Deep Within the Purple Mist, Natives of the Void

"Ace?"

A familiar voice came from behind him. Ace spun around and saw a figure he had not seen in a long time—Luffy stood some distance away, his body half-transparent and surrounded by a violet halo, yet that signature smile was as bright as ever.

"Luffy!" Ace rushed forward. This time, he could finally touch his little brother, though it felt like grasping a thick cloud of mist. The two brothers embraced tightly, and Ace felt his eyes grow moist. "You idiot... I knew you wouldn't die that easily."

Luffy grinned. "Of course! I'm the man who'll become the One Piece!"

"Lin Ye?" Luffy looked past Ace as Lin Ye's figure gradually took shape. "Great, you came too. But we need to hurry. It isn't safe here."

"The Five Elders can sense this connection," Lin Ye explained, looking around at the constantly shifting purple space. "We don't have much time."

"Luffy," Ace asked urgently, "are you okay? Is there any way to bring you back?"

Luffy's expression turned serious. "I'm fine, but I can't go back yet. Things here are more complicated than we imagined. The Five Elders have completely merged with the Void, and they're preparing to tear apart the Dimensional Barrier when the Purple Moon is in the Sky."

"But that'll destroy both worlds, won't it?" Ace asked.

Luffy nodded. "Yes. I'm trying to persuade the Void Will to choose a peaceful solution, but the Five Elders have a lot of influence. We have to stop their plan."

The three figures suddenly blurred as the purple space around them began to tremble.

"We're running out of time," Lin Ye warned. "The Five Elders may have already noticed us."

"Ace, Lin Ye," Luffy said quickly, his voice growing urgent, "you have to complete the ritual before the Purple Moon