The mountain groaned like a dying beast.
Light and shadow clashed violently in the chamber as Oras held the rising Serpent back with a dome of pure memory. His form shimmered, barely stable.
"GO!" he shouted, voice shaking stone.
Arkan hesitated.
Luffy grabbed his arm. "He said go. So we go."
Beneath the Core
A spiral staircase opened behind the sarcophagus, revealed by the tremors. Glowing roots, white and pulsing with energy, curled along the walls like veins of memory.
Robin ran her fingers along one. "These are living conduits… this entire mountain is a nervous system."
Franky whistled. "And we're walking through its spine."
Brook chuckled. "Bone-chilling."
Chopper gulped. "This place feels… awake."
Meanwhile — Above, Atop the Mountain
Veyron watched from a mirror of mist as the Serpent stirred.
"You underestimated the boy," said one of his robed lieutenants.
Veyron smirked. "No. This is exactly what we needed. The Core broken. The Roots active. The Archive unsealed."
He raised his hand.
"Deploy Project Oracle."
Far away, on a floating fortress cloaked in storm, massive hatches opened. Serpent-mechas powered by voidlight began to launch.
Toward the mountain.
The White Root Passage
As the crew descended, visions appeared along the walls—flickering memories encoded in the roots:
Joy Boy raising an army beneath the waves.
A young woman, eyes like Robin's, carving the first glyphs.
Roger crying before a final door.
A serpent devouring the moon.
Nami whispered, "These aren't just visions… they're warnings."
Luffy punched through a vision of the serpent. "We'll make our own ending."
At the bottom of the path, a massive chamber opened.
The Archive.
Pillars of light rose into a hollow void. Thousands of crystalline panels floated midair, each holding a fragment of truth.
In the center: a pulsing white flame.
Arkan approached it slowly.
The flame responded.
"You who bear the Flame of D…
This is your burden.
And your choice."
Suddenly—ALARMS.
The roof shook.
Franky's eyes widened. "Incoming."
The ceiling exploded.
From above, serpent mechas descended, eyes glowing.
The Straw Hats drew weapons.
Arkan grabbed the flame.
It burned into his palm, embedding a glowing symbol—the ancient "D".
As energy surged through him, he looked back at his crew.
"No more hiding."
He stepped forward.
"Let's show the world what the D means."