Chapter 655: The Pirate Crew That Treads the Grand Line

Inverted Mountain.

Here, the current flows upward.

It is also the only path through which pirates from the four seas enter the Grand Line.

Every day, pirates pass through Inverted Mountain to enter the Grand Line.

Pirate crews carrying countless dreams…

Flood in from all four seas, enter Inverted Mountain, use it as a transit station, and smoothly advance into the Grand Line to realize their dream of becoming Pirate King.

On this day,

an immensely massive pirate ship was about to slide down from the upward current of Inverted Mountain, ready to officially enter the Grand Line.

A gentle sea breeze blew in.

The skull flag, hoisted high, fluttered in the wind.

It bore the image of a skull holding two weapons—uniquely bizarre and distinct, clearly revealing the true identity of this pirate crew.

They were a pirate crew from the West Blue.

Their name: the Phantom Thief Pirate Crew!

Their captain, Phantom Thief Kasi, was a notorious pirate with a bounty of sixty million Berries, famous throughout the West Blue and feared by countless others.

Having grown too powerful in the West Blue, Kasi's ever-expanding ambition bred the desire to enter the Grand Line and dominate it.

Thus,

under Kasi's leadership,

today, the Phantom Thief Pirate Crew entered the upward current of Inverted Mountain, preparing to enter the Grand Line and claim their rule over it.

At this moment,

the entire pirate ship had successfully passed through the upward current, moved from the West Blue into Inverted Mountain's transit station, and now sailed toward the Grand Line's sole current.

On deck,

the pirates, led by Phantom Thief Kasi, all wore expressions of excitement and exhilaration.

Their faces full of anticipation.

They seemed to already see

their Phantom Thief Pirate Crew dominating the Grand Line.

Having ruled one corner of the West Blue, they had mentally prepared to dominate the Grand Line.

They were no longer satisfied with merely ruling the West Blue.

So,

they came to the Grand Line!

To fulfill greater ambitions.

Preliminary conservative estimates placed the total number of Phantom Thief Pirate Crew members at no fewer than three hundred.

They were a mid-sized pirate group.

Not too large,

yet not small either.

Combined, the bounties of the entire crew—including Captain Kasi—had already reached the threshold of one hundred fifty million Berries.

It goes without saying.

How formidable this pirate crew's scale truly was.

In the West Blue…

they were undeniably a powerful crew.

Even in the Grand Line, the Phantom Thief Pirate Crew could dominate a region—so long as they avoided a handful of top-tier powerhouses, they could freely terrorize a stretch of sea.

"Boss, I think I can already see the Grand Line!"

One pirate after another, faces flushed with excitement, stood at the edge of the deck railing, gazing with eager eyes toward the endless ocean ahead.

Now,

they were steering the entire pirate ship as it slid down from the peak of Inverted Mountain.

If they successfully slid down from here,

then

they would officially enter the Grand Line!

Their dream of dominating the Grand Line was within reach.

Thinking of this, every pirate aboard felt overwhelming excitement.

"The Grand Line…々〃…"

"So close!"

"Our Phantom Thief Pirate Crew's domination of the Grand Line is not far off."

"When that happens, we'll recruit more men, expand our numbers, and become a legendary, powerful crew in the Grand Line!"

"Then, using the first half of the Grand Line as a stepping stone, we'll charge into the New World! Make Boss the Pirate King!"

"With our current overall strength, dominating the Grand Line won't be hard."

"Exactly. Our strength ranks among the very top in the West Blue. Even in the Grand Line, we're among the top few."

"Even the Marines can't touch us!"

"…"

Over three hundred pirates clenched their fists, expressions full of anticipation.

They could hardly wait to enter the Grand Line, expand their crew, and make their entire pirate crew the rulers of this sea.

"Dominate the Grand Line…"

"My goal is far more than that!"

As captain, Kasi revealed a Zhang Kuang great laugh.

This was a thin, middle-aged man, dressed in a white tailcoat, like an elegant gentleman, carrying a unique air about him, looking as though a gust of wind could knock him over.

Who would have thought.

This seemingly fragile middle-aged man was the great pirate Phantom Thief Kasi, with a bounty as high as sixty million Berries, an existence of extremely powerful strength.

"The boss's goal is to become the Pirate King!"

"With the boss's ability, becoming the Pirate King is absolutely no problem."

"The boss is mighty!"

One by one, the pirates patted his back excitedly.

Hearing this,

Kasi revealed a satisfied smile.

His eyes glimmered as he gazed into the boundless sea in the distance.

In his eyes.

Something called 'ambition' kept growing.

He harbored great ambition.

If not, he would not have given up ruling and dominating the West Sea, and headed for the Grand Line.

Wasn't it precisely to realize that surging ambition?!

He was no longer satisfied with dominating the West Sea.

He wanted to become an even greater pirate!

He wanted to dominate even vaster seas!

The Grand Line…

Was his current primary objective.

"With the boss's strength, once entering the Grand Line, he'll surely dominate one side before long."

"When the time comes…"

"We'll seize some merchant ships, use their resources to recruit and buy horses, expanding our crew to a scale of three thousand men."

"This way, even the Marines won't dare act rashly against our Phantom Thief Pirate Crew."

"Boss, what do you think?"

A group of pirates looked toward Kasi.

"Not bad."

"Recruit and buy horses…"

"Expand the pirate crew!"

"This is our next primary objective."

"Once our numbers reach a certain scale, we can go swallow up other pirate crews and forge an unprecedented, colossal pirate crew."

"When that day comes…"

"We'll let the entire Grand Line know the illustrious fame of our Phantom Thief Pirate Crew, and make even the Marines wary and afraid to act rashly."

Kasi burst into laughter, his eyes filled with fervor and anticipation.

His desire to dominate the seas of the Grand Line was not something that had taken shape in just a day or two.

However…

Until now,

Only then did he have enough courage and capital to lead his men into the Grand Line.

He was certain.

This time, entering the Grand Line from the West Sea, within a month at most, the fame of their Phantom Thief Pirate Crew would echo throughout the first half of the Grand Line.

So that everyone who heard the name of their Phantom Thief Pirate Crew would be struck with terror.

"Soon!"

"It's almost here!"

"This goal…"

"Will be achieved within a month!"

Kasi clenched both fists.

Not long after,