The silver trail of the Ark Maxim slowly dissipated into Earth's outer space, like a brief yet stirring cosmic poem coming to a close. However, the ripples left behind by the departing visitor from another world were only just beginning to spread throughout this world.
North Star, Headquarters of the Super God Academy, Top Secret Conference Room.
Around the enormous circular conference table sat the core high-ranking officials of Earth's defense forces, as well as the main representatives of the Super Soldier Company. On the holographic projection, images of the two battles in Kunlun Snow Valley and the sea area of Newborn Island were being played repeatedly, especially the shocking scene at the end where Allen ignited the " Sparks " and the will of everyone resonated to dispel the fragments of the " Shadow of the End ".
"The energy analysis report is out." Lian Feng's voice rang out in the conference room, carrying a complex mix of disbelief, exhaustion, and excitement. "In the final stage, the energy peak of the will resonance field centered on the ' Star Core Mark '... briefly reached the energy level standard of the ' Fourth Generation Divine Body ' or even higher in our theoretical model. But this is not based on Dark Energy or the Gene Engine, but rather a pure, highly condensed manifestation of 'collective consciousness' and 'rule affinity.'"
" The Fourth Generation Divine Body... at the conceptual level..." Du Kao pondered, tapping his fingers on the table, "This explains why they can ignore the suppression of the Void, and even reverse purification. Their power system seems to bypass the conventional path of 'driving energy to interfere with matter,' directly touching upon the essence of 'existence' and 'rules.'"
Chief Huang frowned. "Is this kind of power... controllable? I mean, what if they become our enemies in the future..."
"At least for now, they've shown themselves to be steadfast guardians, not destroyers," Du Kao shook his head. "Moreover, their desire to find their way back is incredibly strong, which in itself is a constraint. More importantly, they've taught us another possibility—the power of will. When facing a conceptual threat like the Void, perhaps pure technological and energy confrontation isn't the only solution."
Ge Xiaolun began, "Their ' Haki,' especially Luffy's ' Conqueror's Haki,' is remarkably effective against mental attacks and willpower-based confrontations. Commander Lian Feng, could we...?"
"We're already attempting to analyze and simulate it," Lian Feng said, pulling up a complex data stream. "' Haki ' is essentially the interference and reinforcement of reality by the life form's own will, completely different from our Super Gene ' precise manipulation of Dark Energy. Direct transplantation or replication is almost impossible, but their philosophy—strengthening the warrior's own will and beliefs as a weapon against specific threats—is worth learning from. I suggest launching the ' Heart Source Project ' to research how to enhance the super-soldier's mental resilience, belief cohesion, and will manifestation ability."
Rena raised her hand. "I agree. When I Sanji, I felt that his flames weren't just energy conversions, but also contained a strong will to 'protect the lady' and 'pursue his dream,' which gave his attacks a unique 'penetrating power.' If we could integrate this willpower into the Stellar Drive..."
The meeting lasted for several hours and ultimately reached several resolutions: to strengthen long-term monitoring and research of the Kunlun and Deep Sea ruins; to deepen intelligence sharing with allies such as Lieyang and Angels, and jointly monitor the movements of Death God Karl and the Triangle Bodies; to launch the " Heart Source Project " to explore the possibility of integrating willpower with the existing super-god system; and... to secretly establish a special " Sparks Observation Station " to use biological samples left behind by the Straw Hat Pirates (such as Usopp's special plant Seed and Chopper's hair) and energy residue to attempt to establish an extremely weak, and perhaps never-to-be-practical, cross-dimensional sensing mechanism, just for that slim possibility of knowing whether they are safe and sound.
Styx Galaxy, Death Song Academy.
In the empty and desolate hall, Karl still stood by the window, as if he had never changed since time immemorial. Sno stood respectfully behind him, reporting detailed intelligence from Earth regarding the battles of Kunlun and Newborn Island.
"... Void Creation No. 0327 was destroyed, and ' Shadow of the End ' Fragment 0371 was completely purified. The otherworldly individual ' Allen ' demonstrated Transcendence unexpected 'rule purification' ability and was able to guide a large-scale resonance of wills..." Sno's voice was calm and even, but a trace of fear was hidden deep in his eyes. That power that could even "purify" the Void was beyond his understanding of the known universe.
Karl listened quietly until Sno finished his report, then slowly spoke, his voice still gentle. "Have you collected the experimental data?"
"Yes, God. All energy changes and rule disturbances before the destruction of No. 0327 and during the purification process of No. 0371 have been fully recorded. In addition, the mental connection pattern between the Triangle Bodies and the fragment of No. 0371, as well as the resonance data between the otherworldly individual's ' Star Core Mark ' and the relic device, have also been obtained. The amount of data is extremely large, and it is currently undergoing preliminary analysis."
"Very good." Karl turned around, a near-fanatical smile appearing on his pale face. "Failure is not terrible; what is terrible is gaining nothing. Number 0327 proved the suppressive power of Void creations over conventional divine bodies. The encounter with Number 0371 revealed... a possible path to confront the ' Void ' and even the more ancient concept of ' End' —not more powerful energy, but a more 'essential' 'will to exist.'"
