The wind howled louder than usual.
The sea, once steady beneath the Silent Orca's hull, had grown restless — as if warning the crews of what lay ahead. Dark clouds rolled in over the distant horizon, churning with unseen fury. The Log Pose needle trembled, locked in its unwavering direction — pointing straight toward a jagged peak that pierced the sky like a blade:
Reverse Mountain.
"Is that it…?" Ussop whispered, eyes wide.
Everyone stood on deck, silent, watching as the towering mountain grew larger with every passing minute. It looked unnatural — a massive, steep slope cutting through the sea with water rising up its side, flowing against gravity.
Sanji frowned as he gripped the railing. "That… is no normal current."
Nami, her face pale, checked her maps again. "It's the only way into the Grand Line from this side. That's the entrance current… and once we're in, there's no turning back."
Suddenly, the seas beneath them surged.
"BIG WAVE, STARBOARD!" Zoro yelled.
The crew scattered into action. Waves tossed the ship like a toy, sending water cascading over the deck. The winds roared like a beast awakening from slumber.
"Secure everything!" Zino shouted, using his air abilities to stabilize the sails.
Even Kaya held onto the mast, eyes wide in terror as lightning cracked across the sky. The sea was alive with chaos.
Ahead, the entrance to the mountain came into view — a narrow gorge with water climbing up, not down. The impossible current.
"That's the Reverse Current," Nami shouted. "If we miss the entry point, we crash into the cliff!"
"FULL SAIL!" Zino commanded.
With a deep breath, he activated Geppo to leap up and scan the path ahead. What he saw made his gut tighten — the current was twisting like a whirlpool even as it climbed the mountain, with rocks jutting out like jagged teeth.
"Brace yourselves!" he roared as he landed back on deck.
The ship hit the current like a bullet.
The bow lifted violently, the ship beginning its uphill climb. Everyone held on as the reverse-flowing river surged beneath them. The wind screamed in their ears, salt spray stinging their eyes.
The Silent Orca climbed higher, riding the impossible.
Kaya cried out as they were nearly thrown off balance. Gin pulled her back just in time.
Water surged left and right, threatening to hurl the ship into the cliffs. Alvida dropped her smug grin for once, gritting her teeth as she held the railing with both hands.
Then — silence.
For a brief moment, they reached the peak of the mountain.
Sky above. Sea below. A breathless pause.
And then — the drop.
The Silent Orca plunged downward with terrifying speed, the current now *dragging them into the Grand Line*. Everyone screamed, some in fear, some in exhilaration.
Zino grinned wildly, wind whipping through his hair. "HERE WE GO!"
"WOOOOHOOOO!!" Usopp screamed, equal parts thrill and terror.
The sea curved ahead—then vanished.
The ship *burst out* from the descending current with a massive splash, slamming into the open waters of the Grand Line.
A strange stillness followed.
The sky above was calm—too calm. The sea, though foreign, was eerily silent. Even the seagulls were absent.
Nami slowly stood up from where she'd been thrown. "We made it… this is the Grand Line…"
But just as the relief began to settle in—something moved.
A shadow.
A huge shadow beneath the waves.
Zoro squinted ahead. "What the hell is that?"
Suddenly, the water ahead exploded upward as something massive breached the surface.
BWOOM!
A giant black wall rose from the sea. No...not a wall.
A whale.
A mountain-sized whale.
Its head alone blocked the entire path forward, barnacle-covered, with old scars crisscrossing its skin like battle trophies.
Kaya screamed. "It's going to crash into us!"
Zino's eyes widened. "Hold the ship steady—don't engage!"
The whale let out a thunderous cry, a mournful, echoing wail that shook the masts. The sea trembled.
"It's not attacking," Sanji said. "It's just… in pain."
Nojiko pointed. "There! Look at its head!"
A huge metal plate was bolted to its forehead—dented, weathered, as though it had been slamming into rock for years.
Then—the whale charged.
"Hard to port!" Zino shouted.
The crew scrambled, Gin yanking the wheel while Zino used his Air Burst to push the ship sideways just in time. The Silent Orca narrowly avoided being crushed, the massive creature diving past them and circling around.
