Upon returning from the Place of Time's Origin, the Allied Forces gained a deeper understanding of time, but everyone knew that the final battle against Imu would require even greater power. Just as they were contemplating how to improve, the final program of the Legacy Starship was activated— the Mirror Trial."
" The Mirror Trial..." Sabo read through the starship log, "This is the ultimate training used by ancient powerhouses to break through their limits, a battle against their perfect mirror image." Ace's flames flared with anticipation. "My own mirror image? Interesting!" Luffy stretched his rubber arm. "I'm going to knock that other me away!" Allen's Time Perception expanded, his expression serious. "The time flow there... is like a dialogue with oneself; every choice creates new possibilities..."
When everyone entered the training ground, the scene before them was breathtaking—countless mirrored spaces, each enacting a battle against their own reflection. Most unsettlingly, these mirror images not only possessed identical abilities, but could even predict the original's every thought!
"The trial begins," the starship's AI voice announced. " Transcendence yourself, or be limited by yourself."
In the first round of battle, almost everyone was completely suppressed: Luffy's every rubber move was predicted and countered by Mirror Image; Ace's flames were neutralized by identical flames; Sabo's every tactic was completely seen through; even Allen's time manipulation was completely copied!
"Impossible!" Ace gasped, "He knows exactly what I'm thinking!" Luffy's rubber face was swollen. "Why can't I hit him!" Sabo was sweating profusely. "It's like fighting against my own mind..."
Only Allen gradually realized. "These mirror images are not enemies... they are our possibilities... What we need is not to defeat them, but to understand them."
He abandoned the confrontation and instead observed the mirror image's fighting patterns, discovering that every action reflected his own fighting habits and mindset.
"I rely too much on the Power of Time..." " Luffy is too straightforward..." " Ace relies too much on his Devil Fruit abilities..." " Sabo relies too much on tactical planning..."
These discoveries prompted everyone to adjust their fighting styles: Luffy began experimenting with unconventional uses of rubber, even combining its properties with other abilities; Ace began to finely manipulate flames instead of simply unleashing bursts; Sabo began to Transcendence tactics and engage in creative command; Allen began to fuse his Power of Time with other powers instead of using them in isolation.
Gradually, the situation began to turn around. When breaking through self-imposed limitations, the mirror image could not fully predict these actions that were "beyond its own capabilities"!
The second round of battle became a back-and-forth affair: Lu developed " Rubber Resonance Vibration," making it impossible for the mirror image to completely defend against; Ace created " Flame Emotion Conduction," influencing the mirror image's emotions; Sabo implemented " Supertactical Thinking," exceeding the mirror image's predictive range; Allen achieved " Spacetime Weaving," fusing and utilizing multiple powers.
But the mirror also evolves, learning these new techniques and even improving upon them!
"They're learning!" Sabo exclaimed, "Even faster than us!" Allen Time Perception, realized the key. "It's not learning... it's us exploring our unknown potential! The mirror image is a manifestation of our possibilities!"
The third round of battles turned into a contest of breakthroughs and counter-breakthroughs. With each new technique developed, the mirror image mastered it and countered, forcing the original to break through to a new level.
Luffy's rubber powers have been developed to the molecular level, allowing him to alter the physical properties of rubber; Ace's flames are so pure that they can burn concepts and even briefly affect time; Sabo's thought speed has reached the quantum level, enabling him to process infinite variables simultaneously; Allen's time manipulation is so precise that he can change the probability of specific events.
This competition among themselves surpasses any external battle! Everyone is pushing the limits of what is known!
In the final battle, all the mirror images suddenly merged, forming a "Ultimate Mirror"—the strongest version of all possibilities!
"This is... our ultimate form?" Ace exclaimed in shock. Luffy grinned, "So powerful! But we'll have to take them down!" Sabo pushed up his goggles, "The final test is here." Allen activated his Time Perception its fullest extent, "Let's see... our limits!"
The ultimate battle erupts! This is a battle Transcendence imagination: Luffy rubberizes the entire space, manipulating matter like a god; Ace's Flame Purification the flow of time, burning away all impurities; Sabo predicts all possibilities, executing a perfect strategy; Allen Time Weaving reality, altering the very rules of the battle.
But the ultimate mirror image is equally powerful, even surpassing it! It represents the theoretical limit of perfection!
Just as defeat seemed imminent, Allen realized the crucial truth. "Perfection is not the end... Transcendence perfection is the breakthrough!"
He abandoned the pursuit of perfection and instead embraced the possibilities within imperfection—irrational choices, emotionally driven actions, and creations that Transcendence logic!
An amazing thing happened: when they accepted imperfection, they broke through the theoretical limits and reached a level that even a perfect mirror image could not achieve!
"Impossible!" The starship's AI fluctuated for the first time, "It's beyond all computational models!" Allen smiled, "Because life can always Transcendence calculation."
The ultimate image dissipated before an incomprehensible power, and the trial was complete.
When everyone left the training ground, they had all undergone a qualitative change. It wasn't simply becoming stronger, but a fundamental sublimation:
Luffy's rubber powers are at a mythical level, allowing him to conceptually "stretch" everything; Ace's flames become a source of purification, capable of burning away negative existence; Sabo's wisdom is close to omniscience, enabling him to understand the workings of all things; Allen's time control reaches a creative level, allowing him to write Rules of Time on a small scale.
Even their Haki has evolved: Observation Haki allows them to perceive dimensions, Armament Haki allows them to defend themselves conceptually, and Conqueror's Haki allows them to influence reality.
Standing at the bow of the Pluton, feeling the immense new power within him, Allen's Hourglass of Time flowed with sands Transcendence.
True strength is not about achieving perfection, but about constantly Transcendence oneself.
This Transcendence belief will sustain them in facing any challenge.
Pluton is heading toward his ultimate destiny, carrying the power to break all limits.
And this power might change everything.