Die and Awaken Again
Chapter 1188 is full of self-homages to the Wano Country arc.
For example, Im-sama striking Nika from above is almost identical to the moment Luffy landed a blow on Kaido at Onigashima.
Also, Nika getting scorched by Im-sama’s attack…
…mirrors Nika getting scorched by Kaido’s Bolo Breath back in Wano.
The scene where his legs spin around while being chased by the homing Omen also seems like a deliberate callback.
And at the very end, there’s a composition that makes you wonder — is he dead?
What catches my eye is that the Nika we see in Elbaf is barefoot.
When Luffy went to punch Im-sama after eating his fill, he had mysteriously taken off his boots for no apparent reason.
Sure, he may have shed the Viking cosplay to fight in his usual sandals — but the Nika who appeared before Im-sama wasn’t wearing sandals either.
That’s the detail that made me think this might be foreshadowing for a second Nika awakening.
Nika, God of Destruction
A hero who appeared so the world would not break…
Or a destroyer who broke everything…
The way Nika is described in Elbaf gives a slightly different impression from the Nika we know. The silhouette shown there depicts Nika holding a sword and shield, wearing only a loincloth — and barefoot.
That’s likely the God of Destruction form of Nika.
The Two Faces of a God
In Shinto, gods possess two aspects: Nigimitama — the gentle, harmonious soul — and Aramitama — the wild, violent soul.
Nigimitama is the god in a calm, benevolent state; Aramitama is the god in a fierce, destructive state.
Roger himself has a named technique referencing this concept, so it would be very unlike Oda to depict a god without including this duality.
So here’s my conclusion:
All of those details point to Nika’s Aramitama — the God of Destruction side of Nika — awakening.
When you think about it that way…
…everything starts looking like foreshadowing for the God of Destruction Nika awakening.
The imagery that comes to mind is Nightmare Luffy.
A terrifying Nika manifested through the nightmares of children — he even carries a sword. And the fact that Brook plays a central role in the past flashback connects it to Thriller Bark as well, making it a perfect self-homage.
The Sun and the Demon Switch Places
Luffy and Sanji have always been depicted as contrasts.
So if Luffy ends up taking on the role of the demon, what does that mean for Sanji — who has been calling himself the demon?
Right now, Sanji is being watched to see whether he’ll resolve himself to become a king and awaken Conqueror’s Haki.
And if he does awaken it, speculation about what royal title Sanji will claim is running rampant.
I wrote the details in this article, but my conclusion is that “King of the Sun” would be the perfect fit.
So — with Luffy and Sanji always serving as each other’s foils — I think they’ll each awaken in Elbaf and swap their titles: the Demon and the Sun.