Chapter 22: Entering the Grand Line
Night fell. Luo Lin casually checked the sea chart; they were still a few days away from Reverse Mountain at normal speed.
After dinner, Robin retreated to the study (Luo Lin had specifically ordered one built when commissioning the Demon). With only the two of them aboard, separate crew quarters were unnecessary.
Luo Lin stood alone on deck and drew the new Supreme Grade blade he earned today: Mitama (Imperial Soul).
Shiiing!
The moment it left the scabbard, a wave of razor-sharp killing intent washed over him, far stronger than when he first drew Shinrai.
Worthy of a Supreme Grade sword.
Total length: 97 cm Blade length: 73.32 cm Pattern: chaotic hamon Tsuba: round with three-petal flower motif Everything except the edge was pure black.
He plucked a few strands of hair, held them a few centimeters above the blade, and let go.
They didn't float or hesitate; they simply parted into two clean pieces.
Silky smooth.
"Good blade!"
His old Shinrai at least made the hair pause for a split second. Mitama? Instant sever.
With this sword, his combat power jumped again.
Poor Shinrai—demoted to the warehouse to gather dust.
Luo Lin spent the next hour repeatedly drawing and admiring Mitama like a kid with a new toy.
Robin was definitely taking second place tonight.
…
A few days later, the couple returned to Loguetown.
Luo Lin held Robin's hand as they strolled the bustling streets.
Robin had never really "shopped" growing up—Ohara was destroyed when she was little, and Cocoyasi Village was tiny. This time, besides restocking supplies, his main mission was to give his wife her first proper shopping date.
Loguetown was the last stop for everyone entering the Grand Line, so its markets were among the best in the entire world (second only to places like Mary Geoise).
"Ah! Luo Lin, this is delicious! Open wide!"
Robin held out a takoyaki on chopsticks.
Nomf!
"Mmm! Good!"
"Hehe~"
18-year-old Robin was finally acting like a giddy teenage girl. Luo Lin's heart melted.
He silently vowed to take her out more often.
She was always gentle, refined, mature—but in front of him, he wanted her to be a little spoiled, a little childish.
He'd been trying for years with limited success.
Today? Mission accomplished.
Before they knew it, they stood beneath the execution platform where Gol D. Roger died.
Robin stared up at the towering structure.
"So this is where the Pirate King was executed…"
"Yep. The Great Pirate Era started right here. I watched it live, hehe."
Robin ignored the bragging and whispered to herself:
"One who knows all history… I will know everything too. And one day I'll reveal that missing hundred years to the entire world!"
"Mm! I believe in you!"
"Do you know where the Poneglyphs are, Luo Lin?"
"Uh… no clue. We'll have to search the old-fashioned way."
She hadn't really expected an answer.
They shopped until nightfall, then returned to the ship.
Robin was exhausted and fell asleep immediately.
Luo Lin carried her to bed and suddenly decided: they'd stay in Loguetown a little longer.
She'd been so happy today—he wanted more of that smile.
…
The next half-month was pure vacation mode.
They tried every food stall, every street game, every snack—even the kiddie rides Robin insisted on trying.
Only when her excitement naturally cooled did they finally set sail again.
Living together for over a decade, they could read each other's moods instantly.
A few days later: Reverse Mountain.
"We're here! The Grand Line at last! Last time we came this way was when we first entered the East Blue!"
Robin gazed at the massive upward-flowing river in wonder.
Luo Lin nodded nostalgically. He usually stayed within the East Blue; the only exception was his Calm Belt trip to the Sabaody Archipelago…
He pulled out Robin's old wanted poster—the photo was still from when she was 8.
He carefully cut out the picture and tossed the rest.
"Look how tiny you were! So cute!"
Robin: …
Where did you even get that?! When?!
Seeing her confused face, Luo Lin scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"Bought it in Loguetown. 100 beli for the full high-bounty collection! Only 10 million+ though."
(There are way too many million-berry bounties to print them all.)
"We never had a camera when we were kids, so we don't have any photos of us growing up. When I saw these, I had to grab them!
Look at baby Robin—so adorable! Grown-up Robin is even prettier, of course. And look—little me was already handsome! Heh heh.
We'll keep these and show our kids one day. Otherwise when we brag about how cool we were, they'll call us liars!"
He rambled happily while pulling out his own old wanted poster photo.
Robin couldn't help laughing at his antics.
Having Luo Lin in her life was the greatest luck imaginable.
"Ahem! Canal's coming up. Robin baby, take the wheel—I'm gonna reef the sails!"
"Got it!"
Reverse Mountain is dangerous—one wrong move and you're sucked into the Red Line's whirlpools or smashed against the continent.
Luo Lin refused to let Robin get even a scratch.
With perfect maneuvering, the Demon shot into the canal.
"No matter how many times I see it, it's still magical! One of the Three Great Miracle Currents!"
Robin marveled at the water flowing upward.
"Haha, yeah! …Wait, what are the Three Great Miracle Currents again?"
Robin smiled.
