With Swallow Island fading into the horizon, the White Dragon's journey through the North Blue neared its conclusion. Bardock had achieved every objective he set for this sea: recruiting fresh talent, securing the Lineage Factor research, and acquiring the submarine retrofitting blueprints.
Before leaving the quadrant, Bardock actually doubled back to hunt down Doflamingo's base. He refused to just let that humiliating one-Belly bounty slide. Unfortunately, he arrived too late. The Heavenly Yaksha had already commenced his faction's migration to the Grand Line. While the Warlord was likely still navigating the North Blue, tracking a moving fleet across the open ocean proved tedious.
Relying on Hawkins' tarot divinations, Bardock nearly intercepted them a few times, but always fell just a step behind. Doflamingo seemed exceedingly anxious to reach the Grand Line. Eventually, Bardock dropped the pursuit. It didn't matter. He could just lay an ambush at Dressrosa in the future; Doflamingo would inevitably walk right into his trap. Such were the perks of knowing the overarching plot.
Learning about Bardock's violent feud with Doflamingo significantly lowered Law's guard. Knowing his new captain actively antagonized his sworn enemy eased his resistance, allowing him to genuinely begin integrating into the crew. Unsurprisingly, Bepo and the other two acclimated far faster than their stubborn captain.
Mansherry's abilities nearly shattered Law's entire understanding of medical science. Any trained physician would balk at the existence of a literal panacea. He already considered his Op-Op Fruit highly illogical, yet this tiny Tontatta possessed a Heal-Heal Fruit that effectively broke the rules of mortality.
Law started spending his free time discussing medicine with Mansherry, meticulously studying the properties of her glowing dandelions. Being a master surgeon didn't mean his expertise was limited strictly to the operating table.
Chopper, leaning heavily into the scientific side of the crew, joined their research sessions. Between studying the Lineage Factor data, contributing to the White Dragon's submarine retrofit, and keeping up with his daily physical training, the little reindeer found himself swamped with work.
As their North Blue expedition drew to a close, Enel, Kid, and Chopper finally finalized the submarine retrofitting blueprints. Logically, they should have docked somewhere immediately to begin the construction, but Bardock had other plans.
The majority of their crew consisted of Devil Fruit users. Submerging beneath the ocean carried massive, lethal risks that they couldn't afford to brush aside. Therefore, Bardock decided their next major stop would be the Drum Kingdom. He intended to hunt down Wapol and secure a supply of Wapometal—the undisputed best material for reinforcing the White Dragon's outer hull.
Kuma and Ginny had previously traveled to the Drum Kingdom seeking medical treatment, but communications had gone dark since then. Bardock wondered if the Revolutionary Army had already overthrown Wapol's regime.
Reverse Mountain. The White Dragon arrived at the towering red continent once again, this time approaching from the North Blue entrance.
"Whoa! So this is Reverse Mountain?! It's magnificent!" "Yeah, it touches the clouds!" "Water flowing uphill... If I weren't seeing it with my own two eyes, I'd never believe it!"
Bepo, Penguin, and Shachi gaped at the impossible landscape. Law and Hawkins remained silent, though their unblinking eyes tracked the raging canal. The veteran crew members, on the other hand, reacted with calm indifference. Having already conquered this bizarre phenomenon, they treated the impossible physics as standard routine.
"Hold onto something sturdy! We're entering the canal!" Bardock bellowed from the helm. To give the rookies the authentic pirate experience, he opted to enter the Grand Line through the traditional, chaotic route rather than flying over.
"Here we go!"
Nobody dared to slack off. The crew quickly grabbed onto railings and ropes to avoid getting flung overboard by the violent currents.
The White Dragon merged seamlessly into the roaring updraft, riding the surging water up the mountain. The crew operated like seasoned sailors. Unlike rookie pirates who recklessly charged into the Grand Line unprepared, they navigated the treacherous rapids with practiced ease.
The galleon pierced the cloud cover, ascending until it breached the peak. Standing at the summit, Bardock gazed out toward the opposite side of Reverse Mountain. Theoretically, if they simply tumbled down the other face of the continent, they would land directly at the end of the Grand Line.
He shook his head, tossing the bold thought aside. No rush. It isn't time yet.
The current swiftly grabbed the hull, pulling the ship into a steep, rushing descent. Gale-force winds blasted the deck, whipping everyone's hair wildly. Bepo squinted against the wind, his thick white fur puffing up into a giant, incredibly soft-looking marshmallow. Robin and Perona kept casting him fond, longing glances.
"Look! I see the ocean! We made it to the Grand Line!" "Huh, the water doesn't look any different!" "Woohoo! Grand Line, here we come!"
Unsurprisingly, the noise came from Bepo's trio. Law sighed in disgust, actively distancing himself from his overly excited subordinates.
Hawkins took the opportunity to draw a tarot card from his deck. He glanced at the face. "Probability of encountering a Marine ambush upon descent: zero percent."
Leaning against the railing, Bardock watched the approaching sea, a fresh wave of anticipation swelling in his chest.