This Is a Manga World, Spoiling the Future

"Eh!? Imu couldn't read your memories!?"

Saint Nerona Imu, who had completely taken control of everything about Tang Ming, asked in utter surprise.

He tried to read Tang Ming's memories, only to find that his mind was completely blank.

This was far beyond his expectations.

Because anyone who signed a contract with him had not only their life and death entirely under his control, but even their thoughts, memories, and understanding could be shaped, read, and altered at his whim.

This was the first time such a phenomenon had occurred.

It felt quite novel.

"Was the contract level insufficient?"

After pondering for a moment, a pentagram magic circle appeared beneath Saint Nerona Imu's feet once again as he upgraded the Shallow-Sea Contract to a Deep-Sea Contract.

As everyone knew.

Saint Nerona Imu's Abyss Contract was divided into three levels from lowest to highest: shallow sea, deep sea, and deepest sea.

As long as one signed the contract, even the lowest-level Shallow-Sea Contract granted tremendous power and immortality.

Moreover, that power and immortality grew stronger as the contract level rose.

"Hm!? I still can't view his memories..."

When the contract was upgraded to the Deep-Sea level, Saint Nerona Imu discovered that he still could not read Tang Ming's memories.

His brows furrowed at that.

Crack!

Black lightning filled the air, and an even larger, more profound, and intricate magic circle appeared beneath his feet.

Saint Nerona Imu raised the contract to its highest level, the Deepest-Sea Contract.

One had to know.

At present, only six people had been granted the Deepest-Sea Contract by Saint Nerona Imu.

They were the Five Elders and the commander of God's Knights.

Even Manmayer Gunko, who had served by his side for years, had only signed a Deep-Sea Contract.

That alone showed just how rare the Deepest-Sea Contract was.

With the signing of the Deepest-Sea Contract, Tang Ming's power and immortality were further enhanced. He was no longer a helpless ant incapable of even restraining a chicken.

Unfortunately, he had power but no combat skills or experience. He was still a weakling.

"Imu, this is quite unexpected!!!"

Three minutes later.

Saint Nerona Imu's consciousness withdrew, returning to his original body. His sharply defined face was filled with confusion, astonishment, and disbelief.

Even after signing the Deepest-Sea Contract, he still could not read the other's memories, much less alter his thoughts or understanding.

Fortunately, the authority to possess him, the power bestowed upon him, immortality, control over life and death, and the rest were still there.

As long as he wished it, he could take the other's life at any moment.

"Lord Imu? Is what he said true?"

Beside him, Manmayer Gunko could not help swallowing. The truth was no less than a complete shattering of her worldview.

"Imu cannot read his memories, even after he signed the Deepest-Sea Contract."

Saint Nerona Imu looked at Tang Ming, who had regained control of his body. Rather than becoming angry, he was completely intrigued.

Because this had never happened before.

He wanted to understand the reason behind it.

"How is that possible?"

Manmayer Gunko's dual-colored eyes trembled. He had signed the Deepest-Sea Contract, so how could his memories still be unreadable?

The omnipotent Lord Imu could not possibly fail.

"Lord Imu, I can prove my words through other means—"

Having regained control of his body, Tang Ming looked at Saint Nerona Imu, who seemed deep in thought as though examining an experimental specimen.

Then he looked at Manmayer Gunko, who was glaring at him viciously as if she wanted to kill him, and could not help feeling his heart pound.

When Saint Nerona Imu had entered his body just now, it had felt as if he were suffering from sleep paralysis. He could neither move nor sense anything, and could only watch helplessly as an outsider while Saint Nerona Imu did whatever he pleased.

He just did not know why Saint Nerona Imu could not read his memories.

Could this be my cheat?

But what use was it?

He could feel that Saint Nerona Imu still possessed absolute control over him. Killing him would be effortless.

At the thought of Saint Jaygarcia Saturn's fate in the original story, his heart sank.

The crisis had not yet passed.

He had to find a way to prove that he was telling the truth, then survive.

That was why he called out "Lord Imu" so smoothly, without even the slightest awkwardness.

There was nothing shameful about doing it to stay alive.

Besides, he had no language barrier either. That was unbelievable!

"How will you prove it?"

Manmayer Gunko's dual-colored eyes were full of danger.

She disliked this cowardly, timid, spineless man who clung to life in fear of death.

He had used despicable means to deceive Lord Imu into granting him the Deepest-Sea Contract.

She herself had only signed a Deep-Sea Contract.

She felt a little jealous.

"Because I read the serialized manga One Piece, I know many future plot developments, including who ate the Gum-Gum Fruit—no, the Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Nika Form."

"One Piece?"

Saint Nerona Imu already somewhat believed Tang Ming.

Although he could not read the other's memories, he could still sense whether Tang Ming was lying or making things up.

"Yes, Lord Imu. You are all important characters in the serialized manga One Piece!"

Seeing Saint Nerona Imu speak, Tang Ming hurriedly nodded, his face full of fawning loyalty.

As long as he survived, he could rise to the top in a single step.

The Deepest-Sea Contract!

As long as he behaved himself, he could enjoy everything the Celestial Dragons had to offer. His future potential was practically limitless.

"Important characters—villains destined to be defeated by the protagonist?"

Saint Nerona Imu laughed, loudly.

Tang Ming swallowed.

He did not know what that laughter meant. Was Saint Nerona Imu angry, or did he simply not care?

