With one final blow, Timothy overcame Riley, who was now lying on the floor, defeated and paralyzed.
Timothy seemed to have prevailed, but what was yet to come was a question. If Timothy could pass Elian and Yules, he would finally be reunited with Chiaki.
But in the condition he was in, it was impossible. Timothy exchanged eyes with Elian, Yules, and his friends. "Agent Riley lost? Impossible." Elian claimed, letting go of Chiaki.
"Now I see why Riley kept quiet about our location..." Timothy said, taking a deep breath, "Because I was right below the forbidden chain!" But this time, Elian had been sandwiched between Timothy's allies rather than Chiaki.
It was a miracle, and Chiaki was finally a short distance from contacting Timothy. It felt like a gift since this was the closest she had been to him in a long time.
"Tim! You made it!" Kou called with happiness and relief to see his friend making out alive. "Barely... But now that I'm here, back on my feet, I'm not planning to leave! I'm not leaving until I get Chiaki out of here!" Timothy exclaimed, breathing heavily from the wounds he suffered.
"Save her? You've come far, but if you confront me, you'll die. You might not be the worst pirate who traveled the Vast Expanse, but you're the enemy of the world. You will perish and-!" Timothy didn't let Elian finish his sentence, "Oh, I'll die, sure. But I'll die right after I take you down. 'Once' I save Chiaki, then I'll gladly die. But until then, I'll stand up and keep fighting!"
Chiaki stood, speechless for a few seconds, "Tim... That's not what I meant. Don't promise-" Chiaki explained in the same collected tone Timothy remembered her having.
He grinned and leaned his hand on his hip, "I know what you meant. Don't ever promise more than you can deliver, but always deliver more than you can promise. Right? You wanted your memory to share those words with me. I'm not promising I'm gonna save you, but I promise to fight in your stead. And even if I die and fail to save you, then I can safely remember that I haven't broken the promise I made. So, stand back and let me fight until I break every bone in my body."
Timothy explained, exchanging eyes with Chiaki. "I..." She stuttered but closed her eyes with a smile. "I have no other choice, do I?" She asked.
But she knew the answer beforehand, "You have one option. To believe in me and entrust your life into my hands. Will you take that choice or not?" Timothy asked, looking deep into Chiaki's eyes. "I can't decline. You've all already come this far to save me. I don't want to die, but even if that happens, then I'm happy my last moments were with you, knowing some people care," She sighed, "But from what I experienced in the past, I learned that you're very stubborn, never giving up." Chiaki explained as the pendants around their necks waved in the wind.
Elian looked at Chiaki and then her friends, "These people... They came so far and almost triumphed. They believe in each other, even if they are on the brink of death." Elian wondered in his mind. "They haven't done anything to oppose the world until their friend became a hostage. These people, how can they call themselves pirates?"
"In reality, the authorities identified them as enemies once they entered Oxfell Arton. Riley and the foremost agents attacked them because of pirates when in reality, they arrived as innocents. They didn't fight the world. In fact, they helped us eliminate the horrible pirates and never wanted any bounties." Elian snuck a glimpse at his hand, looking at a silver key with an orange diamond in the middle.
"What they said was true. Chiaki hasn't done anything. She was always a simple-minded girl with a dream to find true friends. People who won't throw her away upon seeing her. The only person who opposed the world government was her brother. Does she really deserve to die and lose the friends she so long hoped to find? If I released her here and allowed her to go with them, I would betray the world government and lose my job. I can't just make up they got away, and I failed with admiral Yules next to me..."
Elian looked at Yules, standing calmly and seriously. "I lost my father, but so did she. We're equal, but all I saw was anger and revenge, while Chiaki just wanted to be free..." His hand started shaking as he was looking at the key.
He gripped the key firmly, dropping his arms and head. "She found friends, and those friends did everything in their power to save her. They risked their lives, and many other pirates across the Vast Expanse do care not about their crewmembers dying. Should I... Should I let her go?"
His thoughts continued circling in his head, "Do I want to betray the world government and allow another person to be free?" He struggled to make a decision and remembered his past.
