At that moment, the people of Mock Town were not cheering for the Revolutionary Army, or Ace, or the hot air balloon taking something into the sky.
They were simply cheering for themselves.
Like the first time a car started, the first time an airplane took off, or the first time a rocket launched.
Every step in it was a solid step forward for humanity.
And that was only technology visible to the naked eye. Chemical engineering, synthetic fibers, materials, medicine—things invisible to the eye yet closely tied to everyone's lives—were all steadily improving people's quality of life and raising the level of the world.
This hot air balloon was merely one small step for Leo.
The entire scene instantly erupted. Once it rose more than ten meters off the ground, no one had any doubts that it could fly.
Everyone cheered loudly and without restraint.
Once it hovered at ten meters, the rope had reached its limit, and Ace stopped releasing flames into the hot air balloon.
The hot air balloon simply floated in the sky, gently swaying in the sea breeze.
Ace jumped straight down from the hot air balloon with a bright smile on his face. Facing Leo, he said, "Ah, I really wish Iska could see what we're doing."
What they were doing was right, just, and great.
But those were only broad principles and outlines.
If not for the Celestial Dragons, if not for the World Government, if not for the excessive exploitation by kingdoms and nobles everywhere, and if the masses had not been suffering so deeply, how could Leo have gathered so many pirates and Marines with just a few words?
But before this, it had all been too abstract.
Until now.
Until this hot air balloon had been made.
Only then did