How will Luffy get stronger?

[Razh]

See... I think Fishman karate is rightly made to be a type of Karate that gives advantage to people UNDERWATER, fishman karate users seem to be at their best underwater, so it wouldn't do Luffy a lot of good to learn such moves above land... Darnit Luffy needs LAND LUBBER KARATE!

Do I really need to link Jinbei kicking ass on land panels for you to admit that fishman karate isn't useless on land? Like when Jinbei blew away dozen guards without touching them, or when he pwnt Moria.

Jinbei is probably 10 times stronger in the water, but he's still stronger than most of the people on land. I don't see why Luffy couldn't learn some special punches and kicks, maybe even developing his own versions, thanks to his devil fruit.

 

[hibar90]

If luffy get any stronger apart from haki, is to get a new rubber ability (gomugomu nuclear strike, gomugomu laser beam) or fighting stance/style that compliments being a rubber man. I always thought the 4th gear is going to be like at thriller bark. He will combine both 2nd and 3rd gear. 5th will be something even greater. Maybe he could train his body to withstand this combination and possibly 5th gear. I assume nightmare moria is as able as kuma and top tier shici in direct battle. Thus 5th gear can be some moves to defeat top shichi like doflamingo or even admiral (i would assume he would need 6th gear lol).

 

[deffkryz]

Luffy won't gain any usable strength from developing more "gears" on his DF ability but combining Gear 2 and Gear 3. Those may look nice for fans and work out on some enemies - but they won't have any use of harming neither Kuma nor the admirals nor any other logia user.

Luffy has to get this "Oops. My enemy is a logia, so there's no way I can hit him. Why is that so? Oh cr*p!!! *panicking* Gonna lose everyone!!! Gear 2 all out no matter what!!!!" out of his head. And that is the key to gain the strength he needs: Understanding haki basics and thus regain his self esteem.

Just look up each fight Luffy had against a Logia user. He attacked by his bare fists, used Gear 2 and tools - everything failed (not counting Enel since it was explained why Luffy could actually smack him.). Gear 2 was developed to use against Aokiji. But Luffy apparently failed to understand that Gear 2 can't do anything against Logias that's why he attacked Smoker with it - and only hit a dust cloud.

 

[Goos]

I don't know if it is me, but what have been bothering me is:

During this arc, it is pretty clear in the Flashback that Luffy is currently 17 years old. However, in the movie "Strong World" there was a note from Oda that said:
"This story is Luffy's last adventure as a 17 year old so watch it over and over again!" (You guys can see it here: http://mangahelpers.com/news/details/292)

Anyway, the point is: If that was Luffy's last adventure as a 17 years old and the crew was already with him, then that must have happened after this arc and Luffy have not showed any new hability and there was any new crew member. Again, is just me, or that bother you guys too?

Cheers,

 

[Mandala]

If its a 4th gear. Then the only thing I can think of is, something like the process of Vulcanization. Oda is always taking breaks in order to do "research". I think part of that fact, plays in to how diverse and almost to a certain extent, scientific his imagination is.
Wikipedia, says this about rubber;

Natural rubber is often vulcanized, a process by which the rubber is heated and sulfur, peroxide or bisphenol are added to improve resilience and elasticity, and to prevent it from perishing...Carbon black is often used as an additive to rubber to improve its strength, especially in vehicle tires.

That and a control over his Haki.

 

[Poneglyph420]

Luffy has gotten the best lesson ever. So more than anything I think all his loss has mentally prepared him to progress. Maybe now he can begin to realize more about his Haki, and how to harness it. Pretty much a given at this point IMO. Beyond that Luffy will really need to become stronger and tougher than he is now. I also think a key to this is the realization of his limits. During the war Luffy showed small glimpses of enhanced awareness at key moments. So I'd hope that as he gets stronger, he will also become more clever (including with his DF)

I'd really like to see Luffy learn to "vulcanize" his rubber, making his attacks far more deadly as well. But I'm sure there will be more gears in the manga... Just when...

and maybe drink milk.

 

[cheaptrick]

as someone already said, I think Luffy may get some training sessions from Hancock and Jimbei, they are the two only technicians among the shichibukai afterall (well there's mihawk too but there's no way luffy could learn swordmanship) so it's a rare chance to learn some high level stuff

 

[BlackHair]

I only could see him learning haki. Aside from that everything will be on his own again. Though of course similar to Gear 2, he could learn from other techniques and change it to rubber style.

But honestly, I still don't see any trainings arc. Nor he asking anyone about haki and stuff.

 

[Jorge D. Dragon]

It is really obvious that he will deffinetly learn haki, but also it will be good for him not to learn some new moves with his DF, but learn Rokushiki to the extent of Kakku or even of Rob Lucci. It will be really devastating power, cause it will double or triple the damaga that he can inflict. So in combination with haki he can be in this case a Yonkou level.

 

[ScratchmenApoo]

It is really obvious that he will deffinetly learn haki, but also it will be good for him not to learn some new moves with his DF, but learn Rokushiki to the extent of Kakku or even of Rob Lucci. It will be really devastating power, cause it will double or triple the damaga that he can inflict. So in combination with haki he can be in this case a Yonkou level.

