The Swordfish left Twin Cape and Laboon far behind.
Ever since descending from Reverse Mountain, the sea of the Grand Line had appeared astonishingly calm. The water was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the endless blue sky above. The beauty was almost unreal.
However, that tranquility lasted less than two hours after they sailed away from Twin Cape.
Without the slightest warning—
The bright, cloudless sky was suddenly swallowed by rolling black clouds.
Fierce winds descended like invisible giant hands, gripping the ocean and tearing it apart into towering waves like mountains.
"Quick! Hold the rudder steady! Reef the sails! Hurry!"
Navigator Hans's hoarse shouts were barely audible in the raging wind.
But this sudden storm was only the appetizer.
Over the next few hours, it felt as though someone was casually playing with the weather itself.
One moment, the Swordfish was struggling against monstrous waves, every sailor bracing for a devastating storm.
Then, without explanation, the suffocating dark clouds simply vanished.
Sunlight poured down onto the deck once again.
But the sunlight was no longer gentle.
It was scorching, like the blazing heat of midsummer.
Before the crew could even wipe the sweat from their brows—
Snowflakes suddenly began falling from the sky.
Heavy flakes drifted down while the burning sun still shone above.
Cold snow and blazing sunlight coexisted on the same deck.
"W-What kind of place is this…?"
A young pirate held out his hand and watched a snowflake melt instantly into water in his palm.
Facing this chaotic display of nature's power—
Sami strode to the bow of the ship and spread his arms wide toward the wild sky.
"Hahahahaha!"
"This is how it should be!"
"Only adventures like this deserve to be called legendary!"
"Only chaos like this makes the journey truly grand!"
His bold laughter infected many of the crew.
Everyone—
Except Hans.
Because after years of sailing in the West Blue, all his accumulated experience had become useless here.
The navigation journals and climate notes he had purchased at great cost were helpful—
But mastering them required immense effort.
From Hans's perspective as a West Blue navigator, the weather of the Grand Line had absolutely no logic whatsoever.
Wild.
Unpredictable.
Like a god's cruel prank played on mortals.
During the first few days, Hans practically lived in the crow's nest.
His eyes turned bloodshot from constantly watching the shifting skies and seas.
He was exhausted—
But he didn't dare sleep.
He feared that if he blinked for even a moment, the ship might be swallowed by a sudden whirlwind or a massive whirlpool.
The high-altitude sea winds were merciless as well, tearing away even more of his already thinning hair.
"Hard to port! Quick! The wind's about to shift—avoid it!" Hans shouted, his voice nearly gone.
He was merely a competent navigator from the West Blue.
Compared to those legendary navigators who could supposedly hear the voice of the wind, Hans had only one weapon:
Two hundred percent focus.
And relentless effort.
Finally, by the seventh day of sailing, Hans began to grasp a tiny fragment of the Grand Line's temper.
By observing the color of the sea, the shape of clouds, and the moisture carried in the wind—
He could make predictions with a slightly higher success rate.
Slightly.
Out of ten guesses, getting three or four correct was already a blessing.
Most of the time, they still had to remain constantly alert for sudden disasters.
To prevent their precious navigator from collapsing from exhaustion, Sami assigned a clever young sailor to stay beside Hans.
Officially, the boy was there to learn navigation.
In reality, his main job was to take care of Hans's food and rest.
Whether he learned anything could come later.
After successfully predicting and steering the ship away from a sudden hailstorm beneath a perfectly clear sky—
Hans leaned against the crow's nest railing and looked toward the calmer sea ahead.
He exhaled deeply.
Then he climbed down and reported to Sami, dark circles heavy under his eyes.
"Boss… this cursed place…"
"I still can't fully understand the weather here."
"But I'm starting to get a feel for it."
"Give me some more time, and I think I'll eventually figure it out."
Sami patted his shoulder.
"You've worked hard, Hans."
"When we reach Whiskey Peak, we'll stay there a while. Get some proper rest."
Finally—
On the tenth day after entering the Grand Line—
The distinctive coastline of Whiskey Peak appeared on the horizon.
"Land!"
"We made it!"
Thunderous cheers erupted across the ship.
During the past ten days, they had experienced worse weather than they had seen in an entire year in the West Blue.
The Grand Line's reputation as the Pirates' Graveyard was something they had now personally experienced.
At this moment—
Everyone longed to step onto solid ground.
Contrary to its cheerful, alcohol-scented name—
Whiskey Peak looked like a rather ordinary, even somewhat barren town.
Buildings were scattered among rocky hills.
It lacked the grandeur of the bustling ports of the West Blue.
But none of that could extinguish the crew's excitement at reaching their first island in the Grand Line.
"Docking!"
The moment the ship stopped—
Before the gangplank had even fully lowered—
Nearly every crew member, except for those assigned to guard the ship, rushed ashore like wild horses breaking free.
Their faces were filled with curiosity and excitement.
Like country bumpkins visiting a big city for the first time.
Everything fascinated them.
Sami simply shouted after their enthusiastic backs.
"Second shift!"
"Remember to return tomorrow and relieve the watch!"
"Yes, Captain!"
The messy chorus of replies drifted back from the distance.
In an instant, the normally quiet town was thrown into chaos by this overly energetic group of outsiders.
Sami and several officers disembarked last.
Watching the crew marvel at ordinary rocks and cactus plants as if they were rare treasures, Aldo covered his face.
"Boss… these guys are embarrassing us."
Sami chuckled softly.
His eyes scanned the strange rock formations and the uniquely low buildings of the town.
Then his gaze stopped on Hans, who was comparing the map with the terrain in front of him.
"Let them enjoy it."
"After all…"
"This is our first step into the Grand Line."
Then he turned to the steady Isaac.
"Isaac. Follow the supply list and buy everything we need."
"Little Garden doesn't sound far, but…"
He lowered his voice slightly.
"We don't know how long it'll take Hans to fully understand the weather here."
"Just in case, we need to stock up on extra supplies."
"Yes, Boss."
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