Luffy's piercingly excited shout instantly shattered the slightly amusing atmosphere in the dining room.
"We can see the incredible mountain!!!"
Usopp's story came to an abrupt halt. He and Nami practically jumped up from their chairs at the same time, their faces instantly filled with curiosity and anticipation.
"Really?!"
"Let's go out and see!"
Nami, wearing her raincoat, rushed out first with Usopp close behind. Reaching the doorway, Usopp didn't forget to turn back and call out to Giyu, who was still sitting: "Hey! Giyu! Come and see! The real adventure is beginning!"
Watching the two rush out, Giyu felt somewhat puzzled. He could sense the difference between them and the other three on the deck—that was, these two were very weak...
What exactly was it about this vast ocean that attracted them, making them want to explore it even though they were weak? Wasn't being able to live in this world already happiness enough...
Giyu silently stood up, draped his half-dry haori back on, and followed them out of the dining room.
The moment he stepped onto the deck, a mix of rain-scented air washed over him. But even more shocking than this scent was the epic, monumental canvas spread before his eyes.
It was as if the entire world was filled by an infinitely upward stretching, dark red giant wall that extended endlessly to both sides.
It pierced through the low-hanging dark clouds, tore through the overcast sky, its height and width reaching the limits of vision, as if this was the very end of the world.
"So... such thick clouds! Can't see the top at all, can't see the edges!" Usopp murmured, head tilted back.
"That's right! That's the Red Line!!" Luffy stood at the ship's bow, pointing ahead, his whole body trembling with excitement, his eyes beneath the straw hat shining with incredibly bright light.
"Shanks told me about it! Once you see the Red Line and cross over it, you've entered the Grand Line!"
Shanks... Giyu silently repeated the name in his mind. He'd heard Luffy mention it a few times since coming aboard.
It seemed this was someone Luffy often thought back on.
"The Red Line?" Giyu looked at the seemingly primordial giant wall and voiced his question.
"Yeah! That's it!" Luffy nodded vigorously. "It's a super huge continent that circles the entire world! Super—amazing!"
Just as everyone was marveling at this natural wonder, Zoro, arms crossed, offered an unwelcome reminder: "Hey, navigator, if we keep going like this, we're going to crash right into this wall. What kind of entrance is this supposed to be?"
"Idiot! Look at that gap ahead!" Nami retorted without hesitation, but her voice was filled with the thrill of discovery. She pointed straight ahead.
Everyone followed her pointing finger. On that seamless dark red giant wall, there indeed existed a deep fissure that almost blended into the background.
As the distance closed, that fissure gradually revealed its true form—the entrance to an incredibly grand, man-made canal.
Ocean currents rushing in from all directions, as if gathered by an invisible hand, all converged into this single passage, charging toward the depths of Reverse Mountain.
Everything before their eyes had surpassed what common sense could explain.
Nami gazed at the scene before her and murmured, "So amazing."
"It's like... a dream come true..." Even Zoro's face showed an expression of awe.
"We're getting sucked in!"
Luffy's shout broke everyone's enchantment.
"Got it!" Sanji immediately ran toward the ship's helm.
Usopp instinctively wanted to follow and help, but after taking two steps, he suddenly stopped as if remembering something.
He turned around, wiped his nose forcefully, and put on a captain's demeanor, saying to the silent Giyu beside him: "Hey! Look, Giyu! This is one of my eight thousand subordinates, helmsman Sanji! He's now going to follow this captain's orders to embark on our great voyage!"
A visible vein instantly popped on Sanji's forehead. He wanted to say something but held back.
"We're almost there! The canal entrance!" Luffy's voice rang out again, filled with urgency.
The Merry was swept along by the massive ocean current, rushing toward the increasingly close canal entrance at an astonishing speed. The water flow became exceptionally turbulent, causing the ship to rock violently.
"A little to the left! No! Right! Right!" Luffy shouted instructions from the bow.
Sanji desperately operated the helm under Luffy's commands, unable to resist complaining: "You bastard, are you even looking properly?! The direction is way off!"
"Ah! I just thought of a great method!" Luffy suddenly slapped his head, his face lighting up with an inspired, excited smile as he remembered his maneuver when rescuing Giyu from the Calm Belt earlier.
He quickly ran to the bow, his legs expertly wrapping tightly around the Merry's figurehead to secure himself.
"Gomu Gomu—"
His upper body and arms stretched toward the canal entrance with unprecedented speed and length!
