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Chapter 64: Communicating with Laboon
Under the expectant and apprehensive gazes of everyone on board, the bow of the Going Merry first touched the counterintuitive opposing current.
Following a violent tremor, the hull began to slowly tilt, an invisible huge pushing force surging from behind the ship, steadily pushing the entire vessel towards the waterway leading to the summit.
"We made it!"
Amidst Luffy's excited shouts, the hull completely tilted, beginning to climb the peak, sailing upwards along the winding water flow.
On the deck.
Except for Ganyu standing steadily as if walking on flat ground, others were struggling to find footing.
Luffy's rubber arms and legs tightly wrapped around the mast, Zoro and Sanji leaned against the cabin sides, Usopp lay on the deck, hands tightly gripping the railing.
Among them, the smartest was Nami, who had already hugged Ganyu's slender waist, now calmly issuing orders:
"Quick, raise the sails! Control the rudder!"
The group had already assigned tasks and immediately started working.
Luffy immediately extended his arm, pulling down the sails, causing the originally slow upward ship speed to suddenly accelerate.
Sanji and Usopp immediately braced their feet against the cabin wall behind them, supporting Zoro's shoulders from left and right. Zoro's arm muscles bulged, veins popping, steadily steering under Nami's command.
Of course, Ganyu wouldn't be idle either.
She intently observed the water flow, looking for possible obstacles, whenever she found a hidden reef or rocky slope posing a threat to the ship, she would draw her bow and shoot an arrow.
Arrows cut through the air, shattering obstacles, clearing the way for Merry.
Just like this.
With everyone's joint efforts, the Going Merry successfully reached the top of the reversed world.
To everyone's delight, the hull had almost no damage.
"Everyone attention, we're going downhill!"
After reaching the summit, four water currents from opposite directions merged into one downhill path. Compared to uphill, this waterway was much steeper, the water flow several times more turbulent.
But for experienced navigators, downhill was always easier than uphill - as long as they firmly held the rudder, there wouldn't be any major problems.
However.
Click!
A crisp sound of wood breaking suddenly broke the relaxed atmosphere.
The steering wheel broke!
Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp stared incredulously at the broken steering wheel handle in Zoro's hand, faces turning pale.
"Damn it! Why use so much force?!"
"How can I steer without effort?!"
"Ahhh, it's all over, it's all over!"
Losing the rudder meant losing control of the ship's course.
Even the slightest deviation in direction during the fall could lead to collision with the steep mountain walls on both sides, causing catastrophic consequences.
Fortunately, there was a divine beast named Qilin on board who could change terrain.
Seeing this, Ganyu didn't hesitate, instantly summoning her ice bow, shooting an arrow to the ship's left and right sides respectively.
Arrows fell into the turbulent water flow, immediately solidifying into two crystal clear ice barriers, like a racetrack, firmly fixing the Going Merry on the correct course.
Thus, the ship slid down the hillside smoothly at high speed, but much more stable than when going uphill, making people feel very reassured.
"I... I'm saved..."
"Ah, Miss Ganyu, you're so reliable!"
"Haha! I can see the Grand Line now!"
"Then we just need to wait for the charge!"
The crew's panic disappeared, replaced by infinite anticipation for the Grand Line.
Everyone gathered at the bow, gazing at the vast ocean below.
At first glance, this sea area was no different from the East Blue, azure seawater stretching endlessly.
Except for that huge, mountain-like black shadow directly ahead, nothing else was different.
Wait, is it a mountain peak?
"Why is there another mountain? Didn't we already cross Reverse Mountain?" Luffy asked puzzledly.
"Impossible. Crossing Reverse Mountain, passing the Twin Capes at the foot of the mountain, ahead should be the boundless ocean." Nami frowned, habitually looking at Ganyu beside her.
Usually, if you didn't understand something, ask Ganyu; she was the person on the whole ship who knew the world best.
Nami sometimes even suspected Ganyu might have been to the Grand Line.
"Look carefully, that's not a mountain, that's... a whale." Ganyu stared at the huge black shadow in front of her, a trace of sadness flashing in her eyes.
The whale before our eyes was named Laboon. It was about 400 meters tall, almost as big as a small island.
Fifty years ago, a group of pirates left it here when entering the Grand Line, promising to "come back to see it after circling the world".
However, clearly, the pirate group was completely wiped out in the Grand Line, the only survivor trapped in the Florian Triangle, unable to leave.
This whale had been waiting at Reverse Mountain for fifty years, still waiting for that almost impossible promise.
"Whale?"
Everyone was stunned. After careful observation for a long time, they finally realized the mountain before them was indeed a living creature.
It raised its head looking at the sky, most of its body exposed above the sea surface. Its open big mouth was like a black hole, emitting a strange "wooo wooo" sound.
As the Going Merry continued to descend, it got closer and closer to it.
Whether it was an illusion or not, Ganyu felt the whale's eyes slowly moved, looking in her direction.
No, it wasn't an illusion, it... was really looking at me.
Ganyu was somewhat puzzled. She stared straight at the distant whale's eyes, meeting its gaze from hundreds of meters away.
At that moment, the world seemed to stand still; sounds of wind, currents, and tides all disappeared.
Only a gentle, slightly anxious, yet full of expectation and longing ethereal voice remained in my ears.
It might be asking: Who are you? Why are you only as small as a human? Have you seen that spaceship that always makes "wooo wooo" sounds?
Ganyu was surprised to find Laboon communicating with her telepathically, pupils suddenly dilating.
She thought for a moment, then opened her mouth, silently responding to it.
The other party answered: We are a pirate group just entering the Grand Line. We haven't seen that ship, but... I know there are still people alive on that ship, waiting to reunite with you.
A few seconds later.
A deafening whale roar suddenly resounded through the sea, its sound shaking heaven and earth, resounding through the entire ocean.
A long time.
A clear ethereal voice sounded in Ganyu's mind again: Really?
Ganyu felt its excitement, couldn't help but feel happy too, smiling gently, saying: Really?
As the Going Merry completely sank into the seabed, a brief and unknown communication also ended.
The huge whale in front of them stopped roaring, as if its emotions calmed down, slightly lowered its head, as if looking at the approaching pirate ship.
"What's going on? Did it discover us?!"
Its behavior scared everyone on board.
"Run! Our ship can't withstand this behemoth!"
Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp hurriedly took oars from the warehouse, preparing to row away from this behemoth.
Only Luffy's eyes were a bit strange, his gaze shifting back and forth between the rain and the whale.