The Ark Maxim departed from the still-reborn Qingyang II amidst the embers of war and, propelled by stellar power, sailed steadily within the Jade Nebula. The deeper it ventured, the denser the nebula's matter became, with magnificent green and blue gaseous clouds resembling an abstract painting on a cosmic scale. Occasionally, colorful asteroid belts would drift by like ribbons, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.
The voyage was relatively peaceful. Franky used the " Qingyang Crystal Cluster " to conduct some optimization tests on the energy system. The results showed that the energy output of this crystal was extremely stable, and the energy density per unit far exceeded expectations, making it an excellent backup energy source and an ideal fuel for certain high-energy-consuming devices. Usopp and Chopper, on the other hand, were enthusiastically studying some local plant and animal samples (which had undergone strict quarantine) brought back from Qingyang II, filled with novelty.
Robin and Allen spent most of their time immersed in the data they had obtained from the Crystal Husk Empire's orbital station. The data was extremely large and highly encrypted, and it would take time to decipher and analyze it.
A few days later, they finally made some crucial discoveries.
" The Crystal Husk Empire... is indeed just an 'executor' unit under the ' Purge Protocol '." Robin presented her analysis to everyone in the conference room. "Their core commands come from a superior node called the ' Sovereign Will 'Sovereign Will,' which reports directly to the ' Observers.'"
The screen displayed a blurry, complex network structure composed of countless points of light and lines. One node was highlighted and marked " Crystal Husk Empire," which connected upwards to a much larger, darker shadow—" The Sovereign Will."
"The location of this ' Sovereign Will ' is top secret and cannot be directly obtained from this data," Robin continued. "However, the data repeatedly mentions the ' Eleusis Star Cluster,' marking it as a 'high-risk quarantine zone' and an 'information black hole.' The Purge Protocol seems to be very wary of that area, and its fleets deliberately avoid the cluster's core region in their operations."
"Fear?" Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Even that so-called agreement has moments of fear?"
"Not fear, more like... caution," Allen added, pointing to some records in the data regarding energy readings and spatial anomalies. "There seems to be some powerful force within the Eleusis Star Cluster, capable of interfering with or even shielding the Purge Protocol's detection. This also explains why the star map marks it as the ' Ancient Covenant '; there may be a civilization or force there that even Observers cannot easily control."
This news excited everyone. A place that could make the Purge Protocol bypass it must be hiding a huge secret and power.
"Great! Then we need to hurry!" Luffy shouted excitedly.
After a period of sailing, Ark Maxim finally reached the edge of the Eleusis Star Cluster.
From a distance, this star cluster resembles a vast vortex of countless blue-white stars, nebulae, and mysterious rings, serene and magnificent. However, when the spaceship attempted to enter, it immediately sensed something different.
Buzz...
A strange, deep resonance resounded, not transmitted through the air, but acting directly on the spaceship's structure and the crew's senses. The Ark Maxim's shield automatically activated, rippling as if passing through an invisible energy membrane.
"High-intensity, unknown type of energy field detected!" Franky stared at the fluctuating data on the control panel. "It's not aggressive, it's more like... an identification and filtering mechanism! Our shields and energy signatures are being scanned!"
Everyone tensed up. If they couldn't get past this screening, they might not even be able to get in the door.
A few seconds later, the scan appeared to be over. The resonant sound disappeared, and the shield stabilized.
[Identification passed. Energy signature: Stellar Power (Ancient Style), Life Reactions (Carbon-based/Multi-racial), No 'Purge' Contamination Mark. Permitted to enter the Eleusis Sanctuary Domain.]
A gentle and neutral thought wave entered each person's mind directly, clearly and without error.
"It passed!" Usopp breathed a sigh of relief.
The Ark Maxim successfully entered the star cluster. The scenery here was different from the magnificence outside. The starlight was softer, the space was exceptionally clean, and interstellar dust was almost invisible. Some planets had obvious artificial spots of light, and even huge, work-of-art space structures could be observed suspended in orbit.
This place is full of vitality and order, which stands in stark contrast to the chaos under the rule of the Crystal Husk Empire and the hardships of Qingyang II outside.
"This is Eleusis... It's definitely different," Nami exclaimed.
However, Allen frowned slightly. His senses were more acute than any instrument could perceive.
"The tranquility here... seems almost too perfect," he whispered to Robin. "The energy field is powerful yet gentle, but it always feels... lacking something. Like a meticulously maintained greenhouse."
Robin shared the same sentiment. "A civilization that can make the Purge Protocol wary cannot rely solely on passive defense. Beneath this absolute tranquility, there may be undercurrents that we have yet to detect."
As they cautiously sailed toward a star system near the core of the star cluster, as indicated by the star chart, a small, elegantly designed, streamlined spaceship with a pearly white sheen silently appeared on the side of the Ark Maxim.
It was unarmed and showed no hostility; it simply maintained synchronized navigation and sent a clear communication request.
The master of the Eleusis Star Cluster has already noticed their arrival.
The real contact is about to begin.