The advance fleet of the Eternal Council halted its voyage at the edge of the Sea of Balance.
It wasn't because they encountered obstacles, but because they chose to stop.
The three spaceships, each ten times the size of the New Thousand Sunny, were entirely black with smooth, mirror-like surfaces. They had no portholes or gun barrels, and not even the light from their thrusters could be seen. They floated silently in the Xinghai, like three solidified, Dark Star.
"High-dimensional rule disturbance detected." Ge Xiaolun's voice came through the inter-universe communication network. The Super Soldier Company's monitoring system was already operating at full power. "But... it's strange. Their energy readings are almost zero, yet they give off an indescribable sense of oppression."
"That's not energy oppression," Robin, staring at the observation screen. "It's conceptual oppression. Their very existence negates the surrounding rules of freedom."
The New Thousand Sunny docked next to the rules platform and rendezvoused with Allen.
Luffy stood at the bow of the ship, his Straw Hat fluttering slightly in the sea of Xinghai: "Those are the enemies?"
"Advance team." Allen rose from the platform, his transparent eyes sweeping over the three black ships. " The Eternal Council operates according to 'procedure.' They will test first, then assess, and finally execute."
"What are you testing?"
"To test whether we are qualified to be 'independent'," Allen said calmly. "In their eyes, every universe is a petri dish in a laboratory, and intelligent life is an experimental animal. When an animal in a petri dish starts trying to break the dish, they don't just crush it; instead, they test the animal's 'degree of mutation' and 'danger' first."
Zoro gripped the hilt of his sword tightly. "You treat us like animals?"
"In their billions of years of observation and control, all civilizations are indeed animals." Allen looked at the black spaceship. "The only difference is that some are docile rabbits, and some are dangerous beasts. And they are the zookeepers."
Just then, the hatches of the three black spaceships opened simultaneously.
There was no gangway, no light.
Three humanoid figures—or at least those that appeared humanoid—appeared directly in the starry sky in front of the spaceship.
Their attire was simple: plain black robes, devoid of any decoration. Their faces were obscured by the shadows of their hoods, revealing only the outlines of their chins. Yet, everyone could sense that three pairs of eyes were observing them, observing the entire Sea of Balance, observing the two universes.
The human-shaped opening on the left has a neutral, uninflected voice.
[Test program started.]
[Target Universe ID: Dual-α-7 (Twin Alpha 7)]
[Test Item 1: Memory Stability]
[Ten key awareness points were randomly selected for a memory rewriting test.]
[Observational Indicator: The self-repairing ability of the universe's rules.]
The central humanoid figure raised its hand, and ten points of light appeared in its palm. Human figures could be vaguely seen within these points of light.
--Kozuki Hiyori (Shogun of Wano Country )
--Sabo (Commander-in-Chief of the Revolutionary Army )
--Princess Shirahoshi ( Poseidon )
--Ge Xiaolun (Core Member of Super Soldier Company )
--Angel Yan (King of Angels)
--Law (Former Shichibukai, now a doctor across universes)
-- Vivi (Princess of Alabasta, diplomat)
-- Vegapunk (Former World Government Scientist, current Director of Transverse Research)
--Marco (Leader of the Whitebeard Pirates )
--And... Luffy.
"Damn it!" Sanji instantly used Geppo to dash forward, "How dare you—!"
But before he could get close, he was frozen in mid-air by an invisible force.
It's not physical confinement, but logical confinement.
The humanoid figure on the right is looking at Sanji:
[Interference with test procedures, violation of the observation protocol.]
[Recommendation: Temporarily remove the interfering factors.]
As soon as he finished speaking, Sanji's figure vanished from the starry sky.
It wasn't a teleportation, and it wasn't a kill.
It means to erase.
Temporarily erased from existence.
" Sanji--!!" Nami screamed.
"Calm down!" Allen raised his hand, and a transparent light spread out, stabilizing everyone's emotions. "He's not dead, he's just been 'logic-isolated.' He'll recover after the test."
The human figure on the left nodding:
[Correct. Our purpose here is testing, not destruction.]
