The true core technology of the Sea Train was not the steam engine, but its tracks.
Although the technological level of the East Blue was still relatively underdeveloped, William had gleaned from limited news reports that electricity was already becoming widespread in many parts of other seas. The Marines and the World Government, whose technological levels far surpassed the average of the East Blue, certainly wouldn't lag behind. According to information from Gin, who had been stationed in the Grand Line, steam engines were not considered groundbreaking technology for the Marines or the World Government.
What truly set the Sea Train apart was its ability to emit a special sound during operation, which prevented Sea Kings from disturbing the tracks laid across the ocean, ensuring safe passage.
In fact, the long tracks of the Sea Train laid across the sea should have been more vulnerable to attacks by Sea Kings due to their sheer span. Any damage caused by such attacks could result in catastrophic derailments, with consequences potentially far worse than those faced by ordinary ships.
Yet, in all the years the Sea Train had been in operation, there had never been an incident of Sea Kings attacking the tracks. This alone demonstrated the incredible practicality of the technology invented by the fish-man Tom.
This sonic technology, which repelled marine creatures through the interaction between the train and the tracks, was invaluable in a world teeming with dangerous sea life. Its importance was on par with, if not greater than, the steam engine.
Moreover, unlike the steam engine, this technology was unique to the Sea Train, with no similar applications elsewhere.
William, who had taken note of this early on, sometimes even suspected that this very technology was the reason why, despite the Sea Train's invention many years ago, it still operated on only a few lines. The World Government showed no intention of promoting its use.
The World Government already possessed technology for crossing the Calm Belt and navigating freely between seas. According to Gin, the Marines had a special type of warship equipped with Seastone embedded in the hulls. This allowed them to avoid Sea King attacks and sail safely through the Calm Belt.
However, Seastone was an extremely rare and precious mineral. Outside of the World Government, few forces could afford to use it so extravagantly.
By monopolizing this navigation technology, the World Government maintained tighter control over the connection between the Four Seas and the Grand Line. Pirates from the Four Seas had little choice but to enter the Grand Line via Reverse Mountain, preventing the already chaotic and difficult-to-manage Grand Line from becoming even more uncontrollable due to an influx of pirates.
William was determined to enter the Grand Line—it was the center of the world, the focus of global attention. It was where the most Devil Fruits could be found, where the most talented individuals gathered, and where the Great Pirate Era's strongest contenders vied for supremacy on the grandest stage. There was no way William would miss it.
However, the Calm Belt served as a barrier, isolating the East Blue from the Grand Line. While it was possible to reach the Grand Line from the East Blue via Reverse Mountain, returning afterward became far more inconvenient, and maintaining connections between the two regions grew increasingly difficult.
Having worked tirelessly in the East Blue for many years, William could not abandon his foundation here to venture alone into the Grand Line. If he did, all his efforts in the East Blue would be meaningless.
Thus, he had been planning for this for a long time—how to maintain his control over the East Blue while entering the Grand Line, ensuring that the Calm Belt would not become an insurmountable obstacle. His goal was to turn the East Blue into his personal backyard.
It was impossible for William to emulate the World Government and the Marines by outfitting his ships with Seastone. Instead, he decided to abandon wind power in favor of steam-powered propulsion and to arm his ships with sonic technology to repel Sea Kings. This plan became part of his blueprint for the future.
For this reason, the Sea Train had always been a transportation tool that William was deeply fixated on—it contained the key technology he needed.
The blueprints that had immediately caught Buggy's eye and amazed him were, in fact, designs for such a specialized ship. Buggy had quickly realized that this type of ship could solve the two major challenges of navigating the Calm Belt, making it incredibly practical.
It didn't take long for Iceburg to understand as well.
Previously, due to a mental blind spot, the apprentices at Tom's Workshop had always focused on building the Sea Train itself. Both the steam engine and the track technology had been invented to ensure the Sea Train's smooth operation. Neither the original designer, Tom, nor his young apprentices, Carter Flamm and Iceburg, had ever considered applying the sonic technology used to repel Sea Kings to other ships.
Iceburg had certainly never imagined that someone thousands of miles away in the East Blue, without ever having seen the Sea Train, could conceive of an idea that even the original designers hadn't thought of.
However, the idea wasn't without merit, and Iceburg found himself intrigued. As an exceptional shipwright, he was eager to build a ship capable of conquering the fearsome Calm Belt.
...
When the group arrived at Tom's Workshop, Kuro and Iceburg began discussing mundane matters such as living arrangements and daily necessities. Meanwhile, Edmond and Gin quietly slipped away, avoiding the crowd.
In a secluded corner, Edmond pulled a few thick notebooks and a peculiar fruit from his bulging coat and handed them to Gin. "These are from William. The notebooks contain his personal insights on Rokushiki and Life Return, as well as the training methods for Fish-Man Karate that he recently acquired. As for this fruit..."
"A Devil Fruit?!" Gin exclaimed in surprise.
William had spent a fortune on this single Devil Fruit—nearly as much as he had offered as a bounty for the steam engine.
Yet, even with William's influence and wealth in the East Blue, he hadn't been able to acquire more Devil Fruits. So far, aside from the Mochi-Mochi Fruit still maturing in the Plaza of Fate, this was the only one in his possession. He had entrusted it to the reliable Edmond to deliver to Gin.
During their discussions about forming the expedition team, William had mentioned sending something to Gin. That "something" was primarily this Devil Fruit.
"William believes you might need this to enhance your strength at Marine Headquarters," Edmond said. "But he's unsure what kind of fruit this is. If you're hesitant—if you're worried that the ability might not suit you and could even hinder your strength—you can choose not to eat it. William said that if you don't eat it, I should. But..."
"...this fruit looks so strange, almost poisonous," Edmond joked. "You'd better eat it before I do."
Gin didn't hesitate. He took the Devil Fruit and bit into it without a second thought.
The bitter taste and peculiar texture made Gin grimace. Through clenched teeth, he muttered, "If eating a Devil Fruit, which is supposed to enhance the eater's abilities, ends up making me weaker, then it means I'm unfit for this era and deserve to be left behind. After all, there are no useless abilities—only useless users."
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