After 4 Years, One Piece Officially Sets Up Luffy’s Biggest Power Up Since Gear 5

The popular manga One Piece will be back with Chapter 1183 in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump on May 24th. Fans are especially focused on the main character, Monkey D. Luffy, as he gets ready for the ultimate showdown against Imu. This climactic battle, taking place in the Elbaph Arc, will pit the Sun God Nika against the Devil God of the One Piece world, continuing a fight that originally ended 800 years ago during the Void Century. It’s a long-awaited moment fans have been eagerly anticipating!

The upcoming fight between Luffy and Imu promises to be a thrilling peak to the Elbaph Arc. However, Luffy isn’t currently as strong as Imu, even with his Gear 5 transformation. Author Eiichiro Oda has hinted at a significant Haki boost for Luffy during the battle, and potentially an evolution of Gear 5 itself, which should give him the power he needs to overcome the World Sovereign.

One Piece’s Elbaph Arc Climax Sets Up Luffy’s Next Haki Power Up To Fight Imu

The climax of the One Piece Elbaph Arc stunned fans when Chapter 1179, released on April 6, 2026, revealed that Nerona Imu, the World Government’s ruler, had arrived on Warland. His unexpected appearance and decision to fight Nika and Nidhoggr alone were a huge surprise. The following week’s chapter, 1180, showed Imu defeating Zoro, Sanji, and Hajrudin before challenging Loki, the Warrior God of Elbaph. Their battle is still ongoing.

In the latest chapter of One Piece (Chapter 1181), we see Luffy eating a huge amount of food, getting ready to fight Nerona Imu. Based on these recent events, it’s clear that the story is building towards a battle between Luffy and Imu. Future chapters, starting with Chapter 1183 scheduled for release on May 24, 2026, will likely focus on setting up this confrontation between Sun God Nika (Luffy) and Imu, who is portrayed as a demonic figure.

Whoa, I’m seriously feeling this guy’s power! It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced – incredibly strong and overwhelming! I need to eat something, and fast! Just what is this Haki he’s using? It’s on another level!

Currently, Luffy isn’t strong enough to defeat Imu. He had trouble beating powerful opponents like Kaido and Kizaru, and Imu is far more powerful than either of them. Fortunately, in One Piece Chapter 1152, released on June 23, 2025, author Eiichiro Oda revealed that Luffy will receive a power boost through a Haki upgrade.

Scopper Gaban’s Comments From One Piece Chapter 1152 Set Up A Major Luffy Haki Upgrade

In One Piece Chapter 1152, Scopper Gaban offered Luffy crucial advice before his battle with the Holy Knights. He emphasized mastering Conqueror’s Haki, explaining that it’s the key to realizing the Holy Knights aren’t invincible. This advice followed Gaban witnessing Luffy’s fight in Chapter 1140, where he determined Luffy’s Haki was underdeveloped and imprecise. Gaban believes Luffy needs to refine his Haki skills to stand a chance against powerful opponents like Nerona Imu, and it appears author Eiichiro Oda is setting up a significant Haki power-up for him.

Hey, Luffy! Pay attention to how you’re using that King’s Haki. Just because you have it doesn’t mean you can’t be hurt!

It’s expected that Conqueror’s Haki varies in strength from person to person. We recently saw Joy Boy’s Haki for the first time in One Piece Chapter 1122, which came out on August 5, 2024. It was noticeably much more powerful than Luffy’s or anyone else’s, even causing significant pain to Nerona Imu.

Dorry and Brogy wondered if the Haki they just sensed was more powerful than Shanks’s, noting it didn’t feel aggressive at all. (One Piece Chapter 1123)

Throughout the story, including in chapters 1056 and 1079, Shanks has repeatedly shown incredible mastery of Haki. He’s proven his power by feats like temporarily paralyzing a Marine Admiral and effortlessly defeating Eustass Kid and Killer with a single sword swing, establishing his Haki as stronger than Luffy’s. To prepare for facing powerful opponents like Nerona Imu, Luffy needs to significantly improve his own Haki abilities, and the events unfolding in the Elbaph Arc seem to be leading towards that growth.

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Why Luffy Could Also Gain An Awakening Ring In Elbaph Climax

Luffy gaining mastery over Conqueror’s Haki would already put him on par with the strongest characters like Imu. However, Eiichiro Oda is also subtly building towards another power boost for him. During the climax of the Elbaph Arc, starting with chapter 1179, Imu displayed a ring of black flames behind him. More recently, in chapter 1182 (released May 10, 2024, in Weekly Shonen Jump #24), Rain God Zaza, another god-like figure, was shown with a similar ring of water behind her. This suggests a pattern that could be significant for Luffy’s future powers.

Luffy is believed to be the Sun God, but he hasn’t fully realized this power yet, as he currently doesn’t have a ring – a potential sign of incomplete awakening. During his fight with Nerona Imu, Luffy could reach his full potential if he unlocks the Sun God Nika’s power, potentially manifesting a ring of flames. This transformation would likely maximize his Gear 5 abilities and dramatically increase his strength. Furthermore, it would strengthen his Conqueror’s Haki, which, as Rayleigh explained, doesn’t improve through training but grows naturally with overall power gains.

The Supreme King’s power isn’t increased through direct training; it reflects the strength of the person who wields it. To make the Supreme King stronger, you need to become stronger. — Silvers Rayleigh to Monkey D. Luffy, One Piece Chapter 597

The upcoming fight between Luffy and Imu will be a major turning point for the main character, impacting both his identity as the Sun God Nika and his overall power. Fans are eagerly anticipating how this battle unfolds and how Luffy’s enhanced abilities will influence his path as One Piece moves closer to the final war and the story’s conclusion.

The latest chapters of the One Piece manga can be read via Manga Plus and Viz Media.

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2026-05-21 04:35