One Piece: The Three Tier Contract Of The World Government, Explained

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This article contains spoilers from One Piece.

The latest developments in One Piece have unveiled significant details about the World Government and its leader, Imu. Fans already knew Imu was immensely powerful, as demonstrated during the God Valley Incident. However, it’s now apparent that Imu also has the ability to empower others, potentially through a unique seal or mark they can grant.

The idea was first introduced at the start of the Elbaf Arc, right after the Holy Knights entered the country, but it wasn’t explained much at the time. In One Piece chapter 1167, Oda finally gave a clear explanation of the World Government‘s mark – or seal – and its power, revealing it to be extremely dangerous.

Imu Grants Three Different Tiers Of Power With Their Contract

Imu has the power to mark people with a symbol on their body, giving them special abilities. Gunko explained this at the start of the Elbaf Arc. At the time, though, it wasn’t known what specific powers the mark granted, or if Imu could create different kinds of marks with different effects.

Allow Mu to show thee the dominance of a God! — Saint Imu Nerona

In One Piece chapter 1167, it’s been revealed that there are three kinds of contracts, each tied to a different depth of the ocean. The deeper the contract, the more powerful the ability it grants.

There are three kinds of seals – Shallow Sea, Deep Sea, and Abyssal – and each one gives the person using it a special ability.

  • Shallow Sea: The Shallow Sea seal is the most basic of the three and that is quite apparent from the level of depth. This power is granted to newcomers in the World Government, or specifically the God’s Blade. Back during the God Valley Incident, fans were introduced to the first God’s Blade, and it was none other than Gunko. It is quite clear that any trainee is given this seal, which means that they do not get all the powers of Imu. They can most certainly pass through the Abyss or perhaps even be given the power of a Devil Fruit. Whether they get regeneration or not remains to be seen.
  • Deep Sea: The second level of the seal is the Deep Sea. Those with this level of seal are probably the Holy Knights. This means they get powers such as infinite regeneration, and also immortality. Along with that, perhaps a Devil Fruit ability could also be thrown into the mix and of course, they can also pass through the Abyss.
  • Abyssal: The final and strongest level of the World Government seal is Abyssal, and this is the deepest level of the ocean as well. This seal likely belongs to the Five Elders, and possibly Gunko. It probably stops aging altogether, grants immortality and regeneration, and above all, gives them the power of a Yokai. It is also likely that Imu’s Conqueror’s Haki can also be channeled through this seal. The Five Elders also seem to be mentally connected to each other, which could also be an ability of the Abyssal seal.

Imu’s Contract Allows One To Pass Through The Abyss

One key ability granted by the World Government’s seals is the power to travel through the Abyss. This effectively allows for instant teleportation, as demonstrated by the Five Elders on Egghead and the Holy Knights in Elbaf.

Imu’s Contract Hints At Their Sea Devil Powers

Since the seals are all named after ocean depths and their power originates with Imu, it’s likely that Imu’s abilities are linked to the ocean. This strengthens the theory that Imu is the Sea Devil in the world of One Piece.

Mu shall do nothing. Thou shall kill your wife and child. — Imu to Rocks

This development also allows for a lot of interesting speculation about the character of Imu, which will likely be a major topic of discussion in the coming weeks.

The newest chapter of Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece, Chapter 1167, will be available in this week’s Weekly Shonen Jump. It officially releases on November 30, 2025. In Japan, it will be released at midnight on Monday, which is 11:00 AM Eastern Time and 8:00 AM Pacific Time. Fans can read the chapter online for free on Manga Plus and the Shonen Jump app.

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2025-11-29 15:34