Chapter 1181 Summary
Short Summary:
Imu fends off and injures Loki with his "Omen" ability, but Loki is able to retaliate by striking him into the Treasure Tree Adam with Ragnir. Loki then transforms into the Nidhöggr, and Imu cracks a smile upon seeing it again.
Detailed Summary
Thinking back to that fateful day, Loki tells Imu that giants normally live to 300 years, but Harald was only 144 years old at death, so it should not have been his time to die. However, hearing Imu call him his servant has made him believe that he was the one who manipulated and ultimately killed him. Imu, however, replies that he was the one who was troubled by what happened that day. Loki then prepares an attack with Ragnir called Ragnaizuchi and brings the hammer, covered in lightning, down onto Imu while demanding to know what exactly he did to him. In turn, Imu conjures up an Omen to match Loki's attack, resulting in a massive shockwave that can be felt across Elbaph.
Loki is in disbelief that Imu was able to block such an attack and demands to know what his powers are. Imu, however, creates another Omen and this time, he absorbs it into his body, causing him to swell and grow into a giant himself to properly match Loki, to his surprise. Imu calls Omen his military might and a power that resides in all things as he once again blocks Loki's swing, but after doing so Imu jumps above Loki and creates a blade out of black flames from his staff, which he calls Sword of Judgement: Nemesis, and impales Loki with it, causing him to fall down.
As Loki picks himself up, Imu says that it is the nature of man to crave strength, but when the power they lust after is too easily gained, it leads to "Corruption"; when someone chooses servitude out of self-interest, it leads to "Covenants"; and the envy of one who seeks to achieve their goal is the "Power of Omen"; these three, according to Imu, are the foundation of the power of "Domination", all the while he blasts Loki with another ball of black flames, which hits him point-blank and causing him to falter. Imu then offers Loki with "the power of a god" in order to surpass all others, but Loki rejects it and brings Ragnir down onto him, but Imu remains unscathed.
Heavily exhausted, Loki sits down and tells Imu that the power he claims is the strength of a God looks more like forming a pact with the Devil, but Imu says there is no difference between the two. Loki then gets back up and reaffirms that no one shall be his master as he prepares to attack, but Imu interjects that "Domination" is the only true bliss in the world, thinking back to a conversation with Joy Boy that leads to him calling out his name in anger. In the school, Luffy, shaken by Imu's Haki and realizing that he cannot win with an empty stomach, continues eating as much food as he can to replenish his strength and rejoin the fight.
While Imu is distracted reminiscing about the past, his temporary lapse in focus allows Loki to strike him with Ragnir and blast him into the Adam Tree, claiming he does not respect him enough to allow himself to be distracted. Loki then transforms into his full Beast form and unleashes a Thorheim attack on Imu, who blocks it with his own powers. Imu then smiles when he sees Loki transformed, as he thinks that Nidhöggr has truly returned.