Before the aftermath of the Reverie had subsided, Allen's Time Perception suddenly detected a strange signal from deep space—an ancient distress code originating from an ark of an ancient civilization known as the " Legacy Starship ".
" The Legacy Starship..." Sabo quickly deciphered the signal, "Records say it was the final ark built by the Ancient Kingdom for the continuation of civilization, but it disappeared before the great catastrophe." Ace looked curiously at the starry sky. "An ark? Like Noah?" Luffy's eyes lit up. "Will there be ancient flesh on it?" Allen's Time Perception expanded, revealing a shocked expression. "The time flow of that ship... is both ancient and new... as if it sailed directly from the past to the present..."
Guided by the signal, Pluton led the fleet to a hidden star system. The sight before them astonished everyone—a starship even larger than Pluton itself floated silently in the nebula, its hull covered in crystallized time dust, as if it had just awakened from a long stretch of spacetime.
"Welcome, successors of the future." A holographic projection appeared, the last leader of the Ancient Kingdom. "I am Linus, the guardian of the starship. The Legacy Starship carries all the knowledge of the ancient civilization, but before its final hibernation, we need to confirm the qualifications of the successors."
Linus explained the origin of the starship: the Ancient Kingdom foresaw a possible catastrophe and built this ark to seal the essence of their civilization within. Only those who succeed to the " Civilization Trial " can obtain this legacy.
The trial began, and the interior of the starship revealed an astonishing sight—the knowledge base of countless civilizations, lost technologies, and even original samples of ancient Devil Fruit!
But the trials were extremely difficult: the first trial was "knowledge transmission"—requiring an understanding of the essence of ancient wisdom. Sabo led a team of scholars, studying day and night, and finally deciphered the core philosophy. "Knowledge is not power, but responsibility."
The second trial was "Power Mastery"—requiring proof of skillful use of ancient technology. Ace and the other Devil Fruit users learned to control the power of the original Devil Fruit, realizing. "Power is not about domination, but about protection."
The third trial is "The Wisdom of Time"—requiring demonstration of an understanding of time. Allen's Power of Time resonates with the starship, leading him to realize. "Time is not a weapon, but a teacher."
Just as the trial was about to be completed, a crisis suddenly appeared—a group of " Legacy Hunters " emerged! They were composed of traitors from different factions, attempting to seize control of the starship!
"The legacy should belong to the strongest!" the hunter leader roared with laughter. "Let us accept this gift!"
A fierce battle erupted! The Legacy Hunters, familiar with the starship's structure, initially gained the upper hand! In the most critical moment, they even activated the starship's self-destruct sequence!
"The self-destruct program cannot be stopped!" the Linus projection cried out anxiously, "Unless we pass the final trial—the true essence of civilization!"
At the last minute, everyone put aside their arguments and worked together to answer this ultimate question. Surprisingly, each group provided a partial answer:
Revolutionary Army: "Civilization is the courage to constantly Transcendence oneself." Navy: "Civilization is the balance between order and justice." Pirates: "Civilization is the dream of pursuing freedom." Even civilian representatives. "Civilization is kindness in everyday life."
These answers converge into a complete truth: civilization is the shared growth of diversity through dialogue.
The self-destruct process halted, Legacy Hunters departed in shame. Linus's projection smiled with satisfaction, "You have proven that the continuation of civilization lies not in preservation, but in development. This heritage is now yours."
But as Allen received the inheritance, Time Perception a terrible truth—the core of the starship held the last sins of the Ancient Kingdom: they had sacrificed the lives of an entire galaxy for the continuation of their civilization.
"The legacy is stained with blood..." Allen revealed somberly. Linus's projection darkened. "Yes... we finally understand that any civilization that comes at the expense of others has no value in continuing."
A difficult choice lies before us: accept this blood-stained legacy, or seal it away?
After heated debate, the coalition decided to: accept knowledge, but remember lessons; use technology, but be wary of power; inherit civilization, but refuse to repeat mistakes.
The starship was eventually converted into a " Civilization Museum," open to all races, becoming a sacred place for exchange and learning rather than a tool for domination.
As they left the Legacy Starship, everyone was deep in thought. The true essence of civilization is not perfection, but learning and growing from mistakes.
Luffy still yearns for adventure, but understands its meaning; Ace still cherishes fire, but learns the wisdom of control; Sabo still pursues revolution, but understands the difficulties of building it; even the most idealistic person accepts the imperfections of reality.
Standing on the bow of the Pluton, looking back at the gradually receding Legacy Starship, the Hourglass of Time in Allen's hand held the weight of history.
True inheritance is not about preserving the past, but about creating the future.
This courage to create will guide them to forge their own path.
Pluton sails toward a new horizon, carrying with it the lessons of history and the hopes for the future.
And this hope might lead to a different ending.