Creak—!
A piercing screech echoed in the quiet alley.
Kouta and Kuina stood outside the only tavern in this small town, gently pushing open the unusually old wooden door and stepping inside.
The dim tavern was deserted, appearing very quiet.
All that could be seen was a wisp of smoke rising from behind the dark bar, and faint sparks behind the smoke.
Upon closer inspection, it was an old man with a bushy beard, lying on a recliner behind the bar, puffing away!
The old man didn't move at the sound of the door opening.
Having run a tavern on Prometheus Island his entire life, he had decided not to continue after this year.
After all, he was getting old, and his son wasn't inheriting the tavern.
The old man squinted, leisurely smoking, much like a wealthy landowner lounging in bed, indulging in opium.
It was only when Kouta sat on a high stool outside the bar that his eyes slightly opened a crack, glancing over.
Thump!
Thump, thump!
Thump, thump, thump!!!
...
Kouta's fingers tapped rhythmically on the bar.
He lowered his head, looking at the old man behind the bar through the smoke.
The old man looked like he had many stories to tell, his aura of age was undeniable.
"Sir, it's broad daylight, and there are no customers in the shop. Why don't you go out and get some sun? Be careful not to get moldy sitting in the dark for too long!"
The old man, with a pipe in his mouth, stood up unhurriedly and looked at Kouta and Kuina through the dappled light and shadows cast by the window.
When he saw Kouta's face clearly, he suddenly froze.
Then, as if he hadn't noticed anything, he exhaled a smoke ring and said, "I'm already at the age where I'm about to be buried; it doesn't matter if I get sun or not. It's you young folks who are something else."
"Hmm! So you recognize us!"
Kuina caught the meaning in the old man's words, a look of confusion on her face as she asked, "Do you know us?"
"No."
"You really don't?"
Kuina stared intently at the old man, as his words clearly implied he knew them.
The old man didn't answer Kuina.
He first exhaled a large cloud of smoke, removed his pipe with his left hand, and tapped it on the edge of the bar, knocking out the ashes.
Then, he put the pipe back in his mouth, took out some tobacco, stuffed it into the pipe, and relit it.
Only then did he look up at Kuina and slowly say, "The Marines who came this morning seemed to be talking about you."
"Marines?"
"Here, take a look! This is what they dropped!"
The old man, from goodness knows where, produced two wanted posters and placed them on the bar.
Kuina quickly grabbed them and started to read.
"Kouta, these are our bounties!"
"Oh!"
Kouta replied nonchalantly.
He was clearly not interested in the wanted posters, but rather more intrigued by the old man in front of him.
He stared at the old man and asked with a deliberately grim expression, "Sir, since you recognize us, aren't you afraid?"
"Recognize?"
The old man smoked, squinting, looking hazily at Kouta.
"Do I know you?"
Kouta stared at him for a moment, then smiled, "Yes, you don't know us. How could you possibly know us!"
"Such a clever old man."
It was obvious this old man was an expert at playing dumb.
He clearly knew Kouta and Kuina, but pretended not to, to avoid trouble.
"Oh, right, sir."
"How much longer is it to 'Loguetown'?"
Kouta asked, looking at the old man.
Their main route was to Loguetown, and then through the canal on Reverse Mountain to reach the "Grand Line."
If they hadn't gone to Cocoyasi Village, they would have already been on the "Grand Line."
"Loguetown?"
"It's about a day's journey by sea!"
"A day's journey?"
Excitement flashed in Kouta's eyes.
"So they'll be able to reach the Grand Line soon."
The East Blue was a bit too boring for them, offering no challenge at all.
Seeing Kouta's expression, the old man asked unhurriedly.
"So you're heading to the Grand Line?"
"Yes!"
"It's not an easy place to get to."
A hint of remembrance flashed in the old man's eyes.
"Oh... it seems you've been to the Grand Line, sir?"
Kouta had known from the start that the old man had stories to tell, and here one was.
His face showed curiosity as he quickly asked, "Can you tell us about your experiences on the Grand Line?"
The old man took down his pipe, shook out the ashes, then took a deep breath and slowly began to speak.
"This old man never made it to the Grand Line!"
"When I was young, I wanted to go to the Grand Line, but at Reverse Mountain, I couldn't catch the canal, and my ship was destroyed, and I almost died."
"If it weren't for the lighthouse keeper of Reverse Mountain saving me in the end, I probably wouldn't have returned."
As he spoke, the old man's hand trembled slightly.
It seemed the experience still made him tremble even now.
"That scary?"
Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed across Kouta's face.
"Yes, very scary."
The old man took a puff of his pipe and continued, "Countless ships head for the Grand Line every year, but only about half of them actually reach it!"
"The currents at Reverse Mountain are not something ordinary ships can handle, and the entrance to the canal is extremely narrow. Without a good navigator, you can't get in."
"Oh."
Kouta shrugged indifferently, losing interest in the old man's story.
He was only interested in matters concerning the Grand Line now.
As for Reverse Mountain.
For them, it would be like riding a roller coaster at an amusement park.
Seeing Kouta's indifferent attitude towards his experiences and Reverse Mountain, the old man lost the desire to continue speaking.
Reverse Mountain was a path to hell for ordinary people.
For this pirate with a bounty of 70 million berries standing before him, it was probably just a small waterway!
He picked up a wine glass, wiped it clean, poured a glass of juice for Kuina, and a glass of wine for Kouta.
Having run a tavern for so many years, he could tell at a glance who could drink and who couldn't.
"Thank you, sir."
Kuina took the juice and thanked him.
She really didn't care much for alcohol.
But Kouta was different.
He picked up his wine glass, took a small sip, nodded, and then shook his head.
Seeing Kouta's reaction, the old man asked curiously, "Kid, what's wrong?"
"The wine is good, just not strong enough."
"Strong?"
"Yes!"
"I don't like drinking wine with too low an alcohol content; it feels like it has no flavor."
"Oh! Is that so!"