He walked to the huge star map, tapped it lightly, and several specially marked coordinates hidden in remote corners of the universe appeared on the star map.
" The Void Age is approaching, but the shadow of ' The End ' may never have truly left. These visitors from another world are like a mirror, reflecting a 'side' we've never noticed." Karl's eyes were deep. "Accelerate the development of the ' Void Engine: The End Type.' I need to understand 'rules,' 'will,' and... how to transform ' Void ' itself into a tool for us to understand the world, and even Transcendence it."
"Furthermore," he paused, "deep contact with the Triangular Body Civilization can continue, but the direction must be adjusted. Their obsession with the fragments of the ' Shadow of the End ' may stem from their unique, ocean- and spiritually-based collective consciousness's distorted yearning for a certain 'ultimate silence.' Utilize this, but don't let them drag you into that ancient 'gray fog.' Our goal is to understand and control the ' Void,' not to become slaves to the ' End.'"
"Yes, my God." Sno bowed.
"And Morgana... she must be getting restless too." Karl gazed at the deep starry sky, as if he could see the Demon Queen's simmering ambition. "Tell her I'm very interested in the clash between her 'fallen freedom' and the 'absolute freedom' of the otherworldly beings. Perhaps we can find some... interesting commonalities."
Demon One, Central Hall.
Morgana sat with her legs crossed, swirling her wine glass as she listened to Ato's report. Her expression shifted between surprise and amusement, eventually settling into a soft chuckle.
"Hahaha! Interesting! Very interesting!" Morgana downed her drink in one gulp. "That perverted Karl's 'little toy' was purified? Even the fragments of the 'ancient filth' he'd been eyeing for who knows how many years were burned away? Or were they taken care of by a bunch of 'otherworldly pirates' with their 'power of allies'?"
She stood up and paced around the hall, her long red hair swaying with her movements. "'Resonance of Will'? 'Sparkling Sparks Ignite Darkness'? It sounds even more idealistic, even more... unscientific than that bitch Kaisa's ' Order of Justice '!"
She stopped, her eyes gleaming with cunning and ambition. "But I like it! The demon's 'fallen freedom' is essentially the release of inner desires and will! If we can master the method of transforming collective will into real power... tsk tsk, what's overthrowing Kaisa's 'justice'? Maybe we can even corrupt Karl's ' Void truth' with 'free will,' turning it into 'fallen Void '! Haha!"
Ato hesitated, then said, "Your Majesty, those otherworldly beings have already left."
"So what if they left?" Morgana dismissively. "They left behind 'legends,' 'methods,' and perhaps even... some 'little gifts' we haven't discovered yet." Her gaze turned towards Earth. " Ato, get the children lurking on Earth moving. Carefully search every corner of Kunlun and that sea area. Especially the places where those 'glowing jellyfish' ( Watcher creatures) appear and disappear. I always felt that those 'old friends in the sea' and 'ancient relics in the mountains' wouldn't just disappear completely. They've waited so long, they've found the ' Key,' there can't be no follow-up..."
Angel Nebula, Merlot Heavenly Court.
Inside the solemn temple, Angel Yan sat high on the throne (though she preferred to call it a "temporary seat"), flanked by guardian angels on the left and right, as well as a host of high-ranking angels.
Angel Zhui is reporting on the details of the trip to Earth, as well as her observations and assessments of the Straw Hat Pirates, especially Allen.
"... In conclusion, although their power system is unknown and their behavior patterns are unpredictable, the core members' ideals of 'protecting their comrades,' 'pursuing freedom,' and 'resisting injustice' do not conflict with some core elements of ' Order of Justice ' principles. In fact, they have demonstrated astonishing courage and potential in confronting ultimate threats like ' the Void ' and ' the End, '" Angel Zhui concluded. "I believe we can temporarily classify them as 'potential maintainers of order' and observe them over the long term."
Angel Leng her arms and scoffed, "Potential? A bunch of rule-breakers with unknown origins! Who knows if their so-called 'freedom' will turn into chaos? That captain Luffy, what's in his head besides adventure and meat? And that cook Sanji, he gets horny every time he sees a woman, it's practically blasphemy against angels!"
Angel Lingxi gently retorted, "Sister Leng, but they did save the Earth and purify the ' Shadow of the End,' which even we found troublesome. That ' Sparks ' power was full of life and hope, not evil."
Angel Yan raised her hand to stop any potential argument, her gaze calm and profound. "Queen Kaisa's knowledge treasury is currently working diligently to analyze the data collected from the Kunlun Ruins and the Last Will Resonance Field. The preliminary conclusion is that their power originates from a ' Heart Source Rules ' that we have not yet fully understood, deeply bound to life consciousness, emotions, and beliefs. This is quite different from our ' Sacred Rules ' based on logic, order, and sacred coding, but it is not opposed to them."
