The Throne Fears the Gate Opening
[D, All of the above.]
Luffy looked at the last option, but hadn't even raised his hand yet.
Nami first held his hand down.
"Wait a minute, this question is related to the Empty Throne. Don't just select all as soon as you see it."
Usopp nodded rapidly.
"Yes, the whole world is watching this time. If we choose the wrong option, will we attract the Red Mark again?"
Zoro leaned against the railing, his scabbard resting against the deck.
The question asks why you should prevent the door from opening; all three options are valid.
Sanji the cigarette between his fingers, but didn't light it.
"Any one of these three things—proving a usurpation, proving that the Ancient Kingdom still had a witness system, and proving that the Sun Will has not been extinguished—is enough for the Holy Land to kill someone."
Robin looked down at the sentences on the paper, his pen pausing next to the word "door".
"What's even more concerning is that these three things, taken together, indicate that the person on the Empty Throne is not only afraid of history being made public."
Chopper looked up.
"Then what's there to be afraid of?"
Robin looked up at the Sky Screen.
"I'm afraid the world will know that I was never qualified for the Throne in the first place."
The Port of Sabaody was quiet for a moment.
Luffy pushed Nami's hand away and pressed D.
"Then choose D."
Nami sighed and pressed the button as well.
"Okay, this time you actually have a brain."
Luffy grinned.
"I've always had it."
Usopp immediately retorted.
"Take that back."
Inside the maintenance bay on Future Island, Bonney nestled in the bear's arms, the blue scales on her arms still shimmering.
"Dad, what exactly is this door?"
The bear looked up at the Sky Screen and placed its hand on her shoulder.
"When I was a child, my father once said that when the door opens, those who are trapped should stand up together."
Vegapunk grabbed a stack of papers, flipping them around with a rustling sound.
Ancient Kingdoms didn't make individual keys; they feared dictatorship, so they distributed the authentication among many people.
Kizaru sat on a metal box outside the maintenance bay and rubbed his temples.
"In other words, the one on the Throne wanted to open the door alone, but found that the door wouldn't listen to him."
Sabo walked back from the other end of the corridor, a corner of his sleeve burned.
"So he changed the index, changing 'joint activation' to 'sacrifice activation'."
The dragon looked at the White Mask that was handcuffed.
How much do you know?
The White Mask made my lips dry.
"All I know is that the Old Archive training said there's Throne behind the door, and anyone who gets close must be removed."
Bonney sneered.
Speak like a human being.
The man in the White Mask bowed his head.
"They fear that what's left behind the door will cause the Celestial Dragons to fall from their godhood."
At the Marine Headquarters Plaza, after Sengoku pressed D, there was silence around the Den Den Mushi.
Akainu stood at the bottom of the steps, his cloak billowing against his back in the sea breeze.
"All members of this department chose D."
The crane glanced at him.
"You're not waiting for the Five Elders' orders this time?"
Akainu gazed at the shadow of the Empty Throne in the Sky Screen.
"Their orders have sent the Holy Land guards and slaves to protect the area from disaster."
Garp sat on the ground, his fists resting on his knees.
"Sakazuki, if you had said that twenty years earlier, perhaps more people could have survived on the ship in Ohara."
Akainu turned to look at him.
"You should have mentioned God Valley a long time ago."
Garp didn't retort.
Sengoku placed his hand on the Den Den Mushi.
"Stop arguing, the answer will be right away."
Inside the main hall of the Holy Land, the Five Elders knelt before the curtain, none daring to speak first.
Saint Saturn had sweat on his forehead.
"Your Majesty, the audioprint has been locked by the Sky Screen; the outer visual layer must be severed."
Saint Nusjuro gripped the hilt of his sword.
"The Old Archive disconnection failed; the underground energy network has detached from the Corona Crown."
"Saint Warcury whispered."
"If the broadcast continues, the existence of the Empty Throne will be confirmed by the entire world."
The figure behind the curtain raised a hand.
Let them choose.
Saint Mars looked up.
"His Majesty?"
Imu's voice came from behind the curtain.
"If the door isn't opened, the record will remain just a record."
The countdown on the Sky Screen has reached zero.
[End of quiz.]
[Correct answer: D.]
[The reasons why the current holder of the Empty Throne prevents the opening of the Gate of Old Days include records of usurpation, the Ancient Kingdoms' witness mechanism, and proof of the Sun Will's continued existence.]
[Additional assessment: the three reasons corroborate each other.]
[If the gate opens, the legitimacy of the Empty Throne will be publicly verified.]
Screens all over the world flashed simultaneously.
The steps in front of the Empty Throne were outlined in Golden Light.
The hand remained stuck on the Error Index.
The people in the video are not visible; only their voices can be heard.
"When the Throne is empty, everyone will fight over it."
Another older voice asked.
"Would you like to sit on it?"
The man answered.
I will decide for them.
Robin's pen slipped from his hand and landed on the table.
This is not about maintaining order.
Nami asked.
What is that?
Robin looked up.
"Usurping the right to make joint decisions."
Luffy frowned.
"I don't understand."
Rayleigh looked at him.
