He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and focused. Ace clenched the Star Energy Fragment in his right hand, ignited flames in his left, then brought his hands together.
"Starfire: Fusion!"
With Ace's low shout, the Runes within him suddenly lit up, and the flames in his hands shifted from orange-red to a deep purple. He spread his arms, and purple fire surged forth like a tide, forming a blazing barrier along the shoreline. The flames looked ordinary, yet they carried unique vibrations tailored to Void Energy.
When the first wave of Void Soldiers crashed into the fiery barrier, they let out piercing screams. Their Voidified bodies could not withstand the burning star energy flames and rapidly disintegrated as if corroded. However, Ace quickly realized that the cost was enormous—maintaining the barrier required a constant output of immense energy, and he was still far from proficient in controlling star energy.
"I can't keep this up for long," Ace gritted out, feeling the energy in his body draining rapidly. "But at least it can buy us some time."
Meanwhile, Luffy hurried around the observatory. Holding a Star Energy Fragment, he moved swiftly, setting Dimensional Traps at key points. At every location, Luffy pressed his palm to the ground, released a small stream of star energy, and constructed a miniature Dimension Channel with his mind.
"Bridge of Connection: Collapse!"
Sweat beaded on Luffy's forehead. This technique was still unfamiliar to him, but his talent allowed him to quickly grasp its basic applications. Before long, more than a dozen invisible Dimensional Traps surrounded the observatory. Once an enemy stepped into one, they would be briefly transported into a miniature pocket dimension, unable to escape immediately.
Inside the Starheart Chamber, Lin Ye sat cross-legged on the floor, arranging three Anchor Stones before him