One Piece: Wielder of the Void

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"We are still in the Four Seas. If we were to head to the Grand Line as I imagine, it would probably be colder by now," Anos said calmly.

Seeing that Barlow was still hesitating, Anos continued to smile and asked, "Do you have any bounty on your head now?"

Upon hearing this, Barlow instantly became excited and replied arrogantly, "The bounty on me is 300,000 Beris"

"Doesn't that make you just a small, walking money bag? With your strength, you probably won't even make it to Reverse Mountain before someone captures you to claim your bounty," Anos remarked with a grin.

"Yes, Captain, you forgot about the two bounty hunters we ran into a few days ago. We almost died!" Two crew members looked at Barlow with pleading expressions.

It was rare for them to find such a good place to rest. Although they wanted to take risks, it seemed safer to stay here.

Barlow understood. However, he also needed to raise his level and take responsibility for his crew. They weren't inherently bad people, just unfortunate souls who eventually chose the pirate life.

After thinking it over, Barlow respectfully stood before Anos bowed deeply, and said, "I, Barlow, Captain of the Barlow Pirates, from today on, I am willing to serve as your navigator, Your Majesty."

It wasn't surprising to see Barlow compromise. After all, faced with such a powerful figure, these pirates had little choice.

Anos just wanted to find a navigator quickly and leave this ghostly place. As for the future, they'd deal with that later. He wasn’t worried about anything happening to them in the meantime.

Despite the weakness of Barlow’s pirate crew, they excelled in other areas. Their cooking and navigation skills were superior to those on Anos' ship.

When they set sail again, Anos casually drew his sword and sliced through Barlow's ship, splitting it into pieces that sank into the sea. Seeing this, the pirates, who were still cautious, became far more obedient.

Aboard the Tempest, Anos lounged on a deck chair, enjoying his leisure. With Barlow and his crew joining, they no longer had to worry about their course. The voyage was smooth, at least for now.

From South Blue to Reverse Mountain, they encountered no major obstacles. But when they reached Reverse Mountain, everyone was amazed.

The sea flowed backwards, swirling at the top of the mountain. Reverse Mountain was at least a thousand meters high, and none had seen anything like it.

Anos, who had absorbed decades of knowledge in his past life, was astounded. Although they had known about the reverse flow of Reverse Mountain, witnessing it firsthand was another experience.

"Your Majesty, this mountain is a wonder, but why does the water flow like that?" Suzu asked, clinging to the side of the ship with shock and curiosity.

"How should I know? I didn't expect the place connecting the Four Seas to be so spectacular," Anos replied with a sigh.

"Your Majesty, we're about to start the climb up Reverse Mountain. Shall we head straight into the Grand Line, or do you have another destination in mind?" Barlow asked, rushing over.

"Are you confident about crossing Reverse Mountain?" Anos asked seriously. This was no small matter.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I believe so. The water flows backwards, but aside from the stronger current, it's just like navigating anywhere else," Barlow replied confidently.

Hearing this, Anos relaxed a little. Although he wasn't worried for his life, the ship was valuable, and his kingdom was far too poor to afford a new one.

"Barlow, we don’t need to enter the Grand Line just yet. Let’s head to the East Blue first. I heard the Pirate King was executed in a town there. Since we’re so close, it wouldn't hurt to take a look," Anos said.

"Really? We should check it out!" Barlow agreed, clearly excited. Every pirate dreamed of becoming the Pirate King. Though they were no longer pirates, that desire lingered in their hearts.

"What’s the plan? Make sure everyone stays safe and no one falls into the sea," Anos commanded seriously.

"Don’t worry, Your Majesty," Barlow replied earnestly, feeling a deep sense of loyalty toward Anos.

But Reverse Mountain posed a real challenge. Even Barlow, with all his experience, found it daunting.

Still, he kept both hands firmly on the ship’s wheel, focusing intently to avoid any mistakes. A wrong move here could send everyone into the sea.

Even with such trust placed in him, Barlow kept his eyes locked on the sea ahead. His small frame looked almost comical against the massive ship’s wheel, but his determination was unwavering. The other crew members, including the guards, stood ready for action.

Anos felt a rush of excitement. The thrill of this adventure was simply exhilarating.

As they neared Reverse Mountain’s current, the Tempest began to accelerate. Barlow shouted, "Quick, furl the sails! Everyone hold on to something so you don’t fall overboard!"

The crew leapt into action, swiftly furling the sails as instructed. They no longer needed the wind, the reverse current would propel them forward.

Everyone grabbed onto something sturdy as the ship sped toward the mountain. Barlow skillfully manoeuvred the ship into the narrow reverse flow, his hands never left the wheel.

Once inside the waters of Reverse Mountain, Barlow let out a sigh of relief. Even for a seasoned sailor, this moment felt like a battle against nature itself.

"The ship is climbing the mountain..." Suzu clung to the railing, her face lit with excitement.

Anos, too, was amazed. This phenomenon defied everything he knew about science, but it was breathtaking.

As the ship approached the top, Barlow ran to Anos, panic in his eyes. "Your Majesty, our ship is too large. When we reach the summit, the currents from all four seas will converge, and I fear the pressure may be too much for the keel. It could break."

Anos paused, then replied, "We’ve come this far. There’s no turning back. Just keep going. If the keel breaks, I’ll handle it."

As they neared the summit, the combined waters formed a towering column. For a wooden ship like the Tempest, the pressure could indeed be devastating.

Anos stepped to the bow, placing his hand on the ship’s figurehead. His hand instantly turned black as he infused the ship’s keel with Haki, reinforcing its structure.

"Keep moving forward, Barlow. I’ll take care of the rest," Anos shouted.

Barlow nodded, his determination clear. He gripped the wheel tightly, eyes focused on the summit where the four seas met.

As they reached the top, the immense pressure made the Tempest creak, but thanks to Anos' Haki, the ship held together. They survived the crossing and began descending into the East Blue.

Anos, feeling the ship steady, relaxed and retracted his Haki, allowing the keel to return to normal.

"Your Majesty, that was incredible!" Suzu exclaimed, tears of relief in her eyes. The rest of the crew looked equally relieved and overjoyed.

"Boys, there’s a ship ahead! Prepare to board!" someone shouted.

They had barely made it into the East Blue before encountering a group of over a dozen pirate ships, all flying the same flag.

"Your Majesty, they’re pirates..." Suzu said, looking at the fleet ahead. The shouts of the pirates made their intentions clear they were coming to loot.

"Prepare for battle," one of the guards ordered as the ship’s cannons were aimed at the approaching fleet.

"Don’t fire. We can't afford to damage our ship," Anos said calmly.

Everyone fell silent. Barlow and his crew, who had joined just two days ago, were still adjusting to Anos’s mindset. How could he be so calm, facing a fleet of pirates?

"I understand, Your Majesty. I’ll go and capture their ships," one of the guards said respectfully.

They had learned that Anos never let an opportunity to make money slip by. The pirate ships ahead could be worth hundreds of millions of Beris, far more valuable than the Barlow Pirates' old ship.

The guards smiled knowingly. Raiding pirates for their loot was always a profitable venture, and with a powerful crew behind them, they felt unstoppable.

"Be careful. Don’t damage the ships, and leave their navigators to me. We’re in desperate need of skilled sailors," Anos said with a devious smile.

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