Under everyone's astonished gazes, his body crossed the final distance, his two large hands powerfully grabbing onto the massive, ancient stone pillars at the canal entrance.
"Full speed ahead!!!" Luffy shouted excitedly, using the tremendous force of his rubber contraction to literally pull the Merry faster and more steadily toward the correct channel, as if towing a toy boat!
"Luffy, when did you become so smart!" Nami watched the steadily guided Merry and couldn't help but exclaim in amazement. This was indeed quite an effective method to escape their current predicament.
"Wahahahahaha!" Usopp immediately became smug, as if he had come up with the idea himself. He vigorously patted Giyu's shoulder beside him, continuing to boast.
"Giyu! Look! Monkey D. Luffy is also one of my capable subordinates! Truly worthy of being the top warrior under Captain Usopp! Wahahaha!"
Giyu listened expressionlessly to the incessant chatter beside his ear, the cold lines of his profile seeming to stiffen further.
For the first time, he felt regret about his earlier decision to "acknowledge and play along"—Usopp's words were simply too dense. Then he silently shifted two steps to the side.
However, at that moment, when nothing unexpected was happening, Luffy became the biggest surprise.
Luffy's body and arms suddenly retracted rapidly, slamming heavily onto the deck with a "thud." Rubbing his head as if he had just fully come to his senses, he turned to stare at Usopp: "Hey! Usopp! I'm the captain!"
Almost simultaneously, the Merry, having lost its steering force, veered sharply to one side due to inertia. The raging currents swept it along, threatening to smash it hard against the solid stone wall at the canal entrance!
Nami's scream pierced through the wind and rain: "Aaaaaaah! You idiot Luffy! We're gonna crash!!! Turn the helm! Turn it now!"
Zoro watched these two fools, a vein bulging on his forehead: "Two complete morons!"
Sanji had already lunged for the helm, desperately trying to change direction, but the force of the current was too strong, and the helm was unbearably heavy. It seemed the ship's figurehead was about to have an intimate encounter with the stone wall!
At the critical moment! Luffy caused the trouble, and Luffy saved the day!
"Gomu Gomu—"
Luffy reacted with astonishing speed. With incredible lung capacity, he began inhaling, his belly swelling rapidly like a giant rubber balloon, instantly filling the gap between the ship's bow and the stone wall!
"Balloon!"
Thump!
A dull but powerful thud echoed as Luffy's highly elastic body acted like a massive cushion, forcefully bouncing the Merry back.
The ship swayed violently as it was pushed back into the current, temporarily avoiding the danger of crashing into the wall. However, it still rocked unsteadily in the turbulent waters. Luffy himself was flung into the air due to the recoil, on the verge of falling into the raging side current.
"Zoro!" Luffy shouted from mid-air.
"Got it!" Zoro understood instantly, dashing to the ship's side and planting his feet firmly. "Grab onto me!"
Luffy immediately stretched his arm, firmly gripping Zoro's outstretched arm.
Zoro grunted, his muscles straining as he withstood the pull, then swung Luffy back onto the deck.
Meanwhile, the Merry continued to sway and spin uncontrollably in the chaotic currents, still at risk of crashing into the rocky walls.
As Sanji struggled with the unresponsive helm, sweat beaded on his forehead. A familiar voice sounded beside him.
"Let me try."
Sanji froze, turning to see Giyu, who had somehow appeared next to him. Those deep blue eyes held no ripple of emotion, yet exuded a convincing calm.
With no time to hesitate, Sanji instinctively released his grip: "It's all yours!"
Giyu firmly grasped the wildly shaking helm, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.
His breathing rhythm instantly changed, becoming long and profound, as if the aura around him synchronized with the churning currents.
"Water Breathing · Style Eleven · Calm"
At that moment, the furious helm in his hands seemed to transform into another Nichirin Blade, while the turbulent, chaotic currents beneath became an enemy to be sensed.
He heightened his perception to the extreme, feeling the strength and direction of every underwater current through the helm.
His wrists began to adjust—not fighting against the ocean's power, but skillfully redirecting it, as if deflecting an opponent's force.
Under Giyu's control, the Merry's bow slowly straightened, steadily cutting back into the main current of the miraculous canal!
"Wooohoo!!" Luffy was the first to cheer.
Zoro raised an eyebrow slightly, a flicker of admiration in his eyes: "...Not bad."
