The ship neared the towering Red Line, its massive shadow looming as the storm weakened. The Merry and Arlong's ship closed in on their destination.
Tension rose. Usopp glanced back at Arlong's ship, trailing them. They'd come from the Grand Line before, so they likely knew Reverse Mountain. Curious but late to ask, he turned to Nami, who shrugged.
"Nami, don't they need an explanation? We barely get it ourselves, but do they know what's up?" Usopp asked.
"Dunno," Nami said.
"Dunno? Come on!"
"They said to follow, so it's fine. If the Merry hits the canal right, they'll follow. Plus, Mom's pulling their ship, so they've got an easier time. Worry about us—fail, and we're fish food," Nami warned.
"S-Seriously?! Say that sooner!" Usopp panicked.
"Would it change anything? We'll succeed," Nami said confidently.
"So carefree!" Usopp groaned.
"Look at Luffy," Nami pointed.
Usopp glanced at Luffy, who stared ahead, fists clenched, voice brimming with excitement. His anticipation for the journey was clear, even without seeing his face.
"Crossing the mystery mountain to the Grand Line, huh? Shishishi! It's getting fun!" Luffy said.
"See? Even more carefree," Nami teased.
"Ugh… right, our captain's the worst. Worrying's pointless," Usopp sighed.
"Give up. I get it, but still," Nami said.
The ship's swaying eased as the waves calmed and the rain stopped. As Usopp sighed, Nami, smiling, turned back to the deck.
Silk had returned, Zoro was at the helm, and Sanji kept watch, all soaked. They wanted to change, but there was no time. The Red Line loomed closer.
They saw the massive mountain—Reverse Mountain.
"That's Reverse Mountain…" Nami murmured.
"Huge!" Luffy exclaimed.
"No, wait—seriously?!" Usopp gasped.
Usopp muttered, trying to temper Luffy's excitement. "The sea's really climbing the mountain…"
They stared at Reverse Mountain. A massive canal carried water upward with incredible force, aiming for the summit, defying logic. Speechless, they watched.
The ship headed there—no mistake. The waves crashed against the Red Line.
Many pirates perished before entering the Grand Line due to failing this navigation. The danger was evident. Nami's expression tightened, her orders precise.
"Zoro, hold the helm steady! Everyone, focus! This is it!" she commanded.
"Aye, Nami-san!" Sanji replied.
"Let's do this!" Luffy shouted.
The deck buzzed with activity, the crew fully focused. Stopping or slowing wasn't an option in these conditions. They had to press on.
Thanks to Nami's navigation, the Merry entered the canal smoothly, followed by Arlong's ship. Both vessels charged into Reverse Mountain in a line.
"We're in!" Luffy yelled, fist raised.
The entry was surprisingly smooth, but the joy was immense. Usopp and Sanji cheered, while Silk and Nami raised their hands, smiling.
The current's momentum surged, speeding them upward. The ship reached the summit, launching into the air with the current's force.
The four seas' currents collided, directing the ship a set path. It rode the canal downward.
They'd entered the Grand Line.
"Yahoo! The Grand Line!" Luffy shouted.
"We crossed the mountain!" Usopp cheered.
"Just downhill now. This voyage is a success," Nami said.
The ships descended the canal, exiting into the Grand Line's sea. Splashing down with force, water sprayed high. Luffy leaped in joy, the crew echoing his excitement.
"We made it! The Grand Line!" Luffy yelled.
"Wait, Kiri's missing! We're in the Grand Line, and he's still inside!" Usopp said.
"That's no good! Gotta show Kiri!" Luffy insisted.
"He's been here before, right? Not a big deal," Sanji said.
"No way! Kiri'd wanna see this!" Luffy argued.
Eager to fetch Kiri, Luffy was buoyant. The initial sea was calm, the sky clear, a stark contrast to the stormy ascent. It felt almost anticlimactic for such a dangerous sea.
