Chapter 219: The Growing Sovereign of the Sea
In the East Blue, in the waters near Reverse Mountain, an exceptionally miniature boat was sailing.
Judging by its size, this vessel could at best be considered a small yacht, theoretically capable of carrying only four or five people.
The boat was sourced from the Marine Base in Loguetown. Although Loguetown's security and control protocols were currently escalating, there were always exceptions to the rules.
When Nereus went to the Marine Base to ask for a small boat, the Loguetown Marines displayed an extraordinary level of executive efficiency, immediately preparing a ready-to-use vessel for him.
The one who issued the order was Sengoku. Even though having a boat "borrowed" by the enemy was incredibly strange, compared to a tiny yacht like this, their large-scale warships were far more precious.
Given Nereus's criminal record, Sengoku firmly believed there was a very real possibility he might just commandeer a warship for his own use.
Most importantly, even if Nereus did do that, the end result would just be the Marines swallowing their grievances.
A warship wasn't cheap to build, but in the eyes of the World Government, it was pocket change. They absolutely would not allow the Marines to spark a conflict with Nereus over something so trivial at such a critical juncture.
The more chaotic the sea became, the more vital Fish-man Island's geographical location proved to be. If possible, Nereus's territory was the absolute best filter for eliminating pirates.
Taking such a small boat was purely to experience a different mode of travel. Let alone four-year-old Chloe, even Amphelite herself had never experienced crossing Reverse Mountain.
As a race born with the innate ability to fly, the "necessary path" in the eyes of ordinary people simply did not exist for them.
"Reverse Mountain..."
"It's a very bizarre mountain," Nereus explained. "The ocean currents here defy gravity, flowing straight up the mountain via a man-made canal. Aside from the Calm Belt, it is the singular gateway for the Four Blues to enter the Grand Line.
"The mountain itself is a Winter Island. Aside from the portion that surges into the canal, the ocean currents that crash against the rock face plunge from the surface straight down to the seabed. If a ship fails to catch the correct current, it usually results in the vessel being smashed to splinters and everyone aboard dying."
"Daddy... I don't understand what you're saying, but this steering wheel suddenly got super heavy..."
Earlier, out of curiosity, Chloe had asked to take the helm. Although the currents nearby were fierce, the overall condition of the sea was still manageable. Before officially entering Reverse Mountain, there were no reefs or shallows, so it didn't really matter.
But now, the currents below were growing increasingly violent. Affected by the surging water, the helm became incredibly heavy—to the point where even a normal adult might not be able to control it.
However, in Chloe's hands, it was the steering wheel itself that was in danger.
Her strength was actively wrestling against the force of the ocean current. Knowing only how to use brute force, the wheel occasionally emitted dangerous, agonizing creaks, sounding as if it would snap off at any second.
"You were the one who insisted on steering it all by yourself, you know," Nereus teased.
"I can do it! But Daddy, if you could just help a tiny bit... that would be better..."
Visually estimating the ship's heading, Nereus realized that at this speed and trajectory, the small yacht had a high probability of smashing directly into the Red Line.
Just as he was about to step in and correct their course, he felt a sudden anomaly. Something beneath the surface was approaching the boat.
At that exact moment, Amphelite also looked over at Nereus and pointed downward at the water beneath the ship.
"No rush. This should... be a good thing," Nereus said quietly.
Completely oblivious to the mysterious exchange between her parents, Chloe continued to stubbornly wrestle with the wheel, her head down.
Her thought that "it would naturally be better if someone could help out" grew increasingly clear and intense.
However, she failed to notice that even though the wheel remained just as heavy and hadn't shifted its angle at all, the boat was inexplicably realigning itself back onto the correct course.
Whatever was beneath the water was quietly giving the boat a much-needed push.
"I did it!"
The boat tilted sharply upwards. They had clearly caught the ascending current and begun their climb up this "inconceivable mountain."
The water was still fierce, but it was noticeably more stable than before. Carved stone reliefs lined both sides of the canal, and square stone archways acted like clearance bars, restricting the size of the ships that could pass through.
Who exactly excavated this canal, and why the ocean currents could flow against gravity, had long become forgotten secrets of history, with scarcely any records remaining even in ancient texts.
People today only knew that this was the mandatory path for ordinary sailors to enter the Grand Line. No matter how perilous it was, it was still infinitely safer than the Calm Belt.
"That thing underneath us..."
"It's a Sea King. Although she hasn't fully awakened yet, the signs are already there."
While Chloe was still entirely immersed in the excitement of successfully steering the ship "all by herself," Nereus and Amphelite's focus had long shifted elsewhere.
The entrance to Reverse Mountain was very close to the Calm Belt. The creature that had just helped push their ship from below was undoubtedly a Sea King residing in those still waters.
Perhaps it had sensed Chloe's desires and thus decided to "lend a hand," pushing the ship back onto the right track.
"In other words... this child truly does possess the power of Poseidon?"
"It's basically confirmed. It's just a matter of when it will truly awaken."
There were distinct tiers among Sea Kings. The colossal Sea Kings possessing complex thoughts and high intelligence dwelling in the deep sea, the ordinary Sea Kings of the Calm Belt, and even the miniature versions like the Lord of the Coast—all belonged to the same species.
But regardless of which type they were, as long as they were Sea Kings, they would unconditionally obey the Sovereign of the Sea.
It was just that the colossal, intelligent Sea Kings acted more like loyal retainers, searching for their Sovereign generation after generation. They would only make their appearance when Poseidon fully awakened.
The ordinary Sea Kings near the surface possessed lower intelligence and were much easier to control. Even without a true awakening, Poseidon's subconscious thoughts could still influence them.
Chloe had just unconsciously commanded a Sea King. It was similar to how someone who had just awakened Conqueror's Haki couldn't use Conqueror's Coating, and couldn't even distinguish friend from foe when knocking out fodder.
"Her identity provides an excellent cover. It will be very difficult for the World Government to deduce that this generation's Poseidon is a 'hybrid princess.'
"However, this power must be treated with caution. Only when she grows up will this power truly be a weapon, rather than a curse that invites disaster."
"I understand what you mean," Amphelite nodded.
Ancient Weapons were exactly the kind of thing that set the World Government's nerves entirely on edge, acting as a threat second only to Nika. Nereus acting alone was one thing, but Nereus combined with Poseidon... that was definitely not a good thing.
Possessing nuclear weapons is a good thing; possessing only the blueprints to build them is decidedly not.
The "growth" Nereus spoke of didn't just refer to the awakening of Poseidon, but also the growth of her individual combat prowess.
A weak Poseidon who could only remotely command Sea Kings would have to stay hidden and require a specialized guard.
But a Poseidon capable of fighting on her own represented a one-woman army.
With Nereus's Undead Legion operating on land and the true "Neptune Army" composed of deep-sea Sea Kings in the ocean, Fish-man Island's inherent problem of having a small population would be completely resolved.
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