An hour later, the Stargate was no longer there.
Watching Mihawk's bewildered retreating figure, Lord Imu revealed a satisfied smile but quickly reined it in out of habit, returning to his usual calm and indifferent demeanor.
"It seems my explanation worked quite well."
The reason he brought Mihawk to see the Stargate this time was primarily because the latter had the qualifications. After all, Mihawk was one of the candidates he had in mind for the next generation of the Five Elders, so it was only natural that he could be among the first to learn about the Stargate.
Secondly, it was to test the prepared explanation on him, as Lord Imu planned to summon the Five Elders tonight to preliminarily reveal the existence of the Stargate.
He intended to have Cipher Pol officially begin selecting the first batch of intelligence agents to enter the first Stargate.
Originally, Lord Imu had planned to discuss this matter with the Five Elders after the current Levely concluded. However, the longer he delayed, the more his curiosity grew.
As for whether it was dangerous or not, he could simply send a few CP agents in to scout first, right? Moreover, he felt as if fate itself was subtly "urging" him to quickly venture into the vast sea of stars and take the first step toward the path of the World Government of All Realms.
Since that was the case, it was time to begin!
On the other end, Mihawk, weighed down by his thoughts, walked out of Pangaea Castle with his usual cool stride and encountered Gion, who had already freshened up and tidied her appearance. It was clear from her demeanor that she had been waiting for him.
The former stopped in his tracks and calmly looked over, his cool gaze asking what she wanted.
"I want to become the world's greatest swordsman, so please, teach me!" Gion's gaze was firm as she bowed sincerely.
Mihawk replied indifferently, "I'm not even a Great Swordsman myself. You've come to the wrong person."
What he didn't say was that he himself needed to return to Mary Geoise to seek Lord Imu's guidance to break through to the level of a Great Swordsman. Where would he find the time to teach a woman he barely knew?
Besides, becoming the strongest in the world was no longer his ambition. With so many worlds out there, what was the point of being the strongest in just one? If he were to aim for anything, it would be to become the greatest swordsman across all realms! "Then, please spar with me once a week. I beg of you!" Gion remained bowed, her request earnest and unwavering.
Mihawk looked at her bowed figure in silence for a moment, then stepped past her, leaving behind a response that filled her with joy.
"Six in the morning, one hour."
"Thank you so much!!"
Gion straightened up, clenching her fists tightly, her eyes blazing as she watched Mihawk's retreating figure. She silently vowed, "I will become stronger, and then I will defeat you!"
Hidden in the shadows, Stussy watched this scene unfold and shook her head in incomprehension. At the same time, she asked herself inwardly, what did she want to do? Later that night, close to midnight.
"That's enough for now."
In the Chamber of the Moon, Lord Imu set down the unremarkable sword in his hand, whose name he couldn't even be bothered to remember.
Across from him, Mihawk, pale and gasping for breath, barely managed to support his exhausted body with his Black Blade, Yoru. With great difficulty, he raised his blurry gaze, staring at Lord Imu's departing figure for a long time without a word.
Mihawk could guess that Lord Imu was going to meet with the Five Elders, and it was likely related to the Stargate. It was just a pity that, for the time being, he wouldn't be able to visit another world himself.
In the afternoon, he had proposed to be part of the first group to investigate, but Lord Imu had firmly rejected the idea.
Although the latter didn't explain much, Mihawk knew it was out of concern for his safety, as the well-being of the first group was entirely uncertain.
"Sigh—"
"I must reach the level of a Great Swordsman as soon as possible. Just as Lord Imu once said, there are undoubtedly extraordinary geniuses of the Way of the Sword in other worlds. I'm still far from that level now!"
"We pay our respects to Lord Imu!"
The five individuals who ostensibly held the highest authority in the world knelt in unison on the cold floor of the grand hall, offering their utmost reverence to the one seated high above on the Empty Throne.
As the atmosphere grew still, Imu's voice, cold as a winter breeze, reached the ears of the Five Elders.
"The Grand Line—a sea where the magnetic fields, weather patterns, ocean currents, and air currents are in extreme chaos. Conventional navigation techniques and experience are of no use here. People cannot determine their own location or that of their destination, and they constantly face the threats of extreme natural disasters and colossal sea beasts."
The Five Elders listened in silence, confident that Lord Imu's words carried profound meaning.
"If the small Grand Line is like this, then the vast universe, with its countless stars and immeasurable expanse, must be even more chaotic and dangerous."
"This is what I thought and pondered seven hundred years ago."
Hearing this, the Five Elders exchanged subtle glances, their heads bowed, for they couldn't quite grasp the meaning behind Lord Imu's words.
"One day, I happened to notice the Log Pose, which records the magnetic fields between islands to guide the correct direction to the next island."
"So, I wondered, do stars also have invisible magnetic fields between them?"
The five kneeling figures trembled slightly. Though it seemed utterly inconceivable, an extraordinary idea began to ripple through their minds as Imu spoke.
"After that, I spent four hundred years sensing the magnetic fields within and around this planet, and then another three hundred years sensing the magnetic fields of the stars in the universe, searching for similar magnetic information."
The Five Elders, upon hearing this, could no longer suppress their astonishment. Instinctively, they raised their heads, staring in awe at the godlike figure before them.
What?! Sensing the magnetic fields of this planet? And even the magnetic fields of other stars in the universe? If such a thing is possible, how terrifying must Lord Imu's Observation Haki be?!
But Imu seemed oblivious to their shock and continued speaking at a measured pace.
"Two years ago, I finally locked onto a star that emitted a magnetic field similar to that of my planet, and I connected the 'Magnetic Field Route,' creating a wormhole that allows instantaneous travel between stars."
"I call it the Stargate!"
As his words fell, the Five Elders were utterly dumbfounded, kneeling there in stunned silence, unsure of how to react—or perhaps, they were still processing the overwhelming amount of information.
Imu did not rush them, granting them some time to absorb it all.
For a moment, the dark Void Palace returned to its state of silence, until Topman Warcury Saint, who presided over the Government Affairs Office and stood in the center, hesitantly spoke up.
"Lord Imu, then... this Stargate..."
There was no visible movement from Lord Imu seated on the golden-red throne, yet about fifteen meters away from the Five Elders, at the foot of the grand staircase covered with a luxurious red carpet, something extraordinary began to unfold.
First, a faint, bluish starlight appeared, then rapidly expanded at a visible pace, transforming into a slowly rotating galaxy cluster. The cluster continued to grow, forming a rectangular Stargate three meters high and two meters wide. However, the twinkling stars on the gate soon faded away, revealing a scene of green mountains, clear waters, and blue skies, much like a virtual projection from an Image Snail.
"Cough, cough, cough... So, so, Your Excellency, are you saying that the other side of this St... Stargate, the scenery we are seeing now, is... is another world?"
Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, who held the First Generation Ghost Cutter and was in charge of all military forces, was visibly excited. His entire body trembled, and his face flushed with exhilaration.
"Correct."
That single, softly spoken word of confirmation made the five men below the throne clench their teeth tightly, for they dared not shout or vent their overwhelming emotions in front of Lord Imu.