White clouds drifted lazily across the sky.
Caesar lay on the ruined beach, his stomach rumbling like thunder, yet he didn’t move an inch.
That single strike infused with Conqueror’s Haki had drained every last drop of his strength.
Yet even a punch like that had done little more than knock aside King’s blade and land a harmless blow on his face.
Granted, King possessed the blessed defense of the Lunarian race, but weak was weak—if Kaidou had delivered that blow, the result would have been entirely different.
“Conqueror’s Haki infusion…” Caesar closed his eyes as the residual power of Conqueror’s Haki seemed to still surge within his veins.
He lay quietly on the sand, reliving the feeling from earlier, remaining silent for a long moment.
Suddenly, Caesar’s brow furrowed slightly as an invisible wave rippled outward, gently stirring the dust around him.
“Ha!
Conqueror’s Haki!
So it really was you fighting here just now?!” A hearty voice called out from above.
Caesar opened his eyes to see a tall silhouette standing over him.
It was a strikingly beautiful Oni girl with gradient white hair that faded into blue-green at the tips.
She wore a sleeveless white kimono, a broad fire-red skirt, and shackles on her pristine wrists.
Tied around her waist was a thick shimenawa rope just like Kaidou’s, and a pair of prominent red oni horns sprouted from her forehead.
Standing over two meters tall, her towering figure completely blocked out the sunlight above him.
It was her!
The woman whose strength in the main storyline was second only to Big Mom!
Caesar closely studied that gorgeous face.
Her fair, tender cheeks were flawless, while her high, arched eyebrows gave her sharp, spirited eyes a distinct touch of fierce stubbornness.
“Can I help you?” Caesar asked in a lazy tone, turning his head slightly to find a comfortable angle, quietly admiring the towering peaks before him.
A scale like this really was a miracle of the world…
“Judging by your clothes, you must be from the outside, right?” The girl looked Caesar up and down with curiosity.
“A pirate?” “I am indeed a pirate…” A barely perceptible smile flickered in the depths of Caesar’s eyes as he forced a helpless sigh.
“To be precise, Kaidou captured me and dragged me back here, forcing me to join the Beasts Pirates.” “Huh?
Captured?!” A flash of embarrassment crossed the girl’s face.
“That bastard…
How could he do something like that!” “Well, pirates steal whatever they set their eyes on.
Though to be fair, I haven’t really lost anything…” Caesar sat up with some effort.
“By the way, I’m Caesar.
What’s your name?” “I’m Yamato!
Kaidou’s son!” As she spoke, the girl dropped into a kneeling posture beside Caesar, placing her hands on her knees, her fingers nervously rubbing the edges of her skirt.
“I’m truly sorry about what happened to you!
Even though I don’t get along with that guy, regardless…” “It’s fine.” A faint smile gleamed in Caesar’s eyes.
He hadn’t expected to encounter her under these circumstances.
Speaking of which, part of the reason he was willing to stay here obediently was to learn Haki, but another part was precisely for this white-haired girl in front of him!
Beneath her beautiful appearance was a personality as pure as a blank sheet of paper, combined with immense power inherited directly from Kaidou!
For Caesar, who wanted to build his own faction in the future, Yamato was undoubtedly a reliable candidate for a crewmate.
Of course, before that, he had to properly clean out that little head poisoned by Oden…
With that thought in mind, Caesar formed a plan and broke into a bright smile.
“We can’t choose where we’re born, but we can choose what kind of person we become.
I can tell you’re nothing like him.” Hearing this, Yamato froze for a moment.
Her pretty eyes widened, shining with a bright light.
“Ha…
What!
You’re actually a great guy!” Yamato laughed with pure innocence and clapped Caesar on the shoulder.
With a thud, Caesar’s head slammed straight into the sand.
“Whoa!
Sorry, sorry!” Flustered, Yamato pulled Caesar back up.
Her eyes scanned his body.
“Are you hurt?” “No, just completely drained.” Caesar shook his head.
He wanted to wipe the sand off his face, but his arms were too sore and weak to move.
“If it’s not too much trouble, could you take me back?
I live over by the main building.” “Oh!
Leave it to me!” Yamato hoisted Caesar onto her back and strode toward the interior of Onigashima, carrying him all the way back to his quarters.
“So you live here.” Handing Caesar over to Ayu for support, Yamato looked around the room.
“Wasn’t this originally part of the red-light district?
The area Black Maria manages?” “Yes, Master Yamato,” Ayu replied hastily, clearly recognizing her.
“Does that mean we live pretty close to each other?” “Oh?
You live in the red-light district too?” “No, I spend most of my time in the underground prison cells!” “Hmm?
