Chapter 1188 Summary
Short Summary:
As Imu reminisences about Joy Boy due to Luffy's resemblance to him, he ramps up the pressure to force Luffy on the defensive. In turn, Luffy unveils the Gomu Gomu no Majin technique in an attempt to counter Imu. After Imu is briefly distracted by Brook, he manifests a sword named Bohu and stabs Luffy with it, as he calls Luffy not the same as Joy Boy due to him being far stronger than Luffy is right now.
Detailed Summary
Imu thinks back to when he first met Joy Boy, and reminds himself that Luffy is not him since he is long dead, yet that does not stop him from seeing Joy Boy in Luffy. Imu wraps his arm in black flames and shoots it like a fist at Luffy, who quickly moves his head down to avoid it. However, Imu's flame fist redirects itself and hits Luffy, blasting him into the ground in an explosion. Luffy gets back up and into the air, but Imu teleports to dodge Luffy's punch and gets behind him to stab him with his staff, only for Luffy to dodge instantly and fire a barrage of punches that Imu successfully blocks with his staff, to Luffy's annoyance since he could hit him so easily prior. Imu fires his Omen at Luffy, which he barely dodges, and goes on the defensive by running around him. Imu fires Omen at Luffy that home in on him, but Luffy destroys them using Gomu Gomu no Jet Gatling. Luffy then uses a new attack called Gomu Gomu no Majin, transforming into a large genie form as he declares that he will not let Loki's death be in vain since he watched his fight with Imu prior, though Loki yells he is not dead at all, much to Luffy's delight.
Imu sees Loki and fires Omen at him, with Ragnir trying to shield him despite Loki's protests. Thankfully, Jinbe protects both of them with Karakusagawara Seiken and asks Luffy if he would like him to protect Loki while he fights Imu, and Luffy answers he does since it will make his fight with Imu easier and he considers Loki his friend, a sentiment Loki does not share. Nami and Usopp are surprised to see Luffy fight Imu as the former wonders who Imu exactly is. Brook states that as far as he is aware, the only ones above the Knights of God are the Five Elders, which makes Usopp believe Imu is the knight's commander, but Brook is unsure as he admits the World Government is the most mysterious organization in history. Regardless, the ice continues to melt as the Straw Hats wonder what to do with Gunko next once she is free.
Imu is surprised to see that Gunko was not able to break free of the ice when he attacked it earlier, and even more so he hears Brook address Gunko as "Shuri", which makes him wonder if he was the same individual he encountered that fateful day in Esperia. Luffy tries to take advantage of Imu's distraction and attack him with Gomu Gomu no Suki Ari Bullet, but Imu easily blocks it and attaches some Omen to Luffy's beard in preparation for another Stigma attack. This forces Luffy to turn back to normal to avoid it and Imu fires Omen at Luffy again, forcing him on the run once more. Imu lands on the ground and summons a new sword from the ring on his back called Bohu, which starts draining all the life in the nearby trees, to Luffy's shock.
Thanks to that, both of them have a clear view of each other, but Imu instantly teleports to Luffy and stabs him with Bohu, telling him that he knows he isn't Joy Boy because he was far stronger than what Luffy is right now.
