Imu remained in a light slumber, perfectly still.
Dragon circled above on the ceiling beams, not daring to make a sound.
Hidden within the darkness, Diarmuid did the same.
The Gorosei were, as usual, late. They hadn't actually lied to Commander-in-Chief Kong; they hadn't headed straight for the Hall of the Empty Throne. Instead, they had gone back to retrieve something before rushing here.
Diarmuid observed Imu in silence for about five minutes before movement stirred outside. He was forced to pull his gaze away from her. Truly, Imu was a beauty rare in this world, but the thought that she might be over eight hundred years old was simply absurd.
At the same time, confirming that Imu was a woman allowed Diarmuid to breathe a small sigh of relief. It proved she wasn't Saint Donquixote Claudius, the "World King" who had dominated the era two hundred years ago. According to historical records, Claudius was undeniably a man.
A moment later, the Gorosei arrived together, stepping into the hall. Diarmuid had expected this, with Imu sitting there, their appearance was inevitable.
Dragon, however, was genuinely stunned. Seeing the Gorosei walk in filled him with intense curiosity. What is going on here? He had previously wondered why an unknown woman would dare sit upon the Empty Throne, but he had dismissed it as a singular act of extreme audacity.
But now, the Gorosei were here!
How would the men who held the highest authority in the World Government, the highest-ranking Celestial Dragons, react to seeing a woman perched upon that throne? Would they roar in fury, seize this mysterious interloper, and have her executed?
Dragon was not privy to the secrets regarding Imu, so he didn't jump to the most incredible conclusion. He watched from the shadows, waiting for their reaction.
The result was beyond his wildest imagination.
The Gorosei, the supposed "Highest Authority," showed no surprise upon seeing Imu. It was as if this were the most natural thing in the world; as if they would only be surprised if she weren't sitting there.
Under Dragon's bewildered gaze, the Gorosei reached the base of the stairs. The movement seemed to rouse Imu from her nap. Her eyes, disturbingly similar to Mihawk's hawk-like pupils, slowly opened. Her gaze was cold and indifferent. To her, these "Highest Authorities" were mere specks of dust, beneath notice.
There was absolutely no emotion in her eyes.
As that hollow, emotionless gaze swept over them, the Gorosei felt a chill in their hearts. Simultaneously, they fell to their knees, bowing their "highest" heads to the floor.
"The Gorosei have come to pay their respects to Imu-sama!" they whispered in unison.
The movement was perfectly synchronized, as if rehearsed a thousand times. They knelt together; they kowtowed together.
Inside the darkness, Diarmuid was prepared. He captured this precious, world-shaking footage, a scene destined to echo through history.
Dragon, however, was caught completely off guard. He had expected a confrontation, not a total surrender. Is this happening? You are Celestial Dragons! The highest of the high! The absolute power of Mariejois!
In that split second of shock and disbelief, Dragon's aura wavered slightly.
The Gorosei didn't notice, but Diarmuid instinctively glanced toward the rafters, eyes narrowing in surprise. Simultaneously, the silent, cold-eyed Imu frowned slightly. She shifted her gaze from the kneeling old men toward the beams where Dragon was hiding.
This created an awkward stalemate. The Gorosei remained prostrate, waiting for a command that didn't come, not daring to lift their heads or move an inch.
Dragon knew he had slipped up. He froze, pulling every shred of his presence inward, attempting to fade into nothingness and bluff his way through.
But could one simply bluff Imu?
Abruptly, the butterfly that had been resting on her fingertip like a flower petal lost its life and tumbled away. Then, that slender finger, which Diarmuid had found so perfect, pointed directly at the beam where Dragon was perched.
Dragon's instincts screamed in warning. Abandoning all pretense of stealth, his silhouette dissolved into a gale of wind, racing toward the hall's exit.
The next instant, a concentrated burst of air-piercing force erupted from Imu's fingertip, punching a clean hole through the massive beam.
A Flying Shigan? Diarmuid thought, surprised. Imu actually bothered to learn Rokushiki?
As Dragon fled, Diarmuid recognized his form immediately.
