One Piece Chapter 1193 is almost here, and if the early spoilers are right, Eiichiro Oda is about to flip the entire Elbaf war on its head. Chapter 1192 ended with a moment fans have waited years for: Monkey D. Luffy and Loki actually hurting Nerona Imu with the combined Gomu Gomu no Dawn Thor Bullet. For the first time since Imu arrived on Elbaf, the so-called King of the World bled.
But here is the shocking theory nobody wants to admit: that victory was exactly what Imu wanted. Chapter 1193, titled “I’m Still Practicing,” is not going to be Luffy’s triumph. It is going to be Imu’s counterattack, and it might be the darkest chapter of the entire Elbaf arc.
What Happened in Chapter 1192: The Dawn Thor Bullet That Injured Imu
Let us recap fast. Imu raised the Shield of Emptiness using his Creator’s Weapons, a barrier that had blocked everything Hajrudin, Loki, and Luffy threw at it. Then Luffy in Gear 5, fully embracing the power of the Sun God Nika, combined forces with Loki’s monstrous strength. The Dawn Thor Bullet punched straight through and dealt real damage to Imu.
Hajrudin was taken out of the main fight in the process, leaving him battered in the Underworld of Elbaf. The Warland is literally cracking apart. And for one panel, it looked like the Straw Hats finally had the upper hand.
That is exactly why Chapter 1193 will hurt so much. Oda always gives hope right before despair.
The Core Theory: Imu Was Holding Back to Study Nika
Here is the theory: Nerona Imu has been fighting at a fraction of his true power ever since he possessed Gunko’s body and descended on Elbaf back in Chapter 1179. Why? Because Imu needed to see Gear 5 up close.
Think about it. Imu is the ultimate villain of One Piece, the shadow ruler of the World Government who erased the name of Rocks D. Xebec from history and commands the Five Elders like chess pieces. A being that old does not walk into a warzone without a plan. Every transformation, every fusion of his Creator’s Weapons, every display of his legendary Akuma no Mi power has been measured and controlled.
The evidence is in the pattern. Each time Luffy unlocked a new Gear 5 trick in Elbaf, Imu answered with a slightly stronger weapon fusion, never overwhelming, always matching. That is not a desperate fighter. That is a scientist running an experiment. Imu has been studying the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika in real time, learning its rhythm, its limits, and its weakness.
Chapter 1193 will reveal the result of that study: a counterattack designed specifically to neutralize Sun God Nika.
Imu’s Akuma no Mi: We Have Only Scratched the Surface
Since his arrival, Imu has shown transformations and abilities tied to Domi Reversi, the power of Omen, and an unnamed Devil Fruit that many fans believe is the true opposite of Luffy’s fruit: a god of void, stillness, and erasure to counter Nika’s god of liberation and laughter.
In Chapter 1192, Imu relied on defensive weapons. The theory for 1193 is that he switches to offense, unveiling a new fusion that combines the Shield of Emptiness with an offensive spear or flame of erasure. Leakers hint that Imu’s counterattack targets not Luffy’s body but his heartbeat, the Drums of Liberation themselves. If Imu can silence that rhythm, Gear 5 collapses instantly.
That would explain the cryptic title “I’m Still Practicing.” It may not refer to Luffy at all. It may be Imu speaking, calmly telling the so-called Sun God that everything so far has just been practice.
Why Loki Will Fall First in Chapter 1193
Both Luffy and Loki are running on fumes. They have taken catastrophic damage across multiple chapters, and Loki in particular has been fighting far beyond his limits since his chains were broken. With Hajrudin already down, the narrative math is brutal: Oda needs to isolate Luffy for the emotional climax.
The prediction: Chapter 1193 opens with Imu resurgent, shrugging off the Dawn Thor Bullet wound, and delivering a single devastating blow that knocks Loki out of the main fight. That leaves Luffy alone against a fully serious Imu, exactly the kind of hopeless one-on-one Oda loves before a major turning point.
Loki’s fall also serves the larger Elbaf story. The Accursed Prince of Elbaf was never meant to be the one who defeats Imu. His role is to buy time and to witness Luffy’s will, passing the torch of the ancient giants to the new generation.
Zoro vs Sommers and Sanji vs Killingham: The Real Key to Victory
While Luffy bleeds in the Underworld, the actual path to victory lies elsewhere. Roronoa Zoro has been locked in a brutal clash with Saint Sommers of the Holy Knights, and Vinsmoke Sanji faces Saint Killingham. Their battles were last shown back in Chapter 1189, and Chapter 1193 is the perfect moment to return to them.
Here is the critical lore connection: Imu’s power on Elbaf is sustained through his Holy Knights. Killing Sommers and Killingham may be the only way to weaken Imu’s avatar enough for Luffy to land a finishing blow. That is why the Monster Trio all need to shine at once. Luffy cannot win alone because Gear 5 alone is not enough, something the story has repeated since the fight began.
Expect Chapter 1193 to intercut Imu dominating Luffy with Zoro unleashing a new Haki-infused technique against Sommers. The chapter title “I’m Still Practicing” could just as easily be Zoro’s line, a chilling callback to his training and his promise to the crew. If Zoro lands a decisive strike while Sanji holds off Killingham’s hybrid assault, the tide turns instantly.
What Chapter 1193 Means for the End of Elbaf
The Elbaf arc is now in its endgame after two years, and Oda is compressing every plotline at once. If Imu goes all out in 1193 and pushes Luffy to the edge, then 1194 or 1195 becomes the breaking point where outside help arrives. Keep an eye on Scopper Gaban, Nico Robin, and even the mysterious looming arrival of Blackbeard’s crew, who have their own designs on the Void Century’s secrets.
The darkest prediction: Chapter 1193 ends on a cliffhanger with Luffy’s Gear 5 flickering out as Imu stands over him, and the final panel shows Zoro’s sword cracking. Oda loves a double despair cliffhanger before a break week. Fans should brace themselves.
But despair in One Piece is always setup. Every time Luffy has been crushed, from Marineford to Wano, the comeback redefined the series. If Imu silences the Drums of Liberation in 1193, the roar when they restart will shake the entire world, and Elbaf will be remembered as the arc where the Sun God truly awakened.
Final Predictions for One Piece Chapter 1193
- Imu reveals a new offensive fusion of his Devil Fruit and Creator’s Weapons
- Loki is knocked out of the main fight, leaving Luffy alone
- Zoro vs Sommers returns with a major Haki moment
- Sanji vs Killingham escalates as the key to weakening Imu
- Cliffhanger ending with Gear 5 failing and the Drums of Liberation going silent
One Piece Chapter 1193 releases on September 13, 2026. You can read it free on Manga Plus. Until then, reread Chapter 1192 closely, because every panel of Imu’s so-called defeat looks very different once you realize he might have been practicing all along.
If you want more deep dives, check out our theory on Blackbeard’s hidden Third Devil Fruit and the Void Century, our breakdown of why Rocks D. Xebec was erased from history, and our analysis of Luffy’s true dream and why One Piece runs until 2033.
What do you think? Was Imu really hurt, or was it all an act? Share your theories in the comments!