[Now, let's begin the test.]
Ten points of light flew out from the palm, transforming into ten beams of light that shot out in different directions in the universe.
The test has begun.
Wano Country, the Flower Capital.
Kozuki Hiyori was reviewing memorials, the dragon pattern on her forehead emitting a faint glow.
Suddenly, she felt dizzy.
Everything before my eyes began to blur, and memories receded like the tide.
--Momonosuke 'Momonosuke smile blurred.
My mother's teachings have faded.
--The memories of fighting alongside the Straw Hat Pirates have vanished.
In the end, she forgot who she was.
"Who... who am I?"
She stared blankly at the pen in her hand, at the palace around her, and at the kneeling retainers.
Her retainers looked at her in horror. "General! What's wrong with you!"
Hiyori shook her head. "General... who is the general?"
She stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at Wano Country.
"Where... am I?"
Why am I here?
"What should I... do?"
In the blank space of memory, a new "memory" begins to be implanted:
[You are an agent of the Eternal Council, codename ' Gentle Breeze '.]
Your mission is to maintain the 'stability' of this world and eliminate all 'variables'.
[Now, the first order: Arrest everyone who knows the 'historical truth'.]
A grayish-white light flashed in Hiyori's eyes.
She turned around, her expression turning cold.
"Issue the order: arrest all historians and destroy all Poneglyph."
The retainers were stunned. "General! What did you say?!"
"Execute the order." Hiyori's voice was devoid of emotion. "Those who resist, kill without mercy."
Wano Country has fallen into chaos.
Meanwhile, similar things were happening at nine other locations:
Sabo forgot about the revolution and began to suppress the resistance.
Shirahoshi forgot her promise and ordered the Sea Kings to attack Fish-Man Island.
Ge Xiaolun forgot his responsibilities and shut down the Earth's defense system.
Angel Yan forgot about justice and ordered the Angel Legion to retreat to the Merlot Heavenly Court.
Law forgot his promise and began using the power of the Op-Op Fruit to conduct human modification experiments.
Vivi forgot about her country and declared Alabasta's submission to the "Eternal Order."
Vegapunk forgot his conscience and began developing mind control weapons.
Marco forgot his companions and flew alone into the depths of space, never to look back.
And Luffy--
He stood at the bow of the New Thousand Sunny, looking bewildered.
"Where... am I going?"
What... do I need to do?
Nami rushed over and grabbed his shoulder. " Luffy! You're going to be the Pirate King! We have to find ONE PIECE!"
" Pirate King... ONE PIECE..." Luffy repeated, his eyes vacant. "What is that...? Does it even matter?"
Zoro drew his sword and pointed it at the Eternal Council's envoy. "What did you do to him?!"
The envoy in the middle answered calmly:
[It simply removed his 'most important memory anchor'.]
[Every intelligent life form possesses core memories that underpin its existence. Removing these memories renders the life form fragile and easily reconstructed.]
[This is the first step in the test: to see if the laws of the universe will attempt to repair these memories.]
[If the repair is successful, it proves that this universe has a tendency towards 'self-awareness' and requires a higher level of control.]
[If the repair fails...]
He didn't finish speaking, but everyone understood.
Failure means that this universe is "unqualified" and will be directly reset.
" Allen!" Nami turned around, "Can you fix it?!"
Allen closed his eyes, and a transparent light emanated from his body.
He was sensing the regular flow of the entire universe.
Memory is part of the rules—a manifestation of "continuity of existence." When memories are altered, cracks appear in the rules.
He tried to fix it.
But the special envoys all raised their hands at the same time.
Three black beams of light enveloped Allen.
[ The Balancer, you are the observer, not the repairer.]
[Please do not interfere with the test.]
Allen felt his control over the rules was being restricted.
It's not a suppression of power, but a deprivation of authority.
The Eternal Council, as "Observers," possesses the "highest authority" to conduct tests in this universe, while Allen's " Balancer authority" has been temporarily downgraded.
"Damn it..." Allen gritted his teeth.
He looked at Luffy.
Luffy still stood there blankly, his Straw Hat askew.
