Several kilometers above the sea, Ace was flying through the sky, with Picto at his side carrying Nyssa. They soared above the clouds, where the blue sky stretched endlessly and the white clouds rolled beneath them like the waves of a vast, pale ocean. The wind sculpted the clouds into countless shifting shapes.
The group was heading north at full speed. Ace felt a growing impatience pushing him forward. The closer they came to their destination, the more his anger rose. After several hours, they finally caught sight of the island—and for the first time since he had begun his quest for revenge, Ace hesitated.For the first time, he wondered if he was doing the right thing.
He knew that a fight on the island would be dangerous. He feared he might not be able to protect them if things spiraled out of control. He no longer knew if this battle was worth the cost.
Once they landed on the island, Picto immediately began sniffing the air. After a few seconds, he barked and sprinted in a specific direction. Ace and Nyssa followed him at a run. Their pursuit lasted several minutes before they stopped in front of a massive steel door.The door was rusted and embedded into a snow-covered cliff. The three companions stared at it in silence for a few seconds.
After a moment, Nyssa and Picto stepped forward—when suddenly, a circle of black-and-white flames erupted around them, trapping them in place.
— "What… what's happening?" Nyssa asked, just before realizing the flames belonged to Ace.
She turned and saw his face, filled with sadness. They locked eyes for a few seconds before Ace vanished, smashing straight through the steel door.
Ace felt strangely at peace. He knew he had betrayed his companions' trust—something he would never forgive himself for. But at the same time, he knew he had made the right choice. Even if he stayed behind, Nyssa and Picto would still be able to escape.He found himself wondering whether betraying someone's trust for their own good was truly a betrayal.
Once inside, he was greeted by a deeply unsettling atmosphere. The only things surrounding him were reinforced concrete walls and an elevator at the far end of the room. He stepped inside and descended. The ride lasted only a few seconds before the elevator stopped and opened onto a vast hall filled with soldiers—the same kind he had encountered before. Hydra soldiers.
At the center of the ground floor stood two figures.The first was Arthur, staring at him like a predator watching its prey.The second man was unfamiliar, but Ace knew instantly—by the uniform alone—that he was the true target of his hatred.
Every soldier in the room aimed their rifles at him. Dozens of red laser dots appeared across Ace's body.
— "DON'T MOVE OR WE OPEN FIRE!" one of the soldiers shouted.
The very next second, Ace moved.