The chaos in the vortex area after the Nest of Corruption dissipated did not immediately subside.
Without the forceful restraint and core suction of the corrupting power, the raging energy accumulated over countless years in the Ocean Current Graveyard completely spiraled out of control. The chain reaction triggered by the collapse of the space bubble was like throwing ice into a boiling pot of oil, creating even more violent ocean current collisions and spatial tremors. Huge waterspouts and spatial rifts ravaged this sea area like a final frenzy before death.
"We must leave immediately! This place is going to become a graveyard of energy storms!" Tortuga roared, his Giant Whale Tribe instincts making him tremble at the scale of nature's fury.
" Ark Maxim, full speed ahead! Destination: Deep-Sea Council Headquarters!" Allen made a decisive decision, his face still pale, but his voice was steady.
The seven-colored streaks of light weaved through the raging energy currents, like a small boat struggling in a stormy sea. Franky was completely focused on controlling the flow, Nami was doing her best to decipher the chaotic energy, Jinbe and Tortuga worked together to guide the relatively safe waterway. The rest of them were on high alert, wary of the final threat that might emerge from the storm.
After nearly an hour of bumpy, high-speed travel, the ship finally broke out of the most violent core influence zone of the Ocean Current Graveyard. Looking back, pitch-black thunderclouds gathered above that area, and countless Inazuma, like silver snakes dancing wildly, struck the sea surface, stirring up towering columns of water. Nature's rage was on its own, "cleaning up" and "soothing" that area severely damaged by corruption and battle.
"In the short term, that place will be a no-go zone for life," the water spirit Xi sensed the turbulent energy in the distance. "But without the continued erosion of the corrupting power, thanks to the Grand Line's own regenerative abilities, perhaps a new, healthy marine ecosystem will emerge there in a few decades. That's better than being completely swallowed up by corruption."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, their tense nerves relaxing slightly, and a wave of exhaustion washed over them. The continuous high-intensity battles, especially the final confrontation with the Nest of Corruption and the fleeting glimpse of the ancient malice at the other end of the passage, had taken a heavy toll on both their physical and mental strength.
Allen sat cross-legged on the deck, closing his eyes to regulate his breathing. Warm pulses emanated from the " Sparks Brand " deep within his soul, slowly but steadily nourishing his nearly depleted spiritual energy and digesting the "feedback" from this purification—not only the stabilization of his power, but also a deeper understanding of the nature of "corruption" and the characteristics of the spacetime channel. He could feel that his control over the power of Sparks and his application of the Torch Dragon's spacetime abilities were showing signs of breaking through a certain bottleneck.
"Is this the growth that comes from practice..." Allen realized to himself, "It seems that the path of the ' Watcher ' is destined to be firmly trodden only through the struggle against ' Chaos ' and 'corruption'."
Three days later.
Following Tortuga's guidance, Ark Maxim dived into a deep, tranquil sea. Located deep within the Calm Belt, the water was as still as a mirror, sunlight filtering through thousands of meters into the depths, casting a hazy blue-green glow that illuminated the scene below.
That was not a traditional city or palace.
Instead, it is a three-dimensional architectural complex, like a dreamlike crystal palace, constructed from countless giant corals, bioluminescent jellyfish, natural crystal veins, and some kind of translucent biological material. The complex extends along several underwater mountain ranges, its shape flowing naturally and blending perfectly with the surrounding marine environment. One can see all sorts of intelligent marine races moving about within it: in addition to the Giant Whale Tribe, water spirits, and Star-Spotted Giant Clam, there are elegant mermaids and strong Fish-Man (but unlike those on Fish-Man Island, they have more ancient and primitive patterns on their bodies), giant sea turtles carrying small buildings, and intelligent arrays composed of schools of phosphorescent deep-sea fish... There are even a few ancient Sea Kings that have shrunk in size, like docile giant beasts, quietly floating around the perimeter of the complex.
"Welcome to the headquarters of the Deep-Sea Council —'The City of Tranquil Echo '." Tortuga's voice was filled with pride and awe.
Guided by a guide sent by the council (a talking, glowing lanternfish wearing a small crown), the Ark Maxim slowly docked on a platform made of giant seashells, specially prepared for visitors. The platform was connected to the main building complex via transparent energy pipes.
As everyone stepped off the gangway, they immediately felt a rich yet gentle water-based energy enveloping their bodies. Breathing was effortless, and movement was as smooth as walking on flat ground—clearly, the entire city was shrouded in some kind of sophisticated life-sustaining and gravity-regulating force field.
"Lord Allen, valiant warriors, the Speaker and elders are awaiting you at the ' Deep Blue Hall '," the guide, Lanternfish, said politely. "Please follow me."
