"So this is Reverse Mountain of the Red Line. It's truly awe-inspiring to see it in person." Bege stood at the ship's railing, gazing up at the Red Line, which soared into the clouds, its end completely out of sight. He also observed the turbulent current flowing upwards, his heart filled with a mixture of shock and wonder.
This world was truly breathtaking and exhilarating.
On the deck, six or seven men were using telescopes to observe the direction of Reverse Mountain's canal, directing others who were busy furling sails and adjusting the rudder, preparing to charge into the waterway.
These six or seven men were all navigators under Bege's command, renowned in the West Blue. Bege had acquired them through a combination of hefty payments and veiled threats.
"Kuse, can we make it up the canal?" Bege asked a man in his fifties, the most experienced of the navigators. He had previously served as a navigator on a pirate ship and had even ventured into the New World. Unfortunately, he hadn't lasted long in the New World before being driven back to the West Blue, where he settled down. Bege had forcibly taken him, using his family's lives as leverage to make him his navigator.
"The sea currents here are nothing compared to the New World. Going over Reverse Mountain will be a piece of cake," Kuse replied calmly, puffing on his pipe.
"Quick, full rudder to starboard! Avoid the turbulence ahead!" Kuse shouted. The helmsman immediately turned the rudder.
Bege nodded in satisfaction and walked away. It was best to leave specialized tasks to the professionals.
The ship followed the current straight into the canal and then surged upwards, ascending Reverse Mountain and piercing the clouds.
The sheer height and vastness of the Red Line once again stunned Bege.
The ship reached the summit.
"Quick, one hundred and eighty degrees to starboard! Prepare for descent!" Kuse yelled.
The ship swiftly turned and plunged into the downward canal, carried by the water at a tremendous speed. The descent was even faster than the ascent, taking only half the time to reach the bottom of Reverse Mountain.
"Everyone, hold on tight! We're about to hit the water!" Kuse shouted again. Everyone immediately grabbed hold of anything nearby. The ship slammed into the ocean with a boom, landing safely on the surface.
"We've made it to the Grand Line! We're on the Grand Line!" Hank shouted excitedly, and the other disciples were equally thrilled.
Bege's face showed a hint of excitement. This place was far more exciting than the West Blue. All the pirate crews from the four seas who were worthy of the name would gather here, heading for the New World.
Bege glanced at the nearby lighthouse. In his memory, the lighthouse keeper was Crocus, the ship doctor of the Pirate King's crew.
However, there was no sign of anyone inside the lighthouse. Crocus should still be on the Pirate King's ship at this time. Otherwise, it would have been a good idea to recruit him as his own ship doctor.
Kuse approached him and said, "The sea currents on the Grand Line are nothing like the West Blue. This is the most extraordinary and dangerous place in the world. Here, magnetism, celestial phenomena, sea currents, and air currents are all in chaos. It's difficult even to ascertain your own position, let alone find islands. West Blue navigation techniques and experience are unreliable here. Only the Log Pose is trustworthy. From Reverse Mountain, seven magnetic forces extend outward, forming seven routes. Once you choose any one, you can't change it. You can only follow the route, island by island, until you reach the end of the first half, the Sabaody Archipelago. So, which route do you plan to take?"
"There are many places I want to go, spanning several routes. But it doesn't matter. We have Eternal Poses," Bege said with a smile.
He understood the conditions of the Grand Line, so before heading there, he had purchased quite a few Eternal Poses from Wright, allowing him to go wherever he desired.
"An Eternal Pose will always point to a specific island, never changing, so that's fine," Kuse nodded, taking another puff of his pipe before walking away.
"Godfather, it's an Island Whale! I see an Island Whale!" Sam's voice rang out. Bege looked over and saw a huge black shape emerging from the sea. A massive black whale surfaced, its head covered in scars. It swam towards the pirate ship, its enormous eyes fixed on them, moving as if searching for something.
"Aren't Island Whales supposed to live in the West Blue? Why is there an Island Whale on the Grand Line?"
They came from the West Blue, and Island Whales almost exclusively lived there, with very few found in other oceans.
"Laboon?" Bege naturally recognized the Island Whale.
Bege walked up to its enormous eye, gazing into it, and said, "You're looking for someone, right? The person you're looking for isn't dead. He's been delayed at sea. I also plan to find him during my trip to the Grand Line. Don't worry, I will definitely find him."
Island Whales were intelligent creatures, with an intelligence no less than that of humans. Bege believed it could understand him.
Laboon suddenly let out a tremendous roar, churning the sea around it.
"You don't believe me? I know his name. He's Brook, the musician of the Rumbar Pirates," Bege shouted.
Laboon abruptly stopped roaring, its huge eye once again focusing on Bege.
"I know where he is. I'll find him. If you wait here, you'll have to wait at least a few decades. Come with me. I'll take you to Brook," Bege called out.
Laboon let out a series of low, mournful sounds. Bege couldn't understand what it was saying.
"I'm setting off now. If you want, come with me. I'll take you to Brook. If you don't want to, I'll bring Brook to you," Bege said again.
Brook was a Yellow Springs Fruit user, and Bege had very high expectations for his Yellow Springs Fruit ability. Therefore, he planned to use Laboon as a bargaining chip to recruit Brook.
"Set sail! To Cocoa Island! It's time to meet Gecko Moria."
The ship started up, beginning Bege's journey on the Grand Line.
"Godfather, do you know that Island Whale?" Hank asked curiously.
"I've heard of it. An Island Whale with a strong sense of loyalty and affection," Bege replied with a smile.
"It's a shame that Island Whale didn't understand the Godfather's words. It would be pretty cool to have an Island Whale following us," Hank said regretfully.
"Godfather, that Island Whale is following us!" At this moment, a disciple observing the sea from the crow's nest shouted.
Bege's eyes lit up. He looked back and saw Laboon's massive form riding the waves, quickly catching up to the ship.
Its huge eye stared at Bege, emitting a series of low rumbles.
"Don't worry, I'll definitely help you find Brook," Bege said solemnly.
Laboon let out another series of sounds, but this time, Bege could hear the joyful emotion in its voice.
They hadn't traveled far on the Grand Line before they experienced the unpredictable nature of its climate.
"It's snowing again! One moment it's a downpour, the next it's gale-force winds, and now it's snowing." Hank and the others were exhausted by the Grand Line's constantly changing weather.
Along with the snow came strong winds, making the sea even more turbulent. Huge waves crashed one after another, causing the ship to rock violently. If it weren't for the Log Pose, they wouldn't be able to tell which direction they were going.
Laboon, swimming alongside the ship, occasionally leaped out of the water, supporting the hull to prevent it from tilting too much.