Uchiha Puppet Master, Starting from One Piece

Before the morning light pierced the thin mist over the sea, Bai Yu and his group had already sailed away from the sea. The sails unfurled in the cool morning breeze, like a white bird spreading its wings and cutting through the shimmering waves.

In the days that followed, the voyages proceeded quietly through the alternation of night and day, and traveling under the stars and moon became the norm.

During the day, the sun scorched the deck, and the sea breeze, carrying a salty smell, swept across the ship's side. Robin leaned against the railing, his fingertips lightly stroking the yellowed ancient books, occasionally looking up at the distant horizon where the water met the sky.

Rangiku was still lying lazily under the awning, fanning herself with a palm leaf fan, occasionally sipping chilled fruit wine, and humming an old folk song from Rukongai, acting like an old man.

Only Unohana would prepare exquisite tea and snacks, sitting on a rattan chair on the deck, slowly brewing tea, her gaze gently sweeping over the busy Shiraha and the curiously looking Kanna.

Kanna was like a tireless little elf, sometimes lying by the side of the boat counting the flying fish leaping out of the water, sometimes pestering Bai Yu to tell her about the interesting things that happened during the voyage, her soft laughter filling the whole boat.

As night falls, the Milky Way unfolds, its brilliant starlight reflected on the calm sea, making the ships appear to be sailing through the galaxy.

Only then would Bai Yu put away some of the puppets, sit with everyone in the center of the deck, light a small bonfire, set up a grill, and turn the fresh seafood caught during the day into delicious food once again.

The amber-colored liquor swirls in the glass, its aroma mingling with the scent of roasted meat.

At these times, Robin would use the dim light of the campfire to tell everyone about the strange islands she had visited. The unheard-of customs and traditions captivated Kanna and filled Rangiku with longing.

Occasionally, when the mood strikes, Rangiku will even break into a light dance, her skirt fluttering, creating a charming scene against the backdrop of starlight and bonfire.

"So, do you know what kind of place Reverse Mountain is?"

When Robin asked the question, everyone shook their heads. They weren't from the pirate world, so how could they possibly have a clear understanding of the so-called Reverse Mountain?

Seeing everyone's blank expressions, Robin began to explain.

Reverse Mountain is a magical mountain range on the Red Line of this world. It is also the first intersection between the Red Line and the Grand Line, and the only passage from the four seas to the Grand Line except for crossing the Calm Belt.

Its core concept is a miraculous route with four entries and one exit.

"So why does everyone enter the Grand Line from Reverse Mountain?"

Rangiku still didn't understand why.

"Everyone has probably seen the map, right? Actually, there's a Calm Belt between the four seas. You could enter the Grand Line by crossing the Calm Belt, but that won't work. The Calm Belt has no propulsion; you can't cross it using only conventional energy. Also, it's inhabited by giant Sea Kings, who are extremely aggressive..."

Robin replied to Rangiku, and seeing Unohana's curious gaze, continued to explain.

In fact, the Reverse Mountain is a special waterway. Its five channels are X-shaped. Four of the upward channels connect the East China Sea, the West China Sea, the South China Sea, and the North China Sea respectively. The powerful ocean current pushes the water upward to the top of the mountain to converge, and then flows into the first half of the Grand Line through a downward channel, which completely violates the common sense that water flows downhill.

Reverse Mountain is actually located on the Red Earth, on the opposite side of the Holy Land Mary Geoise. It is a winter island with water temperatures far lower than the surrounding seas, and is prone to storms year-round, making navigation extremely dangerous.

This waterway is actually quite challenging, with its entrance riddled with reefs and whirlpools.

At the same time, entering the Inverted Mountain requires precisely entering the corresponding sea area's upwelling channel. Missing the ocean current cycle or choosing the wrong route can easily lead to running aground and sinking.

Secondly, the ship needs to be sturdy enough, and the crew needs to have extremely strong maneuvering skills. They need to withstand the impact of the upward-rushing currents, avoid the mountain walls and reefs on both sides, and deal with the sudden increase in turbulence and giant waves when approaching the top of the mountain.

After finally rendezvous, the ship will head straight for the Grand Line along the descent channel. During this process, it is easy to lose control due to inertia, and the rudder needs to be adjusted quickly.

As the voyage progressed, the sea gradually became restless, and a sense of unease seemed to permeate the air.

The closer you get to Upside Down Mountain, the more frequently you can see pirate ships flying the skull and crossbones flag. They travel in twos and threes or sail alone in the sea. Most of the pirates on deck have greedy and fierce eyes.

Bai Yu and his group did not provoke any enemies; they simply steered their ship to maintain a stable course, avoiding the pirate crews that appeared particularly fierce.

As long as they don't provoke him, he can't tell whether the people on the boat are good or bad, and he doesn't like to cause trouble.

One afternoon, the sky suddenly darkened, the sea breeze became violent, the waves rolled and surged, creating giant waves several meters high, and the ship was violently rocked between the crests and troughs of the waves.

Just then, a magnificent yet awe-inspiring figure appeared on the sea ahead—the Red Earth Continent!

Upside-down Mountain is only a part of its red earth continent, but its huge peaks stand like giant pillars in the middle of the sea. Between the peaks, the surging sea currents flow against the current, forming four rushing and roaring waterfalls. The white waves crash against the rocks, making a deafening roar. Water mist swirls in the mountains, like a fairyland, but it also hides deadly dangers.

Just as Bai Yu and his group were marveling at the wonders of nature, a pirate ship flying a black flag with a white skull and crossbones caught their attention in the distance.

The ship was somewhat dilapidated, and the deck was crowded with pirates. They were all excited and shouting loudly, seemingly unafraid of the raging waves before them.

A burly man who looked like the captain stood at the bow of the ship, brandishing a large sword and shouting orders: "Brothers, follow the current and charge forward! Once we cross Reverse Mountain, the treasure and glory of the Grand Line await us! The Pirate King's treasure is waiting for us!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the pirate ship shot off like an arrow, heading towards the top of Upside-Down Mountain along a current.

At first, the ship sailed smoothly with the current, steadily climbing higher, and the pirates' cheers grew louder and louder.

However, just as the ship was halfway through its journey, the current suddenly became more turbulent, and the enormous impact caused the ship to rock violently, with the masts creaking under the strain.

Immediately afterward, an even larger wave crashed down, slamming into the middle of the ship. With a deafening crack, the ship instantly broke in two. The pirates' cheers abruptly ceased, replaced by terrified screams and howls. Some were swept away by the giant wave, while others clung to the broken planks, struggling in the turbulent waters. In the blink of an eye, the once arrogant pirate ship was reduced to fragments in the surging currents and giant waves, disappearing into the waterfall of Upside Down Mountain. Only a few floating pieces of wood remained, quickly swallowed by the roar of the rising currents.

Witnessing this horrific scene, the atmosphere on the deck instantly became heavy.