As they passed through the magnificent corridor made of glowing corals and crystals, the various intelligent marine races they encountered along the way cast curious, inquisitive, and, more importantly, grateful and respectful glances their way. Clearly, news of the successful purification of the Ocean Current Graveyard had already reached the council.
Finally, they arrived at a magnificent circular hall. The hall's dome was a huge, transparent crystal, outside which glowing deep-sea creatures swam, casting dreamlike light and shadow. In the center of the hall was a circular water platform for council meetings, above which floated more than a dozen "seats" of varying sizes and shapes—some were water masses adapted to by the Giant Whale Tribe, some were energy bubbles favored by water spirits, some were shell platforms of the giant clam race, and there was even a floating throne made of countless tiny jellyfish.
At this moment, these seats were occupied by the core members of the Deep-Sea Council —representative elders of various intelligent races. And in the central seat at the very center of the circular water platform sat a...
It was a female mermaid. But she was unlike any other mermaid. Her tail wasn't a single color, but rather like the purest deep-sea sapphire, with starlight flowing across its scales. Her face was almost ethereal in its beauty, her long, silvery-white hair swaying gently in the water like seaweed, and a simple crown made of unknown blue metal and living coral adorned her forehead. Most striking of all were her eyes—two deep, azure swirls that seemed to contain the entire history of the ocean.
Her aura was not sharp, but vast as an abyss and tranquil as the sea, carrying an ancient and wise quality that inspired awe in everyone.
"Welcome, Watcher has traveled from afar, and his companions." The female mermaid spoke, her voice ethereal and gentle, resonating deep within everyone's hearts with a strange, soothing power. "I am the Speaker of the Deep-Sea Council, ' The Deep Blue Singer,' Aisera. On behalf of the entire Council, I thank you for your outstanding contributions to purifying the ocean and eliminating the threat of corruption."
"Your Excellency, this is our duty." Allen nodded slightly, neither humble nor arrogant. He could sense that Speaker Aisera's strength was unfathomable, perhaps even comparable to the peak of the Four Emperors! But the aura emanating from her was that of pure marine life and wisdom, completely different from corrupt evil.
"No need for formalities. Please have a seat." Aisera waved her hand gently, and several human-sized seats made of soft algae and luminous moss rose up beside the water platform.
After everyone was seated, Tortuga stepped forward and respectfully reported the detailed process of the operation to the Speaker and the elders, especially the breaking of the trap at the south node, the terrifying form of Callistos, the characteristics of the Nest of Corruption, and... the discovery of the final spatial passage and Allen's speculation.
As Tortuga recounted his story, the atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly somber. When they heard that Callistos had become completely symbiotic with the Source of Corruption and transformed into that monster, several elders let out low growls of grief and anger. When they learned that the Nest of Corruption was a "Crypt of Doppelgangers" and that the two-way spatial passage existed, all the elders, including Speaker Aisera, became extremely solemn.
"... Lord Allen ultimately destroyed the Nest of Corruption with his powerful purifying force and severely damaged the passage. Before the passage collapsed, he memorized its spatial coordinates and fluctuation characteristics," Tortuga concluded. " Allen believes this might be a potential path to bypass the extreme environment of the ' Abyss Corridor ' and directly enter the Source of Corruption's main lair."
After the report was completed, the hall fell silent.
After a long silence, a gigantic elder of the Tridacna Clan, whose shell was covered in ancient markings, slowly spoke, his voice like the grinding of rocks. " Callistos... has fallen so low. A disgrace to the Shadow Shell Tribe, and a wound to the entire Council. His betrayal has exposed the secrets of the seal, accelerating the spread of corruption. He and the evil source he serves must be completely eradicated."
"But that passage..." a water elemental elder, whose form constantly shifted, uttered a splashing sound, "Is too dangerous. It's an energy transport path actively opened by the Source of Corruption, bound to be fraught with its power and traps. Forcibly locating and stabilizing it is tantamount to sending ourselves into the tiger's den. Not to mention, its most powerful form is located on the other side of the passage."
"But this is our only chance to bypass the formidable ' Abyss Corridor '!" A fiery-tempered Fish-Man elder with a shark's head slammed his fist on the water platform. "You all know the environment of the Abyss Corridor! The spatial turbulence, temporal anomalies, and mental corruption there make it difficult even for deep-sea creatures like us to survive for long! If we force our way through, we might not even see the Source of Corruption before suffering heavy losses! This passage, though dangerous, is at least a 'path'!"
"But this path could also be a trap deliberately left by the Source of Corruption!" Another cautious elder, as delicate as a sea lily, swayed his tentacles. "It may have foreseen that we would discover the passage, deliberately leaving a loophole to lure us into its territory, and then wipe us all out!"
The elders began to debate. The radicals believed they should seize the opportunity and launch a surprise attack through the passage; the conservatives, on the other hand, thought the risk was too great and that they should take a long-term approach, continue to strengthen the seal, and gradually eliminate the corrupt points on the periphery.
