Three days later, at Ryugu Palace on Fish-Man Island.
A grand celebration banquet was underway. Long tables filled the streets, piled high with Sky Island's specialty, "Water Water Meat," and Fish-Man Island's specialty, "seafood delicacies." The fragrance of Cloud Dial Wine and coral wine filled the entire kingdom.
King Neptune once again presided over the palace, while the three princes oversaw the restoration of public order. Hody Jones and his core officers were held in a specially built prison in the Sea Forest, awaiting trial. As for the ordinary members who had been misled, most had repented after receiving Shirahoshi's "Spiritual Purification" and begun participating in the reconstruction.
The Dawn Ark, Noah, had moved to a dedicated harbor outside Ryugu Palace. Its three-colored light softly illuminated the surrounding waters, making it Fish-Man Island's newest landmark.
Lin Yan, Ace, Robin, Shirahoshi, Neptune, and the others sat around the banquet's main table.
"Your Excellency, Flame Emperor-no, I should address you as the 'Sun God's successor' now." Neptune raised his cup, his tone solemn. "Fish-Man Island owes you a debt of gratitude we can never repay. From this day forward, you and your companions will always be Fish-Man Island's most honored guests. Every treasure in the royal vault is yours to use as you wish."
Lin Yan raised his cup in return. "You're too kind, Your Majesty. I only did what I should have done. Besides, I've also gained the most important things from Fish-Man Island-"
He looked at the three fragments in his hand. They had completely fused into a three-colored badge, embedded in his chest.
"The complete legacy of Sun God Nika, and... an alliance with Poseidon."
Shirahoshi's cheeks flushed slightly, and she said softly, "Um... Lord Lin Yan, about Poseidon's true mission, I saw some new memories during the fusion resonance..."
Everyone turned to look at her.
Shirahoshi closed her eyes and recalled, "Poseidon's power was never a 'weapon.' It is a 'bridge,' a 'bond' connecting all ocean life. Its true mission is... when the Sun God needs it, to awaken the sleeping 'will of the ocean' through song and bring the world 'rebirth' after the 'Great Cleansing.'"
"Great Cleansing? Rebirth?" Robin keenly picked out the key words.
"Yes." Shirahoshi nodded. "The memories are very vague, but I saw... every eight hundred years, the Devil Fruit Source runs rampant once. That is the world's 'Great Cleansing.' By joining forces, the Sun God and Poseidon can protect some life during the cleansing, then guide the world toward 'rebirth' afterward."
She looked at Lin Yan. "Last time, it was Lord Nika from eight hundred years ago and the Poseidon of that era. This time... it is you and me."
Weighty information.
This meant that the Devil Fruit Source running rampant was not a "possibility," but an "inevitability." And the mission they shouldered was to preserve the spark of civilization through the end of the world.
The mood at the banquet grew somber.
Just then-
The badge on Lin Yan's chest suddenly began to burn hot.
No, it was not just the badge-the Nika Core inside him, the Flame-Flame Fruit Source inside Ace, and even somewhere thousands of miles away... began to resonate!
"This is..." Lin Yan clutched his chest as three-colored flames surged out uncontrollably.
Ace also felt the flames inside him stirring. "Brother, my fire is... calling out to something?"
Something suddenly occurred to Robin. "Could it be... Luffy?"
Before her words had faded.
Somewhere far away on the Grand Line, aboard a small ship with a sheep's figurehead.
"Meat!!! I want meat!!!"
Luffy was circling Sanji when his body suddenly stiffened, and he dropped onto the deck with a thud.
"Luffy?!" Nami cried out.
"What's wrong, Captain?" Zoro gripped his swords.
Luffy blankly clutched his chest, where the Gum-Gum Fruit's power was surging wildly. Stranger still, the Double D Vivre Card Lin Yan had given him, tucked against his chest, began to burn-not to ashes, but into golden flames that merged into his body.
"Brother Yan... Ace..." Luffy murmured. "I... I can feel it..."
He closed his eyes.
Two images appeared in his mind:
One showed Lin Yan standing aboard the Dawn Ark deep beneath the sea, surrounded by three-colored flames.
The other came from the depths of his memories: Sabo, Ace, and himself, three children swearing brotherhood on the garbage mountain in the Goa Kingdom.
Bonds.
Bonds that transcended space.
"I... I remember..." Luffy opened his eyes, a clarity never seen before flashing through them. "The Gum-Gum Fruit's true name is... the 'Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Model: Nika.'"
"And my mission is... to become 'Joy Boy' and complete the liberation the Sun God left unfinished."
He stood up, and his rubber body began to change-not a transformation like Gear Second or Gear Third, but a deeper "change in essence." Faint golden markings appeared on his skin, his hair turned slightly white, and his smile took on a hint of divinity.
But the process lasted only three seconds before ending.
Luffy returned to normal and scratched his head. "Huh? What just happened? Ah! Meat! Sanji! Where's my meat?!"
Everyone aboard exchanged looks.
Only Robin-the one in the Straw Hat Pirates-watched Luffy thoughtfully, murmuring, "Joy Boy... have you finally begun to awaken?"
Back on Fish-Man Island.
The resonance lasted a full minute.
When it ended, both Lin Yan and Ace felt that something had been added inside them.
"A system notification..." Lin Yan looked at the interface only he could see:
[Detected preliminary awakening of "Joy Boy" (Luffy)] [Bond System ultimate upgrade: Trinity Complete Form unlocked] [Effect: When Lin Yan, Ace, and Luffy are all present, they can briefly fuse their three "divine factors" (Sun God Nika, Flame-Flame Fruit Source, Rubber Nika) to activate "True Sun God Nika Form (100%)." Duration: 5 minutes. Cooldown: 30 days] [Warning: The complete form places an extreme burden on life. Each use consumes one year of lifespan]
Ace felt the change too. He clenched his fists, and a faint trace of gold appeared amid his blue-white flames.
"Brother, that kid Luffy... seems to have gotten stronger?"
"Yes." Lin Yan nodded. "He's awakening. It's still in the very early stages, but the direction is clear now."
He looked into the distance, as though he could see through ten thousand meters of seawater to that tiny Going Merry.
"Just wait, Luffy. When we meet again in the New World-"
"The three brothers will unleash a true storm."
The banquet continued.
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