After the strike failed to connect, Imu showed no signs of frustration. She seemed to lose interest in Dragon instantly, making no move to pursue.
The Gorosei were left in an agonizing position—unable to stand, yet humiliated to stay kneeling.
Dragon! That bastard from the Revolutionary Army had discovered their secret! He had seen Imu-sama!
Damn it!
Yet, thinking it through, Dragon was already the mortal enemy of Mariejois. With or without Imu, he would oppose them. Furthermore, the Revolutionary Army had no control over the world's media. Even if he knew, what could he do? If he spoke out, they would simply label it as "rebellion propaganda."
Still, with Imu standing right there, the Gorosei were flustered and unsure of the next move.
"Rise..."
A crisp, melodious voice rang out. It was a beautiful sound, full of hidden depth.
It was Imu's voice. Diarmuid was taken aback; he had expected something gravelly, ancient, or imposing. Instead, it was more of a sophisticated, mature "Onee-san" tone.
"By your command." The Gorosei finally dared to stand. They looked at her with unease after the preceding disturbance.
"Please forgive us, My Lord. We..." the blonde Gorosei started, his heart racing.
Diarmuid had seen the Gorosei several times, and they were always composed and arrogant in his presence. Now, the blonde elder looked visibly trembling.
"It matters not," Imu said calmly, her voice devoid of emotion.
Once she spoke, the Gorosei didn't dare utter another word. Like servants, they stood quietly at the bottom of the stairs, eyes downcast, fearing their gaze might offend her.
Silence reclaimed the hall. Normally, the Gorosei would report on the difficulties Mariejois had faced and await Imu's instructions on which "lights" needed to be extinguished, identifying the next targets to be wiped from history.
But currently, the Gorosei felt the world was largely at peace. The Revolutionary Army had suffered heavy losses in Alabasta and had been quiet since. The Marines were stronger than ever, poised to sweep through the New World after the Reverie. For a moment, they felt satisfied; there were no external threats worth mentioning. As for internal conflicts, they didn't want to trouble Imu with trivialities.
They had originally come to ask if she had any specific orders for the Reverie or the member nations. But after the incident with Dragon, they didn't know how to open their mouths. They desperately wanted to chase after him and order the Mariejois guards to hunt that bastard down, but without Imu's permission, they didn't dare leave.
Whether it was an illusion or not, Diarmuid felt Imu's gaze drifting toward his position. Those eyes, originally devoid of feeling, seemed to carry a trace of a smile after lingering on his spot for a long while. It was so faint, so subtle, that Diarmuid convinced himself it must be his imagination.
He couldn't even be sure if she had actually detected him. If she had, why say nothing?
As Diarmuid puzzled over this, Imu looked back at the Gorosei.
"Fools," she said, her voice tinged with slight impatience.
The Gorosei panicked, dropping back to their knees in terror, fearing Imu was about to erase them from existence. They had no idea why they were being scolded. Was it the Dragon incident? Whatever the reason, they were terrified of the punishment to come.
But then, Imu slowly stood up from the Empty Throne. "I am weary. Leave us."
She said nothing else. She had no intention of discussing the world situation with the "Highest Authority," nor did she set any targets or "extinguish any lights."
They had met for no reason, and it was ending for no reason.
The Gorosei were baffled. This didn't follow the usual protocol. But faced with Imu's absolute majesty, they didn't dare say a word.
As the Gorosei remained in a state of trepidation, Imu walked down from the throne and, without another glance, exited the hall through the same door she had entered.
Now, not only the Gorosei but even Diarmuid was stunned. What is this?
Don't you guys talk about anything important?
Diarmuid, who had come here specifically to eavesdrop on top-secret intelligence, couldn't help but feel a wave of disappointment.
Only after Imu had truly departed did the Gorosei stand up, their faces dark with fury.
"Damn it! How did Dragon get in here!?"
"Imu-sama's mood was clearly ruined by that bastard."
"At least her anger didn't fall on us..."
"What now?"
"What else can we do? If we try to catch him now, he's likely already gone. We can't interrupt the Reverie, and we can't make this too public. Regardless... let's get back to the meeting!"
Flustered and irritable, the Gorosei hurriedly left the hall.