And if not, who will Luffy fight when they confront Imu sama as the final antagonist?
I think it cannot be Sakazuki because:
In the case that Imu sama ends up not being a fighter, I think the Gorosei are more likely to act as Imu sama's bodyguards than Sakazuki (one of them seems to bear the Shodai Kitetsu suggesting that he's a swordsman and more to the point an opponent for Zoro).
Another alternative would be an explicit Royal Guard or uber secret Cipher Pol that reports directly to Imu sama.
This is to say that I think those hoping that Sakazuki will be the final villain if Imu sama is not a fighter are on supreme copium.
I think it cannot be Sakazuki because:
- Sakazuki is not aware of Imu sama's existence
- It's not even known if Sakazuki would continue serving Imu sama should he learn the truth
- Excluding the Reverie (only once every several years), the Admirals are not stationed at Mariejoa
- It's unlikely there'll be another Reverie before the Final War
- Navy HQ is in the New World, and that's likely where Sakazuki will contront Luffy
- As alluded in this chapter, the Strawhats may storm Navy HQ
- Imu's direct subordinates are the Gorosei
- Though they also had an unnamed attendant
- The World Government are a somewhat separate adversary from Navy HQ
- Pirates have directly challenged Navy HQ and the Navy in general before
- The only force explicitly trying to tear down the World Government is the Revolutionary Army
- Even now, it was the Revolutionary Army that learned of someone who sat upon the Empty Throne
In the case that Imu sama ends up not being a fighter, I think the Gorosei are more likely to act as Imu sama's bodyguards than Sakazuki (one of them seems to bear the Shodai Kitetsu suggesting that he's a swordsman and more to the point an opponent for Zoro).
Another alternative would be an explicit Royal Guard or uber secret Cipher Pol that reports directly to Imu sama.
This is to say that I think those hoping that Sakazuki will be the final villain if Imu sama is not a fighter are on supreme copium.