The ship pressed through raging waves, the sea still stormy. Despite the treacherous voyage, the navigator's skill kept the Going Merry on course.
At the bow, Luffy perched on the sheep figurehead, unperturbed by the wild waves, holding his hat to keep it from flying off, grinning with excitement. Nearby, Nami monitored the ship's condition, her face etched with worry.
"Luffy, that's dangerous! Get back here!" Nami shouted.
"Huh? Why?" Luffy asked.
"Because it's dangerous!"
"Oh, you want to ride the Merry too, huh? Sorry, this is my special seat," he teased.
"Who said I want to ride it?! What if you fall into the sea?!" Nami snapped.
"I won't fall, so it's fine," Luffy replied.
"You might think that, but I don't! It's bad for my heart, so get back here!"
"Ehh?"
Luffy's carefree attitude ignored the risk of falling, especially as a non-swimmer. Nami sighed, exasperated but recalling his love for danger. In this stormy sea, even skilled swimmers could drown, making the situation precarious.
Unable to drag him back, the conversation shifted when Usopp approached. He'd been scanning ahead from the mainmast with a telescope, spotting a massive rock wall—a dead end instead of the Grand Line's entrance. The storm made shouting difficult, so he reported directly to Nami.
"Hey, Nami, something's ahead—a huge rock wall. Did we take a wrong turn?" Usopp asked.
"No, that's right. Our destination is a mountain," Nami replied.
"A mountain? We're heading to the Grand Line, not a mountain!" Usopp protested.
"The entrance is in that mountain. Guess I'll explain," Nami said.
As Usopp scratched his head and Luffy looked on curiously from the bow, Nami began explaining their route. Before she could, a sharp yell from the deck interrupted—a loud voice cutting through the storm. It was Sanji, causing a commotion.
"You—what're you doing, Kiri?! Why're you clinging to Silk-chan?!" Sanji bellowed.
"Not clinging, just leaning on her. I'm out of strength," Kiri replied.
"What's with your hand around her waist?!"
"Just holding on so I don't fall. Nothing weird," Kiri said.
"Liar! No guy puts his hand on a lady's waist without ulterior motives! Using your crewmate status to get touchy, you jerk!" Sanji roared.
"Man, your jealousy's on fire today, Sanji. Silk, he's scary," Kiri teased.
"There, there," Silk soothed.
"Gahhh! I wanna be weak like paper too! No, wait—get away from Silk-chan, Kiri! I'll kick you to the ocean floor!" Sanji yelled.
Sanji and Kiri bickered over Silk, not quite fighting over her but enough to drive Sanji wild. His passion matched the storm's intensity. Nami, watching from afar, sighed and shrugged.
"What are they doing? Playing around in this tense situation," she muttered.
"Luffy's not much different," Usopp pointed out.
"Shishishi, Sanji's a funny guy," Luffy laughed.
This couldn't go on. Sensing an endless loop, Nami intervened, knowing Sanji was harsh with men but soft with women. Her words would carry more weight than Kiri's teasing.
"Sanji-kun, this isn't the time for nonsense. We need to keep the ship from capsizing," Nami said.
"Don't stop me, Nami-san! I gotta kick this flimsy paper jerk or I won't be satisfied! He's exploiting his weakness!" Sanji retorted.
"That's harsh. I'm not as pervy as you, Sanji," Kiri quipped.
"Don't mess around! Think there's a guy who's not pervy?!" Sanji shot back.
"Luffy," Kiri said.
"He's just a kid! A schemer like you wouldn't miss a legal way to touch a lady!" Sanji accused.
"Man, you're really trashing my image. What do you think, Silk?" Kiri asked.
"Me? I didn't mind," Silk replied.
"Damn it! I wanna peel off that thick skin of his! Taking advantage of pure, innocent Silk-chan, you monster!" Sanji raged.
"Am I the bad guy here?" Kiri wondered.
"Ugh, this is annoying," Nami groaned.
Sanji, pounding the deck in jealousy, was beyond reason. Kiri tilted his head, puzzled, while Nami clutched hers in frustration. Silk's obliviousness and Kiri's overly familiar demeanor were the issue, and Sanji's exaggerated reaction didn't help.
The commotion settled. Nami shook her head, ready to resume her explanation, but Silk spoke up, struggling with the weakened Kiri. "Nami, Kiri's at his limit. What do we do?"
"Dump him inside. We can't have him falling overboard," Nami replied.
"Got it," Silk said.
"Silk-chan, if he's a bother, toss him into the sea," Sanji added.
"You guys are harsh. This treatment's rough, huh?" Kiri complained.
"Obviously, you paper jerk! I'll deal with you later!" Sanji snapped.
"Stop it, Sanji-kun. I don't like jealous guys," Nami said.
"Everyone's got strengths and weaknesses, Kiri. You're doing fine," Silk reassured.
"Uh, you're not embarrassed saying that?" Kiri asked.
Nami's blunt words shifted Sanji's mood instantly, his quick change almost comical. Kiri, flustered by the shift, was carried inside by Silk to rest and recover.
Turning back to Usopp and Luffy, Nami began her explanation with a serious expression. "Alright, why we're heading to the mountain. It's because the canal there is the Grand Line's entrance. I confirmed with Kiri, so it's correct."
"The mountain's the entrance? We're not climbing it with the ship, are we?" Usopp asked.
"Climbing a mountain with a ship? That sounds awesome!" Luffy exclaimed.
"That's exactly what's happening," Nami confirmed.
"No way!" Usopp gasped.
Luffy and Usopp shouted in surprise as Nami nodded, continuing. She'd discussed it with Kiri, who hadn't denied it, suggesting she was right. Explaining helped her confirm it herself.
"That's part of the Red Line, called Reverse Mountain. It's the easiest way into the Grand Line," Nami said.
"Why? No other entrances?" Usopp asked.
"Nope. The Grand Line's flanked by the Calm Belt. In theory, you could enter anywhere by crossing it, but it's a nest of giant Sea Kings. No ship gets through safely," Nami explained.
"Whoa, dangerous," Luffy said, eyes gleaming.
"Hey, Luffy, don't get interested," Usopp warned, cutting off risky ideas.
Nami continued, unfazed. "The four seas' currents converge at that canal, leading into the Grand Line. Seeing it's easier than explaining, but we have to hit that mountain to cross the Red Line."
"So, a mystery mountain, huh?" Usopp said.
"Pretty much. Just see for yourself," Nami replied, giving up on detailed explanations, knowing they'd understand soon. She'd learned how to handle her captain.
--+--
T/N: Although I'm an inexperienced Editor, I do have a Patreon account! Although it seems like I don't have many supporters right now, my webnovel will be released in full every day, and the advanced chapters will be uploaded to Patreon.
It may not be worth it now, but who knows, it might be different in the future. Who knows!
patreon.com/Greyhounds
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