After obtaining the Star Fragment, the Combined Fleet acquired an ancient set of coordinates-the Time Sand Ruins, the legendary sacred ground of the ancient guardians of time. According to the star chart given to them by the void whales, the key to countering Imu's control over time might be hidden there.
"The Time Sand Ruins..." Sabo said as he deciphered the star chart. "Records say they're the source of the Sand of Time. Every grain carries a piece of history." Ace toyed curiously with the Star Fragment. "Sand of Time? Like a desert?" Luffy's eyes lit up. "Can we dig meat out of the sand?" Allen expanded his Time Perception, his expression turning to shock. "The flow of time there... it's like an hourglass, with every instant balanced between settling and flowing..."
When Pluton approached the Time Sand Ruins, the sight before them was breathtaking-golden Sand of Time floated throughout the entire star region, fragments of history flickering between its grains. The ruins themselves were an enormous hourglass-shaped structure, slowly rotating as they maintained some kind of cosmic-scale temporal balance.
"Welcome, child of time." A humanoid figure made of Sand of Time appeared. "I am the Time Sand Guardian. The ruins are under attack by the 'Time Marauders,' and we need your help."
Just as he said, a fierce battle was raging on the other side of the ruins! A group of distorted temporal creatures was attacking the hourglass's core. They could devour the flow of time, creating terrifying voids in spacetime!
"Time Marauders are parasites of time," the Guardian explained. "They devour history and create nothingness. If the core is destroyed, the flow of time throughout the universe will fall into chaos!"
Without hesitation, the fleet immediately joined the battle. But the Time Marauders' abilities were exceptionally bizarre:
· They could use Time Jump to evade every attack;
· They could use Time Devouring to make attacks "never have happened";
· They could even use Time Replication to create countless duplicates!
"I can't hit them!" Luffy's rubber fists passed through phantom images. Ace's flames were devoured by time. "It's like I never attacked!" Sabo's tactics were completely ineffective. "They've anticipated every move!" Allen fought back with his Power of Time, but the Time Marauders were resistant to temporal attacks!
More terrifying still, the Time Marauders began devouring the fleet's history! One frigate suddenly "had never existed," with even the memories of it erased!
"At this rate, we'll disappear from history!" Sabo cried in terror.
The Guardian provided a crucial piece of information. "Time Marauders fear the 'weight of history'! Attack with objects that carry significant history!"
In a flash of inspiration, Allen combined his emotional core with his Power of Time. "Time Weaving: History Reenactment!"
He summoned the most important fragments of every member's history:
· Luffy's promise with Shanks;
· Ace's memories with Rouge;
· Sabo's oath to the revolution;
· Whitebeard's bonds with his family;
· Even the entire Combined Fleet's history of struggle!
These weighty histories became tangible attacks, and the Time Marauders were indeed hurt! But they quickly adapted and began devouring these histories!
"It's not enough! We need weightier history!" the Guardian said anxiously.
Allen pushed his Time Perception to its limit and suddenly understood. "Not individual history... the history of the universe!"
He combined the Star Fragment with his Power of Time and connected to the great river of cosmic history! A historical torrent surged forth-the rise and fall of countless civilizations, the journeys of countless lives, and countless acts of love and sacrifice!
The Time Marauders were crushed beneath this vast weight of history! One after another, they dissipated in the torrent!
But just as victory was in sight, the largest Time Marauder devoured its companions and evolved into the "Time Marauder Emperor"! It attacked time itself, attempting to reset time throughout the entire region to zero!
"The Time Zero Domain is expanding! All existence will return to nothingness!" the Guardian said in despair.
Within the domain, everything began to disappear! Matter disintegrated, energy dissipated, and even time began to collapse!
"I won't let you!" Allen pushed his Power of Time to its utmost limit. "Time Eternity: Existence Anchoring!"
Using himself as an anchor, he forcibly stabilized the flow of time within the domain! But the cost was immense-his body began to break down temporally, sometimes aging at an accelerated rate and sometimes regressing into childhood!
"Allen!" the three brothers cried out. They wanted to help, but temporal turbulence blocked their way.
The Guardian made his decision. "Use me! I am a condensed mass of Sand of Time. I can provide enough temporal mass!"
He merged into Allen's body, supplying an enormous amount of temporal energy. Allen's Time Perception instantly expanded to a cosmic scale, and he saw the essence of time...
"Time isn't linear... it's cycles and spirals... a dance between existence and nothingness..."
In that moment of understanding, he performed an unprecedented operation-rather than resisting the reset of time to zero, he guided it. "Time Zero: Nirvana Rebirth!"
The zeroing domain suddenly reversed, changing from annihilation to reset! The Time Marauder Emperor suffered a backlash from its own energy and was reduced to the most basic Sand of Time in the reset!
The crisis passed, and the Time Sand Ruins regained their balance, becoming even more stable than before. All the devoured history was restored.
The Guardian's voice faded away in Allen's mind. "Time is in your hands now... Guardian..."
At the core of the ruins, Allen discovered the ultimate secret of the ancient guardians of time-time was not meant to be controlled, but cherished. Every instant was a gift, and every choice was an act of creation.
Imu's distortion lay in his attempt to freeze time in pursuit of eternal order, losing sight of time's true meaning.
As they left the Time Sand Ruins, everyone had gained a new understanding of time. They cherished the present more and placed greater importance on every choice.
Luffy was still boisterous, but he would stop to appreciate beautiful moments; Ace was still impulsive, but he would consider the consequences of his actions; Sabo still made plans, but he would enjoy the surprises along the way; even the most impatient among them learned patience.
The Guardian gave Allen a "Time Sand Hourglass," which could adjust the flow of time within a small area when needed.
Standing at Pluton's bow and looking back at the gradually receding Time Sand Ruins, Allen held the hourglass as its sand flowed slowly.
A true master of time was not someone who controlled it, but someone who cherished it.
This reverence for time would guide them to cherish every present moment.
Pluton sailed toward its ultimate destiny, carrying a profound understanding of time.
And that understanding might well be the key to countering Imu's obsession with eternity.