After Luffy leaped out of the trial portal, exuding a joyful and free spirit and with a rumbling stomach, the whispers of Pluton did not cease. This time, the energy stream containing countless imprints of civilizations, as if attracted by a blazing magnet, slowly converged on Ace, who was silently wiping the plaster cast from his arm.
Meanwhile, near the Pluton power bay, in an area close to the engine core, the metal deck silently slid open, revealing a downward-extending passage. The depths of the passage were not dark, but rather emitted a chillingly bright white light, with terrifyingly high temperatures emanating from it, causing the surrounding air to distort slightly.
"Hmm?" Ace looked up. He could clearly feel the call of the flame within that light—a flame of the same origin, yet more extreme and pure. The Flame of World Purification within him also began to throb restlessly, as if yearning to merge into it.
"Looks like it's your turn, Ace." Sabo patted his shoulder (on the uninjured side). "The Trial of Flames? Perfect for me." Ace grinned, fixed the cast, and walked towards the passage without hesitation. "By the time I get back, this thing will be taken off." He pointed to the cast.
As he stepped into the passage, the intense heat instantly enveloped him. An ordinary person would have been reduced to ashes long ago, but for Ace, it was like bathing in a warm spring. At the end of the passage was a huge spherical space— the World Purification Furnace.
This place resembled the core of a star. The surrounding walls were made of some kind of transparent crystal capable of withstanding extreme temperatures. Beyond the crystal walls lay the roaring, surging, almost liquid-like flow of immense energy from the Pluton Power Core (partly derived from the Temporal Resonance Crystal Ore and the Heart of the Ark ). The space inside the furnace was filled with extremely concentrated flame energy, exhibiting an incandescent slurry state between liquid and gas. At the center, a small mass of matter emitted an even more dazzling blue-white light under high temperature and pressure, as if undergoing a fusion reaction.
First Trial: The Refinement of Purity
Ace stepped into the furnace, the surrounding incandescent molten flames seemed to come alive and coiled around him. They did not attack, but instead began to scorch and purify Ace's own Flame of World Purification.
"Ugh!" Ace groaned. He felt a tiny, extremely fine "impurity" being forced out of his flames—not impurity in matter, but imperfection in energy form. It was a subtle mark left by the opponent's energy penetration in past battles, a residual energy ripple from emotional fluctuations, or even a flaw in the harmonious combination of the Devil Fruit ability and Haki.
The process was incredibly painful, as if every inch of the flame was being torn apart and reshaped. Ace gritted his teeth, channeling his power to guide the Flame of World Purification to actively embrace the purified fire. He recalled his original intention in cultivating the Flame of World Purification —to burn away all the falsehood and evil in the world, and to possess the power to protect those he cared about. This unwavering belief became the pillar that sustained him through the pain.
After an unknown amount of time, the pain gradually subsided. His Flame of World Purification seemed to have shrunk in size, but its color became purer and more intensely white, as if stripped of all redundancy, leaving only the most primal will to burn. The stability and energy density of the flame increased dramatically.
Second Trial: Transformation of Form
After the purity was increased, the environment inside the furnace changed drastically. The blue-white light cluster at the center expanded rapidly, emitting a terrifying gravitational field and energy radiation! The pressure inside the entire furnace increased dramatically, and the temperature soared to an unimaginable level!
Ace felt his body (in its elemental form) being forcibly compressed and distorted by this force! The Flame of World Purification could no longer freely remain in a gaseous state and was forced to transform into a higher form!
• Liquid fire! The flames began to condense, like flowing incandescent mercury, with extremely high density, containing even more terrifying destructive power and endurance.
• Plasma state! In the extreme environment of the core area, some flames are even ionized, transforming into the fourth state of plasma! It displays a dazzling blue-purple light, possesses near-light speed and powerful electromagnetic effects, and has excellent conduction and interference capabilities against energy attacks!
Ace had to concentrate fully to adapt to and master these two new forms of flame. Liquid fire was about immense power and defense, while plasma fire was about extreme speed and breaking spells. He practiced constantly in the furnace, sometimes transforming the flames into scorching liquid armor to cover his entire body, and sometimes condensing the plasma flames into laser-like beams to shatter virtual targets.
This process was extremely demanding on mental strength and control, but Ace's talent and understanding of fire allowed him to progress rapidly. He began to realize that fire was not just about burning; it could be infinitely varied to deal with different enemies and situations.
Third Trial: Flame Soul Heart Forging
After Ace had initially adapted to the liquid and plasma states, the final trial arrived. Outside the furnace's crystal walls, a stream of energy from the Pluton Power Core suddenly split off, but this stream was mixed with fragments of negative emotions from the Whispers of All Spirits —the anger, despair, and resentment of the destroyed civilizations!
This violent energy, filled with negative emotions, surged into the furnace, attempting to corrupt and assimilate Ace's flames, dragging him into Abyss of revenge and destruction!
Ace's flames instantly became unstable, a hint of dark red tinging the fiery white. Various tragic images and insane thoughts assaulted his consciousness.
"Get out!" Ace roared, but he didn't simply reject the power. Having undergone the Refinement of Purity and the Transformation of Form, his control and understanding of fire had deepened. He recalled Whitebeard's teachings, the trust of his comrades, and the beliefs he held dear.
"Flame can destroy, but it can also purify!" His eyes burned with unwavering determination as he actively guided the core of the Flame of World Purification, its purest incandescent part, to meet the raging negative energy!
Sizzle— Like a red-hot iron plunged into ice water, a violent energy conflict erupted within the furnace! But Ace's Flame of World Purification revealed its true "purifying" power! It did not devour the negative emotions, but rather, with an inclusive yet resolute attitude, burned and stripped away the madness and despair, leaving only the civilization's desire for survival and its anger at injustice, transforming it into a more fervent and purer burning force!
This is not a simple process of elimination, but rather a process of refinement and transformation! It transforms negative emotional fuel into positive protective power!
Ultimately, all the raging energy was purified and absorbed. Ace's Flame of World Purification not only remained undamaged, but became even more powerful, more condensed, and filled with an indomitable fiery spirit! At the center of the flame, a small, miniature corona phantom even faintly formed, constantly undergoing fusion reactions!
The trial ended, and the furnace temperature slowly decreased. Ace stood still, the flames surrounding him controlled with ease, sometimes flowing like liquid mercury, sometimes leaping with dazzling electric light from plasma, the core being a pure, incandescent, primordial fire imbued with the meaning of purifying the world. His arm trembled slightly, and the plaster instantly turned to ash. The injuries beneath had already healed under the high-temperature tempering, and the muscles beneath his skin seemed to contain explosive power.
He stepped out of the World Purification Furnace, and the passage closed behind him. As everyone looked on, they felt that Ace's aura had become even more restrained, but his eyes shone like two miniature stars, dazzling and making people afraid to look directly at him.
"How do you feel?" Sabo asked. Ace clenched his fist, a wisp of platinum liquid flame flowing from his fingertip. "Never felt this good. Only now can the flames truly burn away that filth."
Pluton ' trial allowed the flames of " Fire Fist " to undergo a qualitative leap.