Wait, Will Sanji ALSO Awaken Advanced Observation Haki? One Piece Chapter 1196 Full Spoilers!

In the previous One Piece chapter, Sanji unlocks his Hell Memories, realizing his tendency to self-sacrifice is getting in the way of his path to becoming a Conqueror.

One Piece Chapter 1196 is titled, “There’s No Worth in a Love that Longs for Death”

This chapter has 17 pages.

Editor’s note: “Sanji vs. Saint Killingham! What lies in Sanji’s past…?!”

Cover Page Request: “Vegapunks – Lilith and Edison doing boxercise (boxing excercise) with a kangaroo and its joey while wearing sweatshirts”

In this match, they are not allowed to use science in any way.

The chapter begins with Sanji making a strained face as he tries hard not to remember his past in the Kamabakka Kingdom, then he calms down as they seem to vanish, except Ivankov reappears in his head as he hears him tell Sanji to pull himself together, leading to Sanji screaming.

Which is timed to Killingham stabbing him, with Killingham noting that for a chef, his arms are indispensable and wonders if he should also go for the legs since he uses kicking techniques.

Sanji pushes himself up, breaks free of Killingham’s spear, and launches a spinning kick at him, clarifying his words were not directed at the Holy Knight.

Sanji delivers a powerful kick between Killingham’s Kirin front legs, launching him into the air.

While angry at constantly being beaten up, Killingham does not get to finish his sentence because Sanji kicks him in the face.

Killingham counters by headbutting Sanji, then spins his spear as the two trade blows once again.

Killingham notes that Sanji is only wearing himself out while he continues to regenerate and remain good as new, then asks to picture what Sanji will look like five minutes from now and then picture what Killingham himself will look like.

Mocking Sanji, Killingham tells him to beg help from his captain Luffy since Sanji lacks Conqueror’s Haki.

Sanji sees a flashback of Luffy calling out to him and declaring that without Sanji, he can never become the Pirate King.

Seeing this, Sanji declares that since his Captain is counting on him, he refuses to bring him here to do his business.

Sanji tries to kick Killingham in the face again, but Killingham blocks the attack with Longinus as Killingham says that there are countless people in this world who fail to live up to expectations and Sanji is just one of them.

This brings Sanji back to how Judge belittled him.

Vinsmoke Judge: You have no talent!!

Killingham puts his hand in front of Sanji’s forehead and pushes something out from it, using the ability called Dream Output to bring Sanji’s greatest nightmare to life.

Killingham: “DREAM OUTPUT”!! (A-UTOUTO-PUTTO)*

Sanji’s face looks sleepy, but suddenly, he snaps out of it.

As it turns out, what Sanji is most afraid of is Ivankov, so Killingham projects a MMA version of him.

Killingham has no idea who Iva of the Revolutionary Army is but he could tell this is not what Sanji expected as it seems like a fear from Sanji’s subconscious mind, not the obvious like Judge or the Germa siblings.

MMA Ivankov and Killingham join together, the intersection between dreams and reality called “Trance”.

This results in Killingham having Ivankov’s head while wearing the resin bubble helmet and in his Hybrid Form.

With the Dragon-like nose tendrils, this monstrosity kind of resembles the “What If” drawing from One Piece SBS Volume 108, which depicts Ivankov eating the Azure Dragon Devil Fruit instead of Kaido.

His Kirin legs are wearing fishnet stockings, just like Ivankov.

Sanji understands why he feared Ivankov for so long.

Not because he is a homophobe who fears okama or the “terror” of fighting okama.

In fact, as we will see, he was not even disgusted with fighting them at all.

Instead, it was because Ivankov was the only person in his life who saw through his weakness.

Killingham attacks with Log Out: Mule Kick, spinning around and delivering a powerful back kick to Sanji with his Kirin legs.

Sanji is sent flying, his eyes turning white.

Suddenly, he begins to recall his past during the two-year timeskip in the Kamabakka Kingdom.

Ivankov’s voice echoes in Sanji’s mind:

“There’s no worth… in a love that longs for death!!”

The title of this chapter.

After winning another fight, Sanji complains about Ivankov ordering him to rest for two weeks, remarking that his injuries are no big deal.

Ivankov reminds him that he is his master and that no one will attack an injured person while they are asleep.

Sanji looks toward the window, where the okamas are staring at him “hungrily”.

Ivankov complains about Sanji winning yet having more wounds than Clara, his opponent and that this has been the same with his past 30 fights.

Ivankov calls out Sanji for his recklessness and advises him not to rush through life and treat it so carelessly, with Sanji dismissing his concerns.

