Dangerous Currents at Reverse Mountain

At the foot of Reverse Mountain, Momoo watched the raging current surge uphill and even looked a little afraid.

"Momoo, just protect yourself! We'll take care of the pirate ship!"

Daddy had never expected the Cow Sea Beast to protect the Dreadnaught Sabre. He would protect his own ship himself!

"Now then! Men! Today, we officially enter the Grand Line!!"

Daddy's shout sent every member of the Big Daddy Pirates into a frenzy of excitement.

"Aye, Captain!!"

Nami began directing the other crew members, steering the pirate ship into the raging uphill current. They also released the towline connecting them to Momoo.

Kuro of a Hundred Plans was at the stern, watching Cyclone Eric being dragged through the water behind the ship.

"We're about to climb Reverse Mountain. I hope you survive!!"

Kuro stared coldly at his prisoner. Ever since Eric had been captured, Kuro had kept him tied behind the ship and dragged through the water, wearing down his arrogance.

"I'll join... I'll join! Please, let me go!"

Cyclone Eric cried out weakly, swallowing several more mouthfuls of seawater. Soaked through and shackled with Seastone Handcuffs, he was utterly powerless, and a feeling of utter despair welled up inside him.

He'd been shouting that he surrendered and wanted to join them for hours, but Kuro acted as if he couldn't hear him.

Now that he'd heard they were entering Reverse Mountain's uphill current, he knew that if he kept being dragged through the water, he'd be flung against the mountainside and turned into a lump of flesh.

At that moment, he wanted more than anything to live. He never wanted to endure this inhuman punishment again.

He was already terrified of the Big Daddy Pirates, and the experience had left a trauma that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Just then, seeing that Eric had been broken in, Daddy walked over.

At the very last moment before the Dreadnaught Sabre entered the uphill current, he finally hauled aboard Eric, who had been scared deathly pale!

"From now on, you're one of the Big Daddy Pirates. Follow orders. Got it?"

Daddy leisurely unlocked Eric's Seastone Handcuffs and untied the rope around him, then addressed the Scythe-Scythe Fruit user in a calm voice.

"I understand, Captain! I'll never betray the Big Daddy Pirates as long as I live!"

Cyclone Eric was already in tears. He immediately sobbed and swore his loyalty to Daddy, clinging to his leg without a shred of dignity. At last, he'd survived the hands of these devils.

"I like obedient crew members! Go change your clothes, then join us as we enter the Grand Line!"

Daddy lifted Eric up, straightened his soaked clothes, and said with a smile.

At that moment, Daddy had changed from a demonic captain into a kind and gentle boss.

"Thank you, Captain! I'll do whatever you say!"

Cyclone Eric had been completely cowed by Daddy's methods. He might have held a tiny grudge against Kuro, but as for Daddy, his captain, he was utterly convinced and deeply grateful.

After having someone take Eric below deck, the pirate ship finally charged up Reverse Mountain. The violent shaking made Daddy brace himself, ready to protect the ship at a moment's notice!

Barrier: Dreadnaught!!

A massive barrier instantly enveloped the Dreadnaught Sabre. As the ship battled the raging current, it collided violently with the sides of the channel several times, nearly capsizing.

"That really was a dangerous undertaking!"

Daddy finally understood why Reverse Mountain was the first deadly obstacle for rookie pirate crews from the four seas!

Damn!

The uphill current at Reverse Mountain was nowhere near as short as it had been in the anime!

Daddy estimated that the uphill route alone was over 300 kilometers long. They'd spent nearly three hours charging through an insanely fast current flowing at around 120 kilometers per hour!

Based on what he'd learned about navigation and his knowledge of geography from his previous life, the Grand Line was probably about three or four degrees of latitude wide on either side of the equator.

That meant the Grand Line was at least 600 to over 800 kilometers wide, with the two Calm Belts flanking it on either side, each over 100 kilometers wide.

"Holy shit!! Without the Barrier-Barrier Fruit, there's no way I could've made it through Reverse Mountain!!"

Daddy cursed loudly. The current channels from the four seas all had to reach the center of Reverse Mountain before converging and rushing toward the Grand Line. They followed a sloping triangular route, not a straight line.

The distance was longer than half the width of the entire Grand Line!

Using the Barrier-Barrier Fruit nonstop for three or four hours to protect the massive Dreadnaught Sabre had even made Daddy break out in a cold sweat.

The crew members were also so shaken that their faces had gone pale.

They knew the Grand Line was dangerous, but they hadn't expected Reverse Mountain, the very first obstacle, to be so perilous!

How many pirate ships could sail uphill for three or four hours through a raging current moving at over a hundred kilometers per hour?

A few collisions would be enough to shatter these wooden pirate ships into splinters!

As expected, every pirate crew that made it to the Grand Line had their luck maxed out!

The pirate crews that never made it were swept into the Grand Line, becoming a source of income for Crocus, the lighthouse keeper at Twin Cape.

Otherwise, how could Crocus have lived comfortably for so many years while keeping watch over Twin Cape, lounging around and reading the newspaper?

He even had enough wealth to buy medical books and precious herbs to treat and modify the enormous Island Whale, Laboon. Perhaps Crocus had helped provide Laboon with some of his nutritious feed, too.

As the ship reached the summit of Reverse Mountain, it collided violently once again. But the collision successfully changed its direction, and it hurtled downhill at an even greater speed.

The four currents from the four seas converged into one, making the flow even faster. Daddy had no choice but to stay on full alert!

"Ahhh~!!"

The girls on the ship all screamed. The Dreadnaught Sabre was now traveling at over 180 kilometers per hour, and even its mast was starting to bend.

Without the Barrier-Barrier Fruit protecting it, one collision would have reduced the pirate ship to a wreck!

Just how lucky were the pirate crews that had made it to the Grand Line? Had they really never once collided with the walls of Reverse Mountain's channel?

"Ahh!! Captain Daddy!! The way ahead is blocked!! We're doomed!! Why is there a wall in front of us?!"

Nami was so frightened that tears and snot streamed down her face. She'd thought they were about to reach the exit, only to find an enormous stretch of mountain blocking the way, with no way to avoid it!

"Damn it!! Everyone, hold on tight!!"

Daddy shouted furiously. They'd run into Island Whale Laboon as it rammed the mountain. At this speed, even with the Barrier-Barrier Fruit protecting them, the tremendous force of the impact would leave the crew injured—or even dead—and tear the ship apart.

Barrier: Susanoo Hand!!

Daddy roared as two enormous hands pushed out from the barrier's shell and clamped down hard on the walls of Reverse Mountain, desperately slowing the ship. Sparks flew all along the way, making it dozens of times more spectacular than Spider-Man stopping a train with his webbing.

Daddy gouged a massive scar into the mountain walls of Reverse Mountain's channel, sending clouds of dust billowing into the air...