At the moment, they were still in one of the Four Blues.
If they had already entered the Grand Line as Nero remembered it, they probably would have been done for long ago.
Seeing that Barro was still hesitating, Nero smiled and asked, “Do you have a bounty on your head?”
Barro immediately became alert.
Then he puffed out his chest and said proudly, “My bounty is 300,000 Baileys.”
“Then you’re basically a walking money bag.
With your strength, you’ll probably get captured for the reward before you even reach Reverse Mountain.”
Nero smiled as he spoke.
“That’s right, Captain.
Have you forgotten those two bounty hunters we ran into a few days ago?
We almost died!”
Several crew members looked at Barro pleadingly.
Opportunities like this were rare.
They had originally wanted to continue their adventures, but compared to their current lives, staying aboard the National seemed much safer.
Barro naturally understood their thoughts.
After thinking for a long time, he finally stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and said, “Captain Barro of the Barro Pirates.
From today onward, I am willing to serve as your navigator, Your Majesty.”
Nero wasn’t surprised by the decision.
Faced with such overwhelming strength, the pirates had very few options.
For Nero, all he wanted right now was a capable navigator who could get them out of this mess.
As for the future, that could wait.
Still, among this group of people, Barro was an unexpected talent.
Although the Barro Pirates were weak overall, they were far superior in areas such as sailing and daily life aboard a ship.
When they set sail again, the pirate ship that had once belonged to the Barro Pirates was reduced to splinters and sunk beneath the sea with a casual slash from Nero.
The former pirates immediately abandoned any lingering thoughts of resistance.
Aboard the National, Nero returned to his recliner and resumed his leisurely lifestyle.
With Barro and his crew joining them, at least he no longer had to worry about where they were heading.
The journey afterward was surprisingly smooth.
From the South Blue all the way to Reverse Mountain, they encountered no major incidents.
But the moment Reverse Mountain came into view, everyone aboard the ship was stunned.
The seawater flowed upward against gravity, converging at the summit of a mountain that towered over a thousand meters into the sky.
For everyone present, it was their first time witnessing such a sight.
Even Nero, despite all the knowledge he had carried over from his previous life, felt his worldview being overturned.
He had known about Reverse Mountain before, but seeing it with his own eyes was an entirely different experience.
“Your Majesty, this mountain is incredible.
But how can water flow like that?”
Gogoya stared at the spectacle in shock and curiosity.
“How would I know?”
Nero laughed helplessly.
“I didn’t expect the gateway connecting the Four Blues to be this magnificent.”
At that moment, Barro hurried over.
“Your Majesty, we’re about to cross Reverse Mountain.
Should we enter the Grand Line directly, or head somewhere else first?”
“Are you confident you can get us through safely?” Nero asked.
Barro nodded.
“I am.
The current is strong, but aside from the unusual flow direction, it’s no different from normal navigation.”
Only then did Nero relax slightly.
The Tru Kingdom was still poor.
This ship had cost an enormous amount to build.
“Barro, we’re not entering the Grand Line yet.
Let’s head for the East Blue first.
I heard the Pirate King was executed in a town there.
Since we’re already nearby, we might as well take a look.”
“Really?
Then we definitely should.”
After all, every pirate carried some degree of admiration for the Pirate King.
Even though they were no longer pirates, that fascination remained.
Nero suddenly became serious.
“Listen carefully.
No matter what happens next, I don’t care if the ship gets damaged.
Just make sure nobody gets hurt or falls into the sea.”
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
Barro’s expression became equally serious.
Nero’s concern for everyone’s safety earned even more of his respect.
Returning to the helm, Barro gripped the wheel tightly.
Although he had years of sailing experience, crossing Reverse Mountain was still a daunting challenge.
One mistake could send everyone into the sea.
The enormous wheel looked almost comical in his small hands.
The former members of the Barro Pirates returned to their duties, while the guards remained on standby.
Even Nero couldn’t suppress his excitement.
Perhaps this was why so many people dreamed of becoming pirates.
The thrill of adventure was undeniably intoxicating.
As the National approached the current of Reverse Mountain, everyone could feel the ship accelerating.
“Lower the sails!
Everyone secure yourselves to something!”
Barro shouted from the helm.
The sailors immediately sprang into action.