"Reverse Mountain, the Knock Up Stream, and the underwater White Dragon current."
"Oh right! Totally remembered!"
Half an hour later they reached the peak.
No rest this time—straight down the only downward channel!
The descent was way faster than the climb into the East Blue. They were easily exceeding 100 km/h.
Wind deformed Luo Lin's face.
"Too fast! Gotta slow down!"
"We'll just hit water, right? I read the sailing logs—no islands below!"
"There's a giant whale blocking the exit! We'll wreck!"
"Oh? So… eaten alive? Drown first? Or drown then get digested?"
Luo Lin: …
Wrong time for horror scenarios, woman!
He wouldn't die, but losing the ship on day one of the Grand Line was bad luck—and all their stuff was on board!
Only option: open the sails to brake.
But at this speed the masts would snap.
Luo Lin climbed the mainmast, grabbed both halyards, and slowly paid out rope, letting the sail drop bit by bit.
The mast groaned but held. Speed dropped to manageable levels.
He could already hear Laboon's cries—ethereal, haunting wails mixed with the booming crashes of the whale ramming the Red Line.
"That's the road-blocking whale you mentioned? What's it doing?"
"Yep! Obviously headbutting the Red Line!"
Robin rolled her eyes elegantly.
I can see that, genius.
Laboon wasn't actually blocking the entrance this time—just ramming far to the side.
Only Luffy's crew had the legendary bad luck to crash straight into him.
As the ship stabilized, the couple stood at the bow.
"So this is the greatest ocean in the world—the Grand Line. The Poneglyphs are scattered here?"
"Yep! We've officially arrived!"
"Next destination? Got a plan?"
"Of course I… don't!"
Robin: …
"But no matter which of the seven routes we take, we'll all end up at Sabaody eventually. Before that, we're visiting someone!"
"Who?"
"You'll see~"
She trusted him completely.
Luo Lin docked the Demon on the left cape of Twin Capes and led Robin up the steep path to the lighthouse.
Then he casually plopped down on the sun-lounger in front, produced sunglasses from nowhere, and put them on.
"Luo Lin?"
Robin blinked.
He pulled her into his lap.
"The old man who watches this lighthouse was Roger's ship doctor. He knows a ton—maybe even about Poneglyphs!"
"Oh? Then why not knock?"
"He's not home right now—he's probably inside the whale. We wait."
"How do you know that?"
Luo Lin's smug grin froze.
…Shit.
"Heh heh heh…"
Robin just giggled at his panic and let it slide.
"So we just wait?"
"Yep! The view's gorgeous—keep me company! The old guy will be back by nightfall."
"Mm!"
Crocus, after injecting Laboon with another sedative and chilling inside its stomach until the ramming stopped, finally surfaced.
The moment he reached the lighthouse he found two strangers hogging his favorite lounger.
"Hey! Who the hell are you two?!"
Luo Lin, half-asleep, instantly woke up.
Robin scrambled off his lap.
"Ah, youth…"
"Yo, pops!"
"I saw your ship below. You didn't wash up here by accident—you came looking for me."
"Bingo! We came to pay respects to the legendary ship doctor of the Pirate King!"
Crocus narrowed his eyes.
"Not many people know that."
"No hostility, promise! We're friends with Shanks—and Rayleigh!"
"Oh? So that's how you found me. What do you want?"
"Just a visit! And… maybe chat about Poneglyphs?"
Crocus raised an eyebrow.
Luo Lin had planned this from the start: before joining Luffy later, they'd sightsee the first half of the Grand Line and grab whatever Poneglyphs they could.
He only knew one location for sure—Skypeia—but had forgotten exactly how to get there (something about Knock Up Stream).
So they were winging it until the Straw Hats showed up.
"What do you want with Poneglyphs? Nobody can read them anyway. That's why no one's reached Laugh Tale in over a decade."
"We know. You need the four red Road Poneglyphs. But we're different."
Luo Lin pulled Robin close.
"We're the last survivors of Ohara. We can read them."
Crocus's eyes widened. He studied them carefully.
"So the rumors were true… If anyone from Ohara survived, it could only be you two."
"Devil's Child and Devil's Guard, at your service!"
"Everyone thought you died over ten years ago."
"Nope, very much alive! So—any Poneglyph locations?"
Robin leaned forward, eyes shining—this was her life's dream.
"You want the lost century, right?"
"Yes!"
"Sorry, kid. I was just the doctor—I barely left the ship. I don't know where they are.
But… collect the four red Road Poneglyphs, and they'll lead you to Laugh Tale. That's where the full history is."
Robin's shoulders slumped.
Luo Lin squeezed her hand.
"Hey, don't be sad! I believe in you. That history will be known to the whole world someday!"
"Yeah…"
Luo Lin sighed internally. No shortcuts, huh?
"Anyway, Mr. Crocus, we'll get out of your hair! Poneglyphs won't find themselves!"
"Go on, kids."
They left the lighthouse. No point staying longer.
Their real journey was just beginning!
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