Chopper was extremely reluctant to part with Vic, clinging to his leg and refusing to let go. His tears soaked Vic's pants, and his pitiful cries sounded like someone was slaughtering a deer.
She kept praying to Vic until she was exhausted and fell asleep in Vic's arms!
Vic placed Chopper on the small bed on the second floor, left some books on wilderness survival and life skills, left a month's worth of food, and then left the treehouse. Perhaps this was the best way to leave.
Vic went straight to the beach near the treehouse and used his full range of Observation Haki to sense the sea. It wasn't until 15 minutes later that he sensed Observation Haki swimming into Xiaobai Observation Haki range.
Yes, Xiaobai hadn't left at all; he was just wandering around near Drum Island. Vic called out to Xiaobai Thousand-Li Sound Transmission, and Xiaobai, who hadn't seen Vic for several days, excitedly barked when he saw Vic.
Vic jumped directly onto Xiaobai's back, took the small boat out of the Dimensional Space, and tied it to Xiaobai's body. Poor Xiaobai had always been a tool fish, following Vic all the way for a bite to eat. Of course, the life-saving grace was also one of the reasons. He was a big fish with principles.
" Xiaobai! Do you know which direction the depths of the Grand Line are in?"
Vic did not have Log Pose for the next island, nor did Jaya have Eternal Pose.
Xiaobai has the ability to recognize magnetic fields, and Vic thought Xiaobai could take him away directly. However, Xiaobai looked at Vic with a confused expression, not quite understanding where the depths of the Grand Line that Vic was talking about were.
"Uh! I thought you were all-powerful, it's my fault! Haha!"
Vic remembered that Xiaobai needed to be pointed in a direction so it wouldn't stray from its course. But if you gave it a location, Xiaobai wouldn't understand at all. What were north and south, or what was Jaya? Xiaobai was just a fish.
With no other options, Vic had to seek Dalton's help again. Buying a new Log Pose would require waiting for it to be stored, and the magnetic field of the next island was still unknown, so Vic couldn't wait.
However, the saved Log Pose is definitely there in Dalton's possession, which is considered to save it in advance so that ships passing by Drum Island can proceed to the next island.
Sometimes a Log Pose can prevent a direct confrontation with pirates; many islands sell these Log Pose that store the magnetic field of the next island.
Only some uninhabited islands, like Little Garden, require you to store magnetic fields yourself. In that case, it depends on how long it takes to store enough magnetic fields on the next island. Some islands can be stored in one or two days, while others may take one or two years.
Vic's Observation Haki quickly located Dalton, who was patrolling the riverbank, a popular landing spot for most ships.
Other places are either cliffs or reefs, and ships that are not familiar with the area will not just land anywhere. Of course, there are also some unconventional people who enter the island unexpectedly from other places.
After finding Dalton and explaining the situation, Dalton readily gave Vic a Log Pose and invited Vic to visit Drum Kingdom often.
Vic didn't mince words; he took the Log Pose, waved it, and flew away. The soldiers behind Dalton were incredibly envious—to be able to fly without any external aids! That was a dream come true.
With the Log Pose in hand, Vic and Xiaobai began their journey across the sea. The Drum Island incident was now over, and all that was left was for Zephyr to arrive with his warships to pick up Wendy.
After departing from Drum Island, Vic and Xiaobai were mostly on the move. When they passed inhabited islands, Vic would simply buy a saved Log Pose and continue sailing.
Because they were sailing deeper into the Grand Line, which was the same direction as most pirates, Vic didn't encounter many pirate ships this time; those that weren't friendly were all wiped out by him.
They encountered a circus pirate crew on a deserted island, and just as they finished storing the magnetic field and were about to set off, they were blocked by Vic.
Fortunately, this pirate crew was self-reliant and made a living by performing shows. Vic only stole their saved Log Pose, but he also gave them one for his own use.
The pirates were on the verge of tears, having to stay on this deserted island for another year. It was truly agonizing. This island was deserted because ordinary humans couldn't survive there; there were quite a few powerful wild beasts, making it rather dangerous.
They did fight back, launching an attack on Vic, but were all defeated by Vic in a single encounter, ending up bruised and battered.
Just half a month after Vic departed from Drum Island, the Red-Haired Pirates also rode the rising currents on the East Blue side of the Reverse East. Shanks, along with his newly joined crewmate Yasopp, arrived on the Grand Line, determined to continue his conquest of the New World for the sake of freedom.
" Yasopp, this is the first time you've seen such a magnificent scene! This is a great wonder of the world, the Grand Line begins here, and your adventure begins here too. Let us show you this fascinating world!"
Shanks stood at the bow of the Red Voss, which was diving downwards, with one arm around Yasopp. He laughed heartily and boldly, as if the entire Grand Line was his to roam, and there would be no obstacles in his way.
"It's truly spectacular! I've never seen anything like this in the East Blue before, it's breathtaking!" Yasopp stared blankly at the ocean currents flowing up and down the mountain, and the enormous Reverse Mountain.
"Hahaha! The Grand Line is the most magical sea in the world, filled with an atmosphere of adventure. You'll see how exciting our voyage will be, and you definitely won't regret joining us!"
Lucky Roux bit into a piece of meat and laughed heartily, saying that Yasopp's Pirate Heart was very much to his liking.
"The navy must have known about our presence in the East Blue long ago; there are probably naval personnel waiting for us up ahead."
Ben Beckman, standing next to Shanks, exhaled a puff of smoke and said calmly, "I had previously advised against taking the Reverse Mountain route. With their strength, the Sea Kings have no way to deal with them, and they can safely cross the Calm Belt."
"It's alright! This is Yasopp's first time on the Grand Line, so naturally I want to show him this unforgettable grandeur, as well as the adventures of the first half of the Grand Line. I also hope he can experience them all."
His current strength needs a buffer period, so let's just treat this as a replay, but on a different route. As for the navy! Don't worry about it. As long as it's not Marine Admiral leading the way, we have nothing to fear. Even if Sengoku comes in person, we can handle the situation and escape unscathed."
Shanks' initial words were quite serious, but later they became Haki, showing no concern whatsoever about the Navy's interception.
Beckman didn't say anything more. He just analyzed the pros and cons. As for how to choose, it was up to Captain Shanks to decide. He was also very strong and wasn't afraid of the Navy. At worst, it would just be a fight. The answer was simple.
The Red Fox continued its downward dive, breaking through the clouds and fog. Everyone's vision returned, Reverse Mountain the surging ocean currents, the majestic walls on both sides of the river, and the pirate ship heading towards the Grand Line, carried by the sea breeze.
However, the next moment, they were all stunned. A warship was docked on the shore of Twin Cape, where Crocus lived, and a group of soldiers in naval uniforms were staring at them.