Thunder roared across Serpent's Gate as the sky split with unnatural clouds. The mountain trembled from within. And in the heart of the Core, Oras stood barefoot on ancient stone, his eyes glowing with the light of lost time.
The crew stared.
This wasn't a child.
It was history, breathing.
Inside the Core Chamber
Oras looked around slowly, scanning the faces of the Straw Hats and Arkan.
"You are not the first to reach this place," he said. "But you may be the last."
Robin stepped forward. "What are you?"
"I am the last construct of the First Civilization. Created to survive the Fall. My body holds memories. My mind… is their will."
He turned to Arkan. "And you. You are the final spark. The last key encoded with the genetic flame of D."
Arkan blinked. "Encoded?"
Oras nodded. "You were not born by accident. None of the D. were."
Flashback Vision — Shared by All Present
Everyone in the room suddenly stiffened.
Their eyes clouded.
And the world around them changed.
They now stood in a vibrant, alien city made of crystal and gold. Skies were filled with flying constructs. Towers hummed with light.
People walked with peace… until the sun dimmed.
And from its shadow, the Serpent descended.
Massive, cosmic, and alive. It spoke not in words, but in command—a code that unraveled minds.
"Peace was unsustainable," Oras narrated. "And so they made us. Weapons. Vessels. Flame-bearers. The D."
Images flashed of countless children born in labs, marked with the letter D.
"They tried to control us. Some obeyed. Most resisted. The survivors fled. The rest were erased."
Then, they saw a familiar figure—Roger—standing beside a baby.
"That was the last encoded carrier before you," Oras said.
The vision faded.
Back in the Core
Silence.
Luffy stood, fists clenched. "So… we're weapons?"
Oras looked at him kindly. "No. You are wills. You are what survived when even gods fell."
Arkan stepped closer. "Then why are we still hunted?"
"Because the Serpent never died," Oras said. "It was sealed. Here. Beneath this mountain. Beneath me."
A rumble shook the chamber.
Cracks formed in the walls.
Oras turned to the sarcophagus. "Its prison is breaking. And the seal you carry—"
He looked at Arkan.
"—was meant to keep it asleep."
Everyone turned to Arkan. The cursed seal from Vira still glowed on his chest.
Usopp gulped. "So she marked him to… break the seal?"
Oras nodded. "They used you. You opened the final lock."
Above them, an inhuman screech echoed.
The mountain screamed.
Oras faced the crew. "If I fall—take the path deeper. Follow the White Roots. They lead to the final archive. The Serpent's Heart."
He raised his arms.
"And now… I will hold it back."
A sphere of light erupted around him.
Runes burned in the stone.
The ground split.
And from the chasm, the Serpent stirred.