She stood up and walked down the steps. "The truth of the universe may be more diverse than we imagine. 'Justice' needs to uphold the known order, but it also needs to embrace the unknown possibilities. List the ' Straw Hat Pirates ' and the related ' Sparks ' phenomenon as a top-secret angelic observation item, second only to the ' Void Threat' and 'Demon Movements.' At the same time, strengthen patrols and surveillance in the Milky Way, especially near the Solar System. I have a feeling that Karl and Morgana won't give up so easily, and the appearance of ' Sparks ' may have already changed something."
Earth, deep within the Mount Kunlun Range.
A team of top scientists, archaeologists, and explorers equipped with the latest protective gear from the Super God Academy is carefully excavating and studying the ruins near the Black Gate.
The giant gate remained silent, riddled with cracks, but researchers, using the most sophisticated instruments, detected an extremely faint, almost hallucinatory energy pulse deep within it, like a slowly beating heart, or perhaps recording something.
"After being illuminated by the ' Sparks,' some of the runes on the door seem to have undergone a permanent change." An ancient paleographer excitedly pointed to a section of the door frame. "Look here! This symbol, which originally represented 'closed' and 'waiting,' now has an extremely subtle derivative pattern inside, representing 'connection established' or ' Key returned'! Although the ' Key ' that activated it has left, this door... may no longer be a completely inanimate object."
Elsewhere, geologists discovered rock layers eroded by fragments of the Shadow of the End and the energy of " Sparks," exhibiting peculiar crystallization and energy imprinting phenomena. They are extracting samples to study the mysteries of material changes under this extreme energy environment.
Newborn Island No. 1, the sea area above the deep-sea ruins.
A specially designed research vessel is currently operating. Sonar and energy detectors indicate that the deep-sea relic device has sunk back to the seabed, and the energy response is stable. However, a weak, persistent bio-energy field has been detected in the waters within a radius of several kilometers around the device. Occasionally, scattered bioluminescent marine creatures ( Watcher ) can be seen swimming in the deep sea; they appear to be more active and no longer completely hidden.
Marine biologists and energy scientists are collaborating to try to understand the nature of this bioenergy field and how it relates to the remnants and changes in the marine environment following the " Sparks " event.
In the realm of networks and information, invisible to ordinary people, various legends, eyewitness reports, videos of dubious authenticity, and discussions about " Kunlun Divine Light," " Pacific Ocean Miracle," and "alien allies" are quietly circulating and fermenting globally. Despite the efforts of governments and Super God Academy to control and guide these phenomena, the concepts of "visitors from another world" and "ancient guardians" have stirred up ripples in the collective subconscious of humanity worldwide, much like pebbles thrown into a calm lake.
Perhaps this is the most profound impact the Straw Hat Pirates left on Earth—a window quietly opened, revealing the truth of the world and its infinite possibilities.
Beyond the Xinghai, within the Ark Maxim.
Sailing through the silent universe, temporarily escaping the tense war and complex games, the Straw Hat Pirates enjoyed a rare moment of leisure.
Luffy is sparring with Zoro in the training room, shouting that he wants to learn new techniques that can be used even in space. Sanji is in the kitchen researching new dishes that combine Earth ingredients with cosmic artifacts. Nami is recalibrating the star map and planning a flight path based on newly acquired data. Usopp is tinkering with his new invention, " Interstellar Usopp Comet," in the workshop. Chopper is in the infirmary organizing new medical knowledge he learned from Yu Qin. Robin is in the reading room digesting the massive amount of historical and mythological data she brought back from Earth. Franky is in the engine room optimizing and debugging the Star Core Reactor. Brook is in the music room composing a new cosmic melody. Jinbe is on the observation deck, gazing at the boundless starry Xinghai, contemplating the future of the Fish-Man Race and the differences between different world ocean civilizations.
Allen stood alone on the bridge, gazing at the long route home on the navigation screen.
He fiddled with the silver Beacon given to him by Angel Yan, then glanced at the simple bracelet on his wrist, a temporary modification given to him by the Super Soldier Company, capable of receiving information from Earth's specific encrypted frequency bands (if any).
Earth's experience was like a brief yet profound dream. They left behind traces of battle, gained sincere friendships, and glimpsed the vastness of the universe and the weight of its ancient secrets.
And now, carrying all of this, they continue on their journey.
The sea breeze of my hometown, the smiling faces of my friends, the unfinished adventure, the ultimate answer waiting to be revealed... all lie ahead.
But for some reason, Allen had a vague feeling in his heart.
Their destiny, intertwined with Earth, the Super Soldier Company, angels, and even Death God Karl and Morgana... through the " Sparks," may not have been broken by spatial distance.
Someday in the future, when the time is ripe, when the "shadow" descends once more in an even more terrifying form...
The Sparks may be rekindled.
At that time, what will converge will not only be the wills of two worlds.
But that's a story for later.
Now--
" Franky, how long until the next navigation point?" Allen connected to the internal communication.
"SUPER! Twelve hours to go! We are currently traversing a stable nebula belt; the energy environment is stable!"
"Very good. Maintain course."
Allen took one last look at the blue planet behind him, which was now nowhere to be seen, before turning and walking toward the training room.
" Luffy, Zoro, count me in!"
The journey home is long, but the journey continues.
Become stronger, explore, and then... return to the sea that belongs to them!