"Is this the legendary Reverse Mountain River? What a miracle!" Nami exclaimed, gazing at the river rushing from the foot of the mountain toward its peak.
Lu Zhuo's expression remained calm, but a faint ripple stirred within him.
No matter how the manga or anime described it, only standing here in person could make you appreciate the sheer wonder of it!
"Hold on tight. We're going up!" Lu Zhuo said gravely.
Nami nodded, pressed close to Lu Zhuo, and grabbed a rope on the deck.
At last, the Reverse Mountain River carried the ship up to the summit.
The waves surged violently. Lu Zhuo gazed at the sea ahead, his heart swelling with excitement.
The Holy Sword paused briefly at the summit, then followed another channel back out to sea.
The Grand Line. They had finally arrived.
Standing at the bow, Lu Zhuo was as straight as a graceful bamboo stalk, his eyes filled with excitement and longing.
But the waters of the Grand Line ahead of them were far from calm.
At the meeting point of the river and the sea, one enormous whirlpool after another appeared on the surface. They looked like ravenous beasts, ready to swallow Lu Zhuo's Holy Sword whole.
Nami cried out in alarm. "Lu Zhuo, it'll be hard to get through this stretch of sea if this keeps up."
Lu Zhuo looked out over the sea, frowned slightly, and thought for a moment before shouting.
"Crocus, get out here! Your whale, Laboon, is going crazy again!"
"Crocus, come out!"
"If you don't come out, I'll cut your lighthouse in half!"
After shouting several times, Lu Zhuo was nearly beside himself. Just as he was about to draw his sword and threaten the old man, he heard a cough.
"Ahem, you little brat! What do you think you're doing?"
An imposing old man slowly emerged from the lighthouse and glared at Lu Zhuo angrily.
Lu Zhuo crossed his arms over his chest and curled his lip. "Hurry up and give me a Log Pose. I'm going to the Grand Line, and I don't have time to waste talking to you..."
Crocus raised a white eyebrow and stared at Lu Zhuo in surprise. "Hmm? How do you know about the Log Pose?"
"I know plenty. Oh, and I'll leave Laboon's problem alone for now. In four years, a boy wearing a straw hat will come along and help you take care of it." Lu Zhuo smiled as he replied.
"A boy in a straw hat?" Crocus scratched his scalp. He'd never heard of anyone like that.
Besides, this kid in front of him couldn't be more than twenty. Why did he act as if he knew everything?
"Ahem, kid, you're being pretty disrespectful to your elders. And just who are you, anyway?"
Listening to Crocus ramble, Lu Zhuo put a hand to his forehead in exasperation and snorted.
"I'm just a rookie getting ready to enter the Grand Line for the first time. Don't worry about all that—just give me the Log Pose. And send a message to Rayleigh for me. I want him to teach me Haki."
"What?!"
Crocus could no longer keep his composure. He pointed at Lu Zhuo in shock. "How do you know Rayleigh? You... you!"
Lu Zhuo shook his head and sighed. "What a hassle. Never mind..."
The instant the words left his mouth, Lu Zhuo vanished from sight. A few seconds later, he reappeared in the same spot, now holding a compass-like object.
He tossed it to Nami, who was standing nearby. "Take a good look at it. This is the special compass used on the Grand Line—the Log Pose!"
Nami took it with an excited look. To her, money came first, and sailing came second. Though, now that she thought about it, Lu Zhuo seemed more important to her than money...
The ship surged swiftly along with the waves and, in an instant, had left the area behind and entered the Grand Line for good.
"You little brat! I never agreed to give it to you! How dare you steal it! Get back here..."
Crocus watched the Holy Sword sail farther and farther away, practically jumping out of his skin with rage. He was this close to using his harpoon to drag Lu Zhuo's ship back.
Half a month later, at the Sabaody Archipelago.
Rayleigh sat on a little stool like an ordinary old man, reading a letter in his hand.
"Ghost Sword Lu Zhuo? A rookie? Interesting."
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Rayleigh tossed the letter aside and patted his head.
Oh dear, he was out of money again. It looked like he'd have to sell himself at the auction once more...
At Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral Sengoku surveyed the pile of documents in front of him.
