Reverse Mountain Fireworks! Happy New Year's Eve!

Wude's ship smoothly entered the canal and sailed upstream through the raging current, charging toward the mountaintop as if Newton's coffin lid couldn't hold him down.

He went to sit at the stern, holding a bag.

"Let's have some fun." With that, he opened the bag, reached inside, pulled out a spherical object, and looked at the pirate ship behind them.

He had never even heard of this Twin Serpent Pirates crew, nor could he find them on any bounty list.

No money, no strength—then he might as well use them as firecrackers.

"Ahahaha, we're coming through!"

"You insects crawling ahead of us, you nobody losers! Once we reach the Grand Line, kneel and beg us for mercy!"

The pirate crew behind them successfully rushed into the canal, cheering while not forgetting to taunt their enemies.

A spherical object flew through the air and landed on the water not far from them.

Boom—!

A huge splash erupted, shaking the current and jolting the Twin Serpent Pirates' ship toward the earthen wall.

With a thud, the hull slammed into the wall and scraped violently against the canal bank.

The once-arrogant Twin Serpent Pirates had lost all their swagger. Half of them were scared out of their wits, their limbs limp as they dropped to their knees on the deck. The rest wanted to salvage the situation, but had no idea what to do, standing there like ants on a hot pan in blind panic.

Sitting at the stern, Wude pulled another bomb from the bag, lit the fuse, and tossed it over.

"Tsk tsk, such a big firecracker. It really feels like New Year's."

As he spoke, a bomb with a burning fuse sailed through the air.

With a boom, the bomb exploded above the Twin Serpent Pirates, sending flames, heat, shockwaves, and fragments raging downward.

The Twin Serpent Pirates howled in misery. At the same time, the flag on their mast was swallowed by flames, burning fiercely, while the mast nearly snapped apart with a creaking wail.

The blazing pirate ship was pushed by the torrent toward the mountaintop, its flames lighting up the world around it.

"Like moths rushing into a flame, so passionately moved by their 'dreams.'" Wude admired the burning ship drifting along the current.

"But you were the one who set it on fire... sob." Tool Guy A had only spoken half the truth before B, C, and D frantically covered his mouth.

"Let's finish with some fireworks." Wude tied seven bombs together with rope, lit every fuse, and threw them at the Twin Serpent Pirates.

Rumble—!

The seven bombs exploded one after another, blasting the Twin Serpent pirate ship into pieces and turning it into the most brilliant firework on the canal.

Clap clap~

Wude clapped his hands, rose to his feet, walked to the bow, and sat in the best seat to continue enjoying the thrill of racing through Reverse Mountain's rapids.

"Sir, fruit." Tool Guy A brought over a fruit platter.

Wude looked at the platter, where only three slices of red fruit flesh remained after the others had fallen off, and picked one up to chew.

Don't look back. Behind him was the infamous scene of B, C, and D beating up the fool A.

They passed through the clouds and finally saw daylight.

Reverse Mountain's peak was not far ahead.

The four canals from the East, West, South, and North Blues converged, churning up the most beautiful spray as they poured into the canal leading to the Grand Line.

The spray scattered through the air, mist filling the surroundings and gleaming under the sunlight like the brightest jewel atop the world.

Looking at the peak, Wude wondered whether people might be passing through the other three canals at this very moment too.

Whoosh!

A pirate ship suddenly shot out from another direction, extremely close to Wude's ship.

The tool guys and the crew aboard that pirate ship cried out in terror.

Both ships burst out at once and charged toward the canal leading to the Grand Line, about to collide.

Now this... this was what you called a goddamn scare!

"We're gonna die, we're gonna die!" Fool A screamed in terror as he floated up.

The two ships flew into the air, and everyone began to float helplessly, unable to stop the horrifying scene.

"This is awesome!"

As Wude spoke, the people aboard both ships stared at him in horror.

What was wrong with him?!

Kuroh instantly took shape, flapped his wings, and flew toward the pirate ship, throwing his four limbs forward in a powerful strike against its hull.

One tiny variable shifted the ship through the air. The pirate ship narrowly brushed past Wude's vessel before slamming into the Red Line with a booming crash.

Meanwhile, Wude's ship safely landed on the canal and hurtled down toward the Grand Line.

On the shore beside them, screams from that pirate ship mixed with the groan of its breaking hull as it kicked up dust and tumbled toward the Grand Line.

"Even if they have to roll there, they're determined to reach the Grand Line. So moving." Tool Guy B had successfully learned Wude's way of speaking.

Wude sat at the bow, feeling the ship plunge into the clouds again. This rush through the rapids was far more fun than any roller coaster.

A long, mournful whale cry pierced the sky. It was Laboon.

"There isn't some giant monster blocking the entrance to the Grand Line, is there?" Fool A, who had been quiet for a while, suddenly asked.

"?" B, C, and D silently clenched their fists.

"You guessed right." Wude nodded, and B, C, and D beat up the jinx A again.

An incomparably massive shadow loomed behind the clouds. As the ship passed through them, its true form was revealed.

The enormous head of an island whale rose above the sea. Its "true abyssal maw" gaped wide as it wailed at the sky, while Twin Capes' lighthouse was merely an inconspicuous little object before it.

Wude looked out and saw shattered planks from pirate ships floating on the sea not far from the island whale's body.

Corpses of pirates killed in violent collisions floated across the water.

Laboon's massive body slowly sank beneath the surface. The waves churned, and the tool guys breathed a sigh of relief.

The ship had just rushed down when, before anyone could reach Twin Capes, the sea began to churn violently. From deep beneath the water came the faint, dull boom of the Red Line being struck hard.

"What is going on? Has that thing gone crazy?" The tool guys stared in panic at the massive shadow beneath the sea as it rammed into the Red Line.

"Wow, if it rams itself to death, we'll have more fish meat than we can ever eat." Fool A laughed.

A series of smacks, clatters, and bangs rang out as B, C, D, and the other tool guys gave the fool a savage beating.

"Shut up, idiot!"

Wude ignored them. Instead, he watched the shadow in the deep sea and listened to the prompt in his mind.

[Famous Scene Check-In Two: Island Whale Laboon Strikes the Red Line]

[Checking in...]

Laboon rammed the Red Line again and again, trying to smash it apart. He wanted to see his former companions and hear the Rumbar Pirates' music once more.

He battered himself until his head was split and bleeding, staining the seawater red. Only then did he stop, float back up, and gaze across the sea with his enormous eye, lost in memories.

Crocus came to the shore and treated Laboon's wounds.

[Check-in complete. Obtained Explosive Tag ×50, Healing Potion ×50]

Wude knew what Explosive Tags were, so he checked the description of the Healing Potion.

Healing Potion: Quickly heals minor injuries after use. Lasts 30 seconds.

Looking at the item, which was exactly like a game prop, Wude felt infected by Laboon's sadness.

For an Ajin, healing minor injuries wasn't useless, but it was of very little use—basically a tasteless leftover.

Behind him, A looked at the island whale as if he wanted to say something, but B, C, and D frantically covered his mouth.