Ivankov reminds Sanji of the saying, “Constant dripping wears away the stone” as no matter how tough your body is, if you keep accumulating small wounds, it will eventually break down.

The carelessness of Sanji’s “defense” reflects how little he values himself.

Sanji is angered by Ivankov thinking he knows about him.

Ivankov calls his fellow okama, his candies, asking what they have that Sanji lacks and that it “self-love”.

Sanji says he can clearly see that but he does not care about himself as he dedicates all his love to women.

Ivankov assers that those who cannot love themselves can never love others.

Although Sanji living and dying for his loved ones is not a bad thing, however, there is no worth in a love that longs for death.

Sanji denies this but Ivankov teaches him a lesson.

Love itself is defense

Sanji remembers his childhood within this flashback, recalling how his brothers and Judge mock him as a disgrace while Sanji, wearing the Iron Mask representing his shame, apologizes for being “born weak”.

Ivankov says he does not want to pry into others’ pasts but he can tell Sanji’s love is covered in wounds, that if he keeps repeating his reckless and careless victories, he will reach his limit and be unable to save his loved ones.

On Iva’s end, he says that even he has a man he will risk his life for, Monkey D. Dragon.

Dragon is Iva’s Luffy, the one who bears the grand dream of liberation.

Back to the present day, Sanji lies in a heap of rubble as his thoughts race through his mind.

Sanji insists he is no longer the same person as before, settling his deep-seated trauma with Germa about “being weak”.

Luffy using Judge’s words as affirmation was also quite healing, as Luffy believes everything Judge says makes Sanji weak are the things he loves about him and what make him strong.

Sanji sees the Straw Hats as the ones who give him worth, notably seeing Luffy, Usopp and Chopper, everyone enjoying his food.

Sanji thinks about how many people are living terrible lives so he cannot dwell in his own misery.

But today he sees his limit.

He lacks Conqueror’s Haki, the only real way to defeat a threat to his crew and Elbaph.

Now he applies Ivankov’s lesson of treating love as “defense”, a contrast to Sommers’ sadomasochistic view of love

It is fitting now to see why Zoro and Sanji were not given “aligned” opponents.

While Sommers is a swordsman, he is a lame one like King but the latter had actual combat experience, which Sommers and most Holy Knights mostly lacked due to their reliance on their Immortality from Imu.

Instead, we see Zoro as “divine punishment” for Sommers’ perverted love that sees pleasure in the pain of others, especially the despair of loved ones, with Zoro giving Sommers his first real taste of pain and the fear of death.

Meanwhile, Killingham is so full of “self-love” but it is not the one Ivankov taught Sanji, as it is not a defense but an offensive type that is reliant on his privilege as a Celestial Dragon.

Suddenly, Killingham reverts to his normal hybrid Zoan form, and the Ivankov MMA disappears, surprised to see that Sanji overcame his fear.

Sanji got up and sits on the rooftop of one of the giants’ houses, lights a cigarette, and looks down at Killingham.

Sanji intends to never be hit by a single attack again and this has interesting implications into his Conqueror’s Haki awakening.

Each of the Monster Trio specializes in a specific type of Haki.

Luffy specializes in Conqueror’s Haki, which is seen in how he uses it instinctively, both in the times he was unaware of it and when he was unconscious.

Zoro specializes in Armament Haki, something hinted at as early as when he fought Mr. 1 on Alabasta and also his approach to awakening Conqueror’s Haki.

Sanji specializes in Observation Haki and considering his words here, it is possible we will see him gain the same Future Sight as Luffy, since Luffy so far is the only one with Advanced Observation Haki yet the experts in Observation, Sanji and Usopp, lack that trait.

Alternatively, it is also possible Sanji’s Conqueror’s Haki path will involve a new speed feat, maybe even a means to reach lightspeed without the Pika Pika no Mi that Kizaru uses.

Sanji is known for his speed, with the anime emphasizing this as he almost seemingly enters stopped time to save Pound from Charlotte Oven, the latter not even sensing him in spite having Haki himself.

The chapter ends with Sanji saying that he is pissed off with the way Killingham is talking high and mighty while ravaging the country of his crew’s benefactors.

Here, Sanji is speaking with an extremely condescending tone to the horse-man, similar to when he pretends to insult Luffy on Whole Cake Island but here, he is being serious as he has risen above the class prejudices of his background and the world that puts him down.

End Note: “He finally found his path!!”

Unfortunately, there will be a BREAK NEXT WEEK.

One Piece Chapter 1197 will be released on November 2, 2026.

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