Cobra's heart skipped a beat, his face turning deathly pale in an instant. His hands trembled uncontrollably as he stared at Daren in utter disbelief, unable to comprehend what he was hearing.
Someone had taken the seat upon that floating throne!?
But...
How could that be possible? The Five Elders were the supreme authority of the World Government. Those five ancient beings, whose ages were unknown, held the highest power over the seas, unchallenged by any. Could there truly be a higher, more exalted existence above them?
But wouldn't that contradict the very founding purpose of the World Government established by the Twenty Kings? The Empty Throne was a symbol of peace! Its perpetual suspension itself represented the oath against any single dictator!
"Are you sure?"
A full thirty seconds passed before Cobra seemed to snap out of the shock this secret had delivered. His lips parted to ask. His voice was hoarse to the extreme, as if his throat had been scorched by fire.
Daren smiled without speaking.
Cobra froze, then a bitter, indescribable expression flickered across his lips. Yes, Daren had no reason to deceive him. Without concrete evidence, he certainly wouldn't fabricate such an absurd story.
The only plausible explanation was that Daren had sensed that person's presence when he first arrived at the Holy Land, Mary Geoise. Or perhaps he had discovered that person's existence when Vice Admiral "Momonga" of the North Blue Fleet attempted to assault Pangaea Castle.
Yet for Cobra, neither explanation mattered. If such a person truly sat upon the Empty Throne, it meant the oaths sworn at the founding of the World Government had been utterly shattered!
The crucial question then became: did anyone else know of this "Master of the Empty Throne"? The Five Elders must know. They handle government affairs daily within Pangaea Castle; it was impossible for them to be unaware of such an individual.
This also implied the Five Elders recognized that person's status as the Empty Throne's master! It even suggested the five of them ruled and manipulated the world under that entity's authority and directives!
Beyond that? Were there others within the government who knew of that person's existence? And what about the Marines?
In that moment, Cobra forced himself to calm down quickly, his mind racing as cold sweat unconsciously beaded on his forehead. If even he, the king of a core member nation, was unaware, then the other Member Nations certainly couldn't know either.
Hmm, that made sense. After all, the existence of such a ruler occupying the Empty Throne—a seat that should remain empty—would unleash unimaginable political turmoil across the entire world if the news were to spread.
Given that, even the Marines couldn't possibly know this secret. The Five Elders would never let anyone discover it.
So, if he dared to ask the Five Elders about Queen Lili, especially the meaning of the "D," it would likely touch upon the secret of the Empty Throne's occupant... At that point, they would never let him leave Pangaea Castle alive!
The moment this final thought surfaced, Cobra broke out in a cold sweat. A powerful wave of dizziness surged through his brain, causing him to instinctively reach out and brace himself against the carriage window sill.
He clenched his teeth hard, his fingers digging into the sill until the knuckles turned white.
Damn it! He'd nearly given himself away!
"Do you know... who that person is, sitting high upon the Empty Throne?"
Cobra took several deep breaths before finally suppressing the fear churning inside him. He turned to Daren and asked the question.
Daren shook his head and replied calmly, "I haven't had any direct contact with him before. I've only vaguely sensed his presence and haven't yet found a suitable opportunity to engage him."
"But based on the intel Momonga fed me, that guy's strength is absolutely not to be underestimated—it far surpasses even the level of an Admiral."
"And I suspect the reason the Five Elders possess such longevity is very likely a power granted by that very individual."
He exhaled a puff of smoke and chuckled. "Of course, that's just my speculation."
At that point, Daren seemed to recall something and added, "That individual is too mysterious, and with the Five Elders protecting him, it's impossible to get close... The only information I can confirm is his name."
Cobra's body jerked, his eyes widening as he stared intently at Daren.
"What is his name!?"
Daren enunciated each syllable deliberately.
"Those five old fossils refer to him as—'The Creator,' Imu-sama."
"—Imu!?"
Cobra froze, his pupils trembling violently.
"That name... I feel like I've heard it somewhere before..."
Daren's eyebrows lifted, his curiosity immediately piqued.
"You know that name?"
He wouldn't let any information about Im slip past him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have revealed these secrets to Cobra in the first place—his goal was to extract more truths about history from this member of the Nefertari clan.
"Within an ancient text of the Nefertari clan, this old man once came across that very name."
Cobra drew a deep breath, his expression filled with dread as he murmured, "Among the original twenty kings who founded the World Government eight hundred years ago, one of them bore the name Imu!"
"Imu... the Master of the Empty Throne... If this man's name truly is Imu, then he is most likely that very king... Nerona Imu the Holy!!"
Daren froze for a moment, then a playful smile tugged at his lips. He understood immediately.
"So that's the story behind it. Truly, there's nothing new under the sun."
"The twenty kings jointly established the World Government, agreeing to leave the highest throne vacant as a symbol of perpetual non-dictatorship and absolute peace. They selected five representatives to assist in governing affairs."
"But what the other nineteen kings failed to notice was that one among them had discovered the secret to eternal life. He deceived them all, ascending in secret to the highest Empty Throne. From there, he gazed down upon the world as the 'Creator'."
Daren stroked the stubble on his chin, an amused glint in his eye as he chuckled.
"If the original twenty kings founded the World Government for 'political power' or what they called 'revolution,' then this Imu essentially stole the fruits of their victory."