Chapter 647

Now,

Since I've come to Alabasta, the East Sea no longer seems far away.

If I don't return home to take a look,

Lu En feels it would be hard to justify.

For both sentiment and reason, he must visit the Windmill Village in the East Sea.

Wealth without returning to one's hometown

Is like walking in brocade at night.

"Perfect."

"This return to the East Sea will let me see my foolish, dim-witted brother Little Lufei, and check how much he's grown."

"And…"

"That guy Ace—no idea how he's raising my stupid brother."

Lu En's eyes narrowed slightly.

For a moment,

he had already made up his mind.

This voyage leaving Alabasta…

he would not return immediately to Marine Headquarters Marineford.

Instead,

he would head to the East Sea!

Return to his hometown, the Windmill Village.

With a goal set, Lu En immediately hoisted sail, steering a small sailboat from this sea near Alabasta toward the direction of the East Sea.

Three days later.

The sun shone brightly.

The sky was clear and boundless.

Golden sunlight spilled down from the horizon, casting dazzling glimmers upon the sea.

Like Jin Ziban, reflecting the sun.

The sea breeze blew gently.

Hua la la!

The calm sea surface stirred into ripples and waves.

In the distance,

a small sailboat sailed toward them.

On deck,

Lu En gazed at the endless sea around him, lost in thought.

"Three days have passed…"

"From the coast of Alabasta's port, sailing all this way toward the East Sea, I must be nearly at Reverse Mountain?"

Yes.

Three days had passed since Lu En left Alabasta.

During these three days,

his journey had been completely unobstructed, with no pirate crews encountered.

Therefore,

he was glad for the peace.

No pirate crews meant no obstacles.

Smooth, steady sailing…

According to his original expectations,

three days of unimpeded travel from Alabasta's port to Reverse Mountain should be no problem.

Within three days,

Lu En had served as navigator while also undergoing intense training.

Over these days, his strength had seen a slight increase; though the gain wasn't large, the accumulated progress was still considerable.

"I see it."

Not long after, Lu En spotted ahead a massive mountain mass in the sea.

A mountain as large as a continent.

Extremely huge.

Its crimson soil, like the Red Line Continent.

That impossibly vast mountain stood firmly blocking the sea ahead, as if cutting off all passage forward, making further navigation impossible.

If Lu En wasn't mistaken,

this must be Reverse Mountain!

A unique mountain range flowing upward against gravity!

And one of only two ways to return from the Grand Line to the Four Seas.

Aside from crossing the Calm Belt…

Whether traveling from the Four Seas to the Grand Line or returning from the Grand Line to the Four Seas, one must pass through Reverse Mountain's reverse currents.

In short,

Diandao Mountain is merely a transit hub.

It connects four seas and the Grand Line, with five routes converging at its center.

Anyone wishing to travel from the East Sea to the West Sea, or the South Sea or North Sea, must pass through Diandao Mountain as this transit hub.

Otherwise,

one would have to cross the Calm Belt.

But aside from the technology controlled by the Marines, no one else possesses the means to cross the Calm Belt.

Therefore,

Diandao Mountain has become the one and only transit hub universally recognized by the seas.

To cross any of the four seas, one must come to Diandao Mountain.

"Now that I've arrived at Diandao Mountain, I'm already very close to the East Sea."

"I suppose…"

"In another three or five days, I'll likely return safely to Windmill Village."

Lu En's eyes carried a bit of anticipation.

He had already reported his intention to return to the East Sea several days ago.

As Marshal, Kong would not refuse.

He had completed the two missions of recruiting Doflamingo and Crocodile; he was clearly a meritorious officer, and Kong could never refuse such a simple request to return home to the East Sea.

If Kong even denied this small request,

then his stature as Marine Marshal would be far too narrow.

Gradually,

Lu En steered his small sailboat closer to the mountain's bulk.

He arrived at the foot of Diandao Mountain.

He looked up,

and felt the mountain's immense grandeur.

A sense of pressure swept over him.

This mountain is far too important to these seas.

Without this mountain…

passage between the four seas would be an enormous problem.