Rain poured down, with large raindrops hitting the sea surface, stirring up white splashes.
As they passed the lighthouse standing on the coast, everyone knew that they had already stepped halfway into the legendary Grand Line.
The waves were turbulent, and the Infinite Space tossed violently in the rain, its hull rising and falling with the waves, as if it could be swallowed by the raging sea at any moment.
"Yun Lie, we're about to pass through a strong current to climb Upside Down Mountain. Won't it be too dangerous?"
Nami wore a dark raincoat, and rain dripped continuously from her hood, wetting the map in her hand.
Her brows were tightly furrowed, her eyes filled with worry, and her voice carried a hint of unease as she looked at the sea shrouded in the rain.
To enter the Grand Line, crossing Upside Down Mountain was an unavoidable path, but this route, full of the unknown and danger, made even the experienced Nami feel anxious.
Yun Lie stood at the bow, letting the rain wash over his face, but a confident arc curved at the corner of his mouth: "Don't worry, with me here, there will be no accidents."
His voice was firm and powerful, sounding exceptionally clear in the wind and rain.
He believed in Nami's navigation skills; as the future's most outstanding navigator, she would definitely find the correct direction in complex sea conditions.
At the same time, he also believed in his Fruit ability, which was one of his foundations for venturing into this dangerous sea area.
Moreover, the ship had already caught the strong current, and there was no turning back; they could only forge ahead.
The crew quickly sprang into action, furling the sails and steadying the rudder.
With everyone's efforts, the Infinite Space braved the wind and rain, heading towards the legendary Upside Down Mountain.
As they got closer, a massive Red Line mountain finally appeared faintly through the rain. Its towering peak, almost invisible, seemed to connect with the sky, giving off a strong sense of oppression.
Riding the current, the Infinite Space was like a giant bird swimming against the tide, following the surging seawater, beginning its thrilling and exciting "climbing" journey.
The channels formed by the seawater were like water gates, and the ship weaved through them, with the currents on both sides rushing past, creating a deafening sound.
"Ahhh!"
Nojiko and Karina had never experienced such an exhilarating scene. They hugged each other tightly, their terrified screams drowned out by the wind, rain, and waves.
Karina's face was pale, her hands gripping the railing tightly; Nojiko, on the other hand, used her Barrier Fruit ability to envelop them both in a transparent barrier, attempting to ward off the fear.
Yun Lie sat at the dragon-headed bow, feeling the strong wind and rain hitting him head-on, his inner passion completely ignited.
He looked at the magnificent clouds around him; those white clouds constantly changed shape under the influence of the wind and rain, some like thousands of galloping horses, others like giant dragons circling.
"Charge! Push through in one go!" he shouted excitedly, his voice filled with heroism and fighting spirit.
The moment the Infinite Space reached the top of the current, the entire ship shot out of the current and hovered in the air.
At that moment, time seemed to stand still, and everyone felt their hearts about to stop.
Immediately after, the ship plummeted rapidly towards another current below, beginning its "descent" process.
The descent was extremely fast; the scenery on both sides became fleeting blurs, rapidly moving backward. The feeling was like being on a high-speed bullet train, streaking past, making one dizzy.
Just then, a deafening roar came from below the mountain. The sound seemed to penetrate one's soul, filling people with dread.
Immediately after, a huge dark shadow appeared in everyone's sight.
Yun Lie's gaze sharpened, and he quickly recognized this as the legendary giant whale Laboon.
"Nami, go left."
He made a decisive decision, shouting loudly, while carefully observing the surroundings, pinpointing enough space on the left for the ship to pass through.
Nami reacted quickly, immediately maneuvering the Infinite Space to the left.
The ship turned agilely, quickly circling past the whale Laboon.
As the ship passed by Laboon, everyone truly felt its immense size.
Nami's eyes widened as she looked at the colossal, sky-obscuring eyeball, so frightened that she clapped her hand over her mouth, unable to speak for a long time; Nojiko and Karina were much the same, hugging each other tightly, their bodies trembling slightly, their faces filled with terror.
As for Little Kong, during the "descent," fearing being blown away, it had already hidden inside Yun Lie's inner world, staying with Xiao Mei.
"Roar!" The whale Laboon suddenly opened its enormous mouth, and endless seawater poured into it, forming a powerful suction.
The Infinite Space was instantly pulled by this suction, rapidly sliding towards the whale's abyssal maw. The ship completely lost control, and the crew members stumbled across the deck, the situation extremely perilous.
"Space, displacement!"
Yun Lie's eyes sharpened, glowing with a silvery-white light, and his Fruit ability operated at full power.
"Whoosh!"
The next second, the Infinite Space vanished from its original spot, reappearing in the distance, far from the whale's abyssal maw.
Only then did everyone breathe a sigh of relief, the feeling of surviving a disaster washing over them.
Yun Lie naturally knew there was no danger inside the whale Laboon's mouth, but he was aware that a dangerous individual resided there—Crocus, the Pirate King's ship doctor.
The Pirate King's crew members were all famously powerful and protective, and since he had killed Buggy the Clown, he dared not gamble whether Crocus would attack them.
"We're saved."
The three women looked like they had just escaped death, leaning against each other and letting out a long sigh, their faces still showing lingering fear.
"I didn't expect you to escape Laboon's big mouth. It seems your lives aren't meant to end yet!"
Suddenly, a slightly aged voice came from afar. The voice seemed to carry magic, penetrating the wind and rain, clearly reaching everyone's ears.
Even Yun Lie hadn't noticed the person's presence before.
Looking in the direction of the voice, a tall old man holding a harpoon stood on the strait, observing them.
The old man's eyes were deep, as if he could see through everything, and he exuded an aura of having experienced much hardship.
"Was it you who made this big whale attack us?"
Yun Lie recognized the newcomer at a glance, narrowing his eyes and asking slowly, his gaze wary.
His hand unconsciously rested on the Sandai Kitetsu at his waist, ready to respond to a possible fight at any moment.
"That's right, I wanted to see what kind of person killed that kid Buggy."
Crocus did not deny it, stating directly, with a hint of coldness in his tone.
He stood there, his figure tall and straight; truly worthy of being a Pirate King's crew member, just standing there gave off a powerful sense of oppression. His Observation Haki range was extremely wide, so he must have sensed them in advance, which was why he had Laboon wait below.
If not for Yun Lie's special ability, he might indeed have been swallowed by Laboon, becoming Crocus's "turtle in a jar."
"So, are you going to attack us?"
Yun Lie drew his Sandai Kitetsu; the blade slid from its sheath with a clear ringing sound. His tone was unfriendly, his body tense, ready for battle at any moment.
He didn't know if he could defeat Crocus, but he also firmly believed that it wouldn't be easy for Crocus to keep them.
"Since you've passed Laboon's test, I naturally won't attack you again." Crocus waved his hand, sighed, and said, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.