" Luffy..." Allen said softly, "Do you remember him?"
"When we first met."
You said you wanted to become the Pirate King.
Luffy's eyes flickered.
But the envoy immediately intensified the memory-sealing measures.
Luffy's confusion deepened.
"It's useless," said the envoy on the left. "Once a memory anchor is removed, it cannot be restored unless there is intervention from someone with equal or higher authority."
"But you've overlooked something," Allen suddenly said.
"What?"
"Memories don't just exist in individuals," Allen said, a slight smile playing on his lips, "They also exist in relationships."
He pointed to the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates:
" Luffy forgot, but they remember."
"They remember Luffy's dream, Luffy's vow, everything about Luffy."
"And these memories form the social anchor of ' Monkey D. Luffy's' existence."
For the first time, the envoys showed a slight fluctuation of emotion.
[The theory is correct, but the practice is difficult. Repairing social anchors requires 'resonance'.]
[And resonance requires the recipient to actively accept it.]
Given his current state, it's impossible for him to proactively accept any external information.
"What if it's not 'external'?" Allen asked.
He looked at Zoro.
Zoro paused for a moment, then understood.
He walked towards Luffy.
This is not persuasion, nor is it a cry for help.
Instead—drawing a sword.
Wado Ichimonji points at Luffy:
"Hey, you idiot captain."
Luffy looked at him blankly.
"You promised me you'd become the Pirate King."
"Then, let me become the World's Greatest Swordsman."
"You've forgotten now?"
Images of the past appeared on Zoro's blade:
In Loguetown, Luffy smiled and said to him, "Let's get stronger together!"
--In Alabasta, Luffy entrusted his back to him with trust.
--On Enies Lobby, Luffy declared war on the World Government for Robin's sake.
--During the Paramount War, Luffy held Ace's body and wept bitterly, but he still did not give up.
--At Laugh Tale, Luffy made a promise with him to sail together to even greater seas.
The visuals are like a knife, slicing through the fog in Luffy's heart.
Luffy's body began to tremble.
"I..."
He wanted to say something, but the blockage of his memory was too strong.
Just then, Sanji suddenly broke free from his logical isolation—not through his own power, but through anger.
"You bastard—!"
The Diable Jambe aimed at the envoy!
The envoy raised his hand to block, but Sanji's real target was not the attack.
Instead--
He kicked out a burst of flame.
Flames formed characters in the air:
"ALL BLUE".
Luffy saw those two words, his pupils suddenly contracted.
ALL BLUE.
Sanji's dream.
He had promised to help Sanji find it.
Then, Nami raised the Clima-Tact, and lightning wove a pattern of Orange Grove in the air.
Usopp fired his slingshot, but instead of a bullet, he shot a painting— Kaya smiling and waving.
Chopper transformed into his Monster Point, roaring to the sky, a roar carrying Dr. Hiriluk's instructions.
Franky struck a SUPER pose, and behind him appeared the phantoms of Mr. Tom and the Thousand Sunny.
Brook plucked the strings and played the Rumbar Pirates ' ship song.
Jinbe clasped his hands together, and a peaceful scene of Fish-Man Island appeared behind him.
Robin closed his eyes and whispered:
"I haven't told you the whole truth about the Poneglyph yet."
You said you would take me to find the last piece.
"Now, do you want to go back on your word?"
Memories of all our comrades, dreams of all our comrades, bonds of all our comrades--
It transformed into a torrent, rushing into Luffy's consciousness.
The lock on memories began to crack.
"I..." Luffy clutched his head, collapsing to his knees in anguish, "I am... Monkey D. Luffy..."
"I want to... become the Pirate King..."
"I want to... be with my friends... together..."
The Straw Hat suddenly flew up and landed back on his head.
He raised his head, his eyes regaining their usual clarity and determination:
"I remember now!"
I will become the Pirate King!
I must find ONE PIECE!
"I want to sail to the ends of the earth with my companions!"
Memory repair complete.
The envoys fell silent.
After a long pause, the special envoy in the middle said:
[Test Item 1: Partial Failure.]