Alvida growled. "What the hell is wrong with that thing?!"
Nami's expression shifted. "I've heard stories. About a whale that waits at the entrance of the Grand Line… waiting for someone."
"Someone?" Usopp echoed. "Who the heck is worthy for that thing to wait?"
Zino narrowed his eyes, watching the whale turn slowly, scars exposed to the sky. "Someone it lost."
The whale cried again—deep, lonely, full of heartbreak.
And it turned to charge a second time.
This time, Zino leapt.
He shot forward using Geppo, rocketing through the air and landing on the whale's head, just behind the dented plate.
"STOP!" he shouted.
The whale slowed, confused, eyes shifting toward the strange human on its head.
Zino placed a hand on the scarred metal. "You've been hurting yourself for too long… whoever you're waiting for—they wouldn't want this."
The whale stilled.
The air quieted.
Kaya covered her mouth, watching from the ship.
Finally, the whale let out a low, trembling sound—then slowly backed away, turning its massive body toward a cliffside cave nearby.
"It's going," Nami said softly.
Zino jumped back onto the Silent Orca, landing smoothly.
Sanji lit a cigarette. "So that's our welcome gift from the Grand Line."
Zoro chuckled. "Better than a Sea King."
Zino stood at the bow of the Silent Orca, eyes fixed on the horizon.
"No more delays," Zino said firmly, turning to face his crew. "Let's sail."
The crew nodded, ready to face whatever awaited them beyond the horizon.
Suddenly, Nojiko's sharp voice cut through the calm. "Wait—someone's there!"
Zino and the others turned sharply in the direction she pointed. At first, all they saw was a vague silhouette against the bright sky, a distant blur barely distinguishable from the swirling clouds.
But then, something caught their eyes—a figure moving with an incredible grace, seemingly floating through the air. The movement was familiar. It resembled the *Geppo* technique that Zino himself had been mastering—the ability to step off the air and fly.
"Rokushiki?!" someone gasped.
"Who is that?" Kaya whispered, squinting to get a better look.
Sanji's eyes suddenly widened as the figure grew clearer. "It's an angel!" he exclaimed, the awe in his voice unmistakable.
Zino narrowed his eyes, his mind racing. 'Could it be a Cipher Pol agent?' he wondered. The air shimmered around the figure, as if she were cloaked in something more than just light wind.
Then, a surprising notification popped up in Zino's mind, breaking his train of thought.
[He is your mother.]
His heart skipped a beat.
'My mother!?' Zino thought, disbelief washing over him.
Immediately, a detailed data window appeared before his eyes:
[Name: Miria
Actual Name: Portgas D. Reya
Family Affiliation: Daughter of Portgas D. Jorak, Cousin of Portgas D. Rouge, Host's mother.]
Zino's breath caught. The sudden revelation hit him like a thunderclap.
His mother was not just any woman—she was a 'Portgas', a member of the legendary D. bloodline. His heritage, once only half understood, suddenly took on a monumental new meaning.
And more startling still, he realized he was related to Ace, the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. They were cousins.
"What the heck…" Zino muttered under his breath, trying to wrap his mind around the truth. "Hey system, why didn't you tell me about this before?"
[You need to meet your family members to understand it. The moment she appears in front of you, that's the moment of System gathering data. Also, this will only happen for your relatives. System will ignore it if it's anyone else.]
"So why did you introduce Kong as my grandfather? I didn't even see him." Zino questioned.
[That's another matter. The guy was famous, and known in canon. Thus, the introduction.] Came the system's reply.
As Zino's mind was in turmoil, the figure in the sky was closing the distance, descending gracefully toward the ship. Her face was illuminated by the afternoon sun, her eyes shining with a calm intensity that instantly commanded respect and awe.
Zino's crew fell silent, eyes fixed on the newcomer. The presence of this woman caused them to stand wary.
"Who is she, really?" Gin whispered, his voice barely more than a breath.
Zino didn't answer right away. His eyes were locked on the approaching figure, his expression unreadable. Yet deep within him, something stirred—a strange, warm pull in his chest. A sense of familiarity. A feeling he couldn't quite name… until the word escaped his lips on instinct, quiet and trembling with disbelief.