Luffy doesn't want to be a Yonkou anyway, he wants to become Pirate King, those are just people he's going to beat..
Maybe even Shanks, eventually...

How will Luffy get stronger?
He will mature mentally and not strike randomly with only aggression like he's used to.
He will start using good tactics (I can see him ricocheting punches at walls that hit the enemy afterwards, for one example).
We also saw some progression at that side when he was fighting Mihawk - he actually thought ahead a little. This will be a trend in his future battles.
He's always thought to be stupid and even oblivious sometimes, but I see him growing over that, especially now, after Ace's death, he WILL change his fighting style.

 

[Jorge D. Dragon]

Luffy doesn't want to be a Yonkou anyway, he wants to become Pirate King, those are just people he's going to beat..
Maybe even Shanks, eventually...

Yeah, I know that his goal is to be Pirate King, but first he needs to become Yonlou level to crush strong opponents and obviously Yonkous, strong New World Pirates and top tier Marines.

He will start using good tactics (I can see him ricocheting punches at walls that hit the enemy afterwards, for one example).

In fact he used this strategy once. It was in the fight against Enel. In fact I don't think it will be useful for him if he fights in team.

We also saw some progression at that side when he was fighting Mihawk - he actually thought ahead a little. This will be a trend in his future battles.
He's always thought to be stupid and even oblivious sometimes, but I see him growing over that, especially now, after Ace's death, he WILL change his fighting style.

In fact it is not powering up, but maturing. But I really agrre with you.
Though it is obvious that he didn't think that much during his previous battles, because he was unexperienced teenager.

 

[hy4k]

i think he needs haki at the minimum

he needs to improve his fighting skill, and i think garp is the only bare knuckle fighter with enoiugh abillity to help him do this. maybe dragon, as he's probably a bare knuckle fighter and he's in much better shape than garp

he also needs more uses of his devil fruit. i thought he could use it to become practically intangible, like a really gooey/flexible form of rubber. he could also use it to become very hard and malleable, maybe forming weapons out of his arms )like the videogame prototype)

 

[Dasbones]

He isn't a Rubber logia, whatever his body just happens to have the properties of rubber, not that his body is actually rubber, otherwise he would have melted multiple times. If anything he needs to learn to harness his Haki, incorporate it into his regular moves, and try to wean himself off of Gear 2, since that will catch up to him eventually.

 

[Poneglyph420]

Drink. More. Milk.

I really don't think someone like Roger went to future Pirate King Training and I'm really hoping that the same can be said for Luffy. Perhaps some might help Luffy realize the things instinct can't. I can see how Rayleigh and maybe Jinbei and Hancock (If she can ever speak to Luffy seriously) could also provide insight into a world Luffy needs to comprehend more fully. I also agree that Luffy will need to continue to grow stronger and develop his DF mastery as well as his understanding of Haki.... Especially his Haoushoku Haki.

But IMHO Luffy needs to get stonger on his own and grow through his own failures. If he just takes whatever help comes his way after one major defeat... then IMO he's destined to be like Buggy.
Even if someone offers to "train" Luffy I'd hope he'd refuse.. and say something like.. All I need is my crew...

 

[quick_al]

i think that he will get is haki, but it will be something completely different than anything every seen and i think it has to do with the will of D.. I think that he is going to resurface some kind of haki technique from the time of the great weapons and the missing 100 year history

 

[elitefox]

Ofcourse he will but...

At what time is the real question?
or
How much stronger will he be before and after crossing the red line.


I think also some of the rookies will be push back by the yonkou or have a taste of the bitter world of the new world.

 

[Jorge D. Dragon]

I think he will have a power up befo crossing Red Line. Because as it was stated by some characters he doesn't have the power that is needed to stay in the New World and protect his nakama.
Though I see him as the strongest among all the Supernovas, so I can't see how they will survive in the New World.

 

[Eirok]

A theory of mine is that maybe any1 can be like teach and gain 2 DF powers and maybe Luffy will get a second on top of his? with also Haki that he will learn over time..

BUT probably not but it would be cool what other DF power he would get to further enhance his original DF power

 

[anaskr]

luffy had enough i mean fighting and opponent with his hands or legs or the whole body... its too much now... he needs the haki to actually predict moves easily and dosn need to play around much with the opponent... the worst match was luffy vs lucci .. he just came out a winner in the last stage had he learnt haki by then he cud have easily beaten lucci !!! but this is like reality one has to learn over his own mistakes .. and i agree with the guyss above that he should learn haki by himself rather get trained by reyleigh or boa or anyone else.. . cuz then luffy would be like the persons who is the weakest yet strongest all cuz of his D status... or friends of friends or his own friends .... shanks saved him.. silver tried to save him.. dragon saved him. boa hancock saaved him... he should have been saved by zoro instead which cudn happen .. and this is such a bad move by ODA .. i mean he is the hero so ofcourse he will never die.. but he cant be supported by whoever he meets just like that .. its totally unfair... ODA needs to know even 19+age group people also watch this anime !!

other than that its the best manga/anime i have ever watched and i am never willing to watch any other untill this gets over!!