Allen listened quietly without interrupting. This was an internal decision of the Deep-Sea Council, and he needed to respect it.
Ultimately, all eyes turned to Speaker Aisera in the center.
Aisera, who had been listening intently with her eyes closed, slowly opened her azure, swirling eyes. She looked at Allen:
" Allen, you are the recorder of the portal's coordinates and the one who proposed using it. Given your understanding of the corrupting power and the characteristics of your ' Sparks ' power, what do you think is the likelihood that this portal was pre-set as a trap by the Source of Corruption? And what are the chances of success if we attempt to locate and stabilize it?"
The question is direct and pointed.
Allen pondered for a moment, then raised his head, his gaze meeting that of Aisera and the elders with composure:
"From what I perceive, before its destruction, the primary function of that passage was energy transmission and will projection. Although its structure was permeated by corrupting forces, it did not exhibit any trap features specifically designed to target 'external intruders'—at least, during my attack and the subsequent collapse, no additional traps beyond the passage's inherent defenses were triggered. Of course, this does not preclude the possibility that the Source of Corruption might have redeployed its traps on the other side after discovering the passage had been exposed."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "As for the chances of success... that depends on several factors. First, our technical ability to locate and stabilize the passage. Second, the speed and intensity of our attack after entering the passage—whether we can reach its core before the Source of Corruption can react and mobilize its forces to encircle and suppress us. Third, and most importantly—whether we have the power to confront, or even purify, the Source of Source of Corruption itself."
His gaze swept over the elders, finally settling on Aisera: "My ' Sparks ' power has a natural resistance to corruption. The purification of the Nest of Corruption this time has also proven that my attacks can inflict substantial damage on the Source of Corruption. However, I must admit that the power level of the Source of Source of Corruption far surpasses that avatar. With only myself and my companions, plus the power of the Council, a direct confrontation would be difficult to predict."
He then shifted his tone. "However, if we forgo this opportunity and choose to launch a direct attack from the ' Abyss Corridor,' or adopt a conservative defensive strategy, then the Source of Corruption will have more time to cultivate new clones, spread its contamination, and may even break through the ancient seal completely. At that point, we might not just be facing a monster entrenched in the Abyss Corridor, but a corrupting network that permeates the entire deep sea and even threatens the surface world. The risks will not decrease as we wait; on the contrary, they may multiply over time."
Silence fell once more in the hall. Allen's analysis was calm and objective, pointing out both the risks of using the passage and the potential consequences of giving up the opportunity.
Aisera stared at Allen, her azure vortex eyes seeming to shimmer with countless lights and shadows, rapidly deducing and weighing their options.
After a long silence, she spoke slowly, her voice firm and clear:
"His analysis, Lord Allen, coincides perfectly with my deductions. The threat of the Source of Corruption is a race against time. Conservative defense may delay the inevitable, but it cannot eradicate the scourge and will ultimately lead to a greater disaster."
She stood up, her azure fishtail swaying gently, exuding an undeniable air of authority.
" The Deep-Sea Council has been responsible for safeguarding the balance of the ocean since ancient times. Now, corruption has returned, traitors are stirring up trouble, and the ocean faces an unprecedented crisis. Retreat and waiting are not our options."
Her gaze swept over all the elders. "In the name of the Speaker, I propose: activate the highest-level response plan of the ' Deep Blue Protocol.' Gather all available forces and resources of the Council to assist Lord Allen in locating and stabilizing that spatial passage. Simultaneously, contact all maritime and land powers that are on goodwill towards us and capable of participating in this war, extending an invitation for an alliance."
She looked at Allen: "Lord Allen, we need your full participation in the ' Sparks ' power, especially in locating and stabilizing the passage, and the final purification of the source of Source of Corruption. In return, the Deep-Sea Council will spare no effort to provide intelligence, technology, resources, and... its most elite warriors. Furthermore, the Council's treasured knowledge about ancient seals, spatial mysteries, and even prehistoric civilizations' struggle against ' Chaos ' will be made available to you."
This was an incredibly heavy decision, but also a powerful commitment.
Allen took a deep breath and nodded solemnly. "I accept. Purifying corruption and upholding order is the mission of the ' Watcher.' My companions and I will fight alongside the Deep-Sea Council until the root cause is eradicated."
"Very good." A faint, yet reassuring smile appeared on Aisera's face. "Then, the alliance is established. Next, we need to formulate a detailed battle plan. First, there's the issue of the channel's location and stabilization technology..."
Just then--
"Report!" A swift swordfish responsible for communications rushed into the hall, its voice urgent. "Speaker! We've received an extremely unusual, ultra-long-range encrypted communication request from above the sea! The communication code... doesn't belong to any known ocean or land power! Its energy signature... carries strong, non-human-worldly fluctuations! The sender identifies themselves as... ' Super Soldier Company '!"
