Shanks’ Desperate Warning: How He Tried to Save Elbaf’s King from Imu’s Control

New One Piece revelations expose a tragic failed mission. The red-haired pirate Shanks tried to prevent a king’s downfall. He arrived in Elbaf to deliver a crucial warning that came too late.

The truth is now clear from the latest chapter. Shanks attempted to save King Harald from a fate worse than death. His efforts highlight a deeper layer of the ongoing war against the World Government.

The Depths of Imu’s Devilish Contract Revealed

One Piece chapter 1168 provides the missing context. It confirms Shanks left the Holy Land of Mary Geoise deliberately. He was one mission away from becoming a full God’s Knight.

That final mission required a “Depths Covenant” with Imu. Shanks abandoned his position to avoid this pact. King Harald was selected as his replacement.

Harald then met Imu and received the upgraded contract. The Five Elders presented it as a gift of power and immortality. They concealed its true, sinister cost.

The hidden price was total enslavement. Anyone bound by the Depths Covenant becomes Imu’s absolute slave. They must obey any command without question.

Imu soon tested this control. The ruler telepathically ordered Harald to mobilize Elbaf’s giant warriors. The king refused, opposing violence.

Imu then revealed the contract’s enslaving nature. Harald was forced to comply against his will. This was the grim future Shanks raced to stop.

A Warning Delivered Too Late

Shanks’ urgent trip to Elbaf was a rescue attempt. He likely learned the contract’s secret from his brother Figarland Garling. Escaping Mary Geoise was his only choice to remain free.

He then sped to Elbaf to warn King Harald. Shanks aimed to reveal Imu’s trap before it was sprung. His intentions were noble but ultimately futile.

By the time Shanks arrived, events had progressed too far. Harald had already made the covenant with Imu. The king’s fate was tragically sealed.

This failed intervention adds profound depth to Shanks’ character. It shows him actively opposing the World Government’s highest evil long ago. His current actions as a peacekeeper take on new meaning.

The incident also explains the giants’ deep-seated distrust. They witnessed their beloved king become a puppet. It clarifies Elbaf’s complex relationship with the outside world.

This chapter confirms Shanks’ role as a clandestine opponent of Imu’s rule. His early warning attempt in Elbaf underscores a long-standing, personal battle against the world’s deepest darkness.

Info at your fingertips

What is Imu’s “Abyss Contract”?

It is a powerful covenant offered by the hidden ruler Imu. The contract grants immense power and immortality but secretly turns the recipient into Imu’s absolute slave, forced to obey any command.

Why did Shanks leave the Holy Land?

Shanks fled Mary Geoise to avoid making the final “Depths Covenant” with Imu. He likely discovered the pact’s enslaving true cost and chose freedom over becoming a God’s Knight.

How did King Harald die?

The exact circumstances of King Harald’s death are still to be fully shown. He was murdered after Imu took control of him, and the upcoming chapter is expected to reveal those specific events.

What does this mean for Shanks now?

It establishes that Shanks has been aware of and opposing Imu’s true nature for decades. This backstory provides crucial motivation for his current actions and positioning in the final saga.