A Perilous Moment!

"Nami, a massive bank of dark clouds ahead!"

Hearing Sanji's report from atop the mast, Nami sighed in relief. They had finally returned to their original route.

Luffy excitedly jumped up beside Sanji and laughed. "We're finally reaching the Grand Line!"

Caught up in the atmosphere, Zero felt a little excited too. Giant Island, Alabasta—he would experience all of those places himself someday. It really was...

As if possessed, he suddenly looked at Nami. Just as she turned to look at him, he nodded and smiled at her, making her awkwardly turn away, her ears even flushing red.

Zero did not understand why, so he simply continued looking out at the distant sea.

Inside the Going Merry's dining room.

Because Nami had made a new discovery, everyone had gathered there. According to her, the map showed a canal leading up a mountain, so the entrance to the Grand Line should be on the mountain.

Roronoa Zoro voiced his doubts, wondering how seawater could flow uphill and even questioning the map's reliability. Zero supported Nami's view, saying such a thing was indeed possible on the Grand Line, and Sanji also voiced his support for Nami behind Zero.

Then Usopp, who was steering the ship, suddenly reported that he could not control it. Sanji hurried over to help, but it was useless. At that moment, Zero suggested that there might be an extremely powerful current beneath them.

At Zero's words, Nami immediately began analyzing the current's movement. In the end, she concluded that if they wanted to enter the Grand Line, they would most likely really have to go up the mountain!

"No matter what, let's get the ship under control first, so we can handle any emergencies!"

At Zero's words, everyone responded and returned to their positions.

At last, they reached the Red Line and saw the enormous mountain soaring into the clouds!

Now, even Roronoa Zoro, who had doubted it before, had no choice but to believe that they might truly enter the Grand Line by going up the mountain!

When they spotted an upward-flowing current, they began mobilizing nervously.

Nami gave the orders.

"Luffy, watch the right side! The right!"

"Got it!"

"Sanji, Usopp, turn the helm to the right!"

"Yes!"

"..."

The current was so powerful that even after Sanji and Usopp broke the helm, they still could not turn the Going Merry around.

Just as the ship was about to crash into the Red Line, Luffy leaped out and transformed into a balloon, forcibly pushing the Going Merry back into the upward current. Only then did everyone breathe easy.

"Whew, that was close..."

Zero sheathed Startled Dragon. That moment had been far too dangerous; he had nearly drawn his sword, though he did not know whether it would have helped.

Soon, the Going Merry burst through the clouds and reached the Red Line's highest point. After clearing the mountaintop, they finally saw the sea of the Grand Line!

"This is the greatest sea in the world, the Grand Line! One Piece is somewhere out there in this sea! Let's go!"

Luffy shouted at the top of his lungs, and everyone else was swept up in excitement.

Grand Line, here we come!

The Going Merry sped down the mountain.

After going through something so thrilling, everyone was clearly excited. Sanji had even climbed onto the rigging to look into the distance, with none of his previous calmness left.

At that moment, Roronoa Zoro asked whether anyone had heard something strange. Nami looked around and shook her head, saying it was probably just the wind, considering how unusual the terrain was.

"Something's wrong. Everyone, pay attention—there's something huge ahead!"

Zero spoke up as well.

Sanji said, "Hey, there seems to be a mountain ahead!"

More and more people heard or saw strange things, putting everyone on the ship on high alert. When they finally saw what lay ahead, they were all left staring in shock.

"What a huge whale!"

Luffy was startled. Beside him, Usopp asked in a trembling voice whether they were going to fight the whale now. Nami snapped that it was no longer a question of whether they could beat it, but whether they could survive!

Zero was secretly alarmed as well. Is this the largest whale species in the West Blue?

Moreover, what he had seen in the anime was completely different from what he felt in reality. Laboon was not only enormous, but also carried an astonishing sense of oppression, even stronger than the Sea Kings they had seen in the Calm Belt!

If Brook, who had already become a skeleton, knew Laboon had grown this large, he would probably be quite shocked too.

Zero felt that even if he used Startled Dragon, he would likely struggle to inflict any effective damage on him, unless...

Everyone also discovered a route on the whale's left side, but the Going Merry's helm was already broken. No matter how hard Roronoa Zoro and the others tried, they could not turn it around.

In the end, Luffy had a sudden idea and fired a cannonball at the whale's surface. Using the force of the rebound, they managed to force the Going Merry to a stop, though the ship's figurehead fell off as the price.

"My special seat!"

While everyone wanted to steer the Going Merry away as quickly as possible before the giant whale noticed them, Luffy angrily shouted at it and stretched out his arm to strike it in the eye!

"What are you doing?!"

Luffy was still shouting when Roronoa Zoro and Usopp pounced on him and kicked him aside, but they had already drawn the whale's attention to the Going Merry.

The whale suddenly roared, its deafening cry making it difficult for everyone to endure even with their ears covered. The Going Merry shook violently from the vibrations, and the force was terrifying!

But it was not over yet. The whale opened its mouth and swallowed the entire Going Merry into its stomach!

When everyone came to their senses, the Going Merry seemed to have entered another world. Above them were blue skies and white clouds, while a small island in the distance even had a little house on it. It was strangely eerie.

Luffy, however, was not with them. It seemed that he had escaped before the Going Merry was swallowed.

"Where are we?"

Nami had a headache. Something like this happening as soon as they entered the Grand Line was simply absurd!

The others also began observing their surroundings.

Only Zero remained calm, because he knew they were still relatively safe for the moment. Laboon had no ill intent; he was merely using his own way to seek a response from his companions.

Boom!

A giant octopus that suddenly appeared drew everyone's attention, and they immediately prepared themselves.

But the next moment, several iron arrows flew over, striking the giant octopus and killing it on the spot atop the sea!

As the giant octopus fell, everyone saw that someone inside the little house was watching them.

Once he saw what the person looked like, Zero muttered in a voice only he could hear, "So this is Roger's ship doctor?"