Last chapter Oda acknowledge the Barrel Bros by showing Caribou in a barrel
This chapter he literally put Rabbit ears on a barrel shaped turbine, once again acknowledging us.
Since he clearly knows that Carrot doesn't have closure and is doing these cheeky things I would imagine the next chapter being the penultimate one.
Just like the breakfast scenes in Kramer vs Kramer.
You have the 1st one that's a little messy
2nd one that shows progress
And then the 3rd that's the payoff
It is the rule of 3 in terms of story telling
Breakfast scenes for reference