Hearing this news, Claire's mood improved slightly. "That's great, Luffy! The power of the Firmament must be a huge help to you all. But be careful, the defenses of the Void Fortress are not to be underestimated."
"Don't worry!" Luffy said confidently. "With Sabo, the Firmament, and all our friends on the Sky Island, we're bound to succeed! How is your research going on your end?"
Claire hesitated for a moment before finally speaking, "It's still ongoing... The situation is a bit complicated, but I'll figure out a way to resolve it."
After ending the call with Luffy, she soon received a message from Ace:
"Claire, we've already entered the Undersea Temple. The Void Contamination here is severe, and the spatial structure is distorted. We encountered the legendary Abyss Guardian, the entity that guards the Abyss Stone. Right now, we're engaging in... um... some form of communication and trial with it."
Ace's voice sounded a bit nervous, but he still maintained his composure. "This guardian seems to be testing whether we're qualified to obtain the Abyss Stone. The battle is intense, but I feel we have a chance to persuade it."
"You must be careful, Ace," Claire admonished. "Ancient guardian spirits all possess immense power and wisdom. Don't try to brute-force it; attempt to move it with sincerity."
Finally came Lin Ye's report, whose news was the most complex:
"Claire, the situation in Mary Geoise is far more complicated than we anticipated. Severe polarization has occurred within the Five Elders; three of them have been controlled by the Lord of Nothingness, while the other two remain lucid. We are currently cooperating with the two conscious ones, but the three controlled ones are preparing some kind of ritual, likely to release the Lord of Nothingness ahead of time."
Lin Ye's voice