The atmosphere in the medical ward of Baltigo Fortress was tense. The best doctors and Chopper surrounded a sickbed where Luffy lay Luffy. His body was as red as a boiled shrimp, and fine beads of sweat constantly seeped from his skin, only to be instantly evaporated into white steam by the high temperature. He was like an unstable boiler, radiating astonishing heat. Occasionally, his body would unconsciously stretch and flex, then slump back down limply.
"His body temperature is extremely high! Large areas of muscle fibers are torn! An unprecedented energy is surging within him!" Chopper, wearing a stethoscope, reported tearfully, "It's the backlash from that new form! He's pushed himself too far!"
" Nika Form..." Allen looked at Luffy, Power of Zhulong could clearly sense the joyful, unrestrained, yet extremely violent liberating power within Luffy's body, which was violently clashing with his own. "His will has taken control of the power, but his body doesn't seem to have fully adapted to this ultimate state of 'liberation' yet."
"Is there any way?" Sabo asked anxiously, his fists clenched.
"We need to cool down! Stabilize the energy! The best way is... Ace!" Chopper looked at Ace.
Ace immediately stepped forward, placing his hands lightly above Luffy. He slowly released highly controlled, pure Flame of World Purification, not to burn, but to soothe and calm the rampaging Liberation Power within Luffy in a way that was both "encompassing" and "guiding." The two top-tier flame powers (Purifying and Liberation) seemed to resonate with each other in some strange way. Luffy's body temperature began to slowly decrease, and his painful spasms lessened somewhat.
"It works! But it takes time!" Chopper breathed a slight sigh of relief. "And afterwards, you'll need a lot, a lot of energy! Preferably super high-calorie food!"
"Get all the meat out! If that's not enough, go rob some... go buy some!" Sanji immediately turned and rushed into the kitchen.
With Luffy's condition temporarily stabilized, Dragon, Sabo, Allen, Robin, Jinbe, Tesoro, and other core members arrived at the command center. The damage assessment and repair work at Baltigo were underway, but everyone's mood was extremely heavy.
Sabo took a deep breath and reported in full to the dragon about their discoveries at the Eternal Mist Crystal Sanctuary, including the guardian's last words, the fact that Imu's power originated from the " Primordial Light," and the intelligence that the ultimate goal might be the " Final Dogma " and the " Domain of God."
The command center was silent, save for the faint hum of the instruments. The intelligence was too shocking; it pointed directly to the core secrets of the World Government's rule.
"... Therefore, Imu is not invincible; his power is stolen, and may even have backlash and weaknesses..." The dragon processed this information, its eyes gleaming. "And the battlefield of the final battle lies deep within the Holy Land Mary Geoise..."
"That's right," Allen replied, pointing to the marked danger point on the star map. "Deep within Pangaea Castle lies the key to everything. The Guardians implied that it's the ' False Throne,' the place where Imu tampered with and manipulated the ' Primordial Light,' and may also harbor the ' Final Dogma.'"
"We must take the initiative!" Sabo said firmly. "We can no longer passively wait for Imu to make his move! Marineford is bait, Baltigo is a feint, and his attention may still be focused on stabilizing the Eternal Mist or carrying out other schemes! Now is the best time for us to strike at the heart of the enemy!"
"But Luffy..." Jinbe with some concern.
"We can't wait for Luffy to fully recover." Dragon made a difficult but decisive decision. " Imu won't give us that time. Every breath he takes brings him closer to achieving his goal. We must interrupt him before he completely masters the ' Final Dogma '!"
He looked at everyone. " Sabo, Allen, Robin, you possess the most crucial intelligence and abilities; you must go. Ace needs to stay behind to stabilize Luffy, and at the same time, together with Jinbe and Tesoro, lead the main force of the Revolutionary Army to create the largest possible chaos on the outskirts of the Holy Land, tying down the main forces of the Navy and the World Government, thus creating an opportunity for your infiltration."
"As for Pluton..." the dragon pondered for a moment, "It's too large a target to be used for infiltration operations. But it can serve as a final deterrent and a guarantee for retreat. Let it hide in the star system near the Holy Land, ready to provide support at any time, or... if necessary, deliver the heaviest blow to the Holy Land."
The plan was quickly formulated:
• Surprise Attack Team (Infiltrating Deep into Pangaea Castle ): Sabo, Allen, Robin. (Core: Intelligence, Time-Space Abilities, Ancient Script Deciphering)
• Feint Attack Force (Outer Defensive Role): Dragon, Ace (after Luffy stabilizes), Jinbe, Tesoro, the main Revolutionary Army force, and other Straw Hat Pirates members (except Luffy ). Mission: To create a massive disturbance and draw away the enemy's main force.
• Strategic Support (Deterrence and Rescue): Pluton (controlled by Franky, Usopp, Brook, etc.). Mission: Hide and wait, ready to strike with lightning speed or open an escape route.
"This will be our last and greatest gamble." The dragon's gaze swept over everyone. "For eight hundred years of oppression, for countless lives lost, for a future of freedom!"
"Oh!!!" Everyone's fighting spirit was ignited.
Just then, good news came from the medical room: thanks to Ace and Chopper's efforts, Luffy's body temperature had finally come down. Although he was still unconscious, his vital signs were stabilizing. Ace wiped his sweat and came out.
" Luffy is in your hands now," Ace said to Chopper and Sanji, then looked at Sabo and Allen, "I'll be outside, opening the gates to hell for you! Go with peace of mind!"
Sabo gave Ace a big hug. "Take care of yourself, and wait for us to come back!"
Allen nodded to Ace as well.
There was no time for farewells or hesitation. The three members of the raiding squad boarded the Dark Current, Undercurrent had undergone emergency modifications to enhance its stealth capabilities and short-distance jumping ability. The feint attack force also began to assemble rapidly, preparing to march towards the Holy Land Mary Geoise. Meanwhile, Pluton quietly sailed towards its designated hidden coordinates.
The Undercurrent slowly sailed away from Baltigo, like a silent arrow shot into the heart of darkness.
The final battle has finally begun. The target— the Holy Land Mary Geoise, deep within Pangaea Castle!