Allen's consciousness slowly rose as if from an incredibly long and heavy nightmare.
What he first felt was an unprecedented sense of "completeness." It was no longer the kind of perfection that he had forcibly achieved through luck, but a profound understanding rooted in his very being and more closely connected to the Laws of Space and Time. It was as if he himself was an indispensable part of the long river of time and space.
Fragments of memory surged forth like a tide—the eruption of the final ritual, the annihilation of the body, the dissipation of will, the struggle of the Dragon Soul Imprint as it instinctively protected Sanji, and finally, the agonizing transformation of being in a furnace, drawing new life from destruction...
He looked inward.
The original Power of Zhulong was silver-purple, representing order, light and darkness, and the flow of time. But now, within that brilliant silver-purple base, a trace of Chaos has been incorporated, a color that seems to encompass the end and origin of all things—the refined essence of Destruction Origin, the power of " Void "!
This is not a simple superposition of forces, but a fundamental fusion and sublimation!
His power over time and space thus gave rise to incredible evolution:
• In the realm of time: it's no longer just about acceleration, deceleration, and stagnation. He can now vaguely perceive brief "time branches" and, with his own will, make extremely limited "interventions" or "choices" about the future within a very small area (currently limited to himself or objects he directly contacts). Although this is extremely costly and full of uncertainty, it is nothing short of miraculous. Furthermore, his ability to rewind to the past is no longer limited to observation; he can now make extremely minor "information corrections" to inanimate objects (such as repairing minor damage to an inanimate object).
• Spatial Domain: He has become more adept at Space: Folding. More importantly, he has made the initial foray into "space creation"! Although he can currently only create an unstable, rice-grain-sized temporary space bubble in the palm of his hand, this means that he has taken the first step towards the realm of "creation." He also has a stronger control over the stability and destruction of spatial structures.
• The Power of Light and Darkness: Light is no longer merely about life and purification, and darkness is no longer simply about devouring and concealing. Having merged with the essence of " Void," light can transform into " the Light of Nirvana," soothing everything and restoring tranquility to all things; darkness can transform into " the Darkness of the Return to the Ruins," devouring everything and temporarily erasing even concepts. The fusion of light and darkness is no longer simple Chaos, but rather tends towards a more primordial " Power of the Primordial Beginning," capable of Definition the boundaries between "existence" and "non-existence" to a certain extent.
• Dragon Soul Essence: His soul has achieved 100% compatibility with the Torch Dragon Fruit, even Transcendence the fruit's inherent limits. He is now more like a true, juvenile Spacetime Torch Dragon, rather than merely a power user. As long as his dragon soul remains, even if his physical body collapses again, he can slowly regenerate through the Spacetime Brand.
Destruction precedes construction; without destruction, there can be no construction! This near-death rebirth, aided by the "powerful medicine" of the Destruction Origin, allowed him to completely break through his previous bottlenecks and step into a completely new realm that even he himself had never imagined! His strength now firmly stands at the level of the Four Emperors, and he possesses limitless possibilities and growth potential!
He slowly "opened" his senses.
The first thing he sensed was Sanji's steady and powerful heartbeat, and his body, now even stronger after being tempered by the World-Purifying Flame and the power of time and space. A portion of his own Dragon Soul Imprint coexisted with Sanji's sea of consciousness, forming a wondrous balance. He could feel Sanji's deep ocean of consciousness, and that unwavering will to protect his comrades at all costs. This bond was clearer than ever before.
Then, he sensed the familiar and warm presence of the outside world— Luffy, Ace, Sabo, Jinbe, Law, Nami, Franky ...and the undisguised joy and excitement in their hearts.
A warm current flowed through Allen's dragon soul. He was still alive, and everyone else was still alive.
He tried to gather a faint but clear fluctuation of his soul and transmit it through the symbiotic mark with Sanji:
"... Everyone...?"
The next moment, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, he felt a surging wave of joy from the outside world that almost melted his soul!
" Allen!!!"
Luffy and Ace's familiar loud voices, even through soul perception, were still full of power.
Allen was filled with emotion and relief. He had survived, and he had become stronger. This power came from the selfless rescue of his companions, from the protection of the world's destiny, and from the final "contribution" of the Destruction Origin.
He "looked" beyond Pluton. The crack that once stretched across the sky had completely disappeared, leaving only some subtle spatial folds slowly smoothing out. The sky had regained its long-lost clarity, still carrying the smoke of war, but no longer shrouded in the gloom of another world. The source of destruction had been ended by his own hand.
The war seems to have truly ended.
But Allen knew this was not the end. After this battle, the world was exposed to a wider unknown. Who could guarantee that no other threats would peek through the cracks in spacetime? Moreover, he himself needed time to familiarize himself with and master this newly born power that had merged with the Destruction Origin.
His consciousness slowly sank into the depths of his symbiotic relationship with Sanji, and he began to actively guide the further fusion and separation of his own dragon soul and Sanji's body, preparing for his true "return".
At the Pluton Medical Center, everyone looked at Sanji (or rather, Allen, who was temporarily residing in the life support pod), whose breathing was becoming increasingly stable and who even exuded an indescribable majesty, and all wore relieved smiles.
"This guy... he's actually become even more monstrous than before, thanks to some misfortune." Ace grinned as he felt the faint, unsettling fluctuations emanating from him.
"That's great!" Luffy said matter-of-factly, hands on his hips. "Now we can fight even better battles!"
Sabo adjusted his glasses, his eyes gleaming with wisdom. " Allen's return and transformation are an unprecedented boost to our world. We now have the most solid foundation for the reconstruction and future exploration."
Yes, the old threat has been eliminated, and a new chapter is about to begin. Portgas D. Allen, who has undergone a phoenix-like rebirth and now wields even greater power over spacetime, will surely illuminate the future of this world like Torch Dragon, leading his companions on an even more magnificent journey!
The era of Torch Dragon is only just beginning.