I'm sure Shanks managed to capture him with underhanded methods.
Everything boils down to this.
I'll prefer waiting frankly. If oda were to chose between Shanks and Loki, I think i don't have to debate who he will choose.
I don't mind loki being an " Anomly " far from any mortal reach except like Nika.
But again,
You all consider Xebec to be some broken shit.
I keep him at solid yonkou tier only. Not even PK level, I have only Roger, Whitebeard, Shanks and Kaidou in that league.
These people did surpass prime Xebec.
Now harald who was equal to Xebec, a yonkou tier. Got HK buffs, and we don't how much is holyknight. I have debated it in other thread as well. But still let's say broken tier, in DR xebec league or stronger.
We know a few things about Holyknigjt.
- You attack them, and they will regen, but conqueror if you keep doing it. It wi eventually come to a stand still. Gaban confirmed this.
- you can't tell me shanks and Gaban didn't chip away damage when they literally took his entire leg. Clean sliced it. And were doing even more.
- Shanks didn't wanted to hurt Harald. Gaban said to wait for loki.
- Post battle It was said " Fruit had this kind of power " as well. I'll allign with you on this, Fruit might a counter to Imu hax. Which is almost like a DF counter, rubber~lightening, Ice~fire/Magma. Gaban has fought HK numerous times and they have never killed any, only defeated them.
- Harald let him have a free hit.
All the above stuff is canon.
On top of that, counterdictions with the story.
- Loki 2.6B bounty makes no sense.
- Kaidou had the world strongest cresture title not Loki. (Loki is not a secret like Gorosei)
- Shanks is said to capture him. And became yonkou.
- Bigmom comment on alligning with Loki, sounded more like an equal trade of or a little bit more advantages. She said " Even whitebeard ". World strongest Man btw.
So many contracdictions, and if you were to say Oda simply retconned it. Why not do it again? What is stopping him?
Luffy nearly never walks out of an arc, weaker than his " Crew/Friends ", Yamato was an example in Wano.
And you and I both know, Luffy still isn't near that perfect Yonkou/Admiral stage given his performance so far.
This arc might solidify it. Loki isn't an exception like Zunesha/Momo or Shirahoshi/Sea king. We enter entirely new domain when ancient weapon are involved.
So for now. Just wait. I'm doing the same, Shanks lore will solidfiy which route to take for Loki.