One Piece Author Oda Finally Reveals The Counter To Immortality

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This article contains spoilers from One Piece’s Elbaf Arc.

The final arc of One Piece has revealed many new powers, and one of the most fascinating is immortality. While the idea of immortality has been present in the series since the Ope Ope no Mi’s abilities were explained, this new version seems quite different. The recent introduction of Saint Saturn and the Elders has shown us that they possess unique, seemingly immortal bodies, granted by the power of Imu.

The recent Elbaf arc and encounters with the Holy Knights demonstrated a special power at play. While Scopper Gaban’s victory over Saint Sommers hinted at a weakness to immortality, the explanation remained unclear – until now. In One Piece chapter 1165, Oda revealed the key to overcoming powers like the immortality of the Holy Knights, the Five Elders, and those affected by Domi Reversi: controlling the amount of Haki used against them.

The Holy Knights and Five Elders’ Immortality Can Be Countered With Haki Of Higher Mass

Both the Holy Knights and the Five Elders are immortal, though the way they achieve this might be different. The Holy Knights still appear to age normally, while the Five Elders haven’t aged at all for centuries. Despite these differences, the fundamental source of their immortality is the same.

I shall grant thee immense strength and an undying body. — Imu to Dorry and Brogy

These characters all seem to be able to heal from any damage thanks to Imu’s powers, making them incredibly durable. We saw this on Egghead, where Luffy’s strongest attacks couldn’t even harm the Elders. Similarly, in Elbaf, Gaban demonstrated the ability to overcome the Holy Knights’ immortality.

According to Gaban, simply knowing how to use Haki isn’t enough to truly defeat these enemies. While Haki can counter their abilities, it needs to be applied in a specific way to overcome their immortality. Oda recently revealed in One Piece chapter 1165 how Roger and Garp were able to bypass the Haki defenses of Rocks D. Xebec. The secret to defeating the powerful boost Xebec received from Domi Reversi was using Haki with a greater concentration of mass. Essentially, the strongest Haki, focused with a high density, is required to break through both immortality and Haki barriers. Roger and Garp mastered controlling the mass of their Haki, and that’s how they ultimately defeated Domi Reversi’d Rocks.

Mass Control Is Essential To Master Haki

To defeat the Holy Knights and the Five Elders, strong Haki skills are crucial. Specifically, Conqueror’s Haki is needed to overcome their unique abilities, like Domi Reversi and the Holy Knights’ Abyssal powers. However, simply using standard Conqueror’s Haki won’t be enough. You must learn to control a greater amount of it and make your attacks more effective to bypass their immortality.

It’s all about the mass, Garp. Our Haki needs more mass. — Roger to Garp, One Piece chapter 1165

The greater the force behind Haki, the more effective it is against the Holy Knights. Mastering a very powerful level of Haki could potentially overcome Imu’s immortality – the same immortality that protects the Holy Knights and Five Elders. For Luffy and his crew to defeat them, they need to learn how to amplify and control this power.

Luffy And The Straw Hats Need To Increase The Mass Of Their Haki

When the story returns to the battle in the Sun World after the Elbaf arc, we can expect to see Luffy and his crew using their Haki abilities at a much greater level. Specifically, mastering and strengthening Conqueror’s Haki will likely be the key to overcoming the immortality of the Holy Knights and actually being able to harm them. This same ability will also allow them to injure characters with seemingly indestructible bodies, like Dorry and Brogy, even after they’ve undergone Domi Reversi.

One Piece will have a break next week, and a new chapter, number 1166, will be released on November 23, 2025. Fans can read it for free on Manga Plus.

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2025-11-14 00:34