Author: Xiao Yifeng
Translator: PapaSmurf0700
The Golden Merry bravely navigated through the turbulent waves, engulfed by a torrential downpour and shrouded in dense fog. Nami, with a chart firmly in her grasp, called out to her companions, "Everyone, pay attention! We are nearing Reverse Mountain!"
Luffy, brimming with excitement, exclaimed, "We've finally made it!!"
Sanji, lifting his gaze to peer ahead, couldn't help but express his uncertainty, "Yeah, but the Grand Line is shrouded in mystery. Who knows what awaits us there?"
Bai Ye, with a gleam of anticipation in his eyes, approached Sanji and shared his enthusiasm, "This is shaping up to be quite the thrilling adventure, don't you think?"
After leaving Loguetown, the crew charted a course for Reverse Mountain. Along the way, they skillfully evaded the navy, at times altering their path and using a hurricane to their advantage to lose the pursuing warship. During this challenging time, Nami revealed her innate ability to sense changes in the weather. Bai Ye took note of this and surmised that Nami might possess the potential to awaken Observation Haki. However, training thoughts were put on hold as they navigated through tumultuous waters, and the Golden Merry inadvertently strayed into the Calm Belt.
They learned from Nami that In these unique areas, the water remains utterly still, devoid of any ocean currents or gusts of wind. Also the crew caught their first glimpse of the Sea Kings, colossal beings that ruled these treacherous waters. Even Luffy and Sanji, known for their bravery, had no intentions of challenging these giants.
In the nick of time, Bai Ye employed his mastery over water and wind qimen techniques, propelling the Golden Merry out of the windless zone, ensuring their safe passage as they continued their journey to the Grand Line.
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After that encounter, the crew stumbled upon Apis, a young girl who had just made a narrow escape from a naval warship. This led them into the middle of the Millennium Dragon saga.
When Luffy laid eyes on the weak and fading Millennium Dragon, Sennenryu, he didn't hesitate for a moment; he made the decision to help this majestic creature find its way back home. In this process, Luffy revealed a unique ability: he could understand the language of animals, a skill that had not been shown before.
The Straw Hat crew, significantly stronger than their counterparts in the original story, found themselves facing off against the antagonists of this saga - Admiral Nelson and the Kama Kama no Mi devil fruit user, Eric. Fortunately for them, this confrontation was more of a walk in the park than a true challenge, and they easily overcame their foes.
In the midst of this, Bai Ye took it upon himself to report the inappropriate actions of the navy in the area, who were indiscriminately arresting innocent civilians, to Ripper.
Ripper, clearly not happy with Bai Ye, vented his frustrations through the Den Den Mushi, though he assured Bai Ye that he would take care of the matter and ensure it was dealt with.
Following this, the Straw Hats journeyed to Warship Isle and subsequently to the Dragon's Nest, a mystical place that reveals itself only once every millennium. This was a place of great significance for the Millennium Dragons; it was here that they gathered from distant lands to bid farewell to those among them who were passing on, and to welcome the birth of new dragons.
There was a legend that surrounded this place, suggesting that the keel bones of the deceased dragons held the secret to eternal life. However, Bai Ye, with his expertise in alchemy, was quick to debunk this myth. He found that the bones, rather than possessing life-extending properties, were somewhat salty, likely due to prolonged exposure to seawater.
Having resolved the Millennium Dragon incident and bidding farewell to Apis and the inhabitants of Warship Isle, the Straw Hat crew once again set sail aboard the Golden Merry.
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Back on their journey, the crew of the Golden Merry navigated towards Reverse Mountain, a location known for its awe-inspiring height and the perils that accompany it. Remarkably, this mountain also serves as the gateway to the Grand Line. The structure of Reverse Mountain is quite unique, featuring a total of five water channels arranged in the shape of an 'X'. Of these, four channels flow upwards towards the mountain's peak.
Each of these four ascending rivers connects to a different sea region: East Blue, West Blue, South Blue, and North Blue. The fifth and final waterway, in contrast, flows downwards, leading into the Grand Line itself.
Usopp, standing high on the observation deck, peered through his telescope and was struck with awe and a tingling sensation of fear as he confirmed Bai Ye's description. "It's just as Bai Ye described!" he exclaimed. The sight in front of them was truly a spectacle. Emerging from a dense fog was a towering mountain of extraordinary height, its peak lost to the heavens, emanating a sense of might and dominance that left the crew both amazed and intimidated.
Not long after, the Golden Merry reached the entrance of the ascending current. Luffy, eyes shining with excitement and a wide grin on his face, couldn't contain his joy and burst out laughing. "This is incredible, hahaha!" he exclaimed. With that, he climbed onto the goat's head figure at the front of the ship, held onto his straw hat with one hand, and energetically waved the other forward. "Onward we go!"
But his joy was short-lived. Within seconds, Nami, clearly irritated, kicked Luffy off the bow. "This is no time for jokes; we all need to pitch in and help. Can't you see that everyone's working hard right now? Even as captain, you've got to pull your weight!" she scolded, delivering another punch to Luffy's head, leaving him bewildered.
Meanwhile, Bai Ye was busy securing the paper figurines onboard. He had stowed them away not out of fear of the rain, but because if left on the deck, they would be whisked away by the wind in moments. This experience sparked a thought in Bai Ye's mind about making them more resilient. After all, he remembered that in the original story, controlling the ship was quite a challenge before Franky installed the Soldier Dock System.
The Golden Merry was now successfully navigating the ascending current. In a blink of an eye, they reached the end of the current and were catapulted into the sky, even piercing through the clouds. As the ship began its descent, everyone hoped it would land in the current that merged the East, West, North, and South Blues, leading them to the Grand Line.
But suddenly, they realized something was amiss. "Hey, if we keep going like this, we're going to crash into the Red Line!" Nami shouted in alarm. Luffy, without hesitation, responded, "I've got this!" He pressed down his straw hat and leaped off the ship, startling everyone.
"Luffy!" Zoro cried out. "Are you out of your mind? What are you thinking?" Sanji added, equally horrified.
In the next moment, Luffy transformed. "Gomu Gomu no Balloon!" he declared. Just as he was about to hit the Red Line, he inflated his body, turning into a giant balloon. The Golden Merry, caught in its descent, bounced off Luffy's rubbery form, propelling it back onto the correct course. With his arms stretched out, Luffy then catapulted himself back onto the ship, ensuring the safety of his crew and their journey.
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After navigating through a series of challenges and unexpected events, a wave of emotions washed over everyone as they neared the Grand Line, which was now just within their sight.
Sanji, with a hint of determination in his eyes, declared, "The All Blue, the sea of my dreams, is out there somewhere." Nami, holding her navigation tools close, shared her aspiration, "From this point on, I'll chart out my own world map, creating a masterpiece."
Usopp, filled with a mix of excitement and anticipation, stated, "My father is out there. After proving myself and becoming a brave warrior of the sea, I'll reunite with him." Zoro, with his usual stoic demeanor yet a burning fire in his eyes, proclaimed, "Hawk-eyes Mihawk, I'm on my way. I won't make you wait much longer."
Bai Ye, gazing into the distance with a thoughtful expression, reflected, "Starting from here, our own legendary adventure unfolds." Luffy, with his infectious laughter and unparalleled enthusiasm, couldn't contain himself. "Hahahaha, Grand Line, we're ready for you!" he shouted. "I'm set on becoming the Pirate King!"