"You see, according to the map, we're now riding the current that leads to the Grand Line, heading straight toward the Red Line," Nami explained, eyes glued to the map in her hand.
"The Red Line is a massive ring-shaped continent that intersects with the Grand Line, dividing the world's seas into four parts: East Blue, West Blue, South Blue, and North Blue. To reach the Grand Line, there are two ways. One is through the Calm Belt, which leads directly to the Grand Line. But that's impossible since the Calm Belt is filled with Sea Kings. No matter how strong you are, no one can cross it."
Nami's tone grew more serious. "So that leaves the second option: we ride the Reverse Mountain current. The current will carry us into the Grand Line. And right now, we're on that very current. Everyone, hold on tight and keep an eye on everything around us. We're about to enter the Grand Line!"
"The Grand Line… I've been waiting for this!" Zoro said, his excitement barely contained.
"Me too. I left the old man to come to sea just for this moment," Sanji added with a grin.
"I'm going to be the Pirate King! I'll bet everything on it!" Luffy declared, stretching his hand toward the Red Line, his eyes filled with determination.
"I'm going to become the world's greatest navigator and complete maps of every sea!" Nami smiled, placing her hand over Luffy's.
"And I'm going to find All Blue!" Sanji added, joining the group.
"My goal is to become the world's greatest swordsman, to defeat Mihawk… and Moonlight!" Zoro said, his voice full of conviction.
"And I… I'm going to be a brave warrior of the sea!" Usopp hurried to place his hand over theirs.
All eyes turned to Moonlight, waiting for his declaration.
"I'm going to find the One Piece, and along the way, uncover the lost history. I want to see the truth of this world!" Moonlight said with a grin. He had come to this world to sail for this very reason—pursuing the mysteries that intrigued not just him, but everyone else as well.
"Alright! Let's move forward together!" Luffy said.
Everyone stacked their hands together, smiling as they faced the raging current surging upward.
"Woosh!"
Suddenly, the current became wild, as if a giant sea beast beneath the ocean was stirring up the water. The Merry shot forward, thrown into the chaotic flow.
"Look! There really is an upward current!" Nami called out, giving quick orders as everyone scrambled to keep the Merry stable amidst the rushing waters.
Usopp looked up, stunned. "Incredible!" He pointed at a massive tunnel of water rising before them, an unstoppable torrent rushing upward toward the Reverse Mountain.
"This is spectacular!" Sanji, Zoro, and Luffy exclaimed, all equally awe-struck.
Moonlight remained silent, his eyes fixed on the scene. This—this was the Grand Line, where even the entrance was a breathtaking, unbelievable sight.
"Careful! The current is getting too fast. The Merry is starting to lose control!" Nami's voice suddenly cut through their awe, her face pale with concern.
The ship was tossed about like a small leaf in a storm, struggling to maintain any semblance of direction in the overwhelming current.
"Guys! There's a tunnel ahead! At this speed, we're going to crash right into it!" Usopp yelled in terror, pointing toward a cave-like structure in the distance.
"What!" The crew could now see the dangerous opening rapidly approaching. At this rate, the Merry would be smashed to pieces!
"Damn it! The current is too strong! I can't change the course!" Sanji gripped the helm tightly, but it was no use. The ship had completely lost control.
"The first real challenge came sooner than expected…" Zoro muttered, his face tense.
"Hmph!" Luffy grunted in determination. He refused to let anything stand in the way of his adventure. He prepared to use his rubber abilities to change the ship's direction, but just as he readied himself, Moonlight stepped forward to the bow, taking his usual place where Luffy often sat.
"Moonlight, we're counting on you!" everyone called out, their voices filled with trust.
They had come to believe in Moonlight's strength throughout their journey in the East Blue.
Moonlight gave a thumbs-up, his arm coated in Haki. He began swinging his sword, releasing slashes of energy that converged into a massive ball of cutting power in front of the ship. His Phantom Sword Dance technique, now leveled up, allowed him to strike faster and with more precision. The energy he gathered from his sword swings formed into a gigantic crescent of energy that surged forward.
"Whoosh!"
The raging current split apart, the sea parting as Moonlight's sword energy tore through it. The powerful crescent-shaped blast struck the rock wall ahead.
"Boom!"
The impact was immense, blowing a chunk of the rock wall away and diverting part of the current. The rushing waters calmed slightly, allowing Sanji to regain control of the helm and steer the Merry away from the dangerous tunnel.
With a quick adjustment, the crew narrowly avoided a catastrophic crash, the ship scraping past the rocky edge before continuing its rapid ascent.
"That was too close!" Usopp sighed in relief, slumping down in exhaustion.
"Seriously, Moonlight, you're a total beast. You even managed to cut through the Red Line's rock walls!" Nami marveled, glancing at him in disbelief.
Everyone nodded in agreement, amazed by his feat.
"Stay focused, though. We're not done yet," Moonlight warned, looking ahead. "The real challenge is still to come."
The Merry had now reached the peak of the upward current, and the real danger lay ahead—descending the massive slope on the other side of the mountain. It was as if they were on a giant roller coaster, the ship teetering on the edge before beginning its terrifying drop.
"Whoa!" The crew screamed as the ship plunged downward, rocketing along the water at dizzying speed.
"Luffy, look!" Moonlight stood at the bow, perfectly steady despite the turbulence, and pointed ahead.
"What is it?" Luffy and the others strained to see, and what they saw left them speechless.
"A giant whale… Is that really a whale that big?"
"And it's opening its mouth wide! Are we about to get eaten?"