"Let me go," Lin Ye said firmly. "I possess the most Constellation Marks, and I have the highest chance of successfully bearing the power of the Concept Throne."
"No!" Asteria objected at once. "You are our core coordinator. You cannot take this risk. I should go. Libra's power of balance is better suited to enduring conceptual impact."
Leo's Leo Mark flickered with dissatisfied light. "You are all wrong. The Concept Throne requires leadership. Only Leo can command authority of that magnitude."
"From a rational perspective, I am the most suitable choice," Seraphina said calmly. "Virgo's pursuit of perfection can ensure the ritual is carried out with precision."
Even Ram stood up. "If courage is needed to face the unknown, the Aries Mark has given me fearless strength."
The argument continued for a full two hours. Every Guardian believed they were the best candidate, and each had ample reason to support their view.
Meanwhile, the monitoring screen showed that the Void Ark had advanced another three light-years.
"Time is slipping away," Sageta reminded them anxiously. "We must make a decision as soon as possible."
Just as the argument was about to reach a fever pitch, Augustus's voice sounded again:
"Young Guardians, you misunderstand the Concept Throne."
Everyone stopped arguing and listened intently as the Emperor of the Starlight Empire explained.
"The Concept Throne was not designed for a single individual. It requires three candidates to undergo the trial simultaneously, each representing one of time's three dimensions: the past, the present, and the future."
"Only when all three temporal dimensions are activated at once can the Concept Throne wield its full power."
This information changed everyone's understanding. They did not need to choose one person; they needed three people to share the risk.
"The past represents all that has already happened and