Chapter 22: Unstoppable Triumph: A Revolution's Inevitable Ascen

Roger expressed his feelings, saying, "East Blue? I truly long for it." East Blue holds a special place in his heart as his hometown. Even as he journeys across the world and spends decades at sea, the yearning for his hometown never fades. Among the legendary pirates of old, Roger and Whitebeard share a unique attachment to their hometown, making them both quite sentimental about it.

Whitebeard remarked, "Reaching East Blue from the Kingdom of Keroja isn't a simple feat." The Kingdom of Keroja is located in the South Blue. To travel from the South Blue to the East Blue, one must either navigate through the two Calm Belts and the Grand Line directly or take the Red Line and scale it abruptly.

The former is a complete dead end, and only the Marines possess the technology to do so. The latter option is also highly time-consuming and labour-intensive. Shiki questioned the difficulty, suggesting, "Why not just float over there?" Byrnndi World countered, "Do you think everyone possesses such useful abilities as you?"

People who are aware of the Golden Lion's ability can't help but feel envious. The Lion Fruit's power is incredibly convenient. With this ability, navigating through terrain becomes a breeze, and only adverse weather conditions pose any challenge.

Airships, crossing the Red Line, and navigating the Calm Belt all become straightforward tasks. The speaker inquired, "It's not easy to reach East Blue, Mr. Smile. Are you aware of any caravans capable of crossing the sea?"

Roja pondered and asked, "Hey, is it worth it?"

Fujitora, with closed eyes, responded, "Hey, don't bother. My ability can take you directly over the Calm Belt."

Roja, smiling, acknowledged, "The gravity fruit's ability can indeed achieve that."

However, he added, "But there's no need. Despite mentioning East Blue as the research location, the actual research has already commenced. The route from South Blue to East Blue is also worth exploring."

A few days later, Roja and Fujitora boarded a cross-sea caravan.

After several days of travel, the caravan approached the vicinity of Reverse Mountain.

At the Upside Down Mountain base, Roja noticed a camp bustling with activity. It appeared to be a camp collectively established by several cross-sea business caravans.

"Aren't you concerned about pirates?" Roja inquired.

Given its proximity to the reverse current entering the top of the mountain, this camp, while not weak, still had a gap compared to more formidable pirates.

"If a pirate with a bounty of more than 20 million tried to plunder, this camp would truly be unstoppable," expressed Roja.

"Don't worry, it won't happen," reassured the captain with a relaxed smile.

He explained, "For one, there are numerous strong undercurrents around the Upside Down Mountain, and the climate conditions are akin to the Grand Line. Ordinary pirates tend to avoid this area. The powerful pirates who come to the Upside Down Mountain usually proceed to the Grand Line."

"Secondly, there aren't many islands near Reverse Mountain. Typically, if pirates decide to plunder, they prefer locations where smaller islands are clustered together," the captain added.

"I see," responded Roja as he took out a notebook and jotted down what the captain shared.

The caravan, having navigated Reverse Mountain multiple times, was well-acquainted with the route, skillfully avoiding currents that could push large ships to the mountain's top and reach the base smoothly.

Fujitora and Roja assisted in loading and unloading the cargo for the caravan, showcasing strength beyond that of ordinary individuals, leaving the captain secretly impressed.

"Even though I didn't display my full strength, this should be sufficient," Roja thought.

At the moment, Roja and Fujitora had a degree of freedom to act. Being civilians and not yet rewarded by the World Government, they were not bound by official duties.

As they unloaded the cargo at the camp at the mountain's base, Roja curiously asked the captain, "Are we planning to climb the Red Line to reach the East Blue?"

"Yes," the captain responded. Given Roja and Fujitora's displayed strength, he explained more politely.

"If you wish to travel from the South Blue to the East Blue, this is the only viable route," he continued.

Roja inquired, "Is there no alternative? Perhaps a sea route that can cross the Calm Belt or a current at Reverse Mountain leading to other sea areas?"

"If only there were such a convenient option," the captain remarked with a wry smile.

"The Calm Belt lacks wind or current; sailboats can't make any progress there, not to mention it being the domain of Sea Kings, making it impossible to traverse," the captain explained.

"The Upside Down Mountain has only five passages, with four being upwelling currents and only one leading down to the Grand Line," he continued.

Roja questioned, "Hasn't anyone considered creating a new current route at Reverse Mountain?"

The captain replied, "Certainly, some have attempted it, but the undercurrent near Reverse Mountain is unique. Despite the downward flow from the top of the mountain, once it merges with the seas of the four blues, the turbulent undercurrent promptly changes the direction of this stream, causing it to flow upward."

Roja continued to record in his notebook, and the captain, who was initially curious about Roja's behaviour, was no longer surprised.

"So, has anyone considered installing a mechanical device directly from the Red Line? I've heard about a bubble lift in Mariejois that's more than capable of transporting goods," Roja inquired, adopting a reporter-like approach.

As the captain of a cross-sea caravan, he possessed extensive knowledge and responded by shaking his head slightly.

"I'm not sure where you heard about it, brother, but there are only two bubble lifts in Mariejois. Even with just transporting people, there aren't enough, let alone goods," the captain clarified.

"Perhaps the World Government occasionally uses it for deliveries, but ordinary merchants shouldn't count on it. If the bubble machines were feasible for more than one, Mariejois would have more than just two," he added.

"As for the mechanical device, I heard of a caravan from North Blue attempting it. They even invited scientists from Balakimoa and skilled craftsmen from the Water Capital," the captain disclosed.

"Scientists in Balakimoa and artisans in the Water Capital," Roja whispered.

Observing the smile on Roja's face, the captain looked a bit puzzled, prompting Roja to explain, "Balakimoa is renowned as the country of the future, a technological hub. It's said that their technology is a hundred years ahead of the world. The Seven Capitals of Water is a city that gathers the world's best shipbuilders."

"If it's scientists from Balakimoa and craftsmen from the Water Capital, building a mechanical device to easily ascend the Red Line shouldn't be difficult," Roja remarked.

"Yes, unfortunately, the World Government halted the project," the captain expressed with some regret.

"Stopped it? Why?" Roja initially showed surprise but quickly composed himself and made notes in his notebook.

"I don't know. The World Government claimed that the law doesn't permit it and even dispatched Marines to disband everyone," the captain explained.

"Indeed," Roja nodded.

After a while, all the goods were unloaded.

"We'll rest here for half a day and then begin our journey to cross the Red Line. Guests can find a place to rest first," the captain announced before departing.

Fujitora inquired, "You seem happy," after the captain left.

Fujitora had been present throughout the entire conversation with the captain, but he couldn't discern anything that would bring happiness. He only sensed the inhumane nature of the World Government.

"Because I've discovered the top advantage that our revolutionaries hold over the World Government," Roja explained.

Roja raised the notebook in his hand and added with a smile, "This is the power of investigation."