One piece mural

One Piece Mural in Elbaf: The Three Worlds Explained

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When the Straw Hats’ ship was on the shores of Wano, preparing to depart, Oda left a message for fans: “Very well, start reading from this point on, because from this point on, it’ll be the ONE PIECE!!” At the time, many may not have given much thought to his words, but after the release of One Piece Chapter 1138, they now resonate more than ever.

The direction Oda, the world’s richest mangaka, has been steering the story toward is gradually coming into focus. With the reveal of the ancient one piece mural in Elbaf, we are finally beginning to uncover the history and lore of the One Piece universe—details that have existed only as breadcrumbs until now.

One piece theory nika joy boy luffy

One Piece Chapter 1138 serves as the culmination of countless hints scattered throughout the story. The island of the future is, in reality, the island of the past; the Three Worlds, the Harley texts—this chapter delivers one of the biggest bombshells in the series. But what does it all mean? This article will break down everything the ancient mural reveals.

One Piece Mural Explained

One Piece Mural explained

In One Piece chapter 1138, readers get their first look at a massive ancient mural drawn on the Adam Tree in Elbaf. Franky, who stumbles upon it, is left in disbelief as he observes the various figures depicted. When he asks Ripley about it, he learns that the mural dates back approx. 800–900 years and was believed to be nothing more than a child’s dream.

Soon, however, we discover that this is not the case. In fact, these murals were created by Elbaf’s ancient giants, who foresaw future events and had meticulously studied the Harley texts. Nico Robin, having received a copy of the Harley from Saul, has since read and deciphered its contents.

The Harley texts reveal that the world of One Piece has been engulfed in war twice before. They detail how these conflicts are interconnected and how the world was ultimately destroyed each time. The left side of the mural likely depicts the Void Century War, where Joy Boy’s faction clashed with Imu and the Founder Kings.

The right side of the mural portrays the wrath of the Earth God and the Serpent of Infernal Flames, who fought against Nika and, together, brought destruction upon the entire world. Additionally, the Harley texts describe the existence of the Three Worlds—the current era is known as the Third World, while the previous two, which were destroyed, are referred to as the Second and First Worlds.

• First World

One piece theory

The lore of One Piece draws heavy inspiration from Norse mythology, particularly the Völuspá—a poem detailing the creation, destruction, and rebirth of the world. Similarly, the in-universe Harley Text describes two cataclysmic events in the best selling manga‘s history.

The first occurred roughly 1,600 years ago, predating the Void Century (900 years ago), and reveals a technologically advanced civilization marked by towering skyscrapers, factories, and the exploitation of a primordial energy source called the “Eternal Flame.”

This ancient society grew arrogant, harnessing the power of an artificial sun to fuel its greed. The ruling class enslaved the masses to mine the Earth’s resources, likely to produce the Mother Flame.

The enslaved laborers prayed to the Sun God Nika for salvation, and their wishes were answered when Nika descended from the moon in a ship resembling Enel’s Ark Maxim. However, this divine intervention provoked the wrath of the Earth God and the Great Serpent of Infernal Flames, whose battle with Nika culminated in the world’s annihilation.

One piece serpent red line theory

The Serpent’s corpse, drenched in blood, is theorized to have formed the Red Line, while the supercontinent Pangaea (possibly the original “One Piece”) shattered into the current continents, and the All Blue fractured into the four seas. This separation is symbolized by the phrase, “They would not meet again”—a reference to the divided oceans.

Another One Piece theory suggests that this ancient civilization may not have been from Earth at all. The murals depicting skyscrapers could represent an underground city discovered by Enel on the moon, home to a people who later migrated to Earth after depleting their resources. Here, the enigmatic Imu enters the narrative.

Imu, a shadowy entity possibly older than recorded history, is speculated to have infiltrated and ruled this advanced society, exploiting its technology and enslaving its populace. When the enslaved turned to the Sun God, Imu retaliated by plunging the world into ruin.

Thus, the downfall of the First World set the stage for Imu’s grand ambition: to conquer the Blue World (Earth) and establish a new order, marking the dawn of the Second World—and the beginning of the Void Century’s hidden conflict. The Sun God Nika, eternally reborn, remains the beacon of hope against Imu’s endless hunger for dominion.

• Second World

One piece 3 world explained

Following the cataclysm of the First World, humanity rebuilt over millennia, eventually culminating in the rise of the Ancient Kingdom—a civilization of advanced technology, possibly inheriting remnants of the prior era’s innovations. Roughly 900 years ago, at the dawn of the Void Century, a figure named Joy Boy emerged as a revolutionary leader, embodying the spirit of the Sun God.

The Forest God (potentially linked to the Adam and Eve Trees) created Devil Fruits, either as tools of empowerment or weapons of chaos. Meanwhile, the D. Clan (symbolized by the half-moon) and moon-descended races (winged Birkans, Kozuki, etc.) dreamed of freedom. Their dreams likely paved the way for the return of Nika in the form of Joy Boy.

Their alliance included giants, fishmen, minks, and Lunarians—a coalition that posed a direct threat to Imu’s authority. However, Imu manipulated the 20 Kingdoms into opposing Joy Boy’s Ancient Kingdom. These rulers, lured by promises of power and immortality, allied with Imu, who stoked fears of the Ancient Kingdom’s “unnatural” technology.

The conflict culminated in the slaying of the Sun—not the deity Nika, but the Mother Flame, the energy source that powered the Ancient Weapons like Uranus. With its destruction, Joy Boy perished, and the world lost its infinite power supply, explaining why the Ancient Weapons have remained dormant ever since.

The death of the Sun provoked the Sea God (likely Poseidon, later embodied by Shirahoshi) to unleash a cataclysmic flood, sinking continents by 200 meters and fragmenting the All Blue into the four seas. This event aligns with Joy Boy’s apology on the Poneglyphs, where he lamented his failure to fulfill a promise tied to Noah, the colossal ship meant to reunite the world.

Joyboy apology letter

The surviving Twenty Kings became the Celestial Dragons, ruling over a fractured world while Imu lurked in Mary Geoise, plotting the rise of the Third World—a utopia under their absolute control.

• Third World

The current era of One Piece—the Third World—is defined by a fragile balance between tyranny and hope. As foretold in the Harley Texts, this is the age where Nika, the Sun God, is destined to return, “laughing and dancing” to shatter the chains of oppression.

With Imu, the Earth God, clinging to power through the World Government’s machinations, and Luffy embodying Nika’s liberated spirit, the stage is set for revolution. The Mother Flame will ultimately be reclaimed, heralding the long-awaited “Dawn”—a symbol of liberation from Imu’s shadow.

The prophecy states, “They will meet again”—a phrase likely referencing one of three events:

  • The reunification of the four seas into the All Blue, achieved by destroying the Red Line.
  • Luffy’s alliance with the ancient sovereigns—Poseidon Shirahoshi, Uranus’ wielder, and Pluton’s inheritor—to fulfill Joy Boy’s unfinished promise.
  • The reunion of the D. Clan and the moon’s descendants, all rallying under Nika’s banner.
One piece final war

The coming conflict will dwarf the Void Century’s century-long war. Just as Nika’s spirit resurged in Joy Boy, the modern era’s “Dawn” approaches. The unresolved prophecy of Noah, the reincarnation of Poseidon, and the looming clash with Imu suggest that history is poised either to repeat—or to finally break free from its tragic cycle.

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