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Chapter 62 is out!!!! +40 advanced chapters monthly
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While capturing this particular criminal might not have seemed like much to a Vice Admiral, even a Rear Admiral wouldn't just toss away such a contribution to their record.
For T-Bone, who was currently only a Captain in one of the Four Blues' branch offices, it was a massive deal. In the grand hierarchy of Marine Headquarters, a branch Captain was only equivalent to a Lieutenant.
With such a significant achievement dangling right in front of him, why wouldn't he fight for it? Of course, certain things are better left unsaid. Seeing the truth without voicing it—that is the mark of a clever man.
"Baishui, I didn't realize you were this powerful. It looks like choosing you was definitely the right move!" T-Bone admitted, the lingering shock still visible on his face as he looked at Baishui with a hint of awkwardness.
"It was nothing special. Let's get moving; the mission comes first," Baishui replied dismissively. He didn't seem interested in small talk. After giving T-Bone a brief nod, he found a comfortable spot on deck, laid down, and promptly went to sleep.
"Uh..."
The cold shoulder left T-Bone feeling like he'd just run face-first into a wall. He rubbed his nose awkwardly, shrugged, and walked away.
The warship set sail!
The journey from Kuro Island to Enies Lobby spanned two thousand kilometers. Even on a Marine warship, the voyage would take a full week. Consequently, life at sea quickly became a dull, monotonous affair. Once the initial novelty wore off, there wasn't much left to enjoy.
The salty sea breeze grew nauseating, and the endless cycle of blue sky and white clouds became eyesores. But one must learn to self-medicate, right? One has to find joy in the struggle.
At the very least, Baishui was a man who knew how to enjoy himself. Using his abilities, he had constructed a cozy little "nest" for himself. Every day, he lay inside, humming a lazy tune and snacking on fruit juice and meat he'd sourced from who-knows-where. His life was the picture of leisure.
The other Marines had juice and meat too, but they lacked Baishui's sense of refinement. For them, it was just fuel to keep them going; they lacked the mindset to understand Baishui's brand of "zen."
The ocean is beautiful—its vastness, its azure depths, and its all-encompassing embrace are captivating. Yet, the ocean is also tedious. Its uniformity and stillness can drain the soul. Staring at the same scenery day after day would make anyone grow restless.
Perhaps sensing that these men were getting too comfortable—or perhaps just annoyed by a certain someone's idleness—the Heavens decided to stir things up.
On this particular day, the Marines were going through their usual routine: trimming sails, falling into formation, and conducting drills. But the weather at sea is fickle. Just as they began their training, a sudden storm rolled in, forcing them to abandon their exercises and scramble to secure the ship.
To be honest, Baishui didn't mind rain, but he hated storms. Maritime gales brought massive amounts of seawater—a lethal threat to any Devil Fruit user.
One wrong move and you could find yourself buried in a watery grave. Even a man like "Golden Lion" Shiki had to take storms seriously; such was the terror of the sea's wrath.
"All hands, prepare! Furrow the sails! Find a handhold and secure yourselves! Don't get blown overboard!" T-Bone barked out emergency orders. He braced himself against the mainmast, hunkering down to weather the coming onslaught.
Actually, he didn't even need to say it. The crew had already begun their preparations. Every sailor on board had survived at least one such disaster at sea; they knew the drill by heart.
T-Bone's orders were merely a reminder. In the face of a natural disaster, not everyone can maintain their composure.
"Navigators, get those readings! Map out an evasion route immediately!" T-Bone shouted toward the interior of the ship where the helmsmen were stationed.
Meanwhile, Baishui had already deployed a sphere of white light. Like an octopus, he extended "tentacles" of light in all directions, anchoring himself firmly to the deck.
BOOM!
You only truly appreciate the horror of a storm when you're caught in the middle of it. Raging waves slammed into the warship, making the entire vessel shudder violently. The bone-rattling cracks of wood against water were enough to shake anyone's spirit.
Though Baishui had encountered several storms during his lonely drift to Kuro Island, each experience felt different from the last.
Ping! Ping! Ping!
Countless high-velocity droplets pelted the ship like a hail of bullets, creating a rhythmic, metallic symphony across the deck. It was a musical sound, yet no one had the heart to listen.
Baishui sat quietly inside his light sphere, watching the storm rage. He continued to hum his little tune. It's just a storm, what's it got to do with me?
Absolutely nothing. And if it wasn't his problem, why be nervous?
