"Is this… the entrance to the Grand Line?"
"The sea is actually flowing up. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I never would've believed something like this could exist!"
In front of the towering Red Line, which looked like the end of the world itself, their ship wasn't even as significant as an ant.
Ahead of them rose Reverse Mountain, a massive waterway where countless tons of seawater surged upward against gravity. Even though they had read about it in books, and even though El had used his "memory reading" as an excuse to explain the basics to them beforehand, the three girls were still staring in open-mouthed wonder.
"This feeling… Nii-san, pull up the sails!"
As the ship approached the entrance to Reverse Mountain, Nami's body tensed as she felt the change in the currents. She hurriedly shouted at El.
"Got it."
In the blink of an eye, El dropped down to the mast, grabbed the rope, and hauled it with a strong pull.
A moment later, the sail shrank and furled up under the immense force of the onrushing current.
Tying the rope off to the cleat, El returned to Nami's side.
By then, the ship had fully entered the upward-flowing current.
It was as if a pair of invisible hands had scooped their ship up and were pushing it straight into the interior of Reverse Mountain.
Almost the instant they crossed the threshold, it felt like a jet had ignited at the stern. The ship shot toward the summit like an arrow loosed from its bow.
The speed was so incredible that even a warship couldn't compare.
"Amazing…"
"So this is how vast and beautiful our world really is…"
Nami gripped the helm with both hands, while the other three clung tightly to the railings.
When they turned their heads, they saw that East Blue had become their backdrop.
Thick white mist filled the gorge of Reverse Mountain. From where they stood, East Blue looked like a distant fairyland wrapped in clouds, a fleeting, dreamlike landscape painted in fog and sea.
Unfortunately, it only lasted a few minutes.
In that brief span, the ship reached the crest of the mountain—and then the current tipped.
Their upward climb became a sudden plunge downward.
The feeling of going up and going down were completely different.
The instant their weight vanished and their center of gravity flipped, Carina and Kuina almost got thrown off the deck.
El lunged forward and grabbed them, pulling both girls tightly into his arms.
At the same time, to give Nami some sense of security at the helm, he moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her, letting her lean back against his chest while she held on.
Fortunately, the descent was as fast as the climb.
In just a few more minutes, their ship shot out of the water channel and slammed back down into the sea below.
"Haaa… that was terrifying. For a second I thought the ship was going to explode from the pressure."
Still leaning against El's chest, Nami let out a long breath.
Even with a Devil Fruit in her body, that kind of extreme roller-coaster experience was enough to make cold sweat run down her back. Her face hadn't gone pale, though—that alone showed how much stronger her courage was now compared to the original timeline El remembered.
"So this is the Grand Line…"
Carina released El's arm and forced a shaky laugh.
"Haha… sky as blue as the sea. The so-called pirate graveyard doesn't look that scary after all…"
She said that, but her slightly trembling voice, stiff smile, and lame joke made it obvious that she'd also been terrified just now.
Kuina was even more straightforward.
She looked practically seasick, leaning limply against El, not even able to form a proper sentence.
You couldn't blame them.
A moment ago they had been admiring a scene that looked like a heavenly realm, and the next moment it felt like they had dropped straight out of the sky.
For people from El's previous world, it was like throwing someone with a fear of heights straight onto the most intense roller coaster—without warning.
The fact that Kuina and Carina didn't throw up on the spot was honestly impressive.
"Alright. Let's raise the sail and get some fresh air. The sea breeze will help you calm down."
El went back under the mast, untied the rope, and dropped the canvas again.
The wind caught the sail, and the ship slowly began to move forward on the calm sea.
El glanced once toward the lighthouse at Twin Cape, then let his gaze fade through the water below. A trace of regret flashed in his eyes.
So, at this point in time, Crocus was already living inside Laboon.
El had hoped to ask the Pirate King's ship doctor for some advice.
But El hated waiting—especially when it came to indefinite, open-ended waiting.
And Crocus was only one of several options he'd considered, not a necessity.
So El chose to move on.
At the same time, for the first time in a while, El felt genuine pressure.
With his Observation Haki, he could clearly sense the massive life force under the sea.
It truly lived up to the name of an island whale.
Whether from inside its body or from the outside, if Laboon was ever an enemy, El was confident that with flying slashes and not fearing seawater, he could hurt or even kill Laboon.
But he had no confidence he could fight Laboon and protect all three girls at the same time.
Just a casual flick of Laboon's tail would create a huge wave. Nami, as a Devil Fruit user, would be at a massive disadvantage and could be taken out instantly if she fell into the sea.
If El were already a Master Swordsman who could slice mountains with a single cut… then a mere Laboon would be nothing more than a one-hit kill.
Unfortunately, he wasn't there yet.
The enormous life force submerged beneath the waves felt like a message—and a warning—from the great sea itself.
Even if you were born a monster…Right now, you're still too weak.
"Armament Haki. Famous swords. Navy Six-Style. Flying slashes. Conqueror's Haki. Conqueror's Haki infusion… and even more Devil Fruits…"
Staring out at the Grand Line stretching before them, El spoke to himself in his heart.
"In the next ten years, there are still so many things I have to learn and master…"
He couldn't just drift comfortably anymore.
As a transmigrator, as someone chosen by this era, El was finally about to begin his real advance.
The ship sailed steadily into the Grand Line.
And El's era was just beginning.
PS :
Red LineThe massive, continent-like landmass that encircles the world. Reverse Mountain is carved into a section of the Red Line, acting as one of the main entrances to the Grand Line.
Reverse MountainA miraculous mountain where seawater flows upward against gravity through special channels.
Each Blue (East, West, North, South) has a waterway feeding into Reverse Mountain.
Twin CapeA cape at the exit of Reverse Mountain on the Grand Line side.
Big Mom (Charlotte Linlin)One of the future Four Emperors of the sea.
Known for having made a name for herself in the second half of the Grand Line as a child and receiving a large bounty at a very young age.
Flying SlashA cutting attack produced by a swordsman's aura and technique, letting them send sword slashes over long distances.
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