Even LUFFY is surprised that he's still alive after all the stabbings he received from Imu over the last few chapters! Yeah, it does feel like the implication is supposed to be that Luffy is slowly tapping into more of the full potential of the Nika Fruit. Your mileage may vary on how you feel about that. But, he says he CAN'T change back to normal before he's fully healed, or else he'll die, so there is a slight cost to this "regeneration" power.
"Well, his true nature seems to be a big secret." Hmm...so even Scopper doesn't fully understand what Imu is. Interesting. Oda's definitely setting something up, here.
Heh...Imu calling Roger's old crew "youths" back on God Valley kind of hits home how Imu probably sees MOST people, I guess.
Meanwhile, Robin and Saul and Chopper are stopping to have a pleasant chat with Biblo. What does the owl say? (Hoot-hoot-hoot-hoot-hoota-hoot! /*What does the fox say?*) Too bad we don't find out what Biblo's trying to tell them this chapter. Oda's really dragging this out. I'm going to guess that....there's another secret 3000 year old lab inside this tree, right around here. Biblo might want them to activate something that could be inside this hollow-ish tree.
Also, Imu gets a new form! More horns, bigger arms, more eye-rings. Also, the 3 Skulls that were around his legs have now moved up to his chest. I wonder if the 3 Skulls actually hint at what "power level" he's tapping into? Maybe at full power, the 3 Skulls would float above his head? I'm...not exactly sure what we would call this? Is this a Zoan Hybrid Form? Or is this a Full Animal Form for Imu's Devil's Fruit? Or is this something else entirely? I guess this COULD be something like Luffy's Gears or Chopper's Rumble Ball Forms. We don't get a caption-box explaining it, so I guess Oda's keeping it a secret for now. But, it could pass for Imu's version of Gear 4 or Arm Point.
"Not that I have the arms to applaud you..." Heh...that's the spirit, Scopper! Find the humor in the situation! Don't let a little arm-loss get you down!
Scopper REALLY wants Luffy to run away, but he's not having that, throwing a bit of a fit about even the suggestion. And I tend to think that's not how this ends. It's just not usually the Strawhat's style. But...there IS a first time for everything. We'll see.
And who swoops in to save the day but...HAJRUDIN?! Okay, I didn't have THAT on my bingo card! Hajrudin taking a swing at the King of the World all by himself. Go figure. Didn't think he had it in him. And Imu just seems REALLY susceptible to punches.
Loki's back on his feet, and Luffy forces himself back up, too. Just in time for Luffy, Loki, and Hajrudin to team up for one more Three Generals Gokoku Sovereignty! Weird that they're copying the attack that Gerd, Goldberg, and Road used before. But, it IS still pretty cool that they're working together! I doubt it's going to be effective enough, though. I feel like Zoro and Sanji still have more to do with their fights. Loki still needs to bust out his Hybrid Form. And it feels like Oda's setting something more up for Luffy, too. So, we'll see. I wouldn't be surprised if we see another, similar scene of this again. A "Daikoku Sovereignty" or something like that.
And...there's another break next week. Ah, jeez! It feels like these breaks are getting more frequent. I hope Oda's doing okay.