Chereads / One Piece: Human God / Chapter 19 - Bounty and Reverse Mountain

Chapter 19 - Bounty and Reverse Mountain

[Holy Land of Mary Geoise]

Within a grand room draped in shadow. Here, the Five Elders, the most powerful individuals within the World Government, sat around a large broken table, the shards of its wood scattered on the polished floor.

One of them—Saint Topman Valcurie, a man with a thick mustache and a dark birthmark across his forehead—stood with his fist planted firmly against the shattered remains. His face was twisted in fury, veins bulging from his temple.

"This is unacceptable!" he bellowed. "Who allowed this bounty to be published?! And that epithet… GOD?!" The words dripped with venom as if they were poison on his tongue. He seethed at the mere thought of it.

The other four elders remained seated, their expressions calm but serious. Saint Marcus Mars, a wiry man with narrow eyes and a cold, calculating demeanor, leaned back in his chair and waved a hand dismissively.

"Calm down, Topman. We are all aware of the gravity of this situation. Your outrage isn't helping."

Topman gritted his teeth, but he stayed silent, fuming as he paced around the room.

"The title is dangerous," another elder said quietly, tapping his finger on the bounty poster spread on the table. "A child with unknown strength, branded as a god by the press. The people will ask questions. The world will take notice."

Marcus added, "This was the work of Morgan. That damned bird reporter… he must be dealt with."

"If I get my hands on that winged fool," Topman snarled, "I'll snap his neck myself."

The five elders sat in silence for a moment, each lost in thought. They were powerful men—smarter, stronger, and colder than the rest of the World Nobles—but the appearance of Draco, Titled, Human God unsettled even them. The title and bounty felt blasphemous.

"This isn't just a rogue reporter's whim," Marcus said gravely. "Someone within the government must have allowed it, and we will find them"

[Marine Headquarter]

The scene shifts to Marine ford, the heart of the Marines' power. Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, the atmosphere was tense. Papers were stacked in chaotic piles around the desk, the weight of the world's problems resting on the shoulders of the man behind it—Fleet Admiral Kong.

Kong sat hunched over, writing furiously with a pen, his massive frame tensed with frustration. He was a mountain of a man, his presence radiating authority. His eyes were sharp, focused, and filled with the pressure of unrelenting responsibility. But as he scrawled line after line, the pen snapped in his hand, cracking under the force of his grip.

"BWAHAHAHA! What a bounty for that kid, Draco!"

The booming laugh of Garp echoed through the room, filling the tense silence. Garp sat casually on the couch, munching on rice crackers, crumbs spraying in every direction as he spoke.

"Even most of the strong New World pirates didn't get a bounty like this!" Garp chuckled. "Those news people are nuts—though I might've had a little hand in stirring things up." He winked mischievously, sending Sengoku into a fit of rage.

"YOU DID WHAT?!" Sengoku shouted, lunging forward. He grabbed the collar of Garp's shirt and shook him violently. "You idiot! This is a disaster! Do you even realize what you've done?!"

Garp, still laughing, swatted Sengoku's hands away and took another bite of his cracker. "Relax, Sengoku. The world's always a little wild, isn't it?"

Before Sengoku could swing a punch, Kong looked up from his desk, sighing heavily. "Enough, Sengoku. Let him go."

Sengoku, veins bulging with anger, reluctantly released Garp. "You're going to get us all court-martialed one of these days…" he muttered.

Garp turned toward Kong with a more serious expression. "Fleet Admiral, mind if I head to East Blue? My daughter-in-law's pregnant. Thought I'd check in on her."

Kong rubbed his temples, knowing there was no stopping Garp once he had made up his mind. "Fine. But don't dawdle. Pirates are running rampant, and we need every hand on deck."

Garp grinned and gave a mock salute, standing up from the couch. "Thanks, Kong! I'll be back before you know it!" With that, he bolted out the door, laughing as Sengoku shouted after him.

[Dimly Lit Office]

Papers and newspapers were scattered everywhere, the walls plastered with bounty posters and headlines. At the center of it all sat a giant albatross, his feathers ruffled and his sharp beak grinning with mischievous glee.

This was Morgans, an up-and-coming and ambitious reporter known for chasing the most sensational stories. He leaned back in his chair, holding a bounty poster of Draco in his winged hand, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"So… Draco, The Human God..." Morgans muttered, staring at the poster as if it were a treasure map. "This kid has turned the world upside down before he's even hit puberty."

Perched on the desk was a news coo, one of the messenger birds used to gather information. Morgans leaned forward, his beak inches away from the bird's. "Are you sure about this? He killed Sea Kings at age six? Played with Admiral candidates like they were toys? Beat Roger?"

The news coo gave an enthusiastic squawk, confirming the story.

Morgans' grin grew wider, almost maniacal. He tossed the bounty poster into the air, letting it flutter around the room like confetti.

"KUWAHAHAHAHA! What a story!" Morgans crowed. He spun in his chair, feathers flying as he laughed like a madman. "This kid is going to be legendary! Just imagine the headlines! Draco—A God Amongst Human! I'll make him a star!"

The bird gave another squawk, and Morgans came to a sudden halt, fixing his gaze on the bounty poster. His grin became something darker, the grin of a predator-smelling opportunity.

"This kid... He'll elevate me. With his story, I'll become one of the overlords of the underground." Morgans' voice was filled with determination and hunger. "I'll put Draco on a pedestal so high, the whole world will have no choice but to look up at him... and at ME!"

He stood from his desk, spreading his wings wide as the newspapers continued to flutter around him. His mad laughter echoed through the room, blending with the squawks of the news coo.

