The Final Choice

"Ace! I... I...!"

Tears blurred Jiang Lin's vision. Ever since he had been reborn into the world of One Piece, what he wanted most was to save Ace. But now, Ace stood right in front of him, the warmth of his palm still lingering on Jiang Lin's hand, yet Jiang Lin could not choose to take him away.

That grief and despair were enough to suffocate him.

"Jiang Lin, if this is my fate, I accept it! You're strong. With you at Luffy's side, I can rest easy. Go!"

After saying that to Jiang Lin, Ace walked toward the door without looking back. His back looked utterly resolute, his steps unwavering.

"Jiang Lin, please respect Ace's own choice!"

Once Ace began moving, Aokiji passed Jiang Lin, whose face was filled with unwillingness, and walked over to Magellan.

"Hiss..."

Thick white mist billowed out, and Aokiji freed both the door and Magellan from the ice Jiang Lin had encased them in.

"Let's go!"

Once freed, Magellan withdrew his poisonous mist. After glancing at Jiang Lin's back, he took hold of Ace's Seastone Handcuffs and led him toward the door.

"Wait!"

Just as Ace was about to step out of the room, Jiang Lin's low voice came from behind him.

"D! Don't you want to save Ace?"

Magellan's voice came from beside Ace, furious but laced with fear.

"D! I hope you won't gamble with Ace's life!"

Dense white mist rose from Aokiji's hands. Both he and Magellan were now beside Ace. If Jiang Lin made any sudden move, Ace would undoubtedly be the first to suffer.

"I just want to say one thing..." An Ice Path flashed like light beneath Jiang Lin's feet, carrying him in front of Ace in an instant.

"Ace! I won't pass that message on to Luffy. I'll bring everyone with me and get you out of there, right at... Marineford!"

Jiang Lin reached out and turned Ace around, pressing his forehead against Ace's as he spoke stubbornly.

"Jiang Lin! Luffy, he..."

By then, tears had already soaked Ace's cheeks. His stubbornness and strength had been nothing but a front he put on for Jiang Lin.

Deep down, Ace wanted the people he longed to see to come, yet he was also afraid of seeing them appear before him. All he could do was bury those feelings silently in his heart.

But Jiang Lin's words had undoubtedly shattered Ace's last facade.

"Don't worry! I know what you're worried about. I'll take responsibility for his safety, and I won't let what happened today happen again. You know what Luffy's like. Even if you told him that, he would still go to Marineford."

As Jiang Lin spoke, he turned to look at Magellan. That glance, filled with boundless fury, made Magellan tremble uncontrollably.

"Thank you!"

Ace said nothing more. He silently turned around and walked out through Impel Down's gates into the sunlight.

"Attention! Prepare to fire!"

Outside Impel Down, Vice Admiral Onigumo stood alone on the bow deck, coldly watching the prison exit below. Behind him, every Marine Soldier stood ready with a weapon in hand, awaiting his command.

"Get the antidote ready immediately. And until we've handed Ace over, do not anger that man."

Still shaken, Magellan followed behind Ace. After ordering a nearby Prison Guard to fetch the antidote, he looked warily back at Jiang Lin.

Not long after Ace and the others emerged from Impel Down, Jiang Lin slowly came out as well. His appearance made everyone aboard the surrounding warships tense.

"The pirate D, with a bounty of six hundred million and one hundred Beli? What's he doing here? Did he come to save Ace? But he isn't making a move. Why?"

Vice Admiral Onigumo looked down at Impel Down's entrance in confusion. After confirming that Jiang Lin had no intention of acting, he led his men down the stairs and off the warship, approaching Ace and the others.

"If D makes any suspicious move, open fire immediately!"

That was the absolute order Vice Admiral Onigumo gave his men before leaving the warship.

"Tap... tap... tap!"

Ace walked slowly along the wooden walkway, his footsteps soft and steady. When he reached Marine Vice Admiral Onigumo, he silently lifted his head and glanced at the sky overhead.

As Ace looked up, a pure white seagull flew freely over Impel Down, letting out a faint cry.

"A little later than the agreed time."

Onigumo took out his pocket watch and checked the time, but his gaze kept drifting toward the rear. There, Jiang Lin was watching intently, silently taking everything in.

"We were delayed a little. We now hand the felon Portgas D. Ace over to the Marines."

After addressing Onigumo, Magellan stepped aside to clear a path for Ace.

"Tap... tap!"

Dragging his heavy footsteps toward the Marine Soldier, Ace could not help looking back. Near Impel Down's gates, Jiang Lin was leaning against the doorway and looking toward Ace at that very same moment.

Their gazes met, as though they were making a promise to each other.

"Hurry... I have to get the antidote there..."

A Prison Guard carrying the antidote hurried up to Impel Down's top level. Just as he was about to leave through the gates, Jiang Lin quickly stepped in from outside, his expression cold.

"P-Pirate... D!"

The Prison Guard's hands trembled as he clutched the antidote. His eyes were filled with fear and unease as he looked at Jiang Lin.

"D! Are you going to stand there and watch Ace die?"

Seeing the Prison Guard stopped, Aokiji formed four Ice Spears and aimed them at Ace's back from afar.

"If I really wanted to save him... you couldn't stop me!"

Jiang Lin snatched the antidote from the Prison Guard's hands, then rushed in front of Ace at nearly the speed of light.

"Attack!"

The instant Jiang Lin approached, the Crewmates aboard Onigumo's ship attacked. More than a dozen black cannonballs shot from the warship beside them, hurtling straight toward the walkway.

"What utter recklessness!"

Magellan glanced at the cannonballs overhead and hurried toward Impel Down. He was a Devil Fruit user. If he fell into the sea, the consequences did not bear thinking about.

The other Prison Guards made exactly the same choice as Magellan when faced with the cannon fire.

Under the fierce barrage, the only people who remained were Jiang Lin, Ace, Aokiji, and Onigumo.

"Ace! This is your last chance... before you go to Marineford!"

Ignoring the incoming cannonballs, Jiang Lin raised Ace's arm and slowly injected the antidote into his body.

"A chance!"

Ace turned to look around. The Marine warships surrounding Impel Down were rapidly closing in on them.

"Attack! Keep attacking!"

Countless shouts mingled with the thunder of cannon fire, instantly turning the waters outside Impel Down into a sea of cannonballs.

"I said... you're being far too loud! Can't you see we're... having a conversation?"

Jiang Lin's furious voice rang out from the walkway targeted by the cannonballs. Then dazzling ice spread from his side, filling the air and freezing everything it touched!

"Ice Age!"

With that sharp cry, the entire area outside Impel Down instantly fell silent.