Your father-son relationship sounds pretty complicated.” “Haha!
Usually I just get thrown in there whenever I fail to challenge Kaidou.” “I see…” Seeing Yamato’s cheerful demeanor, Caesar smiled.
“Ayu, help me to the bath first, then prepare some food and wine.
I want to entertain my new friend.” Ayu looked worried.
“But Lord Caesar, your body…” “Leave it to me!
It’s about time I had a nice bath anyway.
Which way is the bathroom?” Yamato laughed heartily and reached out to support Caesar.
“Hold on.
Men and women should keep their distance,” Caesar said, standing up with difficulty.
“If you want to take a bath, wait until I’m finished.” “It’s fine!
Didn’t I tell you?
I’m a man!” Yamato laughed, tucked Caesar under her arm without another word, and charged into the bathroom.
She stripped off Caesar’s clothes completely, then tore off her own top, instantly bathing the entire room in a blinding holy light.
Truly magnificent!
Hey!
I didn’t take advantage of this on purpose!
Caesar’s eyes went wide as he pointed at the dazzling sight before him.
“You are clearly a woman.” Hearing this, Yamato raised both hands high.
“My body is a woman’s, but I have resolved to live as a man!” At those words, Caesar smiled playfully.
“Oh?
Then, my good brother…
can I feel your pecs?” “Of course not, you pervert!” Yamato’s face darkened, a faint, barely noticeable blush creeping through her fierce expression.
“I can still tell what sexual harassment is!
You don’t actually take me for an idiot, do you?” “If I can’t even feel your pecs, how are you a man?” Caesar chuckled softly.
It seemed the girl at least possessed basic cognitive awareness.
“You aren’t a real man, after all.
If you’re this careless, people are going to take advantage of you like a foolish woman—even if you don’t seem particularly bright to begin with…” “Stop babbling!” Yamato tossed Caesar straight into the bath, then leaped into the water with a loud splash.
“Haha!
That feels great!” Stretching lazily, Yamato turned her head, only to see Caesar floating on the surface of the water…
Startled, Yamato hurriedly pulled him up.
“Hey, hey!
Caesar, what’s wrong with you?!
Pull yourself together!” “I’m…
a Devil Fruit user,” Caesar said in a faint, hollow voice, his already exhausted body stripped of what little strength remained.
“Oh, right!
Looks like you’re not used to this kind of weakness yet.” Yamato propped Caesar up and asked curiously, “What kind of power do you have?” “Mythical Zoan, Vampire Fruit.” “Vampire?
Awesome!
Do you drink blood then?
Do you want to drink mine?” “Your pecs?” “Damn it!
I told you, I’m a man!
A man can’t harass another man!” “What a coincidence.
I’m gay.” “Nani?!” Yamato stared in shock, her face darkening a moment later.
“You bastard!
You’re messing with me again!” “Speaking of which, why are you so insistent on becoming a man?” Caesar leaned lazily against the edge of the pool.
His height of one hundred and ninety centimeters looked almost delicate next to Yamato’s towering stature of over two meters.
“To tell you the truth…
I want to become Kozuki Oden!” Yamato bit her lip, a trace of hesitation in her voice.
What an utterly unsurprising answer.
“Kozuki Oden, huh…” Caesar’s tone turned inscrutable.
“Your kind of foolishness is just the right amount of cute.
It’d be a pity to waste a face like yours turning into a fool like him.” “What did you say?” Yamato’s face darkened, her demeanor turning serious, unlike her earlier playful rowdiness.
She was clearly offended.
“Is there a problem?
The Kozuki Oden you’re talking about…” Caesar tilted his head back, thought for two seconds, and then suddenly chuckled.
“You mean the samurai who terrorized his neighborhood as a child, abducted women as a youth, abandoned his country as an adult, and came back only to be fooled by lies?” “That’s not true!
You’re misunderstanding him, Caesar!” Yamato hastily spoke up to defend her idol.
“Those were just the wild antics of his youth…” Hearing this, Caesar laughed.
“Oh?
So when he commits evil it’s ‘wild antics,’ but when Kaidou commits evil he deserves to die tenfold?” “It’s not the same!” Yamato clenched her fists tightly, her eyes stubborn.
“He really changed!
After seeing the vast sea, he became merciful.
He genuinely wanted to do something for everyone and open Wano’s borders!” “And what was the result?” Caesar smiled.
“He was tricked into dancing naked in the streets, lost the trust of his people, and allowed Wano to fall into the hands of Kurozumi Orochi, leaving the common folk in misery and starvation.” “He was deceived by villains!” “Because he was stupid!” Caesar’s face turned solemn.
