Chapters · Final Saga › Elbaf

Chapter 1177: Furious

Arc: Elbaf · Saga: Final Saga · Released:

Summary

At Western Village, Elbaf, the demonized giants — undying, regenerating bodies granted by the Holy Knights’ covenant — rampage against their own comrades, urging them to “come back” and be “liberated, unchained by any concepts of evil,” and warning that any warrior who gets surrounded will be turned into a demon too. Kashii and other giants cannot bring themselves to strike friends of decades (Gantonio, D.D. Tee, Rhodes), so Zoro (Three Sword Style: Red Ogre… Mega Rage) and the giants unload heavy attacks — Gungnir, Ikoku Sovereignty, Giant Tromma — but the demons cannot die, so Nami has Zeus keep dropping rain and lightning to douse the island-wide fires. Sanji, Franky and Jinbei mop up (a severed demon head, still barking about the “hell that awaits commoners who defy God,” is boxed up); Franky marvels the crew “got too strong — Luffy’s an Emperor now.” A colossal black dragon crashes in, spitting fire that destroys demons while worsening the blaze — it is Loki, freed at last, now allied with a relaxed Gear-5 Luffy whose rubber body is immune to the dragonfire. At Branch Route 8, a bat-winged Holy Knight tells “Team Brook” to flee (“she’s too dangerous”), but Usopp — standing at last on the warrior island he has dreamed of for years — refuses to run, condemns the enemy’s cowardly mind-control scheme, and declares himself furious, firing a skull-shaped Pop Green. The Holy Knight (“one who rules does not sully their hands”) names them “Nika!! Nidhoggr!!”, calls this “the battle that will divide the world,” identifies Luffy as “the source of the Haki that reached the Underworld,” and demands: obey, or die. Luffy — “forgiveness was never an option… I’m pissed” — calls out to Loki.

New reveals

• Loki’s power is a dragon. Freed from his chains, Prince Loki transforms into a gigantic black dragon that spits fire; the enemy names the dragon “Nidhoggr.” He rampages to “destroy the people who are harming Elbaf” (the demonized giants), but his flames worsen the fires on the fire-vulnerable island (pp. 10–12).
• Loki’s fire cannot hurt Luffy. Loki (as the dragon): “Why doesn’t it work on you?!” — Luffy’s rubber body is immune (“If it did, I’d whup your butt right now!!”) (p. 12). Loki is now on friendly terms with the Straw Hats (“What, you guys are buds?!”).
• The demonized giants are agents of “God” / the Holy Land. A boxed demon head rages about “the hell that awaits commoners who dare to defy God” — Sanji: “So these are the knights who protect the Holy Land?” (p. 9). The demons recruit by surrounding warriors (“if you get surrounded, you’ll be turned into a demon too,” p. 4).
• The Holy Knight names Luffy the source of the Underworld Haki. She addresses “Nika!! Nidhoggr!!”, calls this “the battle that will divide the world,” and cites “the source of the Haki… that reached the Underworld” — ultimatum: “Thou canst obey… or die.” (pp. 15–17).
• Franky: “I think we got TOO strong, Sanji!! Luffy’s an Emperor now.” (p. 10) — crew-side acknowledgement of Luffy’s Yonko status.

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Characters: Luffy (Gear 5), Zoro, Nami, Sanji, Usopp, Brook, Franky, Jinbei, Zeus, Prince Loki (dragon “Nidhoggr”), Dorry, Brogy, Kashii, Gantonio (new), D.D. Tee (new, named), Rhodes (new, named), Tony Tony Chopper (“Team Chopper” referenced), Nico Robin (title-page illustration only). A bat-winged female Holy Knight (“the Great One”; name not printed this chapter) commands the demons and delivers the ultimatum.
• Groups / lore: Holy Knights, Giant Warrior Pirates, Straw Hat Pirates, Giants, Sun God Nika.
• Locations: Elbaf, Western Village, Sun World (“by the lift”), Branch Route 8 (new sub-area), Owl Library, The Underworld.
• Techniques (named): Zoro — “Three Sword Style: Red Ogre… Mega Rage”; giants — “Gungnir,” “Ikoku Sovereignty,” “Giant Tromma”; Usopp — “Skull Blast-Grass” (skull-shaped Pop Green); Holy-Knight demon-conversion (“Diabolical Covenant” / “Domi Reversi,” referenced).

Notable panels

• p. 1 — Title page. Reader-request illustration: “Robin planting flowers in a bed dug up by moles” by Mrs. Fuji (Robin gardening while straw-hat / mining-helmet moles dig; a “MOGU” sign). Monochrome, decorative — not a color spread, not a cover-story serial.
• p. 2 — “Western Village, Elbaf.” The demons: “Enjoy the feeling of liberation, unchained by any concepts of evil!!! …Come back to us, captains!!”
• p. 4 — Map inset “Team Chopper, by the lift, Sun World.” “If you get surrounded, you’ll be turned into a demon too!!”
• p. 8 — Sun/flame-haloed silhouette fells a demon (“He’s back?!”). (mirror candidate.)
• pp. 10–12 — The black dragon crashes in (“Doga ha ha ha!!”); ”…Is that Loki?!”; “It’s enormous… like a Neptunian.” Loki-dragon splash. (mirror candidate.)
• p. 13 — “Team Brook, Branch Route 8.” Bat-winged Holy Knight: “…she’s too dangerous!!” Usopp: “I’m FURIOUS!!!”
• p. 15 — Usopp’s “Skull Blast-Grass” detonates as a giant black skull (DOOOM!!). (mirror candidate.)
• pp. 16–17 — Luffy: “Forgiveness was never an option… I’m… pissed.” “Hey, Loki!!” The Holy Knight: “Nika!! Nidhoggr!! …Thou canst obey… or die.” To be continued.

Open questions raised

• What is the bat-winged Holy Knight’s name, and is the demon-conversion (“Diabolical Covenant” / “Domi Reversi”) her Devil Fruit? (name not printed this chapter.)
• Is “Nidhoggr” the name of Loki’s Devil Fruit (a dragon Zoan) or merely his dragon’s epithet? No “X-X Fruit” caption appears.
• How is the demons’ immortality/regeneration actually undone? (heads must be kept “in boxes… separate.”)
• What does the Knight mean by “the battle that will divide the world,” and why does she demand Luffy and Loki obey?