[The social anchoring theory has been confirmed as effective.]
[However, the other nine nodes have not yet been repaired.]
Just then--
Suddenly, a platinum-gold light burst forth from the direction of Wano Country.
Kozuki Hiyori her forehead burst forth with unprecedented light, and the fragments of consciousness left behind by Momonosuke awakened at the critical moment, forcibly expelling the memory alteration!
"I... am Kozuki Hiyori!" Her voice echoed throughout Wano Country, "The Shogun of Wano Country! Momonosuke sister! Straw Hat Pirates!"
At the Revolutionary Army Headquarters, Sabo's Flame-Flame Fruit suddenly went out of control and erupted, revealing the smiling faces of Ace and Luffy in the flames—memories he cherished most deep in his soul, memories that even the Eternal Council could not completely erase.
"I am Sabo! Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army! Brother of Ace and Luffy!"
In the deep sea, Princess Shirahoshi's tears fell into the ocean, awakening ancient memories of the Sea Kings —memories that did not belong to her alone, but to the entire ocean civilization.
"I am Poseidon! Guardian of the ocean! Future of Fish-Man Island!"
Earth, Ge Xiaolun's Void Engine system suddenly activated on its own, playing a video of his first meeting with Qiangwei, his first time joining the Super Soldier Company, and his first vow to protect Earth—a backup of his "meaning of existence".
"I am Ge Xiaolun! A soldier of the Super Soldier Company! A guardian of Earth!"
In the depths of the sacred code of Angel Yan in the Merlot Heavenly Court, Queen Kaisa's final blessing was activated, dispelling all external interference.
"I am Angel Yan! King of Angels! A champion of justice!"
In the operating room, Luo's ROOM field suddenly reversed, "removing" all the implanted memories.
"I am Trafalgar Law! The Surgeon of Death! D. Clan!"
In Alabasta, the Poneglyph rubbing in Vivi's hand suddenly glowed, and King Cobra's voice echoed in her mind, "Remember who you are."
"I am Nefertari Vivi! Princess of Alabasta!"
In the laboratory, Vegapunk's mechanical brain suddenly crashed and rebooted, restoring all the tampered data.
"I am Vegapunk! Scientist! Seeker of truth!"
In the starry sky, Marco's Phoenix flames suddenly changed color, from blue to gold—the color of the Whitebeard Pirates ' flag.
"I am Marco! The first division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates! The son of the Pops!"
All ten nodes have been successfully repaired.
It wasn't due to Allen's power.
Rather, it is their own bonds, memories, and the meaning of their existence.
The envoys fell silent again.
Then, the special envoy in the middle slowly said:
[Test Item 1: Complete Failure.]
This universe exhibits an unexpectedly strong tendency for self-repair and a high degree of social anchoring.
[Recommendation: Increase the control level and shift from observation testing to live-fire testing.]
The two special envoys on the left and right nodded simultaneously.
Their black robes began to change.
The black robe of the envoy on the left turned pure white, and countless regular geometric patterns appeared on it.
The black robe of the envoy on the right turned into a Chaos gray, with twisted patterns constantly changing on its surface.
The envoy in the center remained in black, but star patterns began to appear on his black robe.
[Test Item Two: Ideological Clash]
[I represent 'absolute control' to test the universe's commitment to the ideal of freedom.]
The White Envoy forward:
[I represent 'Pure Order' to test the rationale for this universe's tolerance of Chaos.]
The Gray Envoy forward:
[I represent 'Absolute Chaos ' to test the necessity of order in this universe.]
Three immense conceptual pressures enveloped the entire Sea of Balance.
The real test is just beginning.
This time, however, it wasn't memory manipulation.
It is a confrontation over the meaning of existence.
Luffy adjusted his straw Straw Hat and grinned.
"Are we going to fight?"
"That suits me perfectly!"
Allen walked to his side, his clear eyes reflecting the three envoys:
"But this will not be an ordinary battle."
"They will attack our 'ideas'."
"Use language, use logic, use existence itself."
Zoro draws his sword:
"That's like Steel Breaker— "
"Sever their fallacies!"