It was a throne of absurd height.
If the Holy Land Mary Geoise was said to be the highest point in the world, then this throne—without question—stood at the highest point within Mary Geoise itself.
It was divided into three levels, each consisting of exactly one hundred steps.
Between the tiers, on the wide platforms that separated them, were all kinds of weapons—scattered, plunged into the ground at random angles.
These weapons clearly bore the marks of age; many were already showing signs of corrosion and decay, especially in their ornamental parts.
Sensing where Roya's attention had gone, Imu opened his mouth to explain:
"These weapons belonged to those I once deemed worthy of ascending the throne with me.
But alas… none of them ever made it back down."
"If you have any weapon or item that represents you, you may leave it here temporarily as well."
"In case you don't come back down… I can ensure it's passed on to someone of your choosing."
Roya thought for a moment about the Dragon Scale Gauntlet he had left buried hundreds of meters beneath his feet. With a light chuckle, he replied:
"There's no need for that.
First, it's unnecessary.
Second… I'm afraid if I do bring that thing out, your throne might collapse."
Imu's footsteps paused slightly. He gave a soft snort and continued climbing upward.
Roya could clearly sense that the higher they climbed, the more palpable the sense of deathly stillness became.
It was as if all the life force in the world was being siphoned toward the throne at the summit.
That oppressive, dreadful energy bore down relentlessly, piercing the soul with irrational, unrelenting pressure.
Even Roya was not immune. For the first time, he felt a subtle agitation rising from within.
A warning sign—and a dangerous one.
Without hesitation, Roya released his Observation Haki field, layering his entire body with a full-spectrum defense.
As expected, his mutated form of Observation Haki lived up to its reputation. The unease born from the fear of death instantly vanished.
His mind returned to its usual calm, like still waters in a deep well.
Im turned back just slightly—barely perceptible—and cast a glance at Roya with the corner of his long, narrow eyes.
The two continued, one after the other, until they arrived at the topmost level, standing directly before the throne.
From that point on, Roya felt nothing out of the ordinary.
Like its three-tiered base, the throne itself was massive.
The backrest alone rose a towering twenty meters high.
Its width and depth both extended a staggering ten meters.
Judging by size alone, it was obvious—this throne had never been meant for a human.
Its design was austere and brutal—straight lines only, without a single curve or decorative pattern.
There was no consideration for authority, comfort, or even aesthetics.
The intent was clear: the one who built this throne never cared about its symbolic power or function as a seat.
This throne existed purely for some other, far more unfathomable purpose.
And that purpose was clearly so extraordinary, that all else had been cast aside.
Following Roya's gaze, Im looked over the throne from top to bottom—meticulously, almost reverently.
It was an action he had performed countless times before.
But the result never changed.
Taking a deep breath, Im let out a sigh and said:
"Sit upon it. Once you do, you'll understand…
Why we've run this world the way we have."
Roya's brow furrowed slightly.
He had already tried probing the throne with a tendril of Observation Haki.
But… there was no feedback. Nothing.
The sensation was eerily familiar—almost identical to when Momonosuke had hidden his true identity as the Sakura Dragon by suppressing his presence.
"Could the two be connected…?"
Roya wondered silently.
But he made his decision—and slowly sat upon the Empty Throne.
In that instant, a surge of unstoppable power burst forth from the throne, flooding directly into Roya's body.
With this energy, Roya felt his spirit and consciousness expand limitlessly.
In the blink of an eye, his awareness enveloped the entire planet.
Every single event happening across the world—no matter how minute—entered his perception in perfect clarity.
Even the moment when, deep underground, a tiny insect egg hatched, and a newborn bug blinked into existence, confused and unaware—that too was crystal clear in his mind.
By all logic, any normal consciousness receiving such a deluge of data would either die or fall into madness.
But supported by the throne's energy, Roya felt no damage at all.
Instead, he was overwhelmed by an intoxicating sense of dominion over all things.
And that realization made his heart jolt.
In that very moment, his entire soul became serene—utterly tranquil.
Because he had always believed:
"No being is qualified to control everything."
This personal principle, this core conviction, guided him away from Im's path entirely—at this most critical of moments.
With his heart emptied of desire, he viewed the world once more—calmly, dispassionately.
The rhythm behind all things—the flow of the world—began to reveal itself to him, no longer arousing his impulse to intervene or manipulate.
It was in this state that Roya made a stunning discovery.
His Observation Haki—which he had once believed to be fully mastered—had begun to automatically consume his unallocated attribute points to further evolve.
In just a blink, it had gained 1,500 more points, reaching a terrifying new high of 3,000.
And along with it, the skill's label had quietly shifted into a new mode:
Spiritual Perception Mode — "Lingjue".
Below the throne, Imu had been calmly observing Roya's expression.
But now, as if sensing something, his blood-red pupils contracted sharply.
A threatening glint sparked in his eyes as they narrowed into dangerous slits—locked intensely on the center of Roya's forehead.
Without realizing it, Im's hands moved behind his back.
The same index finger that had earlier flicked two butterflies into powder was now subtly raised again.
The many weapons below the throne, as if stirred by Im's building aura of killing intent, began to react.
Some began to hum, filled with battle-lust.
Others bowed on their own—submitting before the terrifying presence of their master.
Even the Five Elders, far away in the Room of Authority, felt Im's abnormal shift in energy.
Startled, they ignored the presence of attendants and guards, and threw themselves to their knees, kowtowing in the direction of the Empty Throne.
In his new Spiritual Perception State, Roya's awareness had reached an entirely new realm.
Empowered by the throne's energy, his perception flickered and flared—absorbing the properties of every object in existence into a vast mental database.
As a result, his ability to analyze complex entities had undergone a qualitative transformation.
For example, the Black Mountain beneath his feet—the source of all life.
Previously, he had only understood its base utility as a biological foundation for creation.
But now, he could see that it also had the potential to be used as a high-efficiency bio-fuel, material for regenerative armor, and many other unimaginable applications.
He also came to realize that the Dragon Scale Gauntlet, under this new spiritual perception, could now evolve without limit—its form and function freely mutable according to his will.
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