The Bridge of Order stretched across the Chaos Void, crystal clear and radiating a reassuring, stable energy. The Thousand Sunny sped along this miraculous path, temporarily leaving the fierce battlefield behind.
From the stern, flashes of light and shockwaves from the explosions continued to emanate, illuminating the solemn faces of Zoro, Sanji, and Law.
That dark purple " Abyss Simulacrum " was more troublesome than expected. It had no fixed form, sometimes transforming into a dark curtain that devoured light, sometimes condensing into countless whispering spiritual tentacles, and sometimes simulating defensive characteristics similar to Armament Haki. What was even more troublesome was that it seemed to be able to absorb and learn the opponent's attack methods. Zoro's slash could cleave it open the first time, but the effect was greatly reduced the second time; Sanji's World-Purifying Flame could burn it at first, but it could quickly differentiate into more resistant parts.
"Tsk, like an unkillable, sticky monster!" Zoro spat, his three swords flashing like the wind, the sword energy he unleashed forming an interwoven net, temporarily restricting the spread of the simulated entity. "Law! Think of something, this thing adapts too quickly!"
Sweat beaded on Luo's forehead. His "ROOM" space had become extremely unstable under the erosion of the simulation, and the Space Cutting effect was inconsistent. "It's interfering with the stability of space! The 'rule priority' of the Op-Op Fruit seems to have been partially adapted to by it! A more powerful attack, one that it can't comprehend quickly enough, is needed!"
"Can't understand it quickly?" Sanji executed a spinning kick in mid-air, the scorching wind from his foot temporarily repelling several tendrils of spirit that tried to entangle him. A resolute glint flashed in his eyes. "Then let's make it incomprehensible! The Curly Brow Devil Fruit user said this thing is a simulation of the ' Abyss Will,' right? So it's essentially a collection of 'filth' and 'negativity'!"
He took a deep breath, and the World-Purifying Flame within his body ignited with unprecedented intensity. The white flames almost enveloped his entire body, even faintly tinged with a sacred golden edge.
" Ifrit Jambe - Ultimate Technique - Sacred Barbecue Feast!"
He no longer pursued the physical destructive power of his kick, but instead transformed the World-Purifying Flame within his entire body into a pure energy storm, sweeping towards the Abyss Simulacrum like a holy wave! This was not an attack, but more like a... purification ritual!
"Waaaaah--!"
For the first time, the simulated entity emitted a mental fluctuation resembling a painful wail. Its ever-changing form twisted and evaporated violently in the pure flame storm, and its dark purple light quickly dimmed. It attempted to simulate the properties of resisting purification, but the absolute will to reject all negative existence, originating from the very source of life, contained within the World-Purifying Flame seemed to be beyond its rapid comprehension!
"Now! Zoro, take charge! Law, take charge!" Law seized the opportunity, enduring the discomfort of spatial interference, shrinking the ROOM, and concentrating all his power to fix the area scorched by the World-Purifying Flame!
" Three-Sword Style - One Great Thousand Worlds!"
Zoro understood perfectly, combining his three swords into one and unleashing his strongest single-point slash to date! A condensed, dark green slash line, seemingly capable of slicing through cause and effect, followed Law's fixed trajectory and precisely cleaved into the core of the simulated entity, which had been most severely purified!
There was no explosion, only a crisp sound like shattering glass. The ever-changing body of the Abyss Simulacrum suddenly froze, then countless pure white lights burst forth from within before finally collapsing completely, turning into Void energy particles and dissipating into Chaos.
The three landed on the bridge, slightly out of breath. The flames on Sanji's body slowly died down, and his face was a little pale, clearly indicating that the ultimate technique he had just used had taken a huge toll. Zoro sheathed his sword, looked at the spot where the simulation had disappeared, and snorted coldly. Law also deactivated his ROOM and rubbed his throbbing temples.
"Solved." Zoro said succinctly.
"It seems that even Chaos simulation cannot immediately adapt to the restraint of 'extreme attributes'," Luo analyzed.
"Let's hurry and catch up with them, or we'll miss the show." Sanji lit a cigarette and looked into the distance where the bridge stretched out.
Meanwhile, the Thousand Sunny had reached the end of the Bridge of Order.
At the end of the bridge, instead of the expected stable area or exit, there was... a "door".
A colossal, ancient stone door. The door was tightly shut, its surface covered with a thick layer of regular sediment, as if it had endured countless ages of dust and moss. There were no decorations on the door, only countless naturally formed lines, like meridians, within which a Chaos energy flowed slowly like blood.
The stone gate floats alone in the Chaos, as if it has existed here since time immemorial, the only silent coordinate in this chaotic sea.
"A door?" Luffy tilted his head, looking around curiously. "What's behind that?"
"The probe waves cannot penetrate," Nami reported. "The material of the door and the 'sediment' on it completely block the probe. It... it's like a separate collection of rules."
Robin stepped forward, carefully examining the patterns on the door, his eyes growing brighter. "These patterns... are incredibly ancient, perhaps even older than the Poneglyph! They don't seem like artificial carvings, but rather... 'imprints' naturally formed by the solidification of the world's rules!"
"A door... naturally formed by the rules?" Franky stroked his chin excitedly. "Super-mysterious! Want to open it and take a look?"
All eyes were on Allen. He was an expert on the rules and the one who initiated this "trade".
Allen gazed at the stone door, sensing the vast, ancient, and restrained aura of rules emanating from it, and slowly said, "This door might be a key 'node' within the Cradle of Chaos, or rather... a 'seal.' Behind it might lie the core secrets of the Bed, or it might connect to a forgotten spacetime, or even... imprison something extremely terrifying."
He paused, then looked at Luffy: "Captain, make a decision. Should we try to open it, or find another way?"
Luffy adjusted his straw Straw Hat, revealing his signature adventurous smile:
"Is that even a question?"
"Of course--"
"Open it and take a look!"
Just as Luffy was about to push open the door, the regular patterns on the stone door seemed to be activated by their arrival, and suddenly began to slowly glow. From the depths of Chaos behind the door came a low, slow sound, as if from the ancient primordial era...
The sound of a heartbeat.
Thump...