Suddenly, one of the files caught his eye.
"What? A rookie with strength close to a master swordsman's?"
Sengoku read the report's opening details with surprise. But as he continued, his expression darkened.
"Damn it! Why wasn't someone like this recruited into the Marines? What are the people under me doing? That bastard Captain Smoker can stay a captain in Loguetown forever!"
Someone like Sengoku wouldn't lose his composure over a single Lu Zhuo. Even if Lu Zhuo were ten times stronger, it wouldn't be enough to make him this angry.
What infuriated him was how useless his subordinates were, and how poorly they handled their work.
If the entire Navy was like this, wouldn't it be rotten to the core?
That was what truly angered him.
And so, because of Lu Zhuo, Smoker remained a captain in Loguetown until he finally met Straw Hat Luffy and his crew, and was released from his post...
Once he had issued the order, Sengoku quickly forgot about the matter. After all, Lu Zhuo's affairs were insignificant to him.
But by the time he truly began to take Lu Zhuo seriously, it was too late—and he would regret it deeply.
Meanwhile, the Holy Sword, now nearing Alabasta, began to slow down.
Lu Zhuo stood at the bow and gently drew Kitetsu.
Without seeming to exert any strength, he swung it through the empty air.
With a swish, a trench more than ten meters long appeared in the sea before him!
It closed up again in an instant, but the surrounding water surged wildly, kicking up a huge wave.
"Damn it, why are you doing that again? Do you have any idea how hard it is to sail a ship by myself?" Nami shouted at Lu Zhuo from the deck, which rocked in the waves.
Lu Zhuo smiled and slid the sword back into its scabbard. He had truly become a master swordsman!
Battles really were the best way to improve one's strength. He'd been at sea for only about three months, yet he'd already leaped from an ordinary swordsman to a master swordsman!
With a hearty laugh, Lu Zhuo hurried over to Nami and gave her a loud kiss on the cheek.
"All right, my little kitten. I've got it under control. I won't do it again, so forgive me."
Nami rolled her eyes at him and huffed. "Fine. I'll forgive you since you seem a little sincere."
After saying that, she pecked Lu Zhuo on the cheek like a dragonfly skimming the water, then lowered her head, her face flushed.
Watching her, Lu Zhuo felt his heart stir. He put on a serious expression. "Since you've forgiven me, it's time to deal with your problem. I seem to remember you calling me a bastard again just now."
Nami had been feeling a little shy, but at his words, she pouted. "I'll call you whatever I want! Hmph, you big jerk!"
Lu Zhuo's expression fell. He scooped Nami into his arms and said gravely, "In that case, it's time for some discipline!"
"Damn it, put me down!" Nami struggled halfheartedly a few times, then went limp and settled into Lu Zhuo's arms without moving.
She knew that their peaceful days at sea were finally over. There would be plenty of trouble ahead, and she wouldn't be able to spend time cuddling with Lu Zhuo whenever she wanted.
In a hidden basement somewhere in Alabasta, the Shichibukai Crocodile listened to his subordinate's report and frowned slightly.
"Ghost Sword Lu Zhuo? Supposedly a master swordsman? Did you grow up eating shit? You're making some kid who just entered the Grand Line sound like a legend! Have Mr. 1 take care of him."
He had no idea what Lu Zhuo was after, but his plan had only just begun. Since Lu Zhuo had bypassed several islands and headed straight for Alabasta, it was best to kill him, just to be safe.
At this point, Crocodile didn't take Lu Zhuo seriously at all. He scoffed at the idea that someone not yet twenty could become a master swordsman.
The black-clad man reporting to him said in a low voice, "Sir, the information is ninety-five percent accurate. To be safe, shouldn't we—"
"Damn it, didn't you hear what I said? I have too many other things to deal with. I don't have time to handle some young punk. Besides... don't you trust Mr. 1's strength?"
Crocodile snorted coldly and gave his subordinate an unfriendly look. He had little patience for anyone who didn't obey his orders without question.
Just then, a silvery laugh came from the darkness behind him.
"All right. I'll go with Mr. 1. We've only just started working together, so I should make a little contribution."
Before you continue