Starfish World, Mary Geoise.
Inside Pangaea Castle, the Five Elders had gathered in the Room of Authority.
Their expressions were grim as they stared at the image projected into the air by a Den-Den Mushi.
The scene showed darkness on one side, light on the other.
The light revealed what looked like an abandoned, long-deserted city.
Stone buildings stood crumbling, roads overgrown with weeds.
This was the northernmost edge of the Falmart Continent, farther north even than the Snowy Mountain Range.
All of these images had been captured by unmanned drones.
The reason lay with the "God of Flame and Smithing," Duncan—the one granted amnesty by Lord Imu and allowed to be brought back to the Starfish by Garp.
He had voluntarily disclosed to the World Government the greatest secret of the Falmart World.
A top-level secret concerning the end of the world itself!
The mist of void—also called the Outer Fog—that surrounded the world and devoured everything.
Even gods could not stop it.
It could return all things to chaos.
Slow as it was, it was indeed ceaselessly eroding the edges of this world.
Until the world was swallowed completely into endless darkness.
And now, with the scenes captured by one drone after another, Duncan's words were confirmed as true.
Some had tried sending drones into the black fog to investigate what lay within.
But three times in a row, none returned.
The moment a drone entered, it instantly lost all connection with the outside.
Even those carrying timed explosives produced no sound of detonation.
Every other probing or attack method ended the same way.
"It looks somewhat like the ability of the Dark-Dark Fruit."
Saint Shepherd Ju Peter sat on a single sofa, his golden hair immaculately groomed, one leg casually crossed over the other.
"There's something very strange about this. The planet has been consumed on all sides, yet the celestial body itself shows no linked effects."
"Their lands and seas remain stable, the sun and moon continue to move normally, and most people can still live as usual."
Saint Marcus Mars stood beside the sofa, stroking his long, straight beard as he spoke in a deep voice.
"In other words, this black fog is not a natural phenomenon, but some kind of supernatural force."
At his words, the other four exchanged glances.
Then Saint Topman Warcury asked: "The Mist of Void… doesn't that sound somewhat familiar?"
Beside him, Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro immediately spoke: "The Void Magic of the Zero Magic World!"
"Yes. This old man believes the two may well be connected."
"We could start by consulting Joseph of the Magic Association, and that Pope from the Brimir Church."
"If that proves fruitless, then have someone question Brimir himself through Louise's body."
Saint Topman Warcury proposed.
Saint Saturn nodded. "Good. I'll give the order to Impel Down immediately."
"Shouldn't we also report this to Lord Imu?"
"Don't worry," Saturn replied. "I already reported before coming here."
"Our only task is to clarify the situation. As for the final decision—that must rest with Lord Imu."
...
Inside Impel Down.
Magellan led the way, with the "Chief Guard" Taklama, the "Head Jailer" Hanzō, Joseph, president of the Magic Association, and two men in black from CP8 following behind.
They finally reached the sixth underground level—"Eternal Hell."
Under the gaze of countless eyes, they passed by cell after cell.
Moments later, the group arrived at their destination.
The cell of Louise de La Vallière, the Void Mage from the Zero Magic World.
Magellan stepped forward and used the massive key to unlock the enormous cell door.
"Taklama, take them inside. Hanzō and I will wait here."
"Yes, Deputy Director!"
Taklama immediately nodded, entering through the open gate first.
Joseph and the two agents from CP8 followed closely behind.
Inside the cell—
Louise, dressed in prison garb, was curled up in a corner.
Her face was buried against her bent knees and folded arms, not sparing even a glance for the four who had entered one after another.
"Louise." Joseph called out.
Seeing the little girl reduced to this state, his chest inexplicably grew heavy.
He still remembered how vibrant Louise had once been, and now her entire being radiated only depression.
Joseph sighed inwardly: Why did it have to come to this? If only you had obediently joined the Association back then…
The Hodolew whom Louise and the others had once helped—
—just a few days earlier, on the execution grounds of Enies Lobby, had been formally put to death.
His ashes were returned to his daughter, Tuka.
As for the rest of the accomplices, all were sent into Impel Down to serve their sentences.
It was worth noting that Tabitha had been bailed out by Joseph in his capacity as president of the Magic Association. He guaranteed she would never again defy the World Government, and paid a staggering ransom of 300 million Berries along with a vast sum of merit points.
By doing so, he succeeded in taking her out of Impel Down.
Her sentence was commuted to ten years of house arrest in the Magic Tower of the Magic Council.
After all, Tabitha's father was Joseph's younger brother.
Perhaps, in a way, this was his form of atonement—for back then, in order to claim the throne, he had assassinated her father and driven her mother into madness with "potions."
At this moment—
—the air in the cell was thick with suffocating gloom.
Louise gave no response to Joseph's call.
Seeing this, Joseph had no choice but to explain their purpose.
"Louise, we need to speak with Brimir. Please, use your magic to summon him."
As he spoke, he gently placed before her the "Founder's Prayer Book," which Impel Down had confiscated and then sent to the Magic Association.
"Louise, if you can help the World Government—or at least show a willingness to serve it—you might be able to help yourself… and Hiraga Saito as well."
When Louise still gave no reaction, Joseph was forced to bring out the words he had prepared long in advance.
Having once been a king, he knew people's hearts well. He knew exactly what Louise cared about most.
"Saito."
Sure enough, at the mention of Hiraga Saito's name, Louise slowly lifted her head.
In her vacant eyes, a faint light began to stir once more.
...
