The remnants of the Temporal Overseer ' fleet retreated in disarray amidst the turbulent waves of the Quantum Deep Sea, leaving behind fragments of shattered, pale armor and dissipating unstable energy, like the bloodstains left by a wounded beast. The Thousand Sunny hovered in the now "calm" Quantum Sea, its hull battered and bruised, yet it still steadfastly guarded the pure white " Anchor of Causality."
"Quick! Prioritize repairing the life support system and engines! Deploy autonomous repair units to the damaged areas of the external armor!" Franky's voice came through the internal communication system, urgent. Sparks from welding and beams of energy repair flashed throughout the ship's hull.
Inside the medical room, Chopper was doing his best to treat Allen was exhausted and suffering from the backlash of the power of the rules. His little hooves deftly operated various instruments, while simultaneously injecting Allen with special energy supplements and mental stabilizers. "Fortunately, your core hasn't been damaged, but your mental sea is like it's been swept away by a storm; you need to rest!" Chopper's tone was serious, filled with undeniable concern.
"I'm alright, Chopper." Allen's face was pale, but his eyes were unusually bright. He felt the power slowly returning to his body and some new insights coming to his mind. "Just now... I think I touched the thread of 'cause and effect'." Forcibly guiding the attack of the " Causality Stripping Device " was extremely dangerous, but it also gave him a more direct understanding of "cause and effect," a fundamental law of the universe.
Nami carefully assessed the spaceship's damage report, her brow furrowed. "It will take at least six hours to complete basic repairs, during which time our maneuverability will be greatly reduced. We must use this time as quickly as possible to figure out what that 'anchor point' can offer us." Her gaze fell upon the pure white rope structure that was so close to her, slowly rotating, outside the porthole.
Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and the others gathered on the observation deck, observing the Anchor of Causality up close. It was not a physical substance, but rather a structure of light formed from pure laws. Countless tiny filaments of light extended from the anchor point into the endless depths of the Void, disappearing into the quantum background, as if connecting the threads of the fate of all things. Approaching it, one could feel a profound tranquility, as if all the turmoil and uncertainty had found their final resting place here.
"It feels... so strange." Luffy reached out, as if to touch it, but then pulled back, tilting his head. "It's like if touching it, something incredible will happen."
"Be careful, you idiot captain." Sanji exhaled a smoke ring, his sharp eyes scanning the anchor point. "This thing is too complex; touching it carelessly could lead to even bigger trouble."
Zoro, holding his sword and sensing the stable aura emanating from the anchor point, pondered, "If I could integrate this 'stability' into my swordsmanship, would I be able to sever all illusions and uncertainties?"
Soon after, with Chopper's permission, Allen, accompanied by the others, came to the deck facing the anchor point. He gazed at the pure white knot, clearly feeling the resonance between his own power and the anchor point. His " Power of Definition " itself possessed the characteristics of interfering with rules and influencing the future, and was closely related to the law of "cause and effect".
"We need to connect with it," Allen said softly, "Not to force possession, but... to understand and seek resonance."
He closed his eyes again. This time, he didn't unleash his power, but instead gently guided his honed will, imbued with "possibility," towards the Anchor of Causality like a gentle stream. He didn't try to Definition or change it, but rather, like a student seeking guidance from a teacher, or a wanderer returning to harbor, he expressed his own needs and confusion—how to protect his companions and forge a future amidst this chaotic timeline?
At first, there was no response.
But gradually, the steady rotation of the Anchor of Causality seemed to slow down slightly. A thin, pure white filament, more solid than the surrounding filaments, as if it had a life of its own, slowly extended from the anchor point and gently, tentatively touched Allen's forehead.
The moment the light filament touched his forehead, Allen's body trembled slightly!
Without the overwhelming influx of information or the forceful infusion of power, he felt as if he had sunk into a warm ocean composed of countless threads of light. Scenes and insights naturally surfaced in his mind:
He saw the unbreakable "causal thread" between himself and his companions, shining with the light of friendship and trust, stronger than any chain.
