Question 1

What is Shanks really protecting on Elbaf?

Accepted Answer

This mystery has 7 competing community theories. Top answers include: Shanks is gatekeeping the last Road Poneglyph through Elbaf (100%); Shanks is delaying Nika until the world can survive liberation (89%); Elbaf is the bridge between pirates and the Holy Knights (87%); Kid was removed because Elbaf cannot absorb reckless conquerors (72%); The giants will recognize Luffy as Nika before the wider world does (64%). Scores update as new manga evidence arrives.

Question 2

Shanks is gatekeeping the last Road Poneglyph through Elbaf

Accepted Answer

Shanks is not merely waiting near Elbaf; he is controlling the pace at which the final Road Poneglyph becomes reachable. His destruction of Kid reads like a border action: Elbaf can shelter the last clue only if reckless challengers are filtered out before they drag the island into open war. (100% confidence.)

Question 3

Shanks is delaying Nika until the world can survive liberation

Accepted Answer

Shanks may already understand that Nika is not just a fighter but a world-level trigger. His restraint around Luffy, his timing at Marineford, and his presence near Elbaf suggest a guardian of timing: liberation too early would create chaos before allies, knowledge, and evacuation routes are ready. (89% confidence.)

Question 4

Elbaf is the bridge between pirates and the Holy Knights

Accepted Answer

The Loki and Holy Knights material turns Elbaf into more than a giant homeland. It may become the neutral ground where pirate myth, World Government force, and ancient royal politics collide, forcing Shanks to act as the only figure trusted enough to negotiate before battle. (87% confidence.)

Question 5

Kid was removed because Elbaf cannot absorb reckless conquerors

Accepted Answer

Kid's defeat near Elbaf is a thematic warning: raw ambition without historical care gets erased before the final stage. Shanks protects the island by removing crews who treat the last clues as trophies instead of responsibilities. (72% confidence.)

Competing Theories — Ranked by Confidence