With one final glance at the bounty poster of Draco, Morgans whispered with a wicked grin, "Grow stronger, Draco. I can't wait to see what you become."

[Open Sea]

The Oro Jackson traveled through the seas like a beast, guided steadily by Rayleigh's experienced navigation skills. The crew had been sailing for some time now, moving straight toward the Red Line without stopping. As they neared the calm belt, Rayleigh made sure to keep them on a precise course, avoiding unnecessary delays in North Blue and heading directly toward Reverse Mountain.

When Draco caught his first glimpse of the Red Line, his breath stopped.

There it was, a colossal wall that seemed to pierce the sky itself, towering so high that the top disappeared into the clouds. The enormity of it made Draco's heart race. In his previous life, he had only read/watched about it in manga/anime, never imagining he'd one day stand before it.

And now, here he was, traveling with the Roger Pirates, about to cross the Reverse Mountain.

"Never thought I'd see this in my life," Draco muttered to himself. His pulse pounded with excitement, and he couldn't help the grin spreading across his face.

[Entrance of Reverse Mountain]

When the ship reached the entrance to Reverse Mountain, the current dragged them into the flow with violent force. The Oro Jackson began to shoot upward, the entire crew holding on for dear life as the powerful stream hurled them toward the summit.

"Hold on tight!" Rayleigh yelled with a grin, effortlessly steering the ship through the rushing waters.

Draco gripped the floorboards, the wind whipping past his face as his heart soared. His grin widened as they climbed higher and higher.

"How's your first time on Reverse Mountain, Draco?" Roger's voice boomed over the chaos, laughing with delight.

"It's like a roller-coaster!" Draco shouted back, laughing uncontrollably as the ship hurtled upward. Roger threw his head back and roared with laughter, clearly enjoying every second of the wild ride.

All around them, crew members were holding onto the ship's masts, ropes, and railings for support. Some of them flew into the air as the ship shot upward, forcing Scopper Gaban to pull them back down with a laugh.

Buggy, who was clinging desperately to the railing beside Draco, suddenly felt himself being pulled upward by the force of the current. "AHHH! I'M GONNA DIE!" Buggy screamed, his hands slipping from the wood.

But before Buggy could fly away, Draco grabbed his arm in mid-air and yanked him back down. "Gotcha, Buggy!" Draco said with a grin.

Buggy panted in relief, gripping Draco's arm like a lifeline. "You better not let go, or I swear—"

As his sentence was about to finish, the ship got to the top of the mountain! Scopper, taking the helms quickly, shifted the steering going straight down the other side of the mountain, towards paradise. 

The crew let out a collective whoop of exhilaration, the winds howling in their ears as the ship sped down toward the Twin Capes of Paradise. Draco's heart pounded with excitement as he watched the world blur around them, the sea below rushing closer and closer.

With one final burst, the Oro Jackson landed smoothly back into the sea, the violent currents settling beneath them.

"HAH!" Roger cheered. "Another perfect run!"

The crew burst into laughter, still riding the adrenaline high of their Reverse Mountain ascent. Buggy slumped to the deck in exhaustion, but Draco sat beside him, still grinning like a child who'd just experienced the ride of his life.

[Sailing Toward Loguetown]

Once they were in Paradise, Rayleigh wasted no time in setting a course through the calm belt and toward East Blue. The crew worked quickly to get the ship ready, knowing that time was of the essence.

"We're going to Loguetown!" Rayleigh yelled towards the Roger Pirates, and they responded by cheering as well, and finally they thought, 'Land! we've been on the sea for too long.'

Roger then yelled as well with a large smile. "That's right. We've got a little business to take care of there before the next leg of our journey...our final journey!" The last part makes him somewhat sloop his smile. 

As they sailed, Draco found himself lost in thought. He had always wanted to visit Drum Island for Chopper—and maybe even invite him to his crew—but he quickly realized with a pang of disappointment that Chopper hadn't been born yet.

"Another seven years or so…" Draco muttered to himself with a wistful sigh.

With that dream on hold, Draco settled back into the rhythm of the voyage, letting the steady rocking of the ship lull him into sleep. He stretched out in a makeshift hammock, closing his eyes to the sound of the waves.

[Arrival at Loguetown]

Draco was jarred awake by a loud shout from Buggy.

"DRACO! WAKE UP! We made it!" Buggy called, shaking Draco's hammock frantically.

Draco groggily opened his eyes, blinking away the remnants of sleep. "We're here?"

"Yeah! Come on! You've gotta see it!" Buggy said with excitement, practically bouncing on his feet.

With a yawn, Draco sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the hammock. He rubbed his eyes and stood, following Buggy to the side of the ship.

As the Oro Jackson docked, Draco stepped onto the deck and took in the sight before him. Logue town stretched out along the coast, its streets bustling with activity. The unique structures, winding streets, and iconic execution platform stood out even from a distance.

"Welcome to Loguetown, kid," Rayleigh said, clapping Draco on the back with a grin.

Draco smiled, the excitement returning to him. This was the birthplace of the Roger, and he knew that something important was happening with Rouge. But most importantly, he wanted to try out new boos!

Standing beside him, Roger looked out at the town with a nostalgic expression, as if reliving memories long past. "A place of beginnings and endings," he murmured to himself.

Draco felt a chill of anticipation run down his spine. This wasn't just another stop on their journey, this was where Roger planned to start his journey for Pirate King, the one that would set the Great Pirate Era. 

Draco grinned to himself as the crew began to unpack and their excitement of landing.