Nami let out a long sigh of relief, nearly collapsing onto the deck.
Massive canal locks resembling thresholds flew past in rapid succession. As the ship passed through the final stone gate, it meant they had completely entered the interior of this miraculous waterway.
"We're in!!!"
The exhilaration of surviving their ordeal instantly replaced the earlier tension, and everyone erupted into enthusiastic cheers!
Nami stood at the bow, excitedly raising her raincoat;
Zoro, holding his three swords, curled the corner of his mouth into a confident smile as he faced forward;
Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp leaped up excitedly to exchange high-fives.
Even Giyu couldn't help but glance around, observing the ancient chisel-marked rock walls speeding past on both sides and the upward-rushing current carrying their ship beneath his feet. His eyes reflected astonishment at this marvel of nature.
Then, Sanji clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "Hey, everyone! Let's perform that ceremony we couldn't do during the storm earlier!"
As he spoke, he brought out that familiar barrel again and placed it in the center of the deck.
"Let's hold the ceremony for our upcoming charge into these greatest seas!"
Sanji announced clearly, being the first to place his foot on the barrel. "I'm here to find the ALL BLUE!"
Luffy immediately jumped over and without hesitation stamped his straw sandal on it, declaring loudly: "I'm here to become the Pirate King!"
Zoro stepped forward steadily and placed his foot on the barrel: "I'm here to become the world's greatest swordsman!"
Nami squeezed in with a laugh and placed her foot beside the others: "I'm here to draw a map of the entire world!"
When it was Usopp's turn, he looked at his companions' unwavering dreams, blushed slightly, and stammered a bit before mustering his courage to shout: "I... I-I'm here to become a brave Sea Warrior!"
All eyes finally fell on Giyu Tomioka, the only one still standing outside the circle.
Nami showed him a bright, sincere smile. "Come on, Giyu. I know you want to say you're not our crewmate, but right now we're at least traveling companions. Can't we celebrate this important moment together?"
Giyu looked at the intentionally left empty spot on the barrel, then at the surrounding gazes - Luffy's anticipation, Zoro's tacit approval, Sanji's invitation, Usopp's encouragement, and Nami's sincerity.
He remained silent for a moment before finally stepping forward, approaching the barrel, and gently placing his right foot on the last empty spot.
His voice remained calm, yet carried a subtle gravity not present before.
"I... am here to find my way home..." Giyu paused, as if considering how to phrase it, before finally giving his answer: "And... I don't want to be disliked..."
The air on the deck seemed to freeze for a second.
"Hah?" Zoro's reaction was direct and straightforward. He frowned with a "what kind of problem is that?" expression. "Who dislikes you? Nobody even notices you when you're quiet. It's when you talk that things get weird."
"Pfft..."
"Pfft hahaha..."
Zoro's remark hit everyone's funny bone at once.
First, Usopp couldn't hold back and burst out laughing, then Sanji turned away with suppressed chuckles, followed by Nami covering her mouth, and finally Luffy got caught up in the atmosphere too.
"Wahahaha! Zoro, you're so mean!" Luffy was the one laughing the loudest.
Nami shook her head with a smile: "Really... you're all a bunch of problem children."
This lighthearted laughter seemed to wrap around Giyu like an invisible embrace, quietly accepting him.
Amidst the laughter, the Merry seemed to be infected too, its bow letting out a spirited neigh as it lifted upward!
The light suddenly brightened—they had broken through the cloud layer at the top of the canal!
In an instant, it felt as if they had reached the summit of the world.
The view opened up before them: the peak of Reverse Mountain was a mountaintop sea, where ocean currents converged before rushing down toward the completely unknown Grand Line on the other side!
"Wahahaha!" Luffy was the first to climb onto the Merry's figurehead. Standing at the highest point, he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted with all his might, as if making a declaration to the sea of infinite possibilities:
"We're here!!! The Grand Line!!!"
The Merry surged downward along the massive drop, carried by the converging currents!
"We're going down!!!"A tremendous sense of weightlessness washed over them, but it couldn't suppress the boiling blood and cheers of everyone on board."
The fierce wind tugged at everyone's clothes and hair, pulling them backward. Luffy spread his arms wide, laughing as he shouted: "Look! This is the greatest sea in the world! The Grand Line!"
Giyu gripped the railing, gazing down at the ever-changing, endlessly captivating demon sea below. The gale filled his haori with its vibrant patterns.
A new journey had already begun.