Super Soldier Company?!
Allen suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing with disbelief!
Ge Xiaolun? Rena? How did they get in touch here? And through the Deep-Sea Council's communication network? Could it be...?
Inside the hall, everyone was stunned. Fluctuations from rules outside this world? The Super Soldier Company?
A flicker of surprise crossed Speaker Aisera's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. "Connect. Directly access the Deep Blue Hall."
Soon, a slightly unstable holographic projection made of pure energy lit up in the center of the hall.
The projection showed Ge Xiaolun, dressed in black armor with a serious expression, and behind him, the figures of General Du Kao and Chief Lian Feng were faintly visible! The background appeared to be the command center of the Juxia.
"Brother Allen! We finally got in touch with you!" Ge Xiaolun visibly relaxed upon seeing Allen, but his expression remained grave. "How's the situation on your end? Something terrible has happened here!"
" Xiaolun? What happened?" A sense of foreboding rose in Allen's heart. "How did you manage to contact the Deep-Sea Council?"
"It's Wukong... the Victorious Fighting Buddha Sun Wukong. He sensed the extremely subtle resonant traces of rules between your world and ours, left behind by the previous interdimensional invasion. Combined with the technology of Chief Lian Feng's Super God Academy, and..." Ge Xiaolun paused, glancing at Du Kao beside him, "General Du Kao provided some remnants of knowledge about inter-universe communication in the ' Old Deno Galaxy,' which allowed us to barely establish this extremely unstable temporary channel. Time is limited, so I'll keep it brief."
His tone turned incredibly serious. "About three months after you left, we detected a sudden large-scale disturbance from Death God Karl of the Styx Galaxy, and... the long-hidden Triangular Body Civilization. They seem to be conducting some kind of extreme experiment targeting the ' Void ' and ' Sub-Biological Plane.' The resulting disturbances to the rules have affected multiple neighboring universes, including your world!"
"Just a week ago, we detected an extremely subtle but malicious 'probe wave' emanating from the Styx Galaxy in our universe. It pierced through the cosmic barrier and pointed to a certain coordinate in your world—based on the reverse calculation of the trajectory, the approximate area of that coordinate is where you are now... the 'deep sea'!"
Ge Xiaolun's eyes were filled with worry. "We suspect that Death God Karl or the Triangle Bodies may have somehow sensed the existence of the ' Source of Corruption ' in your world! Perhaps... they've even become interested in that power of ' Chaos ' and 'corruption'! Or worse... they're trying to establish contact, or utilize that power!"
Like a thunderclap, it exploded in the Deep Blue Hall!
Death God Karl! The Triangle Bodies! They've become interested in the Source of Corruption?!
If that mad necromancer scholar, or the Triangular Body Civilization with its bizarre and ruthless evolutionary path, were to come into contact with or even control the power of the Source of Corruption... the consequences would be unimaginable! It might not just be a disaster for one world, but a common threat to multiple universes!
Allen's expression changed completely.
Speaker Aisera and the elders were also horrified. Although they did not know exactly what " Death God Karl " and " The Triangle Bodies " were, the information that "a powerful force from another universe coveted the corrupting power" was enough to make the seriousness of the situation soar to an unprecedented level!
" Xiaolun, how long can the communication last?" Allen asked quickly.
"Five minutes at most! This passage is too unstable!" Ge Xiaolun said urgently. "We are trying to stabilize it, but it will take time! Allen, you must speed up! We absolutely cannot let the power of the Source of Corruption fall into the hands of Karl or the Triangle Bodies! If necessary... we will find a way to provide support, even if it means forcibly opening a temporary Wormhole!"
"Understood! Stay alert, we'll handle this as soon as possible!" Allen said in a deep voice.
"Take care! Super Soldier Company, ready to be deployed at any time!" Ge Xiaolun's figure began to flicker and distort.
Communication abruptly stopped.
Inside the Deep Blue Hall, there was a deathly silence.
Then came a sense of urgency, like a volcanic eruption!
"Immediately! Right now! Activate all contingency plans!" Speaker Aisera's voice was urgent for the first time. "Contact all allies we can reach! Open all classified knowledge bases! Mobilize all war resources! We have no time to hesitate or argue any longer!"
She looked at Allen, her gaze piercing. "Lord Allen, the plan has changed. We must not only purify the Source of Corruption, but also completely destroy it before other cosmic forces intervene! At all costs!"
Allen nodded emphatically, a fierce flame burning in his eyes.
Originally, it was just a war to purify this world.
Now, however, it may evolve into a multiverse-wide, time-consuming eradication operation!
Sparks must be ignited before the deepest darkness is watched by more evil eyes...
Burn it completely!