Author: Xiao Yifeng
Translator: PapaSmurf0700
As the entire community at the harbor watched intently, the crew boarded the Golden Merry and vanished into the vibrant, mysterious rainbow mist. It was only then that Wetton, the island's ruler, arrived, lagging behind the unfolding events. Accompanying him were Flip and Lake, recently defeated by the Straw Hats, now reporting the crew's misdeeds beside Wetton at the port. However, Wetton seemed uninterested in their tales, his gaze fixed on the large ship, Tarielishin, docked in the harbor.
After a moment of silence, Wetton finally spoke with a sense of long-forgotten familiarity, "It's been a long time, my pirate ship."
Fifty years earlier, Wetton had been a notorious pirate captain himself, wreaking havoc and chaos on Ruluka Island. It was during this tumultuous time that a band of children, known as the Pumpkin Pirates, opposed him. Among these brave youths was Henzo.
A pivotal battle erupted on the pirate ship between the Pumpkin Pirates and Wetton. In a desperate effort to save his captain Rapanui, Henzo made a bold decision, dragging both himself and Wetton into the sea. Amidst the chaos, the rainbow mist engulfed the Pumpkin Pirates and one of Wetton's crew members.
For the subsequent fifty years, Wetton ruled over Ruluka Island. Meanwhile, driven by the hope of rescuing his childhood friends, Henzo reluctantly aligned with Wetton to unravel the secrets of the rainbow mist. Now, after decades, Henzo was stepping back into the mist, his resolve undiminished.
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Surrounded by the scattered remains of a ship, Robin quietly observed and whispered to herself, "Could this be Ape's Concert?" Nearby, Bai Ye, with closed eyes, sensed the peculiar warping of time and space, confirming his theory. "It's quite remarkable here," he noted.
Indeed, Bai Ye had nudged Luffy towards the allure of treasures specifically to venture into the rainbow mist, a place known for its mystical properties. The mist itself was a marvel, causing space to bend so that one might end up back where they started regardless of the direction taken. Time, too, was a contorted concept here, with fifty years passing in the outside world equating to mere moments within the mist. Furthermore, this enigmatic mist had the power to transport individuals across different eras.
In the original story, when the Straw Hats and the Pumpkin Pirates emerged from the mist, the latter returned to their own timeline. Such a fascinating phenomenon naturally piqued Bai Ye's interest. After experiencing the temporal distortions firsthand, Bai Ye grew increasingly convinced of his hypothesis: this rainbow mist was an unclaimed, miniature dimension!
Bai Ye, brimming with excitement from his hypothesis, couldn't suppress the thrill in his heart. He addressed the crew earnestly, "Luffy, everyone. I may have to step away for some time, but don't worry, I'll return shortly." Bai Ye had subtly sensed the core of the domain through his spiritual sense.
Luffy immediately responded with a reassuring nod, "No problem, Bai Ye." The rest of the crew echoed this sentiment, offering no objections. Given a choice of the most trusted ally among them, Bai Ye would undoubtedly be the first pick for the Straw Hats. With such trust placed in him, there was no room for worry about his temporary departure.
A pleased smile spread across Bai Ye's face as he witnessed their unanimous trust. He then quieted down, closed his eyes, and began to harmonize his inherent energy with the enigmatic Rainbow Mist. In a moment that left everyone in silent anticipation, Bai Ye took a bold step forward and simply disappeared from view.
The crew was left in stunned silence, their minds racing with the abruptness of Bai Ye's departure. "What just happened?" they murmured among themselves, their voices a mixture of astonishment and curiosity. But before they could dwell further, the air shifted, and several ghost-like figures materialized before them, marking the unforeseen arrival of the Pumpkin Pirates.
As Bai Ye found himself in a purely white expanse, he pondered aloud, "Do all seven colors blend into white here?" He was surrounded by a serene space, vastly different from the chaotic world outside.
Bai Ye's unique energy, known as innate qi, serves a dual purpose. Not only is it a vital force within the human body, but it also acts as a conduit for qi practitioners to interact with the natural world. It was through this innate qi that Bai Ye managed to navigate and merge with the mysterious rainbow mist, finding himself in the heart of it.
What caught Bai Ye's attention the most was the unexpected simplicity and order of this space. Traditional wisdom among ancient qi practitioners suggested that the core of any world, no matter its size, should be inherently chaotic. Chaos, as they believed, is the primordial state from which all existence emerges. Typically, entering the core of any world, including Bai Ye's inner world, one would expect to see a tumultuous, raw formation reminiscent of the universe's creation.
Yet, here in the core of the rainbow mist, Bai Ye sensed something different, an orderly realm resembling a meticulously crafted palace. This observation led him to a sudden realization: "Could this have been created intentionally?"
Bai Ye remembered passages from the ancient text "Taomen Jilu," which mentioned that while most worlds naturally arise from universal chaos, some are deliberately crafted by immensely powerful cultivators or other beings. These beings, wielding extraordinary powers, can forge small worlds from nothing, relying on their own profound strength and origin power. Unlike the naturally chaotic worlds, these created realms are defined by order and systematic laws—direct reflections of their creators' will.
With a theory forming in his mind, Bai Ye cautiously extended his right hand, bringing it closer to the fabric of the space before him. As his hand approached, a radiant blue light began to emanate from his palm, signaling the active engagement of his inner world's origin power.
In the mystical teachings of "Taomen Jilu," the concept of a small dimension is akin to a miniature world existing parallel to our own, yet typically beyond reach and influence. It's believed that only through advanced cultivation can one merge their inner world with the physical realm.
Having surpassed the heart demon tribulation, Bai Ye found his mastery over his inner world had ascended to a new height, gifting him with the ability to manifest the essence of this internal realm. In essence, this means he can harness a fragment of his world's origin power and bring it into reality. Even a small portion of such power is monumental, especially when confronting a compact world like the rainbow mist.
With a contemplative murmur, Bai Ye prepared for any unforeseen consequences of his attempt to steal this world. "Let's take a gamble," he whispered, a mix of resolve and caution in his tone.
As he gently pressed his palm against the white space, a hum filled the air—a sign that his origin energy had seamlessly entered the rainbow mist's core. A smile spread across Bai Ye's face as he recognized the distinct imprint of creation within, a signature of the space's architect. "This is the brand of the creator," he noted with satisfaction.
Bai Ye theorized that if he could access this space so freely, it likely meant the original creator was either gone or incapacitated, leaving this small world unattended. With a pleased grin, he mused, "Since I've found it, there's no reason to relinquish it to someone else."