The sails were quickly furled, and everyone grabbed onto railings, ropes, and anything else they could use to anchor themselves.
From this point onward, the current itself would propel the ship.
As they drew closer, tension spread through the crew.
At this speed, a single mistake could send someone flying into the sea.
Yet under Barro’s control, the massive vessel aligned perfectly with the narrow current channel.
The moment they entered Reverse Mountain’s waters, Barro finally let out a breath.
For him, this was as much a battle against himself as it was against nature.
“The ship is climbing the mountain!”
Gogoya shouted excitedly while clutching the railing.
Nero was equally amazed.
This phenomenon completely defied everything he once considered common sense.
Everyone was immersed in the breathtaking scenery when Barro suddenly ran over with a worried expression.
“Your Majesty, there’s a problem.”
“What is it?”
“The National is too large.
At the summit, the currents from all four seas converge into a massive water column.
I’m worried the pressure may be too much.
The keel could snap.”
Nero paused briefly.
Then he said, “We’re already committed.
There’s no turning back now.
Just keep moving forward.
I’ll handle the rest.”
Barro nodded firmly.
Ahead of them, the currents from the four seas merged into a towering pillar of water.
For a wooden ship of this size, surviving that pressure would be difficult.
Reverse Mountain looked beautiful from afar, but up close, it was filled with danger.
Nero stepped to the front of the ship and placed a hand on the dragon-shaped figurehead extending from the keel.
His arm instantly turned black.
Armament Haki spread from his hand into the ship’s framework, reinforcing the keel and critical structural points.
As the vessel continued upward, Nero shouted toward the helm.
“Just focus on steering.
Leave everything else to me.”
Barro didn’t answer.
His determined expression said enough.
The National surged upward.
As it entered the convergence point of the four seas, the ship groaned under the immense pressure.
Wood creaked from every direction.
Without Nero’s Armament Haki reinforcing the structure, the ship might have shattered apart.
Fortunately, they made it through.
The vessel began descending toward the East Blue.
Nero couldn’t help thinking that once he had enough money, he would buy a proper cruise ship from the system.
This wooden vessel was too slow and far too fragile.
The ship had rushed upward moments ago.
Now it hurtled downward just as quickly.
Everyone aboard could barely process what they were experiencing.
Gogoya finally realized that the National’s size had become a disadvantage.
The keel simply wasn’t made from materials strong enough for such extreme conditions.
Still, considering the financial situation of the Tru Kingdom, constructing a ship like this had already required tremendous effort.
The vessel slammed into the water below, sending up an enormous splash.
Fortunately, everyone emerged unharmed.
Nero slowly withdrew his hand and released the Armament Haki.
The black sheen faded from the ship’s keel.
“Your Majesty, I was terrified just now!”
Tears glistened in Gogoya’s eyes.
Most of the crew looked much the same.
Only the guards remained relatively calm.
But before anyone could fully relax—
“There’s a big ship ahead!
Get them!”
A loud shout echoed across the sea.
More than a dozen ships had appeared around them.
Each one flew the same pirate flag.
Their luck was truly something else.
They had barely emerged from Reverse Mountain before running into a pirate fleet.
“Your Majesty, pirates!”
Gogoya pointed toward the approaching ships.
Even from a distance, the pirates’ shouting could already be heard.
“Everyone, prepare for battle!”
The guards immediately sprang into action.
Cannons were turned toward the pirate fleet.
“Don’t fire.”
Nero spoke lazily.
“What if we damage the ships?”
Everyone stared at him.
Especially Barro and his former crew.
They genuinely couldn’t understand how Nero’s mind worked.
Facing more than a dozen pirate ships, that was his concern?
“Your Majesty, I understand.”
One guard grinned.
“We’ll bring the ships back intact.”
The others quickly caught on as well.
They knew Nero’s habits by now.
His Majesty never missed an opportunity to make money.
The dozen pirate ships ahead represented hundreds of millions of Baileys.
Unlike Barro’s old ship, these vessels were close enough to shore to be worth keeping.
“Be careful when you board them,” Nero said with a sinister smile.
“Don’t damage the ships.
And leave all the navigators alive.
Our kingdom happens to be short on those.”
Since they had already come this far, there was no reason not to collect a little profit from the pirates they encountered.