“Listen to me, Yamato.
Everyone wants to be the protagonist of their own story, but no one ever lives solely for themselves.
Everyone has their own duty, and a ruler’s duty is to be responsible for his people!” “If you want to live as a man, then you should understand even more that a man’s most important trait is responsibility!
If a man can’t even bear responsibility, what right does he have to speak of ambition or freedom?” “Running away when he should take responsibility, acting soft when he should be firm, being naive when he should be on guard…
Looking at his whole life, all I see is a fool posing as grand and heroic.” Yamato was struck speechless.
She stared blankly at Caesar, unable to find a way to refute him.
After a long silence, she finally stammered, “But…
but he did it for the innocent people…” “Has there ever been a war without casualties?” Caesar asked calmly.
Yamato swallowed hard, her mind in complete turmoil.
“The sea is very vast, Yamato.” Seeing her silent and bewildered expression, Caesar couldn’t help but smile slightly.
“What kind of person you want to become is your freedom, but shouldn’t that be something you consider after you’ve actually seen the vast world outside?” “Of course I want to!
But Kaidou put these shackles on me…
If I step outside Wano, they’ll explode!” Yamato raised her hands, the shackles rattling at her wrists, her eyes filled with unwillingness.
“Honestly, I’ve wondered if that guy was lying to me.
After all, would anyone really blow up their own child?
But whenever I think about the off chance it’s real, I back down.
After all…
my father is that man…” “I see…” Water droplets condensed on the hair clinging to his forehead and dripped down softly.
Caesar exhaled lightly, ran a hand through his damp hair, and slowly sat up straight, finally revealing his true intention.
“In that case, do you want to join my crew?” “Didn’t I just say I can’t leave Wano?!” “I’ll help you remove the shackles!
You just need to decide whether you want to set sail with me!” Caesar spoke in a solemn tone.
“To be honest, if I wanted to, I could leave this place anytime—I could have avoided being captured by Kaidou in the first place.” Yamato was puzzled.
“Then why didn’t you run?” “Because I was too weak!” Caesar shook his head.
“Kaidou is one of the absolute strongest powerhouses on these seas.
He possesses an insanely strong physique and top-tier mobility.
In theory, even if I fled to the other side of the ocean, as long as he tracked me down, he could capture me again whenever he wanted.” “So in a sense, I am bound by shackles just like you.
And the shackles binding me are my own weakness!
Only when I grow strong enough to face Kaidou head-on will I truly possess the capital to sail freely across this sea!” “Two years at most!” Caesar raised two fingers.
“Give me two years at most, and I will definitely be able to stand against Kaidou head-on.
When that time comes, are you willing to leave with me?
To head out to sea!” Mist hovered thick inside the bathroom.
Yamato stared foolishly at Caesar, her mouth forming an ‘O’ shape, her big eyes sparkling with admiration.
“Caesar!
You’re amazing!” After a long moment, Yamato snapped out of her daze and cried out in excitement.
“Hey, hey, aren’t you going to suspect I’m just talking big?” “No!
I’ll help you!
If it’s the two of us, we can definitely do it!” Yamato slapped her left hand against her right bicep and laughed heartily, full of enthusiasm.
“Then it’s a promise!
Once we’re strong enough to take on Kaidou, we’ll set sail—together!” “Alright!” Caesar smiled warmly.
“Speaking of which, do you still intend to become Kozuki Oden?” “I really do admire Oden.
Everything I know about him comes from his journal.” Yamato slowly lowered her arm and fell into thought.
Then, as if realizing something, she suddenly broke into a relieved smile.
“But I think what you said makes sense too…
There are some things the current me can’t fully understand.
So for now…
I’ll put it on hold!” “Is that so…” Caesar tilted his head and pointed at Yamato’s chest.
“So, does that mean you’re a man or a woman right now?” “Huh?” Yamato pursed her lips and followed Caesar’s finger, blinking once, looking at Caesar, and blinking again with an adorably clueless expression.
“Well…
um…
in your eyes, should I be a man or a woman?” “In my eyes…” Caesar cupped his chin in thought, recalling her vibrant face from their first meeting earlier.
“In my eyes, you should be a woman who is stronger and more outstanding than any man.” “I see…” Yamato lowered her head, plunging into deep thought.
Wet strands of hair hung loosely over her forehead, hiding her pretty face.
A moment later, faint tendrils of steam rose from the top of her gradient white hair—though whether it was water vapor or something else was hard to tell.
“Ahem…
Then for now, I’ll temporarily be a woman who’s stronger and more outstanding than a man, just as you said!” “Then those pecs…” “GET OUT!!!”