The Elbaph Arc of One Piece did the unthinkable when the ruler of the world, Saint Nerona Imu, made his appearance in the Warland. When the arc began, no fan expected Imu to make an entry, given that he is the final villain of the entire story. Now, Eiichiro Oda has shocked all the readers by introducing the greatest power that exists in the entire world in the Elbaph battle. In doing so, Oda has also unleashed the power of Imu's special Devil Fruit, known as Akuma no Mi. Nerona Imu's Devil Fruit abilities go far beyond those offered by standard fruits and are in a league of their own.
Breaking Down The Difference Between Imu's 'Devil's Fruit' and Standard Devil Fruits
Imu possesses the powers of the Akuma no Mi, or Devil’s Fruit. There is a key difference between Imu's fruit and other Devil Fruits from the One Piece world. For starters, all Devil Fruits are termed as Akuma no Mi in Japanese, but there is a key difference: while most Devil Fruits are written as Akuma no Mi in kanji, Imu's fruit uses katakana, setting it apart from the others. In other words, Imu does not possess a standard Devil Fruit. Instead, he possesses ‘the Fruit of the Devil’ itself, and that is what makes this fruit different from all the others that exist.
Analyzing The Unique Transformations Of The Sovereign's Fruit
The true nature of Imu's Akuma no Mi is still shrouded in mystery, but Oda has done incredibly well to elaborate upon quite a few of its powers, including its unique transformations. Nerona Imu was first seen transforming into a giant four-legged creature in the Reverie chapters, specifically One Piece chapter 1085, when Sabo confronted the Sovereign of the World as well as the Five Elders in the Throne Room in Marijoa. Sabo immediately unleashed a powerful Hiken on them, and all six of the individuals present in the room immediately transformed, including Imu. At this point, Imu transformed into an absolutely massive creature on all fours and used his giant, dragon-like mouth to consume Sabo's flames immediately. This suggests that Imu's Akuma no Mi falls under the Mythical Zoan category. However, there is more to the fruit than just that.
In the Elbaph arc, specifically One Piece chapter 1179, Imu undertook another transformation that saw them grow massive horns as well as a devilish appearance. Imu received dark clouds around his neck with ringed eyes in them, and a pointy tail. Imu's white hair also contrasted uniquely against his dark skin, and it was clear to see that this was perhaps the hybrid form of Imu's Devil Fruit. Quite clearly, Imu's Akuma no Mi appears to be of a Mythical Zoans nature, but this fruit also supports unique powers that could be classified as Paramecia and Logia.
Assessing The Demonic Abilities Acquired By The World's Ruler
Imu's Akuma no Mi possesses quite a few unique abilities that make it far different from any other Devil Fruit. For starters, although Imu's fruit has unique transformations that make it similar to a Zoan-type fruit, he can also directly affect the surroundings, turning them into evil homie-like creatures, which is a telltale sign of a Paramecia Awakening. The fact that Imu can directly affect his surroundings with his power suggests that the fruit itself is a blend between Paramecia and Zoan. On top of that, Imu also possesses a certain level of intangibility, given that their dark shadow can essentially absorb any and all hits and can be reduced to smithereens only to recreate themselves in a matter of seconds. This ability is akin to the Logia-type Devil Fruits of the One Piece world.
All is preordained. It all began long before this! The Holy Land, I leave to thee — Saint Imu Nerona, One Piece 1179
In essence, Nerona Imu's Akuma no Mi is so strong that it exhibits the power of all three types of Devil Fruits: Zoan, Logia, and Paramecia. That is truly what makes it stand apart from all the other Devil Fruits. On top of that, Imu's Akuma no Mi also offers the ability to bestow Covenants on his loyal followers. These Covenants grant superhuman strength, immortality, infinite regeneration, as well as the power to teleport through the Abyss. In certain cases, such as the Abyssal Covenant, it also grants the ability of various Yokai that replicate Devil Fruit powers. Imu can also turn any of their enemies into demonic slaves using the power of Akuma no Mi by utilizing an ability known as Domi Reversi.
GameRant Quiz
Why The Ruler's 'Devil's Fruit' Is The Supreme Power In The Series
The Devil’s Fruit, or Akuma no Mi, wielded by Saint Imu Nerona is far more special than any other fruit in the series. Given that this is the fruit of the devil itself and not just the standard Devil Fruit meant to mimic an ability, it is quite clear that this was most likely the first fruit created in the entire series. On top of that, it is also evident that this fruit was made for the purpose of death and destruction, as well as oppression.
The fact that it grants the powers of immortality and can even turn anyone into his slaves, as well as force evil and demonic powers onto entire countries, is proof of the fact that this Devil Fruit is the supreme power in the world of One Piece, the likes of which even Nika would struggle to rival. As the Elbaph Arc continues, Oda will surely go on to highlight the true powers of the Akuma no Mi even more.
One Piece chapter 1180 will be available to read on Manga Plus on April 19, 2026, at 11 a.m. EST.