He saw the faint, pale "threads of misfortune" that had wrapped around his body after his repeated attacks with the Temporal Overseer, threads that were trying to erode his destiny. These threads were being slowly smoothed and purified by the stabilizing power emanating from the anchor point.
He gained a clearer understanding of how his " Power of Definition " was activated, and how it made choices and anchors among countless possible "causal branches," as if the fog had been cleared and the path ahead had become clearer.
More importantly, he received a profound truth about "anchoring oneself"—not relying on external things, but establishing an unshakable belief and will deep within one's own soul, using this as an "inner anchor" to resist all external rule manipulation and fate interference!
After an unknown amount of time, the connecting light thread slowly retracted. Allen opened his eyes, and a pure white anchoring light seemed to flash and disappear deep within his pupils. He felt that his spirit had not only fully recovered, but had even become more concentrated and stable. The subtle sense of spacetime discomfort left by the attack from the Temporal Overseer had completely disappeared, as if his "existence" itself had been firmly fixed on the correct coordinates.
"How are you, Allen?" Nami asked with concern.
Allen took a deep breath, a knowing smile spreading across his face. "I understand. The ' Anchor of Causality ' doesn't give us a weapon, but a 'state,' a 'cognition.' He looked at everyone. "It helps us stabilize our own cause and effect, purify external malicious interference, and... allows us to see more clearly the connection between our own power and destiny."
He raised his hand, a wisp of light flashing at his fingertips. This time, the light carried a pure white, stable, and unchanging quality. "My control over ' Definition ' is now more precise, and the consumption is less. Moreover..." He glanced at the crowd, "I can try to briefly share this 'anchoring' effect with you."
He reached out, and an invisible domain of his will enveloped Luffy, who was closest to him. Luffy's fate, which had seemed somewhat "jumpy" and "uncertain" due to the Gum-Gum Fruit and frequent battles, seemed to be infused with a calm power, becoming more solid.
"Oh! That feels good!" Luffy stretched his body in surprise. "I feel more... grounded?"
Then, Allen applied a brief " Causal Anchoring " to Zoro, Sanji, Nami, and everyone else in turn. The effects varied slightly for each person— Zoro felt his slashing intent become purer, Sanji felt a subtle improvement in his speed and accuracy, Nami felt a clearer perception of energy flow, and Usopp felt his fear dissipate considerably, his courage greatly increased...
This is not a permanent buff, but a temporary "purification" and "stabilization," but it is enough to elevate the team's overall condition to a new level, especially when facing the unpredictable rule attacks of the Temporal Overseer, where they will have stronger resistance.
"Great!" Chopper jumped up happily. "Now we don't have to worry about those guys distorting time!"
Just as everyone was celebrating their success, Usopp, who was in charge of monitoring, suddenly shouted, "Wait! The anchor point... the anchor point seems to be changing!"
After completing its "communication" with Allen, the pure white Anchor of Causality gradually dimmed, and its rotation speed slowed down. Finally, it transformed into a stream of light, not disappearing, but merging into the background rules of this Quantum Deep Sea, becoming impossible to directly observe or locate.
"It has completed its task of 'stabilizing' this place, or rather, it has completed its 'cause and effect' with us," Robin said thoughtfully. "It is not owned by anyone, but rather a manifestation of the laws of the universe."
Although the Anchor of Causality itself "disappeared," the team's gains were real. The spaceship's repair work was also nearing completion.
"Well then," Luffy adjusted his straw Straw Hat, a familiar, adventurous smile on his face, "Our next destination—that ' Cradle of Chaos '! I can't wait to go check it out!"
With newly gained strength and insights, the Thousand Sunny adjusted its course, restarted its engines, and sailed out of the Quantum Deep Sea that was gradually returning to "normal," heading towards the space marked on the star map that symbolized extreme chaos and primal possibilities.