Ch148- Gravitation!
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Lysander noticed the change in Jack's demeanor and couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope. "You've got something, haven't you?" he asked, his voice slow and distorted, matching the surreal environment they were trapped in.

Jack turned his head towards Lysander, a motion that took seemingly forever to complete. "I can feel the edges of the field," he said, his words drawn out but filled with a steady confidence. "The source is here somewhere. We just need to find it and shut it down."

Lysander nodded, trusting in Jack's abilities. "Lead the way."

Jack took a step forward, each movement requiring a herculean effort. He could feel the strain on his muscles, but he pushed through, determined to overcome this obstacle. The source of the temporal field was calling to him, a faint whisper in the back of his mind, and he followed it, his observation haki guiding him through the distorted reality.

Time seemed to stretch on endlessly as they moved, every step an eternity in itself. The silence was oppressive, and the only sound they could hear was the distorted beat of their own hearts. It was a strange, otherworldly experience, and yet, Jack found a sort of rhythm in the slowness, a method to the madness.

His senses honed in on the source of the field, and he could feel himself getting closer with every painstaking step. The strain on his body was immense, but he pushed through, driven by the need to break free and continue their mission.

Lysander followed suit, his trust in Jack unwavering. He could see the determination in Jack's eyes, the resolve that had brought them this far. It was inspiring, and it gave him the strength to keep moving, despite the overwhelming sensation of being trapped in a never-ending moment.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Jack stopped. He stood still, his senses stretched to their limits, honing in on the source of the temporal field. It was close, so close he could almost touch it.

"There," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, but it carried through the distorted air, reaching Lysander's ears. "The source is right there."

Their movements continued at a snail's pace within the oppressive grasp of the Temporal Distortion Field, every step a herculean task. The invisible force that bound them, created by Vegapunk's ingenious technology, seemed almost insurmountable. Yet, with Jack’s guidance, fueled by the precision of his observation haki, they slowly but surely made their way toward the source of their slow-motion ordeal.

“There,” Jack’s voice, stretched thin by the temporal effects, indicated a nondescript panel embedded in the wall. It was nearly indistinguishable from the surrounding structure, but Jack’s haki didn’t lie. That was the source.

Lysander, his movements just as hindered, drew out his ID badge, a piece of technology that served as a key within Vegapunk's facilities. He extended his arm towards the panel, the action taking what felt like an eternity. As the ID made contact, the mechanism responded. Lights on the panel flickered, initiating a sequence.

And then, abruptly, the field was gone.

The sudden shift in temporal perception was jarring. Their minds, which had been operating at a normal speed within the slow-motion reality, were suddenly assaulted by the full weight of the physical strain they had endured. The pain and fatigue, which should have been spread out over time, hit them all at once.

Jack felt his muscles scream in protest, his body threatening to give out from under him. He staggered, nearly falling to his knees. His breathing was heavy, labored, as he tried to adjust to the sudden change.

Lysander was no different. He swayed on his feet, his body feeling like it had been through a marathon. “Damn,” he gasped out, the word quick and sharp in the now normal flow of time.

Jack, though reeling from the sudden onslaught of pain, found his footing. His body was well-trained, resilient, but even he couldn’t ignore the toll that the Temporal Distortion Field had taken. “We need... a moment,” he managed to say, his voice steadier than he felt.

Lysander nodded in agreement, leaning against the wall for support. “Never... thought time could be... such a pain,” he joked weakly, trying to lighten the mood despite the circumstances.

Jack couldn’t help but smirk, even though it did nothing to alleviate the pain. “Let’s... not do that again,” he replied, his tone dry.

They took a few moments to catch their breaths, allowing their bodies to recover from the abrupt transition. The pain was subsiding, slowly but surely, as their bodies caught up with the reality of time.

“Ready to move?” Jack finally asked, his voice back to its usual calm timbre.

Lysander pushed himself off the wall, testing his limbs. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

Moving out of the temporal distortion field, the duo entered the next stage of Vegapunk's complex defensive systems. The air shifted around them, denser, pressing in from all sides. Jack's eyes narrowed as he sensed the change in atmosphere, his body instinctively bracing for what was to come.

Lysander, who had regained his strength and composure, noticed it first. His steps became heavier, and a slight frown creased his brow. "Gravitational Wells," he muttered under his breath, recognizing the familiar sensation of intensified gravity.

Gravitational Wells, Lysander recognized them almost instantly, the increased force pulling at him, trying to ground him like an anchor. He chuckled lightly, an amused smirk playing on his lips. "Fancy meeting a Devil Fruit’s cousin here," he commented, his voice steady despite the increasing pressure.

Jack turned his head slightly to glance at Lysander, his expression unchanging. "Your old playing field, huh?" he remarked, recalling the time he and Lysander had clashed, gravity bending and twisting at Lysander's whim.

Lysander grinned, the gravity having little effect on his mood. "Yeah, though I've got to say, Vegapunk’s version is less... personalized."

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