The Choice

Chapter 189: The Choice

Ace is the child of the Pirate King. For Rayleigh, a brother's child is like his own, even if he has become Whitebeard's son. But this doesn't affect his determination to fight for him, even if he has to give his own life.

Even if there are countless obstacles ahead, he will go to rescue Ace. As for why he didn't in the original story, there may be various reasons, or maybe he trusted the power of Whitebeard's crew. That man, even though he's old, still possesses the power to shake the world.

"So, Rayleigh, are you going to save him? Now?"

"No, it's not the right time. I want to go with Whitebeard's crew when they go. Rodney, what are your plans? You have a good relationship with Ace, right? How will you choose?"

"Isn't this choice simple? Dealing with Whitebeard's crew and rescuing Ace are not conflicting matters!"

"Rescuing someone is rescuing someone, and killing is killing. These are two separate things."

"Oh?"

"I'm a pirate hunter, naturally opposed to pirates. I have no problem taking them down, and I have no problem-saving people." 

Rodney grabbed a bottle of alcohol and said, "Leave the rescue mission to me, Mr. Rayleigh. You, with your old bones, can relax here."

"Aren't you afraid of falling out with Ace?"

"I'm not afraid because I'm not short of friends. Besides, not everyone gets along well with Ace."

Whitebeard's crew was a mixed bunch, some got along well with Ace, and some didn't. They weren't really like a close-knit family. Even brothers born of the same womb had their own walls, let alone this group of pirates with various hidden agendas.

Not everyone got along well with Ace, and even if they did, what did it matter? He kills his enemies and saves those he wants to save. What could Ace say?

Even if they fell out, it didn't matter. He wasn't lacking that one friend. Drinking his wine, a mission popped up before him.

[Rescue Mission: Rescue Portgas D. Ace!]

Mission Rank: S

[Reward: Ninja Recruitment, Bloodline Limit - Crystal Release, Transparent Escape Technique, Physique - Shikotsumyaku, Puppet Technique, Rasengan, Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld, Summoning: Triple Rashōmon, Chidori Current, Permanent Chakra Fruit, 10,000 Mission Points!]

Ninja Recruitment? Does completing the mission allow you to summon ninjas? Who would that be?

Crystal Release is about creating crystals, from Orochimaru's subordinate, while Transparent Escape is about invisibility, but it's rendered ineffective by Observation Haki.

Shikotsumyaku is bone augmentation. Now, it's neither here nor there for him. As for the Puppet Technique, it's probably a method of using chakra strings and creating simple puppets, also not very useful.

As for Rasengan, he'll just make a bigger one if there's nothing else. For the rest, it's pretty much the same.

An S-ranked mission with such generous rewards.

Upon hearing Rodney's words, Rayleigh fell silent for a moment and said, "In that case, I'll leave the task of rescuing Ace to you. I trust you, Rodney!"

Rodney pounded his chest and said, "No problem, leave it to me. Even if Ace really dies, I have the confidence to bring him back from the afterlife!"

He was telling the truth. Even if Ace really died, once he mastered the Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation, he could just bring him back from the afterlife. The world of pirates had an afterlife, otherwise, Brook's Revive-Revive Fruit wouldn't work, right?

He looked at Robin, who had been quietly reading a book on the side and said, "Robin, stay here for the next few days. With Mr. Rayleigh here, I'll be more at ease."

"Sure, Captain. I'll be waiting for you to come back. Take care!" She tidied up Rodney's clothes and smiled gently. "They're a bit wrinkled. You should also take care of your appearance."

"Haha, don't I have you for that?" He laughed, picked up the bottle of wine on the side, and said, "Alright, I'll be leaving now. I'll go to Impel Down first to see that guy. I have some questions I want to ask him."

"This... Impel Down is not a place anyone can enter just because they want to, especially as a member of the Shichibukai, you'll need to go through strict procedures." Given that Rodney was different from the other Shichibukai, Gion decided to give it a try.