At the peak of the Red Line.
Holy Land Mary Geoise.
Inside this massive structure that symbolized absolute power, an air of deathly silence pervaded everything.
Deep within Pangaea Castle.
Upon the legendary Empty Throne sat a tall, enigmatic shadow.
The Five Elders, the highest authorities in the world...
Saint Garling, commander of God's Knights...
All of them knelt beneath the steps like lowly ants.
The shadow on the throne did not speak.
Yet the pressure that seemed capable of crushing souls made everyone present shudder.
The bald Five Elder carrying a sword swallowed hard.
Ordinarily lofty and untouchable, his voice now trembled uncontrollably.
"Lord Imu."
"A group of madmen calling themselves the 'Empire' has appeared in the West Blue."
"The Navy has suffered an unprecedented defeat there."
"Not only did they lose dozens of warships, even their greatest forces, including Garp, Aokiji, and Kizaru, were wiped out."
The shadow remained motionless.
Cold sweat beaded on the blond Five Elder's forehead.
He picked up the report, speaking at a rapid pace.
"This subordinate once traveled to the edge of the West Blue with God's Knights."
"We saw the leader of that Empire from several thousand meters in the air."
At this point.
The blond Five Elder's breathing visibly quickened.
That man's eyes surfaced uncontrollably in his mind.
Six tomoe rotated within scarlet and violet rings.
Those were not eyes a human should possess!
"That man merely glanced at us from afar."
"This subordinate... this subordinate's soul felt as though it had been dragged into a bottomless abyss."
"Such pure deathly silence and oppressive force had never been seen before."
Upon hearing the blond Five Elder's words.
Saint Garling knelt in the rear, both hands clenched tightly around the hem of his clothes.
As the supreme commander of God's Knights.
He