For eight years, One Piece fans have only seen Imu as a shadowy figure with sharp eyes sitting on the empty throne. That mystery ended with the leaked Chapter 1179 spoilers. The ruler of the World Government has finally shown his full appearance, and the reason he wants Nefertari Vivi is much darker than anyone thought.
Early chapter leaks from sources confirm that Imu, also called Saint Nerona Imu, has arrived in Elbaph. He left Mary Geoise through a magic circle and appeared at Aurust Castle. The chapter title is “Nerona Imu Descend”.
Imu’s Look Matches the Lunarians, But Something Is Different
The spoilers describe Imu as a male with handsome features. He has long white hair and tanned skin, which looks very similar to King the Lunarian. His body has long horns that curve twice to form an “S” shape, like Kaido‘s horns but twisted differently.
Imu is not wearing any shirt, but he has a cape with a half-visible logo. He also has a devil-like tail, the same tail that fans saw piercing Sabo at the Levely. White circular tattoos cover his body, with one eye-shaped tattoo on his right hand and another on the left side of his face.
The most shocking detail is his black clouds. Unlike the swirly Hagoromo clouds seen with awakened Zoan users like Rob Lucci or the Five Elders, Imu‘s clouds have eyes. These eyes look like the ones on biblically accurate angels called ophanim.
“Imu appears to be male, with handsome features. Black clouds surround him. He has long horns similar to Kaido and the ancient giants, but they curve twice, forming the letter ‘S.’ His skin is tanned, similar to a Lunarian king.”
Why Vivi Matters More Than Fans Thought
The connection between Imu and Nefertari Vivi has been a mystery since Imu was first shown holding Vivi‘s picture. Many fans thought Imu wanted Vivi because she is a descendant of one of the 20 founders who refused to become a Celestial Dragon. But Chapter 1179 changes everything.
Imu is now confirmed to be a Lunarian. The Lunarians were known as “gods” who once lived on top of the Red Line. They had black wings, could produce flames, and had nearly unbreakable bodies. But here is the key point: the World Government hunted the Lunarians nearly to extinction.
The chapter includes a picture of King and Oars together. This hints that Lunarians and Ancient Giants were once allies. So how did both races almost disappear? One fan suggested that Imu used his power to make these two strongest races fight each other.
One fan explained why this matters for Vivi:
“It adds layer to Imus obsession with getting Vivi and make Imu feel even more unforgiveable because that is an image of an obsessive stalker. Tanned skin and white hair, are we to assume that is traits of a Lunarian? Well if that were true then that shows an even more selfish side. Genocide against ITS own kind just so Imu can be the only one.”
This changes everything. Imu is not just a ruler. He is the last of his kind, and he destroyed his own people to stay in power. So why does he want Vivi?
The Dark Reason for Chasing Vivi
Imu‘s goal is not about Vivi‘s bloodline. It is about erasing proof.
The Nefertari family chose to return to ruling Alabasta instead of becoming Celestial Dragons 800 years ago. That means they kept records. They kept history. They know things that Imu wants to hide.
If Imu committed genocide against his own Lunarian race, he cannot let anyone find out. Vivi‘s family likely has old texts or passed-down knowledge about the true history of the World Government. But there is another reason that is even worse.
The leaks show Imu coughing up blood when he traveled to Elbaph. His transformation puts a heavy strain on his body. One reader explained:
“Imu was coughing up blood when he was about to transport to Elbaph, this could mean that Imu is on a short time limit due to using his powers putting severe strain on his body, or that him leaving the Holy Land itself causes severe strain/backlash to his body.”
If Imu‘s body is failing after 800 years, he might need something to keep living. And Vivi could be the key.
The Nerona Family Name Changes Everything
The chapter also confirms that Imu‘s full name is Saint Nerona Imu, and he is called the “King of the World.” This is the first time fans have learned his family name. The Nerona family was one of the 20 that founded the World Government.
But here is the twist. If Imu is a Lunarian, then the Nerona family might not be human at all. The Five Elders answer to him, but they might not even know what he truly is.
One fan noticed a small but important detail in the Japanese text:
“The word ‘Akuma’ (Devil) appears written in katakana (アクマ) instead of with kanjis (悪魔) as it has always appeared written in the series (悪魔の実). I suppose there will be the key to Imu’s power, which will be the ‘Devil’ in person.”
This means Imu‘s power is not just a Devil Fruit. It might be the actual power of the devil itself.
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What This Means for the Elbaph Arc
Imu is now on Elbaph, and he is not in good shape. The spoilers show blood coming from his mouth, meaning he is either weakened or the transformation costs him a lot of energy. This gives Luffy and Loki a real chance to fight back.
But there is a problem. The chapter also shows that when Imu arrived, trees and houses woke up and started laughing with demonic faces. His presence alone changes the environment. This is not a normal power.
The discussion pointed out something important:
“The new objective for everyone in Elbaph, is to literally survive and run the clock down.”
If Imu cannot stay outside Mary Geoise for long, the Straw Hats just need to survive until he is forced to go back. But with Loki already causing chaos and Imu now on the island, Elbaph might not survive the fight.
One Piece Chapter 1179 will officially release on April 5, 2026, through Manga Plus and VIZ Media. There will be a break next week after this chapter.
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