A Hyūga's Gate Between Worlds

As Virgo had analyzed, Tanaka created three shadow clones. Then, using the Transformation Technique, he transformed two of them into Rosinante and Law before dashing toward the direction where Tsuru was located.

At this moment, Tanaka had already reached the edge of the Birdcage.

"Tanaka, what should we do?"

"Even if we manage to contact Vice Admiral Tsuru, she probably won't be able to break the cage."

Rosinante stood near the Birdcage, able to vaguely make out the silhouette of Tsuru's warship.

However, the Birdcage's barrier prevented him from moving forward. In fact, he could only retreat.

"Is such this cage really that much of a hassle?"

Watching the Birdcage continuously contract, its razor-sharp threads slicing through everything in their path, Tanaka stood his ground, unmoving.

"It's coming!"

Law began to sweat as he saw the Birdcage threads cutting mercilessly through rocks and snow alike.

At that moment, he started to understand why Rosinante had said the cage was unbreakable.

An ability capable of slicing through an entire island—what kind of terrifying power was this?

"Tanaka."

Rosinante could only look at Tanaka with a pleading gaze.

"ROOM · Shambles."

Tanaka slowly raised his right hand, palm facing the sky.

Whoosh—

A spiraling airwave spread outward as an invisible spherical space extended in all directions. Within a certain area, the sphere ignored the supposedly indestructible and razor-sharp threads, expanding freely beyond the Birdcage.

Crack—

At that moment, the razor-sharp threads that had been tearing through the ground and snow surged forward like a monstrous flood, closing in on Rosinante and Law from behind. They were less than two meters away from being sliced to pieces.

"Tanaka!" Just as Rosinante instinctively tried to step back, his vision blurred for a moment, then quickly returned to clarity.

The same sky.

The same scenery.

The same snowstorm.

But the terrifying Birdcage that had filled his view with despair was gone.

This scene left Rosinante completely frozen.

"Corazon, behind you—Look!"

Law tugged at Rosinante's feathered coat. When the latter turned around, he realized that the Birdcage hadn't disappeared—it was still there, continuing to contract toward the center of the island.

As for him and Law, they were now standing outside the Birdcage along with Tanaka.

"We're out!"

Rosinante was stunned, finding it hard to believe.

He had thought escaping was nearly impossible. Yet, in the blink of an eye, they had slipped out effortlessly.

"Yeah, in just a flash, we were out of the Birdcage. It was just like teleportation."

Law spoke excitedly.

He had seen everything clearly.

Tanaka had simply raised his hand, and then all three of them—himself, Rosinante, and Tanaka—had been transferred outside the Birdcage.

"Could the Op-Op Fruit do something like this?"

Rosinante seemed to suddenly realize what had happened.

He was finally starting to understand.

That space manipulation must have been the ability of the Op-Op Fruit.

"Go now."

Tanaka cast a casual glance toward the warship anchored in the distance.

As a user of the Op-Op Fruit, of course, he had his own version of Shambles.

"Tanaka, take this Den Den Mushi."

"When I get the complete method for mastering Haki, I will contact you immediately."

"Of course, you can also use this Den Den Mushi to reach me anytime."

Suppressing his emotions, Rosinante quickly pulled out a snail from his pocket and handed it over.

Including this escape from the Birdcage, he and Law had collectively owed Tanaka a total of five lives. Naturally, he took the matter of obtaining the Haki training method very seriously.

"Goodbye."

Rosinante didn't ask where Tanaka was heading next.

Based on the abilities he had demonstrated along the way, he was now convinced that even if Doflamingo mobilized his entire pirate crew, they would still be powerless against this young man.

"Take care!" Law said to Tanaka.

He wasn't someone adept at words or socializing. Instead, he simply took a deep look at the person before him, engraving the face of the one who had descended like a divine warrior in his moment of despair into his memory.

Rather than empty and ornate words, he preferred to repay kindness with actions in the future.

"If you get the chance, make sure to learn Haki properly. It's the only power in this world that can stand against Devil Fruit users."

"You wouldn't want to see the man you respect die at Doflamingo's hands in the future, would you?"

Tanaka took the Den Den Mushi, nodded slightly, and gave Law a few words of advice.

As a member of the Clan of D, Law was undoubtedly gifted.

Whether in Haki or Devil Fruit abilities.

Otherwise, after taking a crash course with Kaido and Big Mom, he not only awakened his Op-Op Fruit but also developed impressive Haki, going so far as to take on half of Blackbeard's crew alone and even leave their captain coughing up blood.

On the other hand, Kid…

Despite taking lessons from both Big Mom and Kaido, he had only managed to awaken his Magnet-Magnet Fruit. Then, when facing Shanks without Law as a crucial support, he was instantly defeated by a single Divine Departure, knocked out on the spot.

Thus, solidifying Shanks' reputation.

"Haki, huh…"

Law glanced back at the terrifying Birdcage and murmured to himself.

If his previous interest in Haki had been about repaying Tanaka for saving his life multiple times, now he saw it in a different light.

Just as Tanaka had sai, he never wanted to stand powerless one day, watching as Rosinante was killed by Doflamingo right before his eyes.

"If I master Haki, will I be able to deal with the Birdcage?"

Law couldn't help but ask.

"One cannot dominate the world with Devil Fruit powers alone. Only Haki can reign supreme over everything."

"This statement may be somewhat simplistic, but it speaks to the sheer power of Haki."

Tanaka met Law's gaze and spoke each word with conviction.

"I'll remember that."

Law's eyes burned with fire, and even his breathing grew heavier.

It was clear, with just a few words, Tanaka had engraved the desire for Haki deep into Law's very soul.

Unlike in the original timeline, where he had eaten the Op-Op Fruit, at this moment, his heart was entirely consumed by the idea of mastering Haki.

"Whew…"

Watching as Rosinante and Law walked away, turning back multiple times until they finally disappeared from sight, Tanaka let out a slow breath.

Then, his pale white eyes gleamed with an eerie chill.

"Main house... I'm coming for you."