The Empty Throne

Contacting Kaidou by Den Den Mushi from Whole Cake Island, Big Mom warns him not to interfere while she hunts Straw Hat Luffy, insisting the disgrace would be unbearable if someone else finished the pirate. Refusing outright, Kaidou cites his own grievance and threatens her life should she meddle, yet Linlin invokes an ancient debt he owes her and urges teamwork as in bygone days. Over at New Marineford, the Marines disclose that they picked up the fully unencrypted call, treating it as a taunt inviting them to step in. Kizaru volunteers to move out, but Sakazuki holds him back, unsure how formidable Wano's warriors might be. Down at the Red Port, Garp laughs at the danger posed by two Emperors gathering even though both hunt his grandson, and Hina grows anxious, recalling that the Rocks group predates the age of Roger.

Within Pangaea Castle, an escort leads Sterry to the Empty Throne and directs him to swear a symbolic oath to it. His wish to sit is denied by an aide, who explains that its twenty weapons represent the oaths of the founders, twenty rulers who created the World Government and ruled that none may take the seat and that no single monarch may reign over the world. Meanwhile, over at the Mingling Plaza, Charlos orders one of his giant captives to seize Shirahoshi before the whole crowd, meaning to keep her as a pet, as Vivi and Rebecca cry out against it. When Leo and Sai attempt to intervene, Rob Lucci and CP0 block them. Neptune, furious and weeping his apology to Otohime, prepares to strike, only for Mjosgard to arrive, shatter Charlos's face with a mace, and order the princess set loose, declaring he means to settle the great debt owed to the Ryugu Kingdom and to the departed Otohime.

Big Mom states that Kaidou once collaborated with her and remains deep in her debt. In the primary storyline, Gion and Tokikake surface for the first time, and Doberman, Strawberry, Lacroix, and Kaku all reappear following the timeskip, with Kaku shown to belong to CP0. Garp references a crew known as Rocks, whose age preceded Roger's own. Within Mary Geoise, the throne functions purely as a peace emblem. Making his present-day debut, Mjosgard is disclosed to hail from the Donquixote lineage, and because Otohime softened his heart he vows to back her relatives with everything he has. Speaking in person, a hooded man asks the Five Elders, now revealed as Celestial Dragons, about a certain pirate.