"The good news is that the Void Rifts across the island have begun to contract," Dragon continued his report. "This indicates that the ritual is taking effect. Hold on—we'll buy you as much time as possible."
After the communication ended, Lin Ye and Ace noticed that the energy vortex at the center of the altar had formed a clearly visible channel entrance. Through the slightly distorted space, they could vaguely see a familiar figure—Luffy was struggling to approach the channel from the other side.
"Luffy!" Ace cried excitedly, nearly charging toward the channel, but Lin Ye stopped him.
"Not yet. The channel isn't stable enough," Lin Ye warned. "I need to become the anchor and fully connect myself to the ritual before I can ensure he gets through safely."
Ace fell into a painful struggle. As Luffy's brother, he longed to save him himself; but as Lin Ye's friend, he could not bear to let Lin Ye shoulder such an enormous risk alone. Yet time was running out. The Five Elders could attack again at any moment, and no one knew how long Luffy could remain at the Dimensional Edge.
"There has to be another way," Ace said quietly, complex emotions flickering in his eyes. "Maybe we can do it together..."
Lin Ye shook his head, his expression resolute. "There can only be one anchor, Ace. And it has to be me." He looked straight into Ace's eyes. "Think about it. When Luffy comes back, he'll need someone to guide him and help him adapt. You're his brother. No one can replace you in that role."
Ace fell silent for a moment before finally letting out a deep sigh. "You decided this a long time ago, didn't you?"
Lin Ye smiled faintly. "Ever since I came to understand the Void