Chapter 21: Farewell to the East Blue and the Reverse Mountain Ascent
[SYSTEM MISSION: NAVIGATE REVERSE MOUNTAIN. RECOMMENDED ACTION: ENGINEER DEATH. ACQUISITION: BASIC NAVIGATION (UPGRADE) / SHIP REPAIR (MINOR). SECONDARY GOAL: MINIMIZE SHIP DAMAGE.]
"Reverse Mountain. The gateway to the Grand Line. This is a purely environmental challenge, but a dangerous one. My system wants me to navigate it, which means a death that teaches me about the sea's currents or ship mechanics. 'Basic Navigation' upgrade would be crucial, or 'Ship Repair' to keep the Merry in one piece. I need to get caught in a particularly violent current or a structural failure of the ship, something that emphasizes the raw power of the ocean. Time to let the mountain teach me a lesson, and then come back ready to pilot a ship through a hurricane."
With Arlong defeated and Cocoyasi Village liberated, the Straw Hats spent a few days basking in the newfound peace. Nami, finally free, was a different person – her laughter was genuine, her smiles radiant. She drew a new, vibrant map, no longer burdened by a terrible secret, and officially joined the crew as their navigator. The villagers celebrated their freedom, and the Straw Hats prepared for their next, monumental step: the Grand Line.
The farewells were bittersweet. Genzo, Nojiko, and the villagers waved them off, tears in their eyes, as the Going Merry sailed away from the Conomi Islands, leaving the East Blue behind. The air felt different now, charged with anticipation and the promise of the unknown.
"Alright, everyone!" Luffy cheered, standing at the Merry's bow, his straw hat firmly on his head. "Next stop: The Grand Line! Pirate King, here I come!"
Nami, however, looked a little nervous. "It's not that simple, Luffy. To get to the Grand Line from here, we have to go through Reverse Mountain. It's incredibly dangerous. Four currents from the four Blues converge there and push ships up a mountain to the top, where they then descend into the Grand Line. One wrong move and we're smashed to pieces."
My compass, which had been steadily pointing towards the general direction of the Grand Line, now pulsed with an almost frantic energy, reacting to the immense, converging currents. A new system prompt, emphasizing danger and technical skill, appeared in my mind.
[SYSTEM MISSION: NAVIGATE REVERSE MOUNTAIN. RECOMMENDED ACTION: ENGINEER DEATH. ACQUISITION: BASIC NAVIGATION (UPGRADE) / SHIP REPAIR (MINOR). SECONDARY GOAL: MINIMIZE SHIP DAMAGE.]
"Reverse Mountain. This is a truly unique environmental death. Not a creature, not a person, but the raw, untamed power of the ocean itself. 'Basic Navigation' would be a game-changer, allowing me to instinctively understand currents and charts. Or 'Ship Repair' for keeping the Merry afloat. I need to get caught in the strongest part of the current, or be crushed by a rogue wave, something that emphasizes the sheer destructive force of this natural phenomenon. This is about learning to master the sea, by letting the sea master me, temporarily. Time to become one with the current, and then come back to steer us through it."
"Don't worry, Nami-swan," I said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I've faced worse. Mostly. Besides, I'm sure the mountain has a lot to teach us. Especially me. I'm thinking a crash course in advanced hydrodynamics."
As we approached Reverse Mountain, the currents became incredibly strong, pulling the Merry with immense force. The water roared around us, forming massive, churning whirlpools and powerful updrafts that pushed the ship higher and higher. Nami, despite her skills, was struggling against the sheer, overwhelming power of the converging currents.
"The current's too strong!" Nami yelled, straining at the helm. "We're going to hit the rocks!"
Seeing my opportunity, and knowing Nami needed to focus on the overall navigation, I deliberately positioned myself near the most violent part of the current, near a jagged rock face.
"This is it. The raw, unadulterated power of the ocean. I need to let the current smash me against the rocks, or pull me under, to truly experience its devastating force. This is a death by environmental destruction, pure and simple. It will teach me about the sea's fury and how to survive it."
"Nami! Aim for that gap!" I yelled, pointing to a narrow, treacherous passage. "I'll try to divert some of the current!" It was a lie, of course. My intention was to get caught.
As the Merry was pulled closer, I deliberately let go of a rope, feigning a slip, and was immediately caught by a massive, churning eddy. The current slammed me against the jagged rock face with incredible force, crushing my rubbery body against the unyielding stone. The impact was bone-shattering, my Gum-Gum abilities barely absorbing the sheer, grinding power of the water and rock. I felt my body being torn, compressed, and pulverized simultaneously, as if I were a rag doll in a washing machine. The roar of the water filled my ears, and my vision went black, overwhelmed by the sheer, relentless power of the mountain.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: DEATH RECORDED. KILLER: REVERSE MOUNTAIN CURRENT/ROCKS. ABILITY ACQUIRED: BASIC NAVIGATION (UPGRADE). REVIVAL INITIATING. PLEASE WAIT.]
"Basic Navigation (Upgrade)! Excellent! This is going to be incredibly useful in the Grand Line. I can feel it – an intuitive understanding of currents, winds, and how to read a map like a second language. No more getting lost for me. Unless I want to, for a new death, of course. Time to pop back up and show Nami how it's done."
I gasped, sitting up, perfectly whole and dry, perched on a miraculously stable rock amidst the churning chaos. My body felt no pain, but my mind was alight with new information. I could instinctively read the flow of the water, predict the eddies, and understand the subtle shifts in the currents. It was like I had been given a cheat sheet to the ocean itself.
Nami, meanwhile, had managed to steer the Merry through the narrow gap, but her face was pale with exhaustion and worry for me.
"Adam! You're alive!" she cried, relief flooding her features. "I thought you were gone!"
"Just taking a quick dip, Nami-swan!" I called back, leaping gracefully from the rock and landing back on the Merry's deck, my movements surprisingly fluid even amidst the rocking. "And I learned a valuable lesson! Turns out, mountains are quite good at teaching physics. I think I've got the hang of it now."
I walked to the helm, gently taking Nami's hands. "Let me try, Nami. I think I can feel the currents now." With my newfound Basic Navigation, I instinctively adjusted the rudder, feeling the subtle shifts in the water, guiding the Merry with an almost supernatural ease. The ship glided through the remaining treacherous currents, riding the waves rather than fighting them, ascending the mountain with surprising grace.
Nami stared, utterly bewildered. "How… how did you do that?!"
"Just a little trick I picked up from the mountain itself," I said with a wink. "It's amazing what you can learn when you truly immerse yourself in the experience. Now, hold on tight, everyone! Because the Grand Line awaits!"
With a final surge, the Merry crested the summit of Reverse Mountain, and then began its descent into the vast, unknown expanse of the Grand Line. The air was different here, heavier, more unpredictable. The adventure had truly begun.