Conversation in the Void Realm

Silvers Rayleigh nodded gravely and closed the notebook. "Gol D. Roger's notes mention the Dawn Blade. There isn't much, but they might offer you a clue. Over the next few days, I'll teach you how to control and channel the energy in those markings. They may be a bridge between the two dimensions."

"Thank you," Lin Ye said sincerely. "For telling me the truth."

Silvers Rayleigh smiled faintly, wisdom glinting in his eyes. "The truth is often more complicated than we imagine. Remember, Lin Ye, even opposing forces may seek the same thing—survival. Understanding that may be the key to finding a peaceful solution."

Lin Ye nodded, his gaze settling on an ancient star chart on the cabin wall.

Late that night aboard the Dawn, most people had fallen asleep. Only the sailors on watch remained, quietly observing the ever-changing sea. Lin Ye tossed and turned in his cabin, unable to sleep. The purple markings on his right arm had begun to ache, more noticeably than they had during the day.

He sat up and pulled back his sleeve. The markings, once as fine as spider silk, were now clearly visible. More startling still, they had begun to glow, casting a faint purple light through the dark cabin.

"What is this...?" Lin Ye murmured. He lightly touched the glowing lines with his left hand. A sharp pain shot through his entire body. His consciousness blurred, as though an invisible force were pulling him away.

Lin Ye struggled to stay awake, but the world before his eyes gradually faded, replaced by an endless purple expanse. He had not fallen asleep. He was caught somewhere between dreaming and waking—his mind was alert, but his body seemed to remain in the physical world.

This purple space was nothing like reality. There was no