“We’re almost at the Grand Line…” Nami studied the sea chart, her expression growing serious.
“…But first, we have to make it through Reverse Mountain.” Before reaching the Grand Line, every ship had to cross the Red Line via a violent upward current.
The rushing water surged straight up the mountain, and only by successfully navigating it could a ship reach the other side.
It was the first trial awaiting anyone who sought to enter the Grand Line—and one that would put a navigator’s skill to the ultimate test.
Dazai sat cross-legged on the deck.
“Before we enter the Grand Line, there’s something I want to talk about.” Nami stopped speaking.
She didn’t know what Dazai intended to say, but she trusted him enough to let him continue.
Zoro glanced at Dazai, already guessing the topic.
Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp simply sat down around him, looking confused.
“Have any of you heard of Haki?” Dazai got straight to the point.
Ever since learning about it from Smoker, the subject had been lingering in his mind.
“Haki?” Luffy scratched his head.
“Can you eat it?” “Pay attention!” Nami smacked him over the head.
“Stop interrupting!” Luffy clutched his head pitifully.
Dazai cleared his throat.
His expression became unusually serious.
“Haki is a power that lies dormant within every person.” “It has three forms.” “Armament Haki.” “It strengthens both offense and defense and even allows you to strike Logia-type Devil Fruit users.” “Observation Haki.” “It lets you sense the presence of others, detect enemies outside your field of vision, estimate their numbers, predict their movements…” “…and masters can even glimpse a short distance into the future.” “And finally…” “Conqueror’s Haki.” “Only a select few are born with the qualities of a king and possess it.” “The other two types can be awakened through training.” He looked at everyone in turn.
“Once we enter the Grand Line, we’ll face enemies far stronger than anything we’ve encountered in the East Blue.” “The strongest fighters all know how to use Haki.” “And in the New World…” “…it’s practically a necessity.” “So—” Usopp swallowed nervously.
“Y-You’re saying…” “…we have to learn Haki too?!” Nami instinctively grabbed onto Usopp.
“The Grand Line is really that terrifying?!” Sanji silently gazed toward the ever-growing silhouette of the Red Line, lost in old memories.
Zoro had already heard Dazai mention Haki once before.
He’d prepared himself mentally.
Even so…
He hadn’t expected it to be this widespread.
He realized just how small the East Blue truly was.
A savage grin spread across his face.
Luffy lowered his head, the brim of his straw hat hiding his expression.
Dazai watched everyone’s reactions before smiling.
“If anyone wants to turn back…” “Now’s your last chance.” “This just makes it even more exciting!” Luffy threw back his head with a huge grin.
“I’m gonna become the King of the Pirates!” “So there’s no way I’m turning back before reaching the Grand Line!” “I’m going to become the World’s Strongest Swordsman.” Zoro rested a hand on his swords.
“Haki?” “It’ll just become another stepping stone.” Does Mihawk use Haki too…?
Sanji remembered Zeff.
He remembered his promise.
“I’m going to find the All Blue.” “If I slink back home now…” “That old geezer would laugh at me forever.” Usopp’s legs trembled.
Every instinct screamed at him to go home.
But then he remembered Kaya.
“I still have to tell Kaya all about Captain Usopp’s adventures!” Nami was silent for a long while.
Finally, she flipped her hair back with a confident smile.
“Besides…” “I’m your navigator.” “What would you idiots do without me?” Seeing that none of them had been discouraged, Dazai smiled knowingly.
“How passionate.” “Everyone has such wonderful dreams.” He puffed out his cheeks in thought.
Then his eyes suddenly lit up.
“I’ve got one too!” “The Grand Line is full of powerful people.” “Maybe I’ll finally find someone who can help me commit a painless suicide.” “…” Everyone’s expressions froze.
“No.” “Pick another dream!” They shouted in perfect unison.
“You all bully me…” Dazai curled into a corner, hugging his knees and pretending to cry.
Not a single tear came out.
“Dazai.” Zoro ignored the theatrics.
“Do you know how to train Haki?” “Nope.” Dazai blinked innocently.
“I only know that some people awaken it during life-or-death situations.” “…” Everyone collapsed.
“What?!” Luffy burst out laughing.
“Then let’s just get going!” He jumped onto the sheep figurehead and pointed toward the towering wall of the Red Line.
“Grand Line!” “Here we come!!” Nami covered her face helplessly.
“We’ll worry about Haki later.” Although no one spoke of it again, the concept had already taken root in everyone’s hearts.
It would bloom when the time was right.
“Wow…” Sanji stared in amazement.
“I never imagined a current like this could exist.” The Going Merry arrived at the entrance to Reverse Mountain.
Before them stretched an impossibly steep river flowing straight upward.
The moment the ship entered the current, a tremendous force pulled it in.
There was no time to react.
The Going Merry shot upward.
“It’s too close to the cliff!” Nami’s pupils shrank.
“Turn the helm!” Usopp rushed to the wheel and spun it with all his strength.
CRACK!
The wooden handle snapped off in his hands.
“AAAAAHHHH!!” Everyone screamed.
“Too late!” Luffy bit into his thumb.
“Gum-Gum Balloon!” His body inflated into a giant balloon just before the ship smashed into the cliff.
The Going Merry bounced off his enormous stomach and returned safely to the center of the current.
As they reached the summit, crashing waves slammed against the rock overhead, filling the air with mist.
The ship launched into the air.
Then— It plunged downward.
Another cliff rushed toward them.
“Again!” Luffy repeated the trick, cushioning the impact and saving the ship once more.
The Going Merry followed the downward current at tremendous speed.
They were almost through.
Then— Something enormous blocked the river ahead.
The ship couldn’t slow down.
Dazai dashed into the cabin.
He aimed the cannon forward.
“Fire!” BOOM!!
The recoil reduced the Going Merry’s speed just enough.
The ship drifted forward.
CRACK!
The sheep figurehead struck the object and snapped clean off, tumbling onto the deck.
“My special seat!!” Luffy stared in horror at the broken figurehead.
The color drained from his face.
“Row!” Nami shouted.
“Now!” Zoro, Sanji, and the others grabbed the oars and desperately steered the ship around the massive obstacle.
As they passed by…
Everyone finally saw it.
“A whale?!” Usopp’s jaw dropped.
“It’s huge!” “Why is there a whale here?” Zoro muttered.
Still holding an oar, he frowned.
Luffy slowly walked to the bow.
He lowered his head.
Then looked up at the whale’s gigantic eye.
Dazai felt a bad premonition.
…Please don’t.
Unfortunately…
It was Luffy.
“You!!” Luffy shouted.
“You broke my special seat!” He punched the whale square in the eye.
“AAAAAHHHHH!!” Everyone behind him screamed.
The eye was the whale’s weakest spot.
The enormous creature cried out in pain.
Its mouth flew open.
The rushing current poured straight inside.
The Going Merry, sailing right beside it, was dragged in as well.
“Luffy!!” Nami shrieked.
“What were you thinking?!” “I never thought I’d end up dying inside a whale…” Dazai lay peacefully on the deck with his hands folded over his chest.
“I hope it won’t hurt too much…” “Don’t go to sleep!” Nami chopped him over the head.
“Stay awake!” “Luffy!” Usopp shouted in panic.
Luffy had been thrown into the air by the sudden turbulence.
As a Devil Fruit user, falling into the sea would be fatal.
Fortunately, Luffy reacted instantly.
He grabbed onto one of the whale’s enormous teeth, swung himself upward, and landed safely on top of its head.
Meanwhile…
The Going Merry—and everyone still aboard— Was swallowed whole.
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