No one stopped Luffy, smiling as he went. Then, the sea shifted.
Something massive rose, pushing up water. Expecting a Sea King, they braced, but it was a whale—mountain-sized, dwarfing anything they'd known. Its emergence churned the sea, rocking the ships.
Screams erupted on the Merry.
"A whale!" Luffy shouted.
"It's huge!" Usopp yelled.
"What's with that size?! Impossible!" Nami gasped.
Smaller than the Red Line but still colossal, it could crush the Merry in an instant or swallow Mom whole. Even the Fishmen couldn't stifle their shock.
The waves rocked the ships harder than the earlier storm. Nearly capsizing, they barely stabilized, pulling away from the whale.
The whale looked skyward, unleashing a roar that shook their bodies. Its overwhelming presence silenced the crews, who stared, awestruck.
It embodied the Grand Line's abnormality—a mountain-sized whale with countless scars on its forehead.
Luffy's shock turned to a grin, thrilled by the unknown before fear could take hold. He stood calmly, staring. Usopp, floored, noticed something else.
"Amazing… the Grand Line's wild," Luffy said.
"Hey, that lighthouse! Something's coming out!" Usopp shouted.
As the whale's roar vibrated the ship, Usopp pointed, drawing attention. The crew turned to the lighthouse, spotting a figure—human, but with an odd appearance. Sanji blurted out, "Flowers!"
"Flowers?! Walking?!" Usopp exclaimed.
"No, a person… confusing hairstyle," Sanji corrected.
At Reverse Mountain's base, a landing spot held a lighthouse. An old man with a flower-like hairstyle walked confidently toward the whale, then dove into the sea without hesitation, vanishing in a splash.
"Hey, the old man jumped in!" Usopp yelled.
"What's he thinking?! Suicide? We gotta help!" Nami shouted.
They couldn't approach the whale's overwhelming presence. The sea calmed slightly, but rescue wasn't feasible.
The whale kept roaring, time seemingly frozen. Both crews were paralyzed by its presence, its voice, its skyward bellows.
After a while, the whale's roar stopped, tinged with surprise, then silenced. It calmed, sinking back into the sea, disappearing.
Still shocked, the crews stared. The old man returned to land, unfazed, uninjured. He wiped himself with a towel, sat by a hut—likely his home—and picked up a newspaper.
He noticed the pirate flags. "More pirates, huh…"
"Hey, old man, what's with that whale?! It's huge! Your friend?" Luffy called, leaping onto the railing.
The man, Crocus, looked at Luffy calmly, answering while opening his newspaper. "Hmph, no introduction? Courtesy is to introduce yourself first."
"Oh, my bad. I'm—" Luffy started.
"I'm Crocus, keeper of Twin Cape Lighthouse. Age 71, Gemini, AB blood type," the man said.
"Hey! You said to introduce first, then you talk?!" Luffy fumed.
Crocus's serious face belied his playful tone. Usopp tripped, and Nami and Silk, disarmed, nearly fell. Sanji stepped forward, addressing Crocus. "Hold on, Luffy. Stay calm. Don't let him set the pace."
"But he said to introduce, then ignored me!" Luffy protested.
"Calm down, talk coolly. Hey, old man, got some questions," Sanji said.
"Pirates, huh? Planning to plunder? Better not. Someone'll die," Crocus warned.
"Oh? Who's dying?" Sanji asked.
Crocus glared, tension rising. Then, quietly, "Me."
"You?!" Sanji shouted, losing his cool.
Crocus controlled the conversation's pace, the earlier tension replaced by absurdity.
Nami, exasperated, took charge. "Ugh, whatever. Let's change first. We'll talk to him after. Gotta calm down."
"Yeah, gotta tell Kiri too," Luffy agreed.
Nami's words shifted the mood. Both ships docked by the land, and the Straw Hats went inside to change, soaked from the storm and Reverse Mountain.
--+--
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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