"Captain, you seem to have something on your mind?"
Not long after leaving Loguetown, Reverse Mountain was already close at hand. Once they passed through this miraculous mountain range, they would officially enter the Grand Line. This should have been a joyous occasion; in fact, everyone on board was exceptionally excited. But Mia keenly observed that the Captain seemed somewhat preoccupied.
"It's nothing. Go get ready; we're about to enter the reverse current." Bellamy nodded at her with a blank expression, indicating he was fine.
"Alright, Captain." Mia acknowledged and went to help on deck. She knew that if the Captain didn't want to talk, it was best not to press further. She understood Bellamy's personality quite well.
"Too unsightly, Smoker." Bellamy did indeed have something on his mind. Ever since killing Smoker, he had been pondering why Smoker had insisted on coming to his death. The conclusion he reached was that Smoker was merely acting according to his own will. It wasn't that he sought Bellamy's approval; a pirate's approval meant nothing to a Marine. Smoker had simply upheld the justice he believed in; he couldn't stand by and watch an evil pirate slip away from right under his nose. Such a personality was too unyielding!
But this was precisely the greatest characteristic of the Marine "hawks." Onigumo was like this, Sakazuki was like this, and Smoker was too. And Bellamy himself – wasn't he also the same? Knowing it was a path to certain death ahead, yet never wanting to retreat even half a step. People like them actually had many similarities.
However, it was too unsightly. Smoker's pleading gaze before death lingered in Bellamy's mind, refusing to be forgotten. "How could you be so abject!" You were about to die, wouldn't it have been better to carry out your will to the very end? The great terror between life and death had ultimately caused Smoker to waver. If Smoker hadn't wavered, he should have died without any regrets. This was what Bellamy found most unacceptable; as an enemy, he felt it was a pity for Smoker.
"If there's a next time, I will definitely let you die without any regrets." Few people could make Bellamy dwell on them for so long. Smoker, at the cost of his own life, had left a special mark on Bellamy's heart.
"Captain, Reverse Mountain is in sight!" Drake's report interrupted Bellamy's reverie. Reverse Mountain was right before them; now was not the time to be thinking about these things. Bellamy gathered his thoughts for a moment and immediately began issuing orders.
"The reverse current of Reverse Mountain is at a steep incline of nearly seventy degrees."
"Secure all supplies immediately! Muret, you go help too. Furl the sails." The propulsive force of the reverse current was already enough for their ship to ascend; there was no need to raise the sails. "Oh, right, those Clone Soldiers have no intelligence. Don't let them on deck." If Clone Soldiers weren't pre-programmed, they wouldn't be able to comprehend a miraculous environment like a reverse current.
With a tremendous, rumbling sound of water approaching from the distance, an incredibly vast mountain range appeared before the Bellamy Pirates. Reverse Mountain, also known as Mount Rivase, was an exceedingly incredible and mysterious mountain range. This mountain range had a total of five waterways, distributed in an X-shape. Four of these waterways, connecting the Four Blues, flowed upstream towards the summit. At the intersection of the X, the final, special waterway flowed downstream into the Grand Line.
To enter the Grand Line normally, the reverse waterways of Reverse Mountain were almost an unavoidable path. It was also possible to enter and exit the Grand Line through the Calm Belt, and it was more convenient and faster, but the Sea-Prism Stone inlay technology was currently only mastered by the Marines. Of course, Bellamy could fly; he could just fly directly over. But he couldn't bring the ship with him. Without resupply, and unfamiliar with the routes, rushing headlong into the Grand Line alone was a very unwise act. So far, only Hawk-Eyes Mihawk was known to sail the seas alone like that.
"So magical! Reverse currents actually exist in this world." Without seeing it with one's own eyes, it was truly hard to believe in the existence of such a marvel as a reverse current. No matter who it was, upon first seeing such a dreamlike scene that defied common sense, they couldn't help but rub their eyes and begin to doubt the reality of the sight before them. But reverse currents were real. A completely inclined waterway, reversing the laws of physics, flowed backwards towards the mountain summit. The nearly seventy-degree incline made this waterway incredibly dangerous; the slightest carelessness and one could fall off the ship.
For Bellamy and his crew to enter the Grand Line, they first had to conquer this natural deathtrap.
"How magnificent." If this river flowed normally downwards, this place should be an incomparably massive waterfall. Even so, accompanied by the continuous rushing sound of water, Bellamy and his crew were stunned by the incredibly spectacular scene before them.
"Is this really naturally formed?" Bellamy couldn't help but begin to doubt everything. He vaguely sensed that the existence of this reverse current seemed to signify something.
"Captain, please give your orders." But now, they had already arrived before this current and were about to officially enter this magical waterway. Any further suspicions would have to wait.
"All hands, listen up! Target: Grand Line! Forward!"
"OOOH!!"
At Bellamy's command, the sailboat adjusted its position and began to officially enter the current. The sailboat slowly moved to the point where the current met the sea, onto that extremely steep incline. Immediately after, the entire ship began to tremble violently, and an immense sensation of tilting came from all around.
"Hold steady! Absolutely do not fall off!" In such a turbulent current, if one really fell, they would most likely be swept directly into the depths of the sea. At this moment, Boatswain Ross was alone on deck on standby. This violent tilting caused his body to sway precariously. Everyone couldn't help but break into a cold sweat for him.
"Drake, you take the helm." Bellamy simply handed over the task of steering to his first mate, while he himself flew directly off the ship. "Steer well. You don't need to worry about anything else." Bellamy floated cross-legged around the sailboat, beginning to escort his vessel.
Soon, the rapidly reversing current carried their sailboat all the way to the summit of Reverse Mountain – the very center of the X where the five currents intersected. Having reached here, as long as they followed the downstream current, they could enter the Grand Line.
Behind this downstream current was a colossal mountain peak that soared into the clouds. Behind this peak lay the end of the New World. In other words, the beginning of the Grand Line and the end of the New World were actually separated by only this small mountain peak. This world was just that magical.