Chapter 101

The Straw Hats are finally ready to enter Grand Line. Thanks to the map they stole from Buggy, Nami understands that they have to reach a point called Reverse Mountain, a mountain crossing the Red Line where the current of the four seas diverge into the Grand Line. After a scary encounter with the giant Sea Kings of the Calm Belt, they finally reach the cliffs of the Red Line and the narrow entrance of the canal that will help them climb Reverse Mountain. Despite the storm and the heavy currents, they succeed and sail toward the sea at full speed.

Reverse Mountain

Luffy thinks the light from the light house should not disappear, claiming it is an emergency as they could become lost. Nami reminds Luffy why she is the navigator, remembering the way to the Grand Line is her job. Later, Nami reveals to the rest of the Straw hats that the entrance to the Grand Line is Reverse Mountain on the Red Line. They are confused as they believe it to be impossible to climb a mountain with a ship. Zoro wonders if the map is accurate as she stole it from Buggy. Luffy, on the other hand, is excited to go to that "magic" mountain. Zoro suggests entering the Grand Line from the south, shocking Luffy. The captain explains that they must enter from the mountain because it is "cool", much to Nami's disgust.

Suddenly the weather calms down, surprising Nami. She explains that they need to head towards the storm in order to arrive at the entrance. Soon, she realizes that they are in the Calm Belt and that they are in trouble because there is no wind. Nami, nervous about the outcome, orders everybody to row, prompting Usopp to remind her that it is not a rowboat. Nami explains that the Grand Line is surrounded by two seas. They are in the Calm Belt which is a sea without any wind or currents.

The ship shakes, confusing everybody that it might be an earthquake. Soon, the crew realizes that they are surrounded by sea kings. After a moment with the sea kings, the crew is back to the storm, Nami reminding Zoro why they need to use the entrance, Zoro now agreeing with her.

Nami then understands why they have to head for the mountain, explaining that the waves from the four seas gather there to create a stream. The stream would push the mountain's canal and when the water has reached the mountain's peak it will push back to the Grand Line. The only problem is controlling the rudder to avoid sinking. Luffy, on the other hand, does not understand and Sanji is amazed by Nami's navigation skills.

After awhile, they see a big shadow ahead. They realize it is the Red Line surrounded by fog. Sanji and Usopp take hold of the rudder. While turning the heavy rudder to avoid getting off route, it accidentally breaks. Luffy has no choice but to transform into a rubber balloon to avoid hitting the gate. After a brief moment of suspense, the crew is finally back in track, cheering for their accomplishment.

The crew amazed by the wonders of nature, they soon see the Grand Line.

Mission 82

Waiting at the Shellbury Hotel, Fiona and the WISE Agent realize that Winston Wheeler is not coming, wondering if their intel guy was wrong and if Wheeler changed the rendezvous location at the last second. At the park, the SSS agents ask Winston to hand over the files, but Winston wants to verify that they really are SSS. The leading agent asks the same thing, to which Winston says that his green tie and yellow gemstone tiepin was the signal that they specified. The agents report the color yellow to the Boss at HQ, who goes to chat with one of their members, Jeffrey. The Boss reveals to Jeffrey that the agents never specified the gemstone's color, but told other agents a different color. This would reveal who was leaking their information, and the Boss proceeds to expose Jeffrey as their mole for WISE.

Loid is revealed to have been disguising himself as Winston in order to distract the SSS, and the agents draw their guns at him, believing to have finally cornered Twilight. To their surprise, Loid had prepared traps for his escape, detonating the park fountain as a distraction and leaving concealed rope traps under the leaves. The SSS agents follow Loid out of the park, and a team finds an injured Yuri Briar nearby. Yuri tells them that Twilight headed to the east gate, but after they leave, he quickly gets up, having been Loid quickly disguising himself as him.

Meanwhile, the real Yuri searches for Twilight in the park with the Lieutenant. He spots an anomaly: his footprint on the ground, even though this is his first time in the area. Yuri believes Twilight is beginning to panic by leaving a track and deduces that he may have gone down in the sewers. Yuri descends below to give chase while the Lieutenant sends backup to guard the sewer exits. As he searches the sewers, he is attacked from behind a corner by a metal pipe. The attacker aims a gun at Yuri but wavers, and Yuri is shocked to see that the attacker is Twilight disguised as him.

As both men shoot each at other, the scene quickly changes to Yor at home. She accidentally breaks one of Loid's plates and cuts her finger while trying to pick up the mess. She blames Yuri for rattling her by suggesting that Loid is cheating, but forlornly looks at her finger as she wonders if Loid will be coming home late.

