Black cursed lightning streaked across the universe at faster-than-light speed, instantly piercing the protective net of the Myriad Stars Returning as One Formation. Lin Ye sensed the attack, but to maintain the final seal on the Lord of Nothingness, he could not spare any attention to stop it.
Damn it... Lin Ye cursed inwardly, but he knew he had to prioritize completing the seal. If the Lord of Nothingness escaped, the consequences would be even more unimaginable.
The cursed lightning struck Earth's atmosphere and exploded high in the sky, transforming into countless tiny black particles that rained down across the world. These particles were colorless and odorless, impossible for ordinary people to detect, but every Awakened One instantly felt an abnormal fluctuation in the power within them.
On the Island of Beginnings, Luffy suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest. The Blazing Rubber Giant flickered, and its flames dimmed slightly.
"What is this..." Ace clutched his chest as well. He could feel his Devil Fruit ability undergoing some subtle change. "Something has entered our bodies..."
In the waters around Laugh Tale, Zoro's hand holding his sword suddenly trembled. He discovered that his connection with his blade had become somewhat blurred. Jinbe sensed the power of Fish-Man Karate within him and also noticed that something was wrong.
Above Marineford, Sengoku and the other two frowned at the same time. As the Navy's strongest fighting forces, their senses for power were the sharpest, and they immediately realized the severity of the problem.
"This is a curse..." Sengoku's expression was grave. "The Lord of Nothingness released some kind of curse before being sealed..."
It was not only the heroes on the battlefield. All ten million Awakened Ones around the world felt the same abnormality. Whether they were ordinary citizens who had only