Behind Keeper of Secrets Omega, the vortex of concepts slowly rotated, with countless fragments of knowledge rising and falling within it. Each fragment emanated a heart-stopping fluctuation—it was the embodiment of rules, a remnant of truth, a cosmic mystery capable of driving mortals mad.
"The trial of rules begins."
Omega's voice was devoid of emotion. He gently raised his hand, and a fragment shimmering with starlight flew out of the vortex. The fragment unfolded in the air, transforming into a miniature Milky Way, enveloping Luffy and Allen.
"Gum-Gum-- " Luffy instinctively threw a punch, but his giant rubber arm began to disintegrate the instant it touched the Milky Way —not physically, but conceptually. "What's going on? My arm!"
"This is the concept of 'denial of existence'!" Allen hurriedly expanded his Definition Domain, forcibly solidifying Luffy's essential existence. "Don't use physical attacks to fight against concepts! Use your will to fight against them!"
Luffy Satori, unleashing his full power in Nika Form, the drumbeats of liberation resounding throughout space. Ripples of laughter collided with the miniature galaxy, rules annihilating each other.
"Interesting. "Omega raised his hand again, this time sending out three fragments simultaneously.
A concept that transforms into "the end of time," leaving everything withering in its wake;
A concept transformed into a "spatial cage" trapped Zoro and the others in a frozen spacetime.
The final element, embodying the concept of "reversal of cause and effect," caused the flames Sanji kicked to burn himself instead.
"Super Concept Defense Shield!" Franky activated General Franky's latest function, a shield of light flashing with data streams protecting the ship's hull, but it kept flickering under the impact of the concept and obviously couldn't hold out for long.
The special Seed that Usopp shot out transformed into an abstract mathematical formula the moment it left his slingshot; Chopper's Rumble Ball decomposed into a chemical equation in the air; and Brook's Requiem notes solidified into a visible musical staff.
This was a battle they had never experienced before—not on a physical level, but on the level of the most fundamental rules.
"Let me do it." Allen took a deep breath, and the Chaos patterns reappeared in his eyes. This time, he did not suppress the Chaos rules within his body, but instead guided them to merge with the Power of Definition.
The grayish-white light condensed in his hand, no longer simply Definition Domain, but a brand-new power with Chaos characteristics.
Definition: The rules here shall be based on balance.
Where the light reached, the rampaging concept temporarily calmed down. Time resumed its flow, space returned to its original state, and cause and effect returned to normal. But Allen also paid a price for this— the Chaos color in his eyes became even more intense.
"Not enough." Omega's voice remained calm. "This is merely the surface of the rules. To truly master the Cradle of Chaos, you need to understand something deeper."
The vortex of concepts behind him suddenly accelerated, Hundred Plans fragments of rules flew out simultaneously! This time, they no longer attacked, but instead intertwined in the air to form a vast tapestry—
That is the birth and destruction of the universe, the rise and fall of countless civilizations, the evolutionary path of life from single-celled organisms to intelligent species, and the eternal cycle of love and hate, war and peace, creation and destruction.
The overwhelming amount of information assaulted everyone's consciousness like a tsunami.
Usopp and Chopper fainted instantly; their minds couldn't withstand the shock. Nami collapsed to her knees, black smoke billowing from her recording device. Franky's mechanical body kept malfunctioning, the system on the verge of collapse. Even strong fighters like Zoro and Sanji had to Resistance with all their might to stay conscious.
"Is this... the truth of the world?" Robin, though in pain, still greedily recorded every scene. "It's too beautiful... and too cruel..."
Luffy's Nika Form flickered under the onslaught of information, but he remained standing. "I see it! Everyone's dreams! Everyone's pain! This is... the Voice of All Things!"
Suddenly, Luffy radiated an unprecedented light. It wasn't Nika's power, but something more primal—the ability to Voice of All Things, and the capacity to understand all emotions.
"I heard it!" Luffy shouted, "I heard the world weeping! And I heard the world laughing!"
This force resonated with Allen's Power of Definition, and the two forces intertwined in the air, temporarily stabilizing the impact of the scroll of rules.
For the first time, Omega showed an expression—a mixture of surprise and relief.
"So that's how it is... Is this the path Joy Boy chose? Not control, not sealing, but... understanding and coexistence."
He waved his hand, dispersing the scroll of rules, and the vortex of concepts slowly subsided.
"You have passed the trial."
Omega's figure began to become transparent, but his voice remained clear:
"Young inheritors, and Joyboy's successors, remember everything you've felt today. Chaos is not the enemy, nor is order the end. True balance lies in understanding the voices of all things, in embracing all possibilities."
His gaze finally settled on Allen:
" The Chaos within you is not a curse, but a gift. The key lies in how you use it—to control or to understand; to destroy or to create."
"Now, go to the Hall of Echo. There you will find the answers you seek, and also... the destiny you must face."
After saying this, Omega completely dissipated, turning into specks of starlight and merging into the surrounding space.
The collapse ceased, and the rules returned to stability. The doors of the Hall of Echo slowly opened before them.
Luffy helped his unconscious companion to his feet, and Allen wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. The two looked at each other and saw the determination in each other's eyes.
The real challenge has only just begun.