Crossing Reverse Mountain

Loguetown was not far from Reverse Mountain, but the Moss still sailed for more than a day.

During that time, Mark's injuries had fully healed. The pale skin on his arms had gradually turned bronze, and his strength had improved as well.

After that battle, his control over both Devil Fruit abilities and Haki had improved considerably.

When they saw Reverse Mountain, both Mark and Chiu Chiu were stunned by the sight before them.

The seawater flowed backward, climbing upward, and the current was incredibly swift.

A scene that defied all physical common sense unfolded right before their eyes.

"We have to rush through as quickly as possible. The waters here are dangerous, and if we misjudge them, we could very well die here." Daisy looked at the surging upward current, a grave expression on her small face.

This was the first challenge every pirate faced on their way to the Grand Line.

Mark and Chiu Chiu nodded. Sailing the seas meant facing countless dangers beyond their control.

At times like this, they entrusted their lives to Daisy.

When danger struck, the navigator was the person the entire crew could trust most.

Mark said, "Daisy, we believe in you!"

Chiu Chiu said, "Boss, whether I get to eat grilled meat depends entirely on you!"

Daisy let out a soft breath, and determination flashed through her eyes.

"Set sail!!!"

Daisy gave the orders, Mark took the helm, and Chiu Chiu stood at the bow, ready to deal with any sudden emergency.

The three of them had clearly divided their duties.

After a hair-raising ordeal.

Following the directions on the sea chart, Daisy quickly led them over Reverse Mountain and into the Grand Line.

All three of them breathed a sigh of relief.

If their Moss had been wrecked while crossing Reverse Mountain, Chiu Chiu and Mark's ability to fly would have kept them alive. But afterward, they would have needed to prepare a new ship and cross Reverse Mountain all over again.

By then, all the Beli, the Moss, and the large amount of ammunition aboard would have gone to waste.

There were no more people like Arlong—rich people—in East Blue for him to rob.

Upon arriving at the Grand Line, Mark and the other two stood at the bow, closed their eyes, and took a deep breath.

This was the Grand Line, the Grand Line known as the Demon Sea.

They had finally taken their first step.

From here on, they would gain new companions.

They would earn new titles.

And they would attain greater status.

Everything in the world seemed to be beckoning to them.

"Partners, what's the first thing we should do after arriving at the Grand Line?" Mark took a deep breath of sea air and asked with his eyes closed.

Facing the sea breeze, Chiu Chiu shouted, "Naturally, we throw a feast!"

Daisy said, "All you ever think about is eating, but I really am a little hungry..."

A faint smile curled at Mark's lips. "Then let's have a feast!"

"Let's hold it over there!"

He turned and pointed somewhere. Chiu Chiu and Daisy followed his finger.

There stood a lighthouse.

After crossing Reverse Mountain, they had arrived at a place called Twin Cape.

Twin Cape was named after the two peaks of the Red Line, one on the left and one on the right.

A lighthouse stood in each location, and they looked exactly the same.

There was a lighthouse keeper here.

And he was precisely the person Mark had been looking for.

Crocus!

He had something Mark wanted.

A Log Pose!

Though he was not a navigator, anyone who had read the original story knew how important a Log Pose was on the Grand Line.

Because the Grand Line's weather changed so unpredictably, it was often impossible to find a suitable route by observing the sky. Here on the Grand Line, a Log Pose was like a sea chart in the Four Seas, capable of accurately leading one to the next destination.

Mark happened to know that Crocus had one.

If possible, it would be best to get that Log Pose.

After all, not every pirate crew on the Grand Line had a Log Pose.

If he could not get it, there was nothing he could do. He would not do anything excessive to an old veteran.

At that moment, beneath the lighthouse, an old man in a floral shirt lay back in a wicker chair, basking in the sun.

A glass of ice water sat on the table beside him, along with a folded newspaper.

He had once been the ship's doctor of Roger's pirate crew, and was now the keeper of the Twin Cape lighthouse.

He was also the doctor who looked after the whale Laboon.

A simple-minded whale that had always awaited the return of the Rumbar Pirates.

When the Moss approached the lighthouse, Crocus spotted Mark and the others.

When he saw the pirate flag on Mark's mast, surprise flashed through Crocus's eyes.

This flag... looks somewhat familiar. Which sea did they come from?

Crocus quietly used Observation Haki to examine everyone aboard and discovered that there were only three figures in total, one of whom was not even human.

And the two humans were both very young. That little girl in particular definitely had not even come of age...

A pirate crew formed by a bunch of brats actually made it from the Four Seas to the Grand Line. Heh.

Crocus chuckled softly, his interest in Mark and the others growing.

Within the range of his Observation Haki, Mark and the others might have been young, but they were not weak. Especially the little fellow over two meters tall with a massive axe on his back—he actually gave Crocus a faint sense of danger.

While Crocus observed Mark, Mark was also studying him.

Following Mark's gaze, Daisy spotted Crocus and looked puzzled.

"Mark, do you know that old man?"

"I don't know him, but the old man does." Mark smiled when he saw the old man sitting in a wicker chair in front of the small house beneath the lighthouse.

Jaba knew him...

Curiosity flashed in Daisy's eyes.

Once the Moss reached the base of the lighthouse, Mark and Chiu Chiu carried some ingredients and tableware off the ship.

"Do you need something?"

Seeing them bring a large quantity of ingredients onto the island, Crocus immediately stood and asked. An imposing aura radiated from him without any sign of anger.

"We came here to have a feast, and we would also like to invite you to join us." Mark smiled warmly.

"Have a feast here? Invite me?" Crocus was puzzled. He did not know them.

Mark's next sentence cleared up Crocus's confusion.

"Old man Jaba mentioned you to me..."

At the mention of Jaba's name, a smile appeared on Crocus's face, and his aura immediately faded.

"I see!"

Half an hour later...

"Ho ho~ Mark, your cooking is truly excellent. Did Jaba teach you this too? That old fellow's cooking was nothing special." Crocus kept stuffing the food on the table into his mouth as he spoke indistinctly.

"It's all right... I learned from the neighbors in town, and picked up a little from the old man too!" Mark said modestly.

Crocus did not seem to hear Mark clearly. He merely kept wolfing down food, occasionally taking a swig of wine.

Not to be outdone, Chiu Chiu rapidly stuffed food into his mouth.