Charon

One coin is all that it costs to enter the Elysian Fields.

One coin, no more, no less. That is the toll Charon expects. The Ferryman of Hades, is a simple being at heart. He has but one task, and does it well. Neither judge nor jury, he is a fixed point in the cosmology of the Underworld. A deliverer of souls to their final rest...so long as the proper rites have been performed and payment made. But attempting to board his craft without permission or payment is sure to arouse his wrath, which is never far from the surface.

This is not to say that Charon is as irascible as some stories claim. Rather, he is a professional; a being of boundaries and permissions. To cross the one, you must have the other. But those who defy the ancient laws which govern the threshold between the living and dead, find that Charon is the first to confront them – and often the last.

Yet, while he is a bellicose defender of the underworld’s sanctity, he has also been known to console the souls of the grieving or the frightened. Though he is fearsome, Charon is not frightening. The souls of the dead have nothing to fear from him.

He is both guardian and escort in one. He has guided his boat along the shadowed lengths of the Styx and the Acheron for millennia, and souls who book passage upon his craft are thenceforth under his protection against the myriad dangers of the underworld. To ride with Charon is to be ensured a safe journey to one’s ultimate and final destination.

But the time is coming where Charon must sail on unfamiliar waters. The pantheons are in upheaval, and the souls of the fallen are at the mercy of unfriendly forces. So the Ferryman must set forth and bring these lost souls home, whatever the cost.

Patchy prologue

At his home in Encino, California, Patchy the Pirate tells the audience that they will be watching his favorite episode, "Shanghaied," but Potty shoots him out of a cannon.

Chapter 3

One brilliant cherry blossom petal remained.

It clung tenaciously to the otherwise waifish fingers of the tree. The others had long since blown away in cold Autumn winds. Ares crept silently through the forest. Aokigahara welcomed no sound. No birds. No crickets. No rustling of branches. Only a powerful silent stillness that even Ares was loathe to break.

In pursuit of Anubis, he journeyed to Yomi No Kuni, the path to the Underworld, but a cascade of boulders blocked the entrance. Now, he searched this dark place. The Suicide Wood, where the wall between Hell and Earth was most thin.

Opposite the Cherry Blossom grew a twisted oak, lifted above the ground on gnarled roots to form a black hollow beneath. Sickly moss dangled across the mouth like diseased fangs. Whispers issued forth. An invitation to death. Cautiously, Ares approached.

A woman hurtled from the darkness like a spider, clawing through the wet soil, skin pale, black hair stringy, eyes vacant. Ares effortlessly leaned away so she clawed empty air. White ribbons, stained and splotched, snapped tight about her wrists, preventing escape, leashing her to the shadowed recess behind. She snarled and spit and eyed Ares like prey.

"Free me," she whispered. "Free me and I will grant your greatest desire."

Ares lifted his chin. "Who offers me this?"

"I am Izanami," she purred. Bony fingers extended to caress his chest. "What is your desire? A lover unlike any the world has known?"

Ares pushed her hand away. "My lover is the most beautiful creature in the universe. You do not tempt me."

"What of power?" she retreated, drawing a sinuous blade from the darkness of the cavern and holding it to him. "None will be your equal."

"None are my equal," Ares growled. "You have nothing to offer me, demon." Ares turned to leave.

"Wait!" cried Izanami rushing forward until her ribbons pulled. "What of vengeance?"

"Vengeance?" Ares halted.

"Name whom you seek and I shall find him for you. You need merely swear to free me from this prison."

"Anubis," hissed Ares.

Izanami inhaled sharply and closed her eyes. "West. He is West. I will take you to him. Free me!"

Ares frowned beneath his helmet. Slowly, he nodded. "Take me to him."

"Swear it!" she writhed against her bonds. "Swear to free me!"

"I swear it. Once Anubis is dead, you will be free." Ares wrapped her ribbon chains around his forearm and pulled. "Until then, you are mine."

The last Cherry Blossom petal fell.

Diary of Koby-Meppo

Vol.16 : "Obstruction of Obstruction of Bombardment Obstruction"

コビメッポ奮闘日記vol.16「砲撃阻止阻止阻止」

Oda Eiichiro

Mitsuru Nakamura is an artist-lyricist and I thought he just drew the album covers for 19. Turns out he's also a musician!! That's so cool.

中村満は詩描き(しじん)で、19（ジューク）のジャケット描いてるだけかと思ってた。本人バンドマンか!!すげー。

Chapter 102