Seawater might weaken a Devil Fruit user's physical body, but it had no effect on the energy of the ability itself. Baishui's light barrier was incredibly sturdy—far beyond what a mere storm could break.
However, hitting a storm like this meant they were nearing the Grand Line. In this world, such erratic weather was the Grand Line's calling card. The East Blue was generally much more tranquil.
The world is a strange place; peaceful environments rarely produce the strong, while the most powerful warriors are forged in chaos. Yet, the East Blue was the exception—the "outlier." Despite its reputation as the weakest sea, it had birthed an absurd number of legends: Roger, Rayleigh, Garp, Dragon, Ace, Sabo, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji...
It was a place of gentle waves and monstrous strength.
After five minutes of fury, the storm finally spent its strength and dissipated. The sky cleared instantly, the sun blazed bright, and a stunning rainbow arched across the horizon.
"So, how are you enjoying the taste of life at sea?" T-Bone asked, sitting down next to Baishui and handing him a glass of juice.
"It's alright. That's just the ocean for you, isn't it? No one knows when the storm comes, how long it stays, or when it leaves," Baishui replied, taking the juice with the air of a seasoned veteran.
"We're about to enter the Grand Line. What's wrong? Getting cold feet?" Baishui teased, noticing the grim set of T-Bone's jaw.
"Yeah, a little," T-Bone nodded, his voice tinged with anxiety. "The Grand Line is a different beast entirely compared to the Four Blues. There are far too many powerful pirates there."
"What's there to be anxious about? We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Just do your job. If any pirates are brave enough to show their faces, I don't mind adding a few more bounties to this ship's brig," Baishui said with a wide grin, clinking his glass against T-Bone's.
He was getting paid to help T-Bone escort the prisoners, after all. If they caught more along the way, his bonus would only increase. For a man who needed berries, that was a very tempting prospect.
"Haha, true. With you here, what do I have to fear?" T-Bone laughed, his tension finally breaking.
"Besides, don't underestimate the deterrent power of the Marines," Baishui added. "At least in the first half of the Grand Line—Paradise—the Marine name still carries weight. Most pirates won't openly attack a warship. I doubt any of them are eager to see the inside of Impel Down!"
"You've got a point. Haha, I suppose I was just overthinking things," T-Bone agreed, his anxiety visibly fading.
"Report! We are approaching Reverse Mountain!" a Marine shouted, running onto the deck and snapping a crisp salute.
T-Bone's expression instantly turned sharp. "All hands to their stations! Navigators, full focus! I will not tolerate a single oversight!"
He had every reason to be tense. The casualty rate at Reverse Mountain was staggering; nearly three out of every ten ships that attempted the climb met with disaster.
"So, we've reached Reverse Mountain..."
Baishui stood up, staring at the massive cliff face that seemed to pierce the very heavens. A flood of emotions washed over him.
The Red Line.
He had finally made it. This was the place every person who ended up in the world of One Piece dreamed of seeing. This was the true starting line—the gateway to the world of pirates.
The Red Line had two major intersection points. The first was right here: Reverse Mountain. The second sat at the opposite end of the world—the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, home of the Celestial Dragons and the seat of the World Government's power.
"What is it, Baishui? You actually look... excited," T-Bone noted curiously.
"It's nothing," Baishui replied simply, offering no further explanation. T-Bone wouldn't understand. They were looking at the same mountain, but seeing two very different things.
Reverse Mountain.
Also known as Levas Mountain, it was an incredible and perilous peak that served as the entrance to the Grand Line. It featured five distinct canals arranged in an 'X' shape—four inlets and one outlet.
Four of the canals pulled water up the mountain from the East, South, West, and North Blues. The fifth led down into the Grand Line. The ocean currents from the Four Blues were so powerful that they literally defied gravity, surging up the mountainside.
Because the currents were so violent, ships were essentially at the mercy of the water. With luck, you'd make it over the crest and into the Grand Line. Without it, your journey ended against the jagged rocks of the mountain.
Reverse Mountain was the beginning of the Grand Line, but in a way, it was also the end, as the other side of the mountain faced the very end of the New World.
Of course, one could also enter the Grand Line by crossing the Calm Belt, but few dared to try that without significant power. While Baishui could technically fly over it, he wasn't about to risk it until his strength reached a higher level.
The Calm Belt had no wind, meaning he'd have to expend massive amounts of stamina to maintain flight. He wasn't a machine; if his strength faltered and he was forced to land, he'd be stranded in the middle of a Sea King's nest. And the Sea Kings in the Calm Belt were a far cry from the "small fry" found in the East Blue.
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