Earth orbit, Seven-Colored Star Fortress.
Luffy stood in the fortress's top-level command center, gripping the railing with both hands.
Purple light flickered in his eyes, the mark of the Willpower Toxin.
Visions of his companions dying kept surfacing in his mind, every scene as painful as a knife through his heart.
"Captain Luffy!" the communications officer called urgently. "Karax's main fleet is still thirty thousand kilometers from the fortress!"
Luffy forced down the despair in his heart and gave the order. "The entire fortress is to enter highest alert! Activate all defense systems!"
"Yes!"
A piercing alarm rang throughout the fortress.
A million Awakened Ones rapidly took their positions, but many of their eyes had already lost focus.
"I saw it... Mom died..." one Awakened One said blankly.
"No... this isn't real..." another warrior clutched his head and struggled in agony.
The effects of the Willpower Toxin were even worse than they had imagined.
Ace stood in the second-level fire control room, his hands trembling as he operated the console.
His flames had faded from white back to orange, and their glow was dim.
"Firepower systems checked!" Ace forced himself to report. "But... my ability..."
The image of Lin Ye's death in the illusion kept battering his sanity.
Zoro was in the fifth-level close-defense control room, and his three battle blades could no longer remain steady.
"Close-defense systems in position!" Zoro said through gritted teeth. "But my sword intent is being disrupted..."
He saw every one of his companions dying in the illusion because of his own helplessness.
In space, Karax's fleet bore down like a black cloud.
One hundred and twenty Void capital ships formed an attack formation, each radiating a terrifying presence.
"The Solar System's last stronghold..." Karax sneered. "Destroy it, and this war ends."
The enormous mouth