~ "Haha! Look! It's that crybaby kid who lost his father 'cause he couldn't fight!" ~
"I was bullied by other children because I was weak and alone. And look at me now, becoming an admiral at such a young age. All I saw was hate and anger, but I never cared to think about others' families and friends. I was too selfish and completely lost my vision of realism. As far as wanting to kill Chiaki," Elian continued wondering, trying to find a correct choice, but would that be possible?
"I wanted to become an officer to protect the world from evildoers, but all I became was a lost cause. However, killing Chiaki right here and now wouldn't make me any different than those pirates. I-I have to make a choice... Do I release this girl with admiral Yules behind me, becoming an enemy to the world government, or do I kill this girl and keep my job."
But finally, the decision had to be made.
Elian shut his eyes tensely and clutched the key with a shaking arm. "I-I can't... I can't do it. I don't want this memory to hunt me in the future." He spun the key in his fingers and grabbed Chiaki's arms, inserting the key into the lock, surprising her.
"W-Wha-?" She wondered.
The chain disconnected from her wrists and slip into Elian's hands. "What are you doing?" She questioned, seeing Elian step toward the edge, looking at the chains he removed.
"I'm releasing you. Isn't it obvious?" He pulled his arm behind, stepped forward, and swung overhead, throwing the chain into the air and to the very bottom of the ocean.
The chain spun through the air and as it reached the ocean, splashed and sunk into the depths.
Timothy, Kou, Kyora, and Chiaki looked at Elian with bewildered faces. "Stop looking at me like that. Didn't you come here to save her? Then use this chance to go and leave. I don't want to see you around here anymore." Elian answered, looking at Timothy.
"W-What? You can't be serious." Timothy added, but Elian swung his arms. "Will you just shut up!? I made my choice, so get off this island! And... sorry... but find somebody who can heal Chiaki's skin." Elian turned around and looked at Yules, who kept quiet.
"If you release her. You'll lose your job. Do you realize that, admiral Elian?" Yules questioned, but he didn't seem to have any complaints. "I know what I got myself into, Yules. But I made my choice. My only reason to join the world government was to become somebody people could rely on and to cleanse this world of evil pirates. But these "pirates" don't deserve pain. In fact, they deserve the freedom to sail the ocean and locate their dreams."
Chiaki seemed surprised, remembering Elian was a kind-hearted individual deep down inside him. "I'll order the remaining foremost agents to back away for as long as I have this title." He explained, looking into the distance.
"Very well, admiral Elian." Yules agreed, startling Elian. "I expected you to oppose me after this decision." But Yules smirked, "Not really... I actually planned here to stop you from executing Chiaki, but I guess I wasn't needed. But it looks like you made the correct choice on your own. And I don't plan to inform the fleet admiral about your betrayal. So, you'll keep your job for a little longer. As long as you don't mess it up again." Elian remained speechless and surprised.
"You're the youngest admiral who lost his parents. You don't need to lose your job either. So, I'll just pretend we failed, and do you know why?" Yules raised his glance and looked at Timothy, "Because they are not our enemy, but the pirates who have no reason to oppose the world government." Yules gently placed his palm on Elian's shoulder and then turned around. "Now, let's go. We still have a ruse to share."
Elian nodded and looked at Timothy, "Y-You're really letting us go without fighting?"
Elian nodded in silence, "You didn't just open Chiaki's eyes, but mine as well after seeing how far you're planning to go to save a friend. But don't think this makes us friends. If I see you again in the future, Timothy, I won't let you off so easily." Timothy crossed his arms and smiled. "Fine by me. Try not to lose it." He grinned.
"And tell your crew to stop burning the world's flag. I don't want to make another deception as to why it burned. Oh, and just so you know, be ready because this confrontation will definitely raise your bounties. Other pirates and the world government will still be after you."
Timothy reached behind his head and scratched it in embarrassment. "Yeah... sorry about the flag."
And then finally, Elian turned around and waved without turning to look at him, "Now, get lost." And with that, Yules and Elian passed by Kou and Kyora without any words.
To be continued...