"...Mother."
The entire crew froze.
"What!?" Kaya gasped.
Nami blinked in shock. "Did he just say—"
Sanji nearly dropped his cigarette. "Sh-she's your *mother*!?"
All eyes darted between Zino and the woman now hovering just above the deck, gracefully standing in midair as if it were solid ground. Her long coat billowed behind her, and the strength in her posture was undeniable—but so was the warmth in her eyes as she looked at Zino.
Without a word, she suddenly descended and wrapped her arms around him.
"My son…" she whispered.
Zino stiffened, unsure of how to respond. The hug felt… foreign. Warm, yes, but unfamiliar. His arms remained awkwardly at his sides, his body frozen as his crew watched in stunned silence.
After a few heartbeats, the woman pulled back.
Then—*bonk!*—she smacked Zino right on the forehead with her knuckles.
"OW—!?"
The crew collectively flinched.
The elegant, airborne lady—who just seconds ago seemed otherworldly—was now fuming, arms crossed, eyes glaring straight into Zino's soul.
"Zino! What do you think you're doing, recklessly sailing these seas like some wild idiot?!" she scolded, her tone sharp and full of parental fire.
Zino scratched his head, sheepishly trying to dodge her gaze. On one hand, feeling nervous, afraid that his real identity was exposed, and on the other, he was feeling awkward to suddenly meet a family member in this foreign world.
"M-Mother, this isn't really the time—"
"I'm not done!" she snapped, cutting him off before he could make an excuse. "And what's this I hear about you becoming a pirate? Are you trying to give your poor parents a heart attack? What happened to being responsible?!"
Zino wilted slightly, clearly outmatched. "It's… complicated."
Miria—no, *Portgas D. Reya*—wasn't having it.
"Complicated?" she repeated. "You beat up a Marine Captain and now you're wanted across the Blues! That's not complicated, that's lunacy!"
The crew stood frozen behind him, not daring to interrupt. Gin, Nami, Sanji, Zoro—even Alvida looked caught between concern and sympathy. They were witnessing a side of Zino none of them had ever imagined: the flustered son, getting lectured by his mother like a scolded child.
Zino groaned inwardly. *'This is so embarrassing…'*
He could stand tall against pirates, challenge Marines without flinching, and face sea monsters head-on. But being scolded by a mother in this world, and in front of his entire crew? That was a battle he was woefully unprepared for.
Miria—no, *Portgas D. Reya*, the woman who had suddenly descended from the sky—was relentless. Her hands were on her hips, and her voice carried the full weight of years of pent-up maternal frustration.
"You don't just run off into the Grand Line like some headless chicken!" she snapped, pacing in front of him like a drill sergeant. "What if something happened to you?! You think I raised you just to see your face on a wanted poster?!"
Zino stood stiff, lips pressed into a tight line. His crew, lined up behind him, watched in stunned silence, unsure whether to intervene or offer sympathy. Zoro kept quiet, Sanji looked lost in thought, and Usopp had practically merged with the mast.
Still, despite the scolding, Zino felt something stir in his chest. A warmth he hadn't felt in years. This woman—his mother—was real. Alive. And here.
And still very much in charge.
While the scolding continued, a shadow loomed over the deck. In the distance, a Marine battleship appeared on the horizon, its white sails billowing in the wind. It cut through the waves smoothly, closing in on the *Silent Orca* with practiced precision.
Within minutes, the ship came to a halt alongside Zino's vessel.
Two figures stood at the bow of the battleship, hands on the railing, watching the scene unfold.
"Finally, we caught up," said Hibari, lowering his binoculars with a smile.
Beside him, Binko grinned widely, elbow resting casually on the rail. "Pfft! Cousin's getting scolded again. It's just like when we were kids. He always got the longest lectures."
Hibari chuckled. "Still does, apparently."
The two watched as Miria continued her barrage of maternal fury, while Zino looked like he'd rather face a sea king than endure another minute of this.
The scene was equal parts touching… and hilariously painful.