One Piece: The Unrivaled Dragon Man: I am God's Agent!

Chapter 324: The Ultimate Choice of the Universe

The deep space of the universe remained oppressive, as if, after the most violent storm, an invisible force still lurked, waiting to erupt again. Although the shadow had been defeated and the shackles of fate broken, Ares, Selna, and Ulysses knew that this magnificent struggle was far from over.

"What exactly did we do wrong?" Selna gazed at the universe gradually returning to order in the distance, her brows furrowed, her eyes still clouded with lingering doubt.

“We did nothing wrong.” Ares’ voice was deep and firm as his gaze pierced through the sea of ​​stars and landed on the vast void. “We have only changed a profound rule, but that does not mean the end. The truth of fate has never been so simple.”

Olympus stood to the side, gazing at the starry sky, seemingly pondering: "The truth of fate? You mean, what we see is merely the surface of fate?"

“Yes.” Ares’s eyes gleamed with a profound light. “Disrupting destiny is just the beginning; the real test is not here. We have changed the rules of the universe, but its essence remains, hidden deep within the foundation of the universe.”

As soon as the words were spoken, a deep tremor suddenly resounded from the void, a tearing sensation as if the earth were splitting open rapidly spreading, almost causing the three to lose their balance. The stars in the sky suddenly dimmed, the flow of time began to become unstable, and everything seemed to be re-examined.

“This is…” Selna’s voice trembled slightly, “again?”

“Yes.” Ares stared ahead, where the once shattered space began to slowly crack open, as if some fundamental force in the universe was awakening once more. “It seems we have angered something deeper.”

A powerful, dark aura emanated from the crack, rapidly spreading to the surroundings. This aura did not belong to any known cosmic energy; it was profound and ancient, carrying an indescribable sense of oppression. Ares, Selna, and Ulysses could almost feel that this aura brought not only physical pressure but also psychological collapse—as if it originated from the depths of the universe, touching upon the very essence of all existence.

“We’ve touched it again.” Ares’ tone became unusually serious. “This power is not simply darkness; it is a power beyond fate, a power beyond anything we can comprehend.”

“What does it want?” Selna’s voice was filled with tension. “Shouldn’t we back down? Whether it’s fate or chaos, it seems that behind them lies a truth that we cannot fight against.”

“Retreat?” Ulysses sneered. “Retreat only proves that we are not strong enough. We have chosen to change our fate, and there is no turning back.”

Suddenly, a deep voice came from the crack, carrying an extremely strong pressure: "You have touched the deepest secret, and the price of changing your fate will be something you can never bear."

Ares's eyes flickered as he stared at the figure gradually emerging from the crack: "What exactly are you? Was the change we made really a mistake?"

The dark shadow gradually coalesced, eventually transforming into a phantom figure. Its face was unrecognizable, as if woven from countless fragments of stars, and its presence caused the space to fluctuate violently each time it appeared.

"I do not belong to fate, nor to any of the rules of the universe." The voice was deep, as if it came from an ancient abyss. "I am just a part of the universe, a crack outside of fate, existing in a place that no life can reach."

Selna's face turned pale: "An existence beyond fate... what are you in the universe?"

"I exist in all the chapters that fate has not yet written." The figure's voice grew deeper. "You think that by breaking the shackles of fate you can gain freedom, but you have only broken a part of nothingness. The root of fate can never be escaped."

“You’re right, we can’t change the root of fate.” A complex look flashed in Ares’s eyes. “But we’re not trying to escape fate, but to gain new choices.”

"A new choice?" The figure seemed to sneer. "You think you can control the fate of the universe? You are merely accidental beings, incapable of truly transcending the essence of fate."

The words had barely left his lips when an irresistible force erupted from the rift in the void, causing the surrounding space to collapse completely. Stars fell incessantly, timelines shattered like broken glass, and the entire universe seemed to be torn into fragments.

Ares, Selna, and Ulysses managed to stay upright, but the power emanating from the abyss still pressed them down, making them almost unable to move.

“What can we do?” Selna’s voice was barely audible, her eyes filled with fear. “We are no match for it.”

“No, we can,” Ares replied softly, his eyes flashing with an unprecedented resolve. “What we choose is not victory or defeat in battle, but to create our own destiny.”

He gripped the sword hilt tightly and took a deep breath: "We must break all of this, break the cycle of fate, and create our own universe!"

Just as he finished speaking, Ares burst forth with unparalleled light, golden energy surging out wildly, forming a huge and pure force that rushed toward the cracked void.

Selna and Ulysses followed closely behind, their sword and gun auras intertwining to form a powerful beam of light that pointed directly at the power originating from the abyss.

As the three continued to gather their power, the surrounding space trembled violently once again, and stars exploded rapidly around them, as if the fate of the entire universe had been reversed at this moment.

"Your power can never shake the foundations of fate." The figure's voice was filled with endless indifference. "Everything you are is a product of fate."

"Then let us transcend fate!" Ares gritted his teeth, holding his twin swords horizontally in front of his chest, his body shining even brighter. "The shackles of fate cannot bind us forever!"

As he finished speaking, three powerful forces collided in mid-air, unleashing a deafening roar.

After the tremor subsided, the cracks in the void seemed to temporarily cease. The three stood in the empty universe, the surrounding stars gradually returning to normal. Although they had lost their original forms, they were still quietly reborn under the new laws.

“We did it,” Selna said softly, her eyes filled with uncertainty, but even more so with relief.

Ares took a deep breath, his gaze resolute: "We have transcended fate, but the future of the universe remains in our choices. A new universe, a new destiny, awaits our shaping."

“This is the price of freedom,” Ulysses said softly. “Freedom does not mean the absence of constraints, but the ability to choose one’s own path.”

Ares looked up at the gradually returning starry sky, understanding that although the universe had regained its balance, it was still full of countless variables. The cracks in fate could not be completely closed in an instant, and new challenges still awaited them.

"Our choice has only just begun." Ares took a deep breath, his gaze resolute, and strode forward.