Guardian of Dusk Island

Lin Ye took the lamp and was about to descend the stairs when he suddenly remembered something. "What about you?"

Ramon smiled calmly. "The Catarina Family's mission is to guard the entrance to the passage. We'll do our best to hold the enemy back and buy you time."

Another deafening blast rang out, this one close enough to shake the entire shrine. Outside the window, the first shell had already struck the island, its fiery explosion illuminating the sky.

"Go." Ramon gave Lin Ye a push. "Fate has already been set in motion. It can't be stopped. Remember, find the 'Between the Lights' on the moon. Everything you need is there."

Lin Ye took a deep breath and stepped onto the spiral staircase. Behind him, Ramon began chanting an ancient spell. The Moonstone floated into the air, spinning as it released a powerful energy barrier.

As Lin Ye descended deeper underground, the passage entrance slowly closed, sealing off the chaos on the surface. In the final instant, he saw Ramon's resolute gaze and the moon hanging in the sky beyond the window—the D-shaped pattern on its surface had fully formed, spreading a complex energy network in every direction.

The waters at the edge of the New World were even more dangerous than the rumors claimed. Massive Sea Kings cruised across the surface like small mountains, while erratic currents and sudden storms could destroy any ordinary vessel. Yet Ace's small speedboat moved through them with astonishing stability, all thanks to the strange device Whitebeard had given him—a palm-sized hexagonal metal box covered in intricate patterns, with the sound of liquid flowing inside.

"According to Pops, this should be the legendary 'Tidal Compass,'" Ace muttered as he watched the blue point of light atop the device shift with the currents. "The Ancient