Chapter 482: People's Joys and Sorrows Are Not the Same
"Kuwahahaha! It seems the fight over the Mythical Beasts has come to an end." Morgans said.
"Lord Aizen emerged victorious with great strength."
"But contestants need not be disheartened. More Mythical Beasts and treasures await you on Mythical Beast Island."
At that moment, above the sea, Morgans' loud voice echoed.
This time, his tone was far more pleasing to the ears of those listening.
After all, the promise of renewed hope felt uplifting.
"Now, I, Morgans, the bringer of big news, will explain how to reach Mythical Beast Island!"
Hearing Morgans' words, many people grew attentive.
Though Uchiha Madara had flown directly upward earlier, it appeared deceptively simple.
In reality, ascending to the island was a significant challenge.
The base of Mythical Beast Island was only about a hundred meters above the sea.
But its surface soared to a staggering height.
From close range, it was clear the island stood tens of thousands of meters tall.
At such a height, sailing a ship upward was out of the question, and even flying alone was daunting.
Even the Demon Pattern Guild Great Tornado renowned for its wind-element struggled to reach such heights.
The altitude was simply too great.
As for the reverse sea flow ladder Morgans mentioned, few dared to ascend it directly.
The reason was straightforward.
The reverse current, resembling an inverted mountain, would vanish intermittently before reappearing.
This cycle repeated unpredictably.
Such an unstable sea ladder made sailing perilous.
Attempting to navigate it by ship risked the flow cutting off mid-journey, plunging the vessel into a thrilling freefall from a great height.
Thus, many awaited Morgans' explanation.
"Guhahahaha, everyone must have noticed." Morgans said.
"On the forward-facing edge of Mythical Beast Island, there is a reverse sea flow ladder."
"This is the key to landing on Mythical Beast Island this time."
Upon hearing Morgans' words, Contestants approaching from other directions grew uneasy.
Would they need to circle around to the forward direction? Was this not unfair? They had nearly passed the third stage.
To take a detour now would waste precious time.
As frustration mounted, Morgans' next words reassured them.
"Of course, contestants coming from other directions need not worry."
"You also have a direct path to Mythical Beast Island."
"So, there's no need to fear being unable to ascend."
His words brought relief to the Contestants.
But their relief was short-lived.
"Contestants heading toward Mythical Beast Island, I believe, as long as your view is unobstructed, you can see another passage." Morgans said.
Hearing this, the Contestants turned their gaze.
They looked toward Mythical Beast Island.
Beyond the massive island, the sea appeared empty.
Suddenly, their eyes widened in shock at the distant scene.
Was that what the birdman meant?
In their field of vision, an immense water column erupted at a terrifying speed.
It shot straight up to an altitude of ten thousand meters in moments, tilting toward the edge of Mythical Beast Island.
The scene resembled a fountain's water column.
Many had previously thought it was a natural feature of Mythical Beast Island.
After all, the island was so fantastical that such phenomena seemed normal.
But Morgans' words revealed this was a passage?
"Kuwahahaha! I believe you have seen it and guessed correctly." Morgans said, laughing with a hint of schadenfreude.
"This is the second way to reach Mythical Beast Island—the soaring sea current."
"Legend has it, near Jaya island of the first half of the Grand Line, there are soaring sea currents. Ships fortunate enough to ride them can reach the legendary Sky Island."
When it came to accessing Sky Island, Morgans shifted topics and said, "Now, Mythical Beast Island can also be considered a type of Sky Island."
"So, it is reasonable to use the soaring sea current to ascend."
Reasonable, indeed!
But what if the ship was swept away?
What if it tilted and plummeted from the current?
What if it ran aground on the island?
Could this Mythical Beast Conference not be a bit more grounded?
At that moment, many Contestants were filled with complaints.
Unfortunately, Morgans was unmoved by their grievances.
Watching the spectacle unfold was his goal.
"Very good! I believe everyone has seen that there are soaring sea currents in eight directions around Mythical Beast Island."
"They erupt every five minutes."
"As long as you take proper measures to catch this free ride, you will surely experience flying speed."
"This is much faster than the sea flow ladder. It's a proper membership channel."
"What are you waiting for? Move quickly!"
"It's too late, and all the Mythical Beasts and treasures on the island will be taken!"
No one could argue with Morgans' impassioned words.
People's joys and sorrows were not shared, and now they only found his voice grating.
Morgans was oblivious to their exasperation.
As a relentless host, he began explaining the reverse sea flow ladder.
"Now that I've covered the soaring sea currents, next is the sea flow ladder."
"It's quite simple. It exists for five minutes, then disappears for five minutes."
"So, contestants aiming to ascend must time it carefully and ideally board when it first appears."
Morgans paused briefly and then continued, "It's worth noting that, besides maintaining the ship's speed, you must also keep the direction steady on this reverse sea flow ladder."
"Otherwise, you risk veering to the edge and falling, and I believe you would not want to experience that."
"These are the two ways to reach Mythical Beast Island."
As Morgans finished his explanation, the sea grew quiet.
Then, he added, "Contestants, do not hesitate!"
"While you waver, contestant Uchiha Madara is already heading toward the treasure's location!"
Hearing Morgans' words, the crowd stirred.
Major forces took the lead.
Some headed for the reverse sea current, while others aimed for the nearby soaring currents.
As these ships moved, others followed suit.
The timid would starve, and the bold would perish.
With the Lucky Cat and Treasure Water Crocodile within reach, Mythical Beast Island promised even more Mythical Beasts.
Securing one could bring immense prosperity.
Greed often blinded people to fear.
Whether their path led to paradise or the abyss remained unclear.
"Captain, what should we do with these two Mythical Beasts? Should we escort them back first?" someone asked, looking troubled at the two Mythical Beasts beside the Iron Sun ship.
After all, escorting them could invite trouble.
The value of these Mythical Beasts was so great that it sparked envy.
Only Aizen's display of inhuman strength kept others from attempting to seize them.
If escorting was necessary, no one could guarantee the Mythical Beasts would not escape.
The Treasure Water Crocodile had already shown impressive strength.
Even ordinary gem-level hunters might struggle to subdue it.
"No need to worry. Since they are Mythical Beasts, they should be able to fly." Aizen said.
"Right?" he asked, turning to them.
His gentle gaze left the two Mythical Beasts no room for defiance, and they nodded obediently.
Every purebred Mythical Beast was born with the ability to float.
Even subspecies with Mythical Beast powers could fly if their strength was sufficient.
This was a hallmark of Mythical Beast power.
(End of this chapter)