A Pursuit at the Entrance to the Grand Line

At the entrance to the Grand Line, Reverse Mountain's currents changed direction at regular intervals.

When the currents here flowed downward, the currents on the Four Seas side became upward currents. At such times, ships from the Four Seas could first ride the upward currents to the mountaintop, then follow the downward currents here from the summit and enter the Grand Line.

And when the currents here became upward currents, the currents on the Four Seas side would likewise turn downward. At that time, ships from the Grand Line could reverse the process and enter the Four Seas.

Right now, the currents here were in their upward-flowing period.

A sudden, massive storm obscured all visibility, while rolling waves swept across the entire sea.

"Faster!"

A pirate ship charged into the waters in a panic. Judging by its condition, it seemed to have suffered no small ordeal. Large sections of its hull were damaged, and even one of its masts had snapped. The clean cut at the break suggested it had been severed by some sharp weapon, leaving the ship unstable in the storm as it rocked endlessly, seemingly on the verge of capsizing at any moment.

Yet the pirates aboard had no time to care about that. They desperately steered the ship toward Reverse Mountain's rising current, terror filling every one of their eyes as though some horrifying monster were chasing them from behind.

"Isn't that the flagship of the fleet that came from the East Blue not long ago? Why are they back so soon?"

Crocus stood atop the lighthouse, watching from afar. He remembered that pirate ship. When it had arrived from the East Blue not long ago, it had been full of vigor, commanding a massive fleet of more than fifty ships.

Their captain had roared from