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Chapter 66: Seven Routes
Crocus recounted the tale of the Rumbar Pirates and the whale, Laboon.
Hearing this story, everyone was deeply moved, finally understanding why Luffy had made such a promise to the whale.
As a gesture of gratitude, and upon realizing the Straw Hats lacked a Log Pose, Crocus fished one out of his pocket and presented it to them.
"The islands scattered across the Grand Line all possess distinct magnetic properties."
"Only a Log Pose can record the magnetic force between these islands and guide you to the next destination."
He pointed toward Reverse Mountain, towering majestically behind them.
"We are currently at Twin Cape, the very starting point of the Grand Line."
"From this mountain behind us, seven distinct magnetic paths extend outward, each representing one of seven navigational routes."
"They will all eventually lead to the end of the first half of the Grand Line—the Sabaody Archipelago."
"Once you find a way to travel from there to Fish-Man Island, you will be able to enter the second half of the Grand Line—the New World!"
"Straw Hat, the ONE PIECE you seek lies within that very sea. That is the world of the truly strong."
Perhaps out of gratitude, Crocus shared far more information than he had in the original story.
"Does ONE PIECE really exist?" Usopp couldn't help but ask, seeing that Crocus seemed to know so much.
"Who knows?" Crocus shook his head, his gaze lingering on Luffy's straw hat with a meaningful smile. "It's an intriguing theory, but no one besides the Pirate King has ever reached that place, so we cannot know for sure."
He then looked at Luffy and asked earnestly, "Straw Hat, do you truly believe in the existence of ONE PIECE?"
Luffy blinked his large eyes, thought seriously for a few seconds, then scratched the back of his head and flashed a brilliant grin. "Things like that... we'll know when we see it with our own eyes!"
The members of the Straw Hat Pirates were not surprised by this answer; it was perfectly in character for Luffy.
However, Crocus paused, staring at Luffy as if recalling a distant memory, falling into a long silence.
They were too similar. Simply too similar.
Long ago, someone had said the exact same thing to him.
Nami, who had been staring intently at the Log Pose on her wrist, suddenly looked up and asked, "Do we have to choose one of the seven routes right now?"
"Precisely." Crocus snapped out of his reverie, cleared his throat, and continued, "Or rather, the next island you choose to visit will determine your future course, and you cannot change it midway!"
If they wanted to change routes, they would have to return to Twin Cape and select a new path from the start.
Hearing this, everyone's expression turned serious.
Without warning, all eyes turned to Luffy.
Ganyu unfolded a prepared nautical chart and looked at Luffy, a flicker of emotion in her eyes. "Luffy, let's choose an island. You decide our route for the first half of the Grand Line."
Her expression remained unchanged, but her heart was stirred.
In the original story, the Straw Hat Pirates met Vivi and Mr. 9 here. At their request, they chose Whiskey Peak as their first stop, which determined their future course. Alabasta, Skypiea, Water 7, and all the other islands visited by the protagonists in the original work were on that specific route.
But now...
Vivi and her partner had not appeared, perhaps arriving too early or too late, making their route a mystery.
In other words, if Luffy did not choose Whiskey Peak now, everything that followed would diverge from the original story.
Under everyone's expectant gaze, Luffy looked at the chart with great interest, then unhesitatingly pointed to an island right in the center of the map.
"Let's go here!"
Everyone leaned in to look and was instantly speechless.
"Idiot! That island is obviously in the middle of the route. We just entered the Grand Line, how could we get there so quickly!" Nami punched Luffy on the forehead.
"The map says the island's name is... Water 7. Sounds nice." Sanji bent down to examine the map carefully and read the name.
"Water 7..." Crocus's expression turned nostalgic. "That island has an excellent shipyard. If your ship gets damaged during the journey, you can go there to switch to a new one."
"What?! We won't switch from the Going Merry!" Usopp jumped up excitedly.
He had been responsible for the ship's daily maintenance all this time and had long developed a deep attachment to the Going Merry. Furthermore, this ship was a gift from Kaya, holding extraordinary significance for him.
"Right, right, we only need the Going Merry!" Luffy nodded repeatedly, his tone unusually firm.
Naturally, he had no intention of replacing the Merry at this time.
Crocus said no more, his expression remaining unchanged, though he sighed inwardly.
"Since Luffy has chosen Water 7, it means our future route must pass through that island," Zoro said, tightening his grip on his sword. "So, our next island is..."
Everyone's gaze moved downward along the route leading to Water 7, finally resting on a line of small text beneath an island at the very bottom of the chart: Cactus Island—Whiskey Peak.
...
Whiskey Peak, located on Cactus Island, is a common entry point into the Grand Line.
The island hosts a very peculiar town. The townspeople are not afraid of pirates; on the contrary, whenever new pirates enter the Grand Line, they hold banquets to welcome them.
In reality, all the town's residents are bounty hunters in disguise, their goal to hunt down these newly arrived pirates.
Inside an unassuming residence in the town, a tall, middle-aged man stood respectfully before a young girl with light blue hair.
"Your Highness, the identity of the owner of Baroque Works has been confirmed," Igaram said in a low voice. His golden hair was styled in strange, spiral-shaped curls on both sides of his head. "That man is Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
"It really is him!" The "Princess" lowered her beautiful face, her hands clenched tightly into fists, her entire body trembling.
Her name was Nefertari Vivi, the Princess of Alabasta.
Two years ago, at just sixteen, she had infiltrated the criminal organization Baroque Works—suspected of being the mastermind behind her homeland's unrest—along with Igaram, captain of the royal guard.
After two years of effort, they not only discovered Baroque Works' true objective—to seize the Kingdom of Alabasta, but also learned the true identity of "Mr. 0," the mastermind behind it all.
"Crocodile, the hero of Alabasta Kingdom, one of the government-appointed Warlords..." Vivi's voice was filled with bitterness, her face washed with despair. "He... he is truly the culprit behind the current turmoil in Alabasta!"
Crocodile's status in Alabasta surpassed even that of the King, and his strength was unimaginable. Now, it was revealed he was also the mastermind behind Baroque Works, an organization with thousands of employees.
Such a man, possessing prestige, power, and influence, made Vivi feel an unprecedented sense of powerlessness.