After chapter 1187 kicked off the historic battle between Monkey D. Luffy and Imu, the details of One Piece chapter 1188 have fans buzzing with excitement. Not only does a completely new Gear 5 variant appear, but the chapter also reveals Imu’s memories of Joy Boy for the first time, confirming that the World King’s power far exceeds all expectations.
Chapter 1188, titled “Void,” opens with a double-color page showing the Straw Hat crew happily underwater before returning to the battlefield at Elbaf, where Luffy continues his fierce fight against Imu.
From the start, Luffy struggles to evade Imu’s relentless attacks. Imu unleashes a series of new techniques, including chasing bombs and flames that track their target, followed by a deadly move called Stigma aimed at finishing off the Straw Hat captain.
Under immense pressure, Luffy taps into his Gear 5 power in a way never seen before. He transforms into a giant god-like figure reminiscent of a genie, demonstrating Gear 5’s near-limitless ability to bring the user’s imagination to life.
The battle quickly moves to Loki’s territory. Ragnir tries to protect his master while Jinbe joins in to help contain the destruction caused by the fight.
However, Imu quickly proves why he is considered above the Five Elders. After missing the Stigma attack, he summons countless chasing flames and then calls forth a mysterious sword called Void.
Imu doesn’t stop there. He manipulates the surrounding trees, causing massive trunks to fall and clear a path to Luffy. While Luffy is busy dodging the sea of flames, Imu suddenly closes in and stabs him with the Void sword.
This scene strongly echoes the moment Crocodile first defeated Luffy in Alabasta, suggesting Oda is deliberately drawing a parallel between two iconic defeats of the main character.
The most shocking moment comes from Imu’s memory. Readers witness for the first time a conversation between Imu and Joy Boy from around 800 years ago.
The exchange is surprisingly humorous, with Joy Boy opening with, “Hello, can you hear me on the other end?” and Imu responding with a startled greeting. After a few questions, Joy Boy introduces himself, marking the first meeting between two of the series’ most mysterious figures.
More importantly, the memory shows Joy Boy’s smile closely resembles Luffy’s. This seems to support the theory that Luffy is not the reincarnation of Joy Boy but rather the inheritor of his will and spirit from the Void Century.
At the chapter’s end, after stabbing Luffy with the Void sword, Imu stares down at him and coldly says, “I know you’re not Joy Boy… because Joy Boy would never be this weak.”
This statement carries more weight than a simple taunt. It confirms Imu knew Joy Boy personally and clearly remembers his true power. It also shows that in Imu’s eyes, Luffy has yet to reach the level of the legendary figure who once changed the world.
Notably, this assertion follows chapter 1187’s events, where Luffy firmly denies being Joy Boy and declares he is simply Monkey D. Luffy, the future Pirate King.