If there is one figure in One Piece who embodies the darkest secrets of the world, it’s Imu. Sitting atop the Empty Throne, Imu is the hidden sovereign of the World Government, existing entirely in the shadows. But recently, the fandom’s focus has shifted to the weapons surrounding and wielded by this enigmatic ruler, often referred to by fans as Imu's "void swords."
To understand what these weapons are, we have to look at both the physical swords in Pangea Castle and the terrifying, shadowy abilities Imu unleashed during the Reverie.
The Shadow Blade of Eternity: Imu’s Void Sword and the Power That Erases All
In the sprawling epic of One Piece, few figures command as much dread and mystery as Nerona Imu, the unseen sovereign of the World Government. For centuries, fans speculated about his true nature, his immortality, and the depths of his authority. But in the heat of the Elbaph arc, Eiichiro Oda pulled back the curtain just enough to reveal one of Imu’s most chilling weapons: a blade simply called “Void” a sword that doesn’t just cut flesh, but seems to drain the very life and meaning from everything it touches.A Weapon Born from Nothingness
Recent chapters (notably around 1188) show Imu transforming his signature glaive-like polearm into a devastating sword form during combat. He drives it straight through Monkey D. Luffy in a moment that echoes Crocodile’s brutal betrayal in Alabasta only this time, the stakes feel cosmic. The attack isn’t flashy with explosions or grand gestures. Instead, it carries an eerie stillness. Trees wither, the air grows heavy, and vitality itself seems to bleed away in its presence.
Fans quickly dubbed it the “Void Sword” or “Sword of Nihility/Nothingness,” tying directly into the Void Century that forbidden 100-year gap in history that the World Government has erased from all records. Theories exploded online: Is “Void” an ancient weapon forged in that lost era specifically to counter Joy Boy’s successor? Does its name hint at a deeper connection to the “void” that Imu guards so jealously? Unlike traditional swords powered purely by skill or Haki, Void appears intertwined with Imu’s own enigmatic abilities. Whether it’s an extension of his Devil Fruit (rumored to involve ominous black flames or transformative powers) or a Supreme Grade blade infused with something older than the seas themselves, its mere presence commands reverence and terror.
Part of a Deadly Arsenal“Void” isn’t Imu’s only named technique. He wields a suite of blade attacks that read like a litany of divine wrath:Nemesis (Blade of Judgment) A colossal black-flame sword reminiscent of Dracule Mihawk’s Yoru, used to devastating effect against giants like Loki.
Gram (Blade of Wrath)
Stigma (Blade of Hatred)
And then there’s Void the one that feels most personal, most final. Some speculate Imu has up to 20 such techniques, each linked symbolically to the 20 founding kingdoms of the World Government. It’s a poetic (and terrifying) idea: a ruler who weaponizes history itself.
Imu’s swordsmanship is no joke either. He slices with surgical precision even at range, severing giant fingers in the blink of an eye or carving through chaos while barely moving. When he enlarges himself with his powers and unleashes these blades, the battlefield transforms into a stage for judgment.
The Swords of the Empty Throne
The concept of swords surrounding Imu starts with the literal weapons planted at the base of the Empty Throne.
According to World Government lore, 800 years ago, the 20 founding monarchs of the World Government placed their weapons before the throne to pledge that none among them would ever claim it. They were meant to be symbols of absolute equality.
However, we know that only 19 swords remain there. Nefertari D. Lili, the ruler of Arabasta, refused to become a Celestial Dragon and mysteriously vanished. The 19 swords represent a massive lie: the throne isn't empty, and equality among the rulers is an illusion maintained to keep the world at peace. Imu walks among these blades, a silent mockery of the founding pledge.
The Shadow Appendages: True “Void” Weapons?
The term "void swords" really gained traction after the events of the Reverie flashback (specifically around Chapter 1085). When King Cobra confronted Imu and the Five Elders about the Will of D. and Queen Lili, Imu didn't just sit and talk.
When the situation escalated, Imu manifested bizarre, shadowy appendages to attack Cobra and Sabo. These appendages looked like massive, jagged arrows or ethereal blades. Here is what makes them terrifying:
Intangibility and Speed: They moved fast enough to mortally wound King Cobra and pierce Sabo, who is a highly trained Logia user (the Flare-Flare Fruit).
Shadow Nature: The weapons appeared to be made of pure darkness or a void-like substance. They didn't look like forged steel; they looked like living shadows.
Devilish Origins: Combined with the Five Elders transforming into monstrous, demonic silhouettes, Imu’s "void swords" strongly suggest abilities tied to the literal Devil, the underworld, or a deeply sinister Mythical Zoan fruit.
The Connection to the Void Century
Calling these attacks "void swords" is a perfect fan moniker because Imu is the living relic of the Void Century.
If the World Government erased 100 years of history to hide their war against the Great Kingdom, Imu is the one who orchestrated it. The shadow blades Imu wields could be the very same power that struck down the original Joy Boy 800 years ago. Unlike Zoro's cursed blades or Mihawk's Supreme Grade Yoru, Imu's weapons aren't meant for honorable duels they are tools of execution, designed to instantly erase anyone who learns the truth about the world.
Whether these shadow blades are an awakened Devil Fruit ability, a form of advanced Haki we haven't seen yet, or something entirely alien to the established power system, they represent the ultimate ceiling of power in One Piece.
