The morning after the storm was bright, the air crisp with salt and sunlight. Waves sparkled like diamonds as the Going Merry glided over calm waters. The sky was so blue it almost looked fake.
Kai sat on the figurehead, legs dangling over the sea, camera snail perched beside him.
[Stream: LIVE — "Heading for the Grand Line!"]
[Viewers: 5.9M]
[Chat: "THE GRAND LINE ARC BEGINS!!" / "Luffy's energy today is insane lol" / "Kai survived Smoker somehow 💀"]
He grinned, zooming the lens toward Luffy, who stood at the bow with his arms wide open.
"GRAND LINE, HERE WE COME!" Luffy yelled.
The entire crew cheered — even Zoro cracked a smile.
Kai turned back to the snail. "You heard him, chat. The line between madness and legend starts now."
Hours later, they were huddled around Nami's map table.
"Okay," Nami said, tapping the parchment, "to reach the Grand Line, we'll pass through Reverse Mountain."
Usopp blinked. "The mountain where the sea flows up?"
"Exactly."
Kai raised an eyebrow. "Because physics just… took a vacation here."
Sanji smirked. "Get used to it, Dreamer. You'll see weirder things."
Kai muttered, "That's what I'm afraid of."
[Chat: "REVERSE MOUNTAIN HYPE" / "Kai coping with One Piece physics 😂"]
That night, as the Merry rocked gently under the stars, Kai checked his system panel.
[Subscribers: 6.4M]
[Revenue: 18.3M berries total]
[Unlocked Feature: 'Merch Line' — Create and sell in-universe items via Dream Network.]
He raised an eyebrow. "Merch, huh?"
He opened the creation screen and designed a small badge:
🌀 "Straw Hat Dreamer" — available in random ports through anonymous vendors.
[Projected Sales: 3M berries/month]
"Passive income? Don't mind if I do."
He leaned back, gazing at the stars. "Man… this world is nuts, but I kinda love it."
The next day, the sea turned strange.
The waves grew stronger, pushing the Merry faster.
"Hold on!" Nami shouted, gripping the helm. "We're near Reverse Mountain!"
The water started to rise — literally climbing upward.
Kai's eyes widened. "This is insane! The ocean has stairs!"
[Stream Title: "Riding the Ocean Up the Mountain"]
[Viewers: 7.2M]
[Chat: "THIS IS BEAUTIFUL!" / "They're gonna die lol" / "Cinematic as hell!"]
The Merry rocketed upward, the crew screaming and laughing.
Luffy raised his arms. "YEAH!!!"
Zoro shouted over the roar, "If we die, I'm haunting you!"
Kai yelled back, "Stream it, then!"
They shot through the summit, and for a moment, everything was silent — clouds below them, sunlight above, sea sparkling in every direction.
Then —
A massive shadow loomed ahead.
Kai's heart stopped. "What the—"
A giant whale's eye opened right in front of them.
Usopp screamed, "WHALE!! GIANT WHALE!!"
Luffy laughed. "He's awesome!!"
The Merry crashed straight into the whale's side with a thud.
Kai groaned from the deck. "Yup. We're dead."
[Chat: "LABOON ARC LET'S GOOO" / "Rest in peace, Merry 😂" / "Kai's reaction priceless."]
Inside the whale's mouth — yes, inside — the crew regrouped, dripping wet and confused.
Luffy blinked around. "There's a house in here."
Kai muttered, "Because of course there is."
A door opened, and a tall old man with sunglasses stepped out. "Who's making all this noise inside my whale?"
Kai blinked. "You know what? I'm not even shocked anymore."
[System Notification: Quest Available — "Meet the Caretaker of Laboon." Reward: +1 Skill Upgrade Token]
He smiled faintly. "Yeah, I'll take that."
Later that night, after Luffy painted the whale's head (and almost started another fight), Kai sat quietly by the edge of the deck.
Laboon floated peacefully nearby, the moonlight glimmering on the water.
[Stream: Chill Mode ON]
[Viewers: 4.5M]
[Chat: "This scene hits hard." / "Laboon deserves happiness 😭" / "Kai's calm voice >>"]
Kai spoke softly, more to himself than to the stream.
"Even in a world this crazy, there's something pure about moments like this… friendship, promises, freedom."
He looked at the whale one last time. "We'll see you again, buddy."
[Quest Complete: "Meet Laboon." Reward Collected.]
[Skill Upgrade Token Used — 'Momentum Burst' → Lv3]
He smiled, closing the stream. "Grand Line, huh? Let's see what you've got."
The ship drifted toward the mist.
The stars above shimmered.
And the sea below whispered endless adventure.
[End of Chapter 17 — "The Dreamer Enters the Grand Line."]