, the crew's adventures will now be more interesting than ever. Towards the end of Wano, fans found out that the Log Pose was set to take Luffy southeast of Wano Country, close to the Calm Belt. However, the exact location is not yet known to the fans. With One Piece having entered its final saga, it is a given for every arc from here onwards to be tremendously important to the story moving forward.
A Visit To Ace
After every major One Piece arc, it is usual for Oda to take short detours. An example of this would be the Long Ring Long Island arc following an adventure on Skypiea, and Amazon Lily following Sabaody Archipelago. After the time skip, fans witnessed a similar pattern following the conclusion of the Dressrosa Saga, which was followed by Zou, a relatively short arc. Similarly, Whole Cake Island was followed by the Reverie arc which lasted for just a few chapters.
It is safe to say that Oda likes to follow major arcs with smaller ones to set up the upcoming massive events and thus it is possible for One Piece's last saga to kick off with a minor arc on a small island. While not much is known about the places in the New World, Sphinx Island is one that fans know Luffy can visit. There, Luffy can not only claim another territory but also learn about the ongoing events of the world. Marco, who is defending the place in Whitebeard's name, would also get a chance to meet Luffy. Furthermore, since Ace and Whitebeard's graves are nearby, Luffy could also pay a visit there and let his brother know that he has finally become a Great Pirate.
Elbaf – The Next Major Arc
While the possibility of the Straw Hat Pirates going to a smaller island is quite high, it is also possible for Oda to completely skip over this and head to the next major island instead. After all, Oda is in a rush and wants to finish One Piece within the next three years. Thus, it is possible for the Straw Hat Pirates to head to Elbaf next, which is an island inhabited by the Giant race. Oda has teased Elbaf ever since the Little Garden arc and has slowly been building up the lore for this majestic place. Usopp, in particular, is going to be a pivotal character in this arc as his dream is tied to visiting Elbaf. The most important job for the crew currently is to find the last Road Poneglyph and Elbaf might just be the place that hides it. With the New Giant Pirates, led by Hajrudin, already allied with the crew, the path for Luffy could end up being rather easy.
Apart from Hajrudin, some other characters will also be pivotal in this arc, such as Prince Loki, who was name-dropped during the Whole Cake Island arc. Shanks, one of the Four Emperors of the Sea, could also end up playing an important role in this arc now that One Piece is finally in its last saga. This island could also end up being the place where Luffy finally meets Shanks and fulfills his promise to him.
A Potential Detour
While unlikely, the Straw Hat Pirates can also take a potential detour following the adventure in the land of Wano. Oda has previously teased the likes of Sabo, Vivi, and Hancock being in danger following the events of One Piece chapter 956. While Sabo appears to be okay, for the most part, Vivi has disappeared and Hancock, one of Luffy's closest friends, remains to be in danger still. While their fates are unknown at the moment, fans could soon find out about what happened to them as they had towards the next island. In case either of them is in danger, it would be expected of Luffy to immediately go help them out.
Vivi is a former crewmate of the Straw Hat Pirates and Hancock has risked her life previously to help Luffy rescue his brother. Provided that either of them is in danger, a detour is very much possible. Regardless, One Piece's next arc is most certainly going to be one filled with immense lore and more information about the last Road Poneglyph itself. The likes of Shanks and Blackbeard are also going to be more relevant than ever, with the former Shichibukai also thrown in the midst.