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

Chapter 321: The Gate of Destiny, the Ultimate Mystery of the Universe

The moment they passed through the Gate of Chaos, the three were sucked into the endless void by a powerful suction force. The boundaries of space and time collapsed completely at that moment, and the surrounding world scattered like fragments, turning everything before them into pitch black. There were no stars, no radiance, only boundless darkness.

Ares, Selna, and Ulysses held their breath, their hearts pounding with tension. Although they could see a glimmer of hope ahead, the boundless void only instilled a deeper fear in them.

"Is this the depths of the Gate of Destiny?" Selna's voice was exceptionally clear in this silent space. "Time and space here have lost their meaning."

“Yes.” Ares’ eyes were fixed ahead, his resolve gleaming. “We may be at the very heart of the universe. The truth of destiny may lie hidden here.”

Suddenly, the space beneath their feet began to distort, a vortex of darkness surging forth, as if the very foundation of the universe was collapsing, threatening to devour everything in the next instant. Just then, a deep, deafening voice rang out:

"You've finally arrived."

The sound had no source, yet it seemed to come simultaneously from every direction, permeating their minds and shaking their souls. The sound was filled with immense pressure, like a judgment from the deepest recesses of the universe.

Ares's expression changed slightly. He gripped his sword hilt tightly, his eyes fixed on his surroundings: "Who are you?"

"I am the source of the universe, the master of destiny." The voice was like a deathly echo. "You think that you can escape the shackles of destiny through fighting and resistance, but destiny has already determined everything."

“Are we destined to be trapped?” Selna’s voice trembled, but she still managed to suppress her fear. “Then why did you bring us here? Do you want us to submit?”

"Submit?" The shadowy figure's voice seemed to carry a contemptuous laugh. "Your resistance is merely part of fate's arrangement. In the end, fate will bring you back."

"Fate will bring us back?" Ulysses scoffed. "I've never believed in fate. This battle has only just begun!"

As Ulysses roared, the darkness in the space surged even more violently, as if the power of the entire universe was gathering in an instant. Suddenly, a black rift slowly opened before the three of them, and ancient whispers came from the depths of the rift, like some creature hidden deep in the universe was awakening.

"Did you feel it?" Ares stared at the crack, a strange light flashing in his eyes. "This power far surpasses any enemy we've encountered before."

“Yes.” Selna gripped the lightsaber tightly. “This power seems to come from chaos and has the ability to destroy everything.”

“Then we must destroy it.” An indomitable flame flickered in Ulysses’ eyes. “We have no way out; our only choice is to fight.”

The cracks continued to widen, and phantoms gradually appeared in the darkness. They were not as ferocious as the previous shadows, but rather seemed like an invisible force, devouring all light. Ares' heart raced. He sensed that these phantoms before him were not simply enemies; they represented a deeper force of destiny—an existence that transcended time and space.

“These phantoms are not merely representations of darkness; they are embodiments of destiny,” Ares said softly, gazing ahead. “They come from beyond destiny, representing the limits of the universe, perhaps barriers we cannot overcome.”

“Then break it!” Selna’s voice was filled with determination. “Break the embodiment of fate, break all of this!”

Without hesitation, the three charged towards the illusory figure, swords raised. However, when their sword energy touched the figure, they found their attacks were utterly ineffective. The sword energy vanished into the darkness as if a stone had sunk into the sea.

“This…” Selna’s eyes widened, stunned.

“A barrier of fate.” Ares frowned. “It is not a physical entity and cannot be broken by conventional forces.”

"What should we do then?" Ulysses asked anxiously.

“We need to seek a deeper power,” Ares said calmly. “Destiny is not a simple physical force; it represents the foundation of the universe, its rules, and time itself. To break through it, we must start with the deeper ‘laws’.”

“Laws?” Selna was taken aback. “You mean, we need to grasp the true meaning of destiny?”

“Yes.” Ares nodded, his eyes deep. “The essence of destiny does not lie in matter, but in how we define our relationship with the universe.”

Just then, that deep voice rang out again, carrying boundless pressure: "You will never understand the true meaning of fate. All your struggles are merely a part of destiny. Your existence was already predetermined."

“Fate is predetermined?” Ares gritted his teeth. “If fate is predetermined, then I will change it!”

He swung his sword fiercely, and an unprecedented power erupted from the blade. This time, it wasn't just sword energy, but the condensation of all the power within him, aimed directly at the core of the phantom.

As Ares swung his sword, a powerful force erupted, like a bolt of lightning from the universe, instantly striking the core of the phantom. The entire space trembled violently, the laws of spacetime began to shake, and the dark phantom began to collapse, as if the rules of the entire universe had been completely altered at that moment.

However, the shadowy figure did not dissipate; instead, it unleashed an even more powerful counterattack. Its form gradually solidified, transforming into an even more powerful entity, like a master of destiny seeking to regain control of everything.

"Do you really think you can break free from fate?" The shadowy figure's voice grew increasingly frenzied. "I am the source of fate, and you are merely pawns in its game, destined to be unable to escape."

A cold smile flashed in Ares's eyes: "The master of fate? No, you have never been the master of fate."

He swung his sword again, the blade striking down like lightning, carrying endless light as it hurtled towards the core of the shadowy figure. At the same time, Selna and Ulysses were not to be outdone, unleashing their swords and spear energy simultaneously, forming an incredibly powerful energy storm that completely enveloped the shadowy figure.

"You rebels can never defeat fate." The shadowy voice whispered like the deathly whisper. "Your resistance is merely a part of fate, destined to remain unchanged."

Ares gave a cold laugh: "The cycle of fate can be broken; our choices are the final decision."

At that very moment, Ares felt the power within him reach its peak. His sword energy transformed into a golden light, like lightning from the universe, striking directly at the core of the shadowy figure. The shadowy figure trembled violently and began to crumble.

"You...you actually..." The shadowy figure's voice gradually faded away, and its form finally dissipated into the void, completely defeated by Ares's sword energy.

As the shadow disappeared, the core of the universe gradually returned to calm, the laws of space and time re-coalesced, the stars began to revive, and the order of the universe began to return to normal.

However, Ares did not let his guard down. He knew that a deeper truth still lay hidden behind this battle. Although the ruler of the shadows had vanished, the forces beyond fate still existed; they were the deepest laws of the universe, controlling everything.

“This battle may only be the beginning,” Ares said softly, his eyes gleaming with determination. “Although we have broken the barrier of fate, the true destiny of the universe is still in our hands.”

“In any case, we have regained control of the universe.” Selna’s eyes were filled with determination. “This is our chance.”

Ulysses smiled slightly: "As long as we don't give up, the universe will always belong to us."