After all, not everyone could accept that they were merely a character created by someone else's pen. It was simply too world-shattering.

It completely denied the value of one's own existence.

"Who ate the Nika Fruit?"

After laughing, Saint Nerona Imu did not get angry. Instead, he was extremely calm. His tone even carried amusement, curiosity, cold mockery, and gossip-like interest.

In short, his emotions were very complicated.

"Monkey D. Luffy, the grandson of Marine Hero Monkey D. Garp!"

"Monkey D. Luffy?"

Saint Nerona Imu repeated Luffy's name once. He had never heard of him, though he knew Marine Hero Monkey D. Garp.

"So Monkey D. Luffy is the protagonist? Imu will be killed by him?"

"The manga hadn't reached its ending before I transmigrated here, so I don't know the final outcome yet—"

Facing Saint Nerona Imu's calm gaze, Tang Ming gave a careful, ingratiating smile.

"How do we get to your world?"

Saint Nerona Imu abruptly changed the subject, striking directly at the core issue—

He had ruled this world for eight hundred years and had long since lost any sense of novelty.

Now, he wanted to visit Tang Ming's world.

Especially to meet the author of the One Piece manga.

How could he, Saint Nerona Imu, the sole god of the current world, possibly be a villain?

And with his strength, how could he possibly be defeated?

There only needed to be one creator, one God of Creation—and that was him!

He would not allow a true creator or God of Creation to exist above his head.

"Lord Imu, I don't know how I transmigrated before you either, so I don't know how to return!"

Tang Ming was helpless as well.

He had transmigrated, fine.

But he had transmigrated physically.

That alone would have been one thing, but the key was that he had no cheat ability. Worse still, he had landed in the big boss's bedroom and had nearly died the moment he arrived.

Luckily, in a burst of recklessness, he had exposed everything.

—Otherwise, he would have been completely finished!

"What is your world like?"

Saint Nerona Imu still did not get angry. His emotions remained remarkably stable.

He could tell that the ability to appear before him without him noticing was not something Tang Ming could possibly possess.

"My world..."

After that.

Tang Ming told them about the real world in broad detail. He had a feeling that Saint Nerona Imu would notice the instant he lied.

Rather than that, it was better to tell the truth.

For now, it was wiser to be an honest man.

"So your world has no extraordinary powers such as Haki or Devil Fruits? Everyone is ordinary? Only its technology is somewhat advanced?"

"And you are actually no different from a slave?"

After hearing him out.

Saint Nerona Imu fell silent, while Manmayer Gunko sneered in mockery.

Such a world had no value whatsoever.

Because the only value ordinary people had was serving as slaves—

Yes.

In Manmayer Gunko's eyes, Tang Ming was a slave.

"A world without any extraordinary power can create Imu's world?"

Unlike Manmayer Gunko, who could only see the surface, Saint Nerona Imu paid closer attention to the essence of the matter.

He simply could not understand it.

If his world really was just a manga, then did that mean the manga he had once read were also worlds of their own?

He did not understand.

He completely did not understand—

But one fact remained: he, Saint Nerona Imu, was also merely a slave, a puppet on strings, a manga character...

The path of his life, his fate, his existence—everything was beneath the "author's" pen.

—He was not free!

And this "author" was merely an ordinary person, not an omnipotent God of Creation!

"?"

Tang Ming did not agree with Gunko calling him a slave.

"Lord Imu, I once read a novel saying that my world, Earth, might be the hub of countless worlds."

"Everything that happens there may give rise to innumerable two-dimensional worlds or parallel worlds."

"Perhaps the One Piece world came into being that way."

Seeing Saint Nerona Imu's expression darken and brighten unpredictably, his gaze gradually turning frighteningly dangerous, Tang Ming immediately tried to explain using his limited knowledge.

"Lord Imu, since I was able to transmigrate here, I will definitely be able to transmigrate back. I just haven't found a way yet."

"Perhaps once I become stronger, I'll find a way!"

"So please give me a chance to serve you—"

After saying that, Tang Ming decisively knelt on the ground and pressed his forehead tightly against the grass.

The same old saying.

There was nothing shameful about doing it to stay alive.

Dignity was nothing in the face of death—

He had worked himself to the bone in his previous life. It had been exhausting.

Now that he had finally transmigrated, he had to seize this chance. As long as he successfully became Saint Nerona Imu's subordinate.

Riches and glory would be within easy reach.

Besides, the world of One Piece was so fantastical and exciting. If he died without properly enjoying it, he would not be able to rest in peace even in death.

Saint Nerona Imu did not answer. He merely looked down at Tang Ming coldly from above.

A long time passed.

Just when Tang Ming thought he was done for, cold sweat soaking his back and making it difficult to breathe, Saint Nerona Imu spoke to the air.

"Come to the Flower Room and pay homage to Imu!!!"

At the same moment.

In the Five Elders' highest authority office in Mary Geoise, they looked up from their governmental work and exchanged glances before rising and heading for the Flower Room.

Soon after.

Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, the Warrior God of Science and Defense.

Saint Marcus Mars, the Warrior God of Environment.

Saint Topman Warcury, the Warrior God of Justice.

Saint Shepherd Ju Peter, the Warrior God of Agriculture.

Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, the Warrior God of Finance.

The five arrived at the Flower Room. When they saw Tang Ming kneeling on the ground, each wore a different expression, for they had never seen him before.