Meanwhile, deep within Pangaea Castle in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise.
The Empty Throne stood at the far end of a vast hall, perched above dozens of steps as white as jade.
According to legend, this throne symbolized "vacant sovereignty," representing the World Government's lack of a single dictator.
Yet now, before this throne that symbolized "equality," the world's highest authorities, the Five Elders, knelt in utter humility and terror.
They had been kneeling for far too long.
Ever since that world-shattering declaration from New Marineford had spread across the Four Blues through Visual Den Den Mushi, ever since Gern Reginald Sigma had declared independence-
The five of them had received an exceedingly brief command from "that lord," then been rooted here, prostrate beneath the Empty Throne's cold steps.
There had been no further instructions, no explanation. Even the hollow echo, neither male nor female, that usually sounded in their minds had fallen completely silent.
There was only boundless, suffocating "silence."
"Nusjuro."
Saint Shepherd Ju Peter's faint voice broke the almost congealed stillness in the hall.
Kneeling had wrinkled his immaculate dark suit, and even his carefully groomed beard looked somewhat disheveled.
Still, he turned his head, looking toward Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro beside him.
"What... exactly happened?"
That question had lingered in the others' minds for far, far too long.
All they knew was that Nusjuro had gone to intercept Gern on Lord Imu's orders and retrieve the "Mother Flame."
Yet he had returned gravely wounded, immediately followed by Lord Imu's rare command: "Do not descend to the world below."
And then came more than a month of unprecedented, absolute silence.
Nusjuro remained kneeling, his head slightly bowed. At the question, his stern, rigid face creased into a frown.
"I don't know either," Nusjuro said in a low