Inside the dark, dry, yet fairly spacious cell—
Louise held the Founder's Prayer Book in her left hand and gripped her magic wand in her right.
Her face remained expressionless as she recited the spell long engraved in the depths of her memory.
The incantation process was lengthy.
But whether it was Taklama, Joseph, or Magellan and Hanzō outside, all waited patiently—carefully sensing the changes in Louise's aura.
[Bzzzz—]
At last, the Founder's Prayer Book suddenly rang out, bursting with dazzling white light.
Louise's eyes shone with flowing white radiance, and her expression shifted noticeably.
"It seems the World Government is finally willing to speak with me. I've been waiting for this moment… but—"
Brimir, possessing Louise's body, reached up to touch the slave collar around her neck.
"This thing makes me very uncomfortable. Allow me to remove it."
Without waiting for an answer, he raised the wand and tapped the ring.
"Dispel Magic."
Instantly, white light flared at the wand's tip, while the collar reacted, bursting with green light in a desperate attempt to resist.
"Stop!"
Taklama roared, thinking the other side meant to rebel. Green light instantly covered both his palms as he prepared to act.
But just as he moved—the wand's white light swallowed the collar whole. In the blink of an eye, Louise's neck was bare once more.
At that moment, Joseph and the two CP8 agents inside the cell all shifted into defensive stances.
"Hey, wait, don't be so jumpy! I was only trying to make myself a little more comfortable!"
Brimir, controlling Louise's body, hurriedly explained.
Then he lowered his head and glanced down. Though bathed in white light, the ground beneath him remained completely empty.
"No wonder I felt something was off. My shadow is gone… Is this another of the World Government's tricks? Impressive!"
No sooner had he spoken than he lifted the wand again, preparing to unleash another void spell.
"If you cast again, we will treat it as a refusal to cooperate—violent resistance against the law!"
A voice full of oppressive force thundered from outside the cell.
Magellan!
Sensing the overwhelming presence, Brimir froze, halting his movements.
Louise's face tightened into a frown as a sharp thought struck her heart: 'Another super strong one… this aura is no weaker than that Laskey from before!'
Brimir kept his voice calm as he countered, "What exactly is so important that you dared to place a wand in my hands?"
Though his combat power was not at its strongest, escaping would hardly be difficult.
A magic barrier cast, a world gate opened—he could leave this prison in an instant.
Of course, Impel Down had already accounted for this.
"There's nothing the World Government wouldn't dare to do. But you—do you really dare to deny this last chance between you and Louise?"
Brimir fell silent.
Indeed—whether for his own sake, for Louise, or for Sasha—he could not.
"Fine, fine. Let us communicate normally. But afterward, I expect to speak with your higher authorities."
Brimir shook his head helplessly.
Then he tossed the wand toward Joseph, signaling that he would refrain from casting any more spells.
Though, of course, that was only in form—Louise's Prayer Book could still serve as a vessel for magic.
Brimir let out a long sigh. "Very well. Then what is it you wish to ask me?"
"It's about the 'Void Mist.' The World Government discovered it on the edges of another World—an all-devouring darkness, swallowing everything without a sound."
As Joseph explained, one of the CP8 agents silently produced an image Den-Den Mushi, projecting the related pictures and recordings into midair.
Meanwhile, the other CP8 agent aimed a Den-Den Mushi at Louise, ready to capture every word of his forthcoming response.
Sure enough, Louise's expression grew heavier by the moment, her eyes trembling violently.
That reaction proved she knew something.
"From the name 'Void Mist,' we connected it with your Void Magic. It seems our guess was correct."
Joseph caught her shifting expression as well.
"This Falmart World is beyond saving. You'd best evacuate as soon as possible," Brimir said gravely. "If you can, bring along other living beings. I am willing to help you."
Joseph pressed on: "Then what exactly is the 'Void Mist'?"
"It is a shadow projected from a higher dimension into the material world—the shadow of the Void God!"
Louise's eyes, under Brimir's possession, gradually turned vacant, but the murmuring voice went on.
"It reduces all matter and energy into their purest particles."
"And I am its chosen apostle, granted the gift of Void Magic."
"In the beginning, I believed I had been favored by some deity. I felt joy, pride, and gave it my wholehearted devotion."
"Until one day, I discovered—or rather, it told me—that all I had ever received was just a single strand of its endless Void energy, casually released into the cosmos. By that alone I came to wield powerful Void Magic, and by that alone I could sense its presence."
A bitter smile crept onto Louise's face.
"Tell me, does that make me fortunate—or unfortunate?"
"Unfortunate? What do you mean—" Joseph's face twisted in alarm.
"I was fortunate to gain Void Magic, and even to use it to create a lower magic system—the four-elemental magic."
"But unfortunate in this: I became the 'spark' that drew the Void God's gaze. One day, Halkeginia will inevitably be swallowed by the Void Mist."
Louise spread her hands wide, overcome with emotion.
"I used to wonder why, after thousands of years, the end had not yet come."
"Now I see… sparks like me exist throughout the cosmos. The Void God simply chose not to descend upon us. This Falmart World, however, has been chosen."
The room fell into utter silence. Everyone was stunned.
At last, Joseph broke the stillness: "So then—this Falmart World must have a 'spark' just like you!"
Brimir nodded. "It is possible. Or perhaps it is already gone, devoured."
"I cannot say what form the Void God's descent takes."
"All I know is that at some point, there must have been someone there who wielded Void Magic."
"In any case—do not even think of resisting. Withdraw immediately!"
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