The Abyssal Archive trembled as the monstrous sentinel fully emerged from the depths. Its body was an abomination of metal and flesh—ancient bio-technology from a forgotten era. A single crimson eye scanned the intruders, its mechanical limbs clanking as they powered up ancient weaponry.
[System Alert: Abyssal Keeper "Erebus Sentinel" – S-Rank Threat]
Estimated Combat Efficiency: 92%
Adaptive Combat Intelligence: Active.
Strategy: Overwhelm with coordinated firepower.
Recommended Action: Team Combat + Proficiency Overdrive.
Ankit's gaze hardened. He raised his swords as the system buzzed with new commands.
[Skill: Proficiency Overdrive: Dual Mode - Abyss Breaker] Activated!
Strength +70%
Agility +50%
Sword Mastery: Temporary evolution to "Void Tide Style" for 5 minutes.
Warning: Extreme physical strain.
A surge of power coursed through him, his aura deepening into a dark oceanic blue, rippling outward.
"Shanks, Beckman, Roux, Yasopp—I'll take point!" Ankit shouted. "Focus fire when its armor opens!"
Shanks grinned, sword already crackling with Haki. "Got it. Let's crack this tin can open."
The Battle Commences
The Abyssal Keeper roared, releasing a high-frequency shockwave. The Archive's walls flickered, data streams destabilizing. Ankit dashed forward in the crushing water, his swords forming arcs of compressed energy as he unleashed his evolved style.
"Void Tide: Twin Fang Collapse!"
Two devastating slashes collided against the Keeper's leg, cracking the rusted armor. But the Keeper retaliated instantly, firing energy lances from its shoulders. Shanks intercepted with a wide Conqueror's Haki slash, splitting the beams apart.
Beckman fired pinpoint shots at the exposed joints, causing sparks to fly. Yasopp's sniper rounds ricocheted inside the damaged sections, disrupting circuits. Lucky Roux hurled a massive chunk of debris like a cannonball, slamming the beast's chest.
Still, the Keeper adapted.
Its eye glowed, and a new defense protocol activated. Armor plates shifted, and mechanical tentacles burst outward, swiping at the crew.
"Don't let it regroup!" Ankit yelled.
[Adaptive Combat Detected. Reanalyzing Attack Pattern.]
A Dangerous Counter
The Keeper roared again, its tentacles slamming into Ankit and sending him crashing into the Archive wall. Warnings blared in his mind.
[Warning: Structural Fracture Detected. Body Fatigue Rising Rapidly.]
Blood dripped from his lips, but his eyes burned brighter.
"Not yet..."
He steadied himself, raising both blades. The system responded:
[Proficiency Limit Break Available: Initiate?]
Yes.
Energy flooded his body, beyond his normal limits.
"Void Tide: Abyssal Rend!!"
With one mighty slash, he tore through the dark waters, striking the Keeper's core. The impact staggered the beast, exposing its vital circuits.
"NOW!" Ankit roared.
Shanks leaped high, sword raised overhead. "Crimson Sovereign Slash!"
A massive, haki-infused strike cleaved down, shattering the Keeper's core in a thunderous explosion.
The beast gave one final mechanical scream before collapsing, the trench shaking violently as the Archive began to destabilize.
Secrets of the Abyss
The dust settled. The Abyssal Keeper's body crumbled, and the room grew still. Holographic panels reactivated, showing the final logs of the Abyssal Archive.
A voice echoed in the chamber. Calm, resolute, and unmistakably human.
"If you've reached this place, know that the truth of the Void Century is not what the World believes.
I am Rion D. Gol, brother of Roger. I guarded these records because the world wasn't ready for them. But now... perhaps a new age can begin.
Seek the final keys in the Eternal Glacier and the Iron Maw of the West. Complete the Chronicle of Freedom. Break the World's chains."
Ankit's heart pounded. The mystery of the world was deeper than he'd ever imagined. Even Shanks looked troubled, gripping his sword tightly.
"So... the World Government erased not only history... but the ones who tried to protect it."
Beckman spoke up, voice grim. "The Eternal Glacier... that's in the New World's forbidden zone. No one's charted it in decades."
Yasopp grinned. "Guess we're going on another adventure."
Lucky Roux laughed heartily. "Just another day for the Red-Haired Pirates!"
Ankit smiled faintly but clenched his fists. The truth was close, but danger was even closer.
And in the far distance... a shadowy figure monitored their progress through a long-forgotten surveillance system.
Elsewhere...
On Mariejois, deep beneath the Holy Land, an elder of the Gorosei slammed his fist against the table.
"So they've found the first Archive."
A shadowy figure behind him spoke coldly.
"Activate Protocol: Silent Erasure. Send Cipher Pol Zero. No survivors."
Back on the Red Force
As the crew ascended, leaving the Abyss behind, Ankit's system buzzed again.
[Quest Completed: Abyssal Archive]
Proficiency +2,000
New Title Acquired: Seeker of Forgotten Truths
New Passive Unlocked: Memory of the Abyss [Minor Resistance to Ancient Technology]
But this victory felt like the opening of a far greater battle.
As Ankit looked out at the horizon, he whispered to himself:
"The real war... has just begun."