Old Vaults – Vergo vs. Law and Smoker
"You're persistent," Vergo sneered, bruised but still standing. He reached inside his coat.
"What are you—?" Smoker began.
Vergo pulled out a small, familiar cube of flesh pulsing faintly. Law's pupils narrowed.
"Your heart, Trafalgar. Still beating. Still mine."
Law gritted his teeth. "I gave Caesar that heart for a reason."
"Yes. To buy false trust," Vergo said. "But all you did was deliver yourself."
"I only needed time," Law said, activating Room again. "And now you've given me a reason to finish this."
Vergo surged forward with renewed ferocity, haki coating every limb. Law tried to warp, but Vergo anticipated it, slamming a fist into his side. Smoker intercepted, but even together they struggled to land decisive blows.
Then Vergo clenched Law's heart tightly.
"Let's see how long your composure lasts," Vergo whispered.
Pain shot through Law's body as his knees buckled. He gasped, blood running from his mouth.
"You're outmatched," Vergo growled, slamming Law into the wall. "You don't belong in this world of power."
Smoker moved to shield Law. "You'll pay for that."
Law wiped blood from his mouth. "Then I'll rewrite the world… even if it kills me."
Monitoring Bay – Caesar Clown
"No, no, no! Stabilize! SE-RE-RE-RE!"
Caesar slammed the override again. The Core's systems flickered erratically. His partial control was slipping, the energy surges pulsing stronger.
"Come on, Kael, be a good boy! Stay under!"
But the readings didn't lie. The Hellix Core was responding to something within Kael's mind—and Caesar wasn't the one it listened to anymore.
Monet watched the screens, tension in her jaw. "They're coming closer. The Core's syncing to Kael. This won't end well."
"Let them come!" Caesar snapped. "They'll kneel before my genius!"
"I'm staying," Monet said quietly. "If we fall, we fall together."
Caesar blinked, surprised. Then he grinned wider. "Good girl, Monet. Very good."
Core Chamber – Kael's Mindscape
In a realm of darkness and flickering memory, Kael wandered.
A silhouette—Noel—stared at him through fire. "You watched it burn."
Enies Lobby. The Buster Call.
Luffy's face. Laughing. Oblivious.
Kael knelt, shaking. "I didn't choose this."
But the Core whispered not with words, but with agreement. It understood resentment. Pain. Isolation. It asked only that he give in. That he stop resisting. That he let go.
His breath grew heavier.
Core Sector Hallways – Straw Hats
As they approached the chamber, security drones dropped from the ceiling. Mutated metal beasts with jagged limbs screeched at the crew.
"Battle bots!" Franky shouted. "And they're upgraded!"
Zoro sliced the first in half. "They're in the way."
Usopp fired a smoke star. "I got your flank, Nami!"
Nami spun her clima-tact. "Thunder Tempo!" Lightning burst through two drones.
Chopper transformed into Guard Point, blocking a blow from another. "They're everywhere!"
"Keep pushing!" Luffy yelled, dodging a blast. "Kael's in there!"
Sanji leapt into the air, spinning-kicking another bot into the wall. "Don't let them slow us down!"
Brook sang as he moved, slicing down two drones. "They dance—but I cut! Yohoho!"
The team fought hard, each using their signature style. Finally, they burst through the final door.
Children's Ward – Tashigi and G-5 Marines
"We have to go now!" Tashigi shouted, rallying the trembling children.
G-5 Marines formed a defensive ring. "Evac route clear, Captain!"
"Everyone stay close! Don't look back!"
The walls trembled as distant booms echoed through the halls. One little girl tugged Tashigi's coat. "What's that sound?"
"That's the sound of bad people losing," she said, gripping her blade tighter.
They began their escape through the eastern tunnels.
Core Chamber – Battle Escalates
Kael grabbed Zoro mid-attack and hurled him across the chamber. Violet trails followed his movements, warping reality just slightly.
"The Core's fusing deeper!" Robin shouted.
"We can't beat him like this," Franky said, building a new weapon from scrap. "We need a new plan!"
Luffy's breath grew heavier. "I'll hold him. You find a way to stop that thing."
Kael stopped, panting, gripping his head. The Core pulsed behind him.
"You know what you lost. They'll never understand."
He roared, charging again.
The battle continued under failing lights and the ever-growing sound of the failsafe countdown.
Time Remaining: 48 Minutes