"It means that the future, which should have been decided by everyone together, was taken away by one person."
Luffy's face darkened.
"That won't do."
On Future Island, Vegapunk stared at the screen, his mustache bristling.
"The phrase 'decide for them' is the source of the Error Index."
Sabo asked.
Can you reveal your identity?
Vegapunk shook his head.
"The fact that Sky Screen's identity is still concealed suggests that there is a higher level of authority blocking it."
Kizaru raised his hand, and the light flickered briefly at his fingertips before dissipating.
"Even at this point, they still manage to cover it up. What a hassle."
Bonney looked up.
"Sky Screen, can't you just say who he is?"
[Identity masking still exists.]
[This can be weakened by continuous evidence verification.]
[God Valley Stage Final Quiz Begins]
[Question: After the current holder of the Empty Throne tampered with the Error Index, which group of people would be the first to be sacrificed?]
[A, Holy Land Slave.]
[B, Rare bloodline group.]
[C, Victim of Ancient Energy experiments.]
[D, All people defined as Replaceable Materials.]
The White Mask saw option D and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly.
Sabo grabbed him by the collar.
"You know this word."
White Mask with eyes closed.
"Replaceable Materials" is an internal term used within the Corona Crown Plan.
The bear's paws tightened, and the metal railings rattled softly.
Bonney gritted her teeth.
"My mom too?"
The White Mask didn't dare to look up.
"In the file, Ginny was listed as part of the Experimental Mother database."
The maintenance compartment felt painfully heavy.
Luffy pressed D directly in Sabaody.
"Choose this one."
This time, Nami didn't stop her.
"Um."
Robin also pressed D.
"All those who are defined as 'materials' are precisely the people they most want to erase."
At Marine Headquarters, Akainu pressed D, and his voice echoed throughout the plaza.
"Marine Headquarters selected option D and requested that Sky Screen release the list of materials."
Sengoku looked at him.
Are you sure?
Akainu said.
"If the list includes any escort records involving the Navy, headquarters will accept them as well."
Garp looked up.
"That's more like human language."
Countdown is over.
[Correct answer: D.]
[Once the Error Index is established, the first to be sacrificed are all those defined as Replaceable Materials.]
[Victim classification is now being made public.]
[Holy Land slaves: 37,621]
[Rare bloodline groups, Buccaneer Tribe, Lunarians, and related branches of the Three-Eye Tribe; many records are missing.]
[372 victims of Ancient Energy adaptation experiments have been identified.]
[The victim's blood sample was used for testing; the record is incomplete.]
The names began to scroll.
Some names are followed only by a number.
Some names were partially blacked out.
Ginny's name appeared in it.
Bonney reached out and touched the projection on the Sky Screen, her fingertips passing through the Golden Light.
"Mother."
"The bear said in a low voice."
"She's been remembered."
The Sky Screen continued to roll.
[A high-privilege signature page that was not publicly disclosed was detected in the list.]
[Should evidence disassembly be performed?]
[Warning: Evidence stripping will trigger the Empty Throne's shroud counterattack.]
The Five Elders looked up at the same time.
"Saint Saturn shouted."
"Shut down the Old Archive!"
Imu raised his hand from behind the curtain.
"Let it peel."
Saint Nusjuro's expression changed.
"Your Majesty, if the signature page appears, your voiceprint masking will be weakened."
Imu did not answer.
The Golden Light from the Sky Screen sank into the Black Gate of the Old Archive.
[Evidence extraction begins.]
[Countdown: 60 seconds.]
In the Foosha Village Tavern, Lin Qi stared at the screen, almost dropping his cup.
The system message only appears in front of him.
[Empty Throne's shroud counterattack detected.]
[The host can consume permissions to stably strip evidence.]
[Confirm?]
The agent in the floral shirt sat at the bar, his eyes fixed on the Sky Screen, but his peripheral vision was on Lin Qi.
"Boss, why aren't you yelling this time?"
Lin Qi put the cup on the counter.
"I was thinking, there are so many names, the Tavern's ledger can't even hold them all."
The floral shirt asked.
Do you think Sky Screen can win?
Lin Qi stared at the sixty-second countdown on the screen and tapped his finger on the edge of the table.
I think people who owe money are most afraid of having their debts checked.
The system prompt will light up again.
[Confirm?]
Lin Qi mentally confirmed.
[Host privileges access.]
[Evidence separation is stable.]
The Golden Light in the Sky Screen suddenly brightened.
Inside the Old Archive's Black Gate, a black signature page was pulled out halfway.
The signature area was still covered by a shadow.
But the first mark was revealed.
Robin stood up.
"That's not the seal of the Five Elders."
Rayleigh's face darkened.
"It is the Empty Throne Seal."
The golden lettering on the Sky Screen descended.
[40% of the high-privilege signature page has been stripped.]
[The source of the covert counterattack has been confirmed.]
[The Empty Throne]
Inside the main hall of the Holy Land, the soft sound of fabric falling to the ground came from behind the curtain.
The Five Elders lowered their heads even further.
Meanwhile, on the Sky Screen, the signed page continued to be dragged outwards.
A thin crack appeared in the shadowy area where the signature was located.