Luffy and the others were at a loss.
Indeed, this situation was hard to understand. Logically, a boat can't climb a mountain.
Carl knew this, but he didn't say much. Nami's sailing skills were about to be put to the test, and it wouldn't help if Carl spoke up. Even when Tashigi tried to speak, Carl stopped her.
Everything—just leave it to Nami!
"Crossing that mountain leads to the Grand Line!" Luffy's face was filled with excitement and longing.
The others felt the same way.
Even Tashigi, who had always been in East Blue, was excited. This was her first time on the Grand Line. While it was known as the pirate's graveyard, it was also filled with countless mysteries that drew people in.
She wanted to see it all for herself!
At that moment, Sanji brought out a barrel of wine from the warehouse and suggested, "Before we enter the Grand Line, let's have a launch ceremony!"
He placed his foot on the barrel and declared, "I'll find ALLBLUE!"
Luffy followed with, "I want to be Pirate King!"
Zoro: "I want to become the world's greatest swordsman!"
Nami: "I want to draw a world map!"
Usopp: "I—I want to be a brave warrior of the sea!"
Jango: "I want to be a world-renowned Hypnosis master!"
Li Kei: "Wow!!!"
Then, everyone turned to Carl, which made him pause for a moment.
For a brief second, Carl was taken aback. Memories flooded his mind. He thought of the seventeen years he'd spent reborn in this world—his struggle to survive, the loss of his parents to illness, and even his past life.
Friends from his previous life were also talking about their dreams!
Some had said, "The world is so big, I want to explore it," and then proceeded to play Genshin Impact, exploring the virtual world of Tivat. Turns out, the world they were after was a virtual one!
Others said, "My senior sister is getting old, I want to go see her," and Carl had mostly chosen to ignore that "great" dream.
But now… what was his dream?
At first, Carl was a little confused, but soon his thoughts cleared.
That's right. Since he had come to this world, how could he not take a proper look? Not only for himself, but also for his parents who had died of illness in this world. He wanted to see the beauty of this world, experience its dangers, and even uncover the truth about it.
He didn't want to have come to this world in vain!
So, Carl slowly placed his foot on the barrel and loudly declared, "I want to travel around the world!"
Tashigi, watching the ceremony, seemed moved by the atmosphere. She tightly gripped Shigure and silently vowed to herself: I will take back all the famous swords possessed by the bad guys!
Everyone wore the biggest smiles and shouted in unison, "Let's go! To the Grand Line!"
Once the ceremony was over, it was time to figure out how to climb the mountain. But with Nami's skills, this wouldn't be a problem.
Under Nami's command, the Merry soon found the entrance to the mountain.
It was a narrow waterway, and a row of door frames had been deliberately built at the intersection. The sea water was climbing up the waterway to the top of the mountain on its own, creating a truly spectacular sight.
Everyone couldn't help but exclaim in awe. Each one was filled with excitement.
Although Tashigi had heard of it in Loguetown, it was her first time seeing such a scene, and her eyes widened in amazement.
Carl quietly took out his camera, choosing several angles to take pictures. Once the photos were developed, he planned to create a photo album to go with the sailing diary—a special kind of memory.
Though he had seen something like this in the anime, experiencing it firsthand was a completely different matter.
The only feeling he had at that moment was pure shock!
"Everyone, don't just stand there! We're going to climb this mountain and enter the Grand Line!" Nami quickly directed everyone to control the boat and head toward the entrance.
However, the whirlpools on the sea were too strong, and the entrance was so narrow that it made it difficult for the Merry to move forward.
Fortunately, Nami was more than capable, and the Merry quickly made it into the entrance. But the ship was slightly off course and was about to crash into the massive door frame. Luffy, without hesitation, stretched his body like a rubber balloon and bounced the Merry back onto the right path.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The Merry shot up the mountain as fast as a rocket.
Everyone was excited.
"Hahahaha! So fast!" Luffy laughed, opening his mouth wide and taking a deep breath.
"We're almost at the top!" he shouted.
Crash! The Merry rocketed to the summit and then began its descent. The roller-coaster-like feeling was exhilarating but also a little terrifying.
No wonder it takes courage to enter the Grand Line. First, you have to get through this initial trial!
If they weren't careful, the ship might really be destroyed!
At that moment, a deep roar echoed, leaving everyone stunned. Luffy adjusted his straw hat, the roar carrying a sadness that reflected years of experience, and he couldn't help but fall silent.
"Look, everyone! There's a black mountain ahead!" Usopp suddenly shouted.
Everyone looked ahead, and their eyes widened. Indeed, there was a towering mountain in front of them, almost as high as the clouds. But soon, they realized this wasn't a mountain at all—it was a whale, and the roar just now had come from it.
"We're going to collide! Turn the Merry around!"
"No! The rudder's stuck!"
"Ahh! The rudder's broken!"
Nami, Usopp, Zoro, and Tashigi panicked, but Luffy remained motionless on the ship's bow. Carl, Sanji, and Zoro also stood unmoving on the deck.
Luffy looked up and said, "Your voice is full of sadness. I don't know what you're sad about, but could you please move out of the way?"
The whale didn't seem to hear or understand him.
With no other option, Luffy narrowed his eyes. His Conqueror's Haki surged out, causing the whale to tremble in fear. The massive creature quickly shifted to the side, allowing the Merry to pass safely.
Seeing this, Nami and the others let out a collective sigh of relief.
"Now that we have a way, let's move!" Nami growled, baring her teeth.
But Luffy only flashed a grin, not explaining anything. He simply stared at the whale, as though trying to understand its heart.
It wasn't long before the Merry reached the foot of the mountain.
There was a lighthouse there, with a small house next to it—likely the tower keeper's residence. But for some reason, the tower keeper was nowhere to be seen.
Luffy decided to stop the ship there for reasons unknown to the others.
Standing at the bow, Luffy gazed at the whale in the distance. The whale slowly swam closer, and it seemed like Luffy was waiting for it.
The crew couldn't figure it out, but Carl had an idea.
Luffy had heard the sadness in the whale's voice and, being the curious person he was, chose to stay behind to understand it better.
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