The world shook.
From the sky, waves of luminous blue energy burst outward from the island's newly awakened core. Marine warships came to a sudden halt as ancient beams of light shot upward, forming a protective dome around the city. Cannonballs shattered mid-air. The sea rippled violently as mechanical tendrils rose like kraken arms, suspending ships in place.
"What in the world?!" a Vice Admiral shouted aboard the lead battleship. "Why aren't our weapons landing?!"
A nearby officer trembled. "Something is protecting them... something ancient."
Southern Dock
The Straw Hats stood frozen as the sky glowed with shifting glyphs, the dome above shimmering like a living force field.
"That... wasn't us," Franky muttered, awed. "This tech... it's beyond anything I've ever seen."
"It's Void Century," Robin said calmly, brushing dust from her cloak. "This entire island was a relic. A trigger waiting to be pulled."
Luffy stumbled, Nami catching him. He looked up, eyes still hazy.
"So we're safe... for now?"
"Safe enough to run," Usopp replied. "Let's get to the ship before that thing decides we're not friends."
Sanji and Zoro arrived moments later, bruised and bloodied, but still standing.
"Kizaru backed off," Zoro muttered. "Something scared even him."
"He called it a waste of effort," Sanji added, spitting blood. "Didn't even seem mad... which makes it worse."
The Thousand Sunny awaited in the now-cleared harbor. The crew rushed aboard, wounded and winded.
Skies above the Island
As the Sunny sailed away, the dome pulsed again. A final surge of light cascaded upward like a beacon.
Then came the broadcast.
Riven's image, larger and clearer now, projected from atop the awakened tower.
"Straw Hat Pirates," he said, voice unwavering. "You've been tested and you survived. This island... was the first gate. The first path of many."
Luffy leaned against the ship's rail, barely able to stand. "Gate...?"
"They tried to destroy history to erase possibility," Riven continued. "But possibility... cannot be killed."
Robin stepped forward, her hands clenched. "He's guiding us. But why?"
Riven's gaze pierced through the feed. "If you wish to reach Laugh Tale, if you wish to finish what Joy Boy began, then follow the path. Others have tried. All failed. Will you?"
Luffy smiled weakly. "Heh... Let's find out."
The feed ended.
Hidden Sector – Transport Bay
Deep underground, far from the crew's eyes, a pod hissed open. Kael's unconscious body, bruised but alive, was lowered into a containment capsule.
"He has not yet awakened," Riven muttered, standing over him. "But his bond to the core remains."
He inserted a new chip into the console, initializing coordinates.
Destination: Punk Hazard.
"Caesar Clown will unlock what I could not. If this man was meant to rewrite the world... then let him do it. As monster or messiah."
Steam hissed. The capsule launched into the sea.
Punk Hazard – Secure Lab Wing
Caesar Clown stood hunched over a glowing console, wild eyes reflecting its pulsating light. The lab buzzed with energy, sparks occasionally bursting from broken cables still half-repaired from the last chaos.
A new alarm chimed.
"Incoming pod? From where?" he muttered, stepping to a cracked window. The waters near the coast began to part, steam rising as a containment capsule breached the surface.
Within moments, it was dragged inside by automated claws.
As the hatch opened, Kael's body emerged, still unconscious but stabilized.
Caesar's eyes widened. "No way... Project HELLIX? I thought Vegapunk destroyed all traces of it!"
A recorded message from Riven began to play:
"Caesar, if you're hearing this, then you're still desperate enough to open forbidden doors. You and I both served under Vegapunk once. But where he feared the truth, we pursued it. This man is the key. He houses the last pure fragment of the Hellix Core. Awaken him... and watch the world change."
Caesar smirked. "Oh, Riven. You always loved your speeches. But I do love a good experiment."
He knelt beside Kael.
"Let's see what secrets you're hiding, boy."
The Thousand Sunny
The crew sat quietly. The battle was over, but something greater had begun.
Nami stared at the fading lights behind them. "Laugh Tale..."
"We've heard its name before," Brook said. "But this feels... real."
"We're closer now," Robin said. "Closer than ever."
Luffy lay back, hat over his face, voice low.
"Let's go. All the way."
The ship cut across the horizon.