In fact, there was another Devil Fruit available, but it was a Zoan-type, a relatively common category. Because of this, Caesar showed no interest in acquiring it.
Even so, Caesar had caused harm to many people in subtle ways, especially to the pirates who had intended to buy a Devil Fruit, hoping to change their fates along with their entire crews.
Now, these individuals were all glaring at Caesar.
One of them planned to wait until the auction was completely over—until Caesar had collected his winnings and left—before making a move against him.
For this, Caesar remained indifferent.
Coincidentally, Shan Lante, a skilled swordsmith among the Fifty Skillful Grade craftsmen, was also purchased by one of the pirates.
[87]The Merman Hades and the Call to an Unknown Fate
The pirates who had bid against Caesar but failed to obtain a Devil Fruit saw him as both an obstacle and a vulnerable target—an easy source of riches.
Thus, as soon as Caesar and his two companions left the auction house, nearly two hundred people trailed after them, some openly, others in secret.
But the trio showed no concern.
Among their pursuers, the strongest among them barely held the rank of a Marine Rear Admiral, while the majority were little more than common thugs.
"You two go buy supplies first, then return to the ship and wait for me. I'll handle the payment here," Caesar instructed.
After parting with his crew, he entered the transaction room to collect his winnings.
Soon, he successfully obtained high-quality swordsmithing materials, three Devil Fruits of unknown abilities, and the merman who had been auctioned off earlier.
Caesar turned his gaze to the shackled merman before him.
"What's your name?" he asked.
The merman, his face shadowed by a mix of defiance and exhaustion, remained silent. Deep within his dark eyes, however, burned an unyielding spirit.
He merely shot Caesar a brief glance, then snorted dismissively.
Seeing the lack of response, Caesar chuckled. He didn't mind.
He reached for his blade.
The merman didn't flinch. His expression remained firm, his posture resolute. He even lifted his head slightly, closed his eyes, and steeled himself for the worst.
Shing!
The unmistakable sound of metal slicing through the air.
Yet… there was no pain.
The merman's eyes shot open in surprise.
Before him, Caesar stood with his sword sheathed once more, watching him with an amused smirk.
"You…"
He then realized—the shackles on his wrists and ankles, as well as the explosive collar around his neck, were gone.
Regaining his freedom, the merman felt a surge of emotions—relief, confusion, and disbelief.
"Why… why did you let me go?" he asked warily.
Caesar's smile remained. "You're strong. And I think you'd make a good crewmate."
The merman's eyes widened in shock.
"How about it? Will you join me?" Caesar continued. "Once I finish some business, I plan to establish my own pirate crew and officially set sail."
The merman hesitated for only a moment before nodding firmly. "Yes! That's exactly why I came to the surface—to be free on the sea."
Caesar nodded. "I haven't asked your name yet."
"Hades," the merman answered.
"Alexander Caesar," Caesar introduced himself in return.
Hades' eyes widened. "What…?! That name…!"
A former senior officer of the Rocks Pirates. A legendary figure feared throughout the world.
Hades had heard that name even before leaving Fish-Man Island.
He never expected to meet him in person.
"I really didn't expect this…" Hades muttered in awe.
Caesar simply smiled.
As they walked toward the docks, Hades shared his story.
---
Hades' Past
Born and raised in the lawless slums of Fish-Man District, Hades was a talented young warrior trained in Fish-Man Karate. Unlike many in his neighborhood who harbored deep resentment toward humanity, Hades believed in justice. He protected the weak, punished criminals, and upheld his own sense of morality.
Recognizing his potential, the King's Army of Fish-Man Island recruited him.
For over a year, he trained under a master of Fish-Man Karate, refining his skills to an advanced level.
But upon reaching adulthood at eighteen, his curiosity about the world above the ocean overwhelmed him. Yearning for the sun, sky, and open seas, he left Fish-Man Island in secret.
His dream was simple—to sail the world as a free man.
However, his journey took a tragic turn.
After just a few days on the surface, a group of human traffickers targeted him. Though he was strong enough to defeat them one-on-one, they outnumbered him.
Overwhelmed, he was captured.
He was sold to a noble family on a nearby island.
Though he managed to escape once, he was recaptured, severely beaten, and resold multiple times.
Eventually, he found himself on the grand auction stage of one of the world's most prosperous islands.
Destined to be sold as a high-ranking slave.
Had Caesar not purchased him, he could only imagine the horrors that awaited.
For this, Hades felt immense gratitude toward the man who had saved him.
Based on what he had witnessed, Caesar estimated that Hades' overall strength was slightly above that of a Marine Captain but still below a Commodore.
However, his potential was undeniable.
With proper training, he could one day stand alongside Caesar's strongest crew members.
"I didn't expect your past to be so brutal… Those nobles are monsters," Brad spat in disgust after hearing the story.
"Don't worry. From now on, you're one of us. No one will push you around again," Gliner added with a reassuring smile.
Hades was taken aback.
Unlike the humans he had encountered before, these two showed no hostility toward him. No discrimination.
For the first time since his capture, he felt at ease.
His decision was final—he would follow Caesar.
---
A Clash at the Shore
As the four approached the docks, Caesar sensed a presence behind them.
Gliner exchanged a glance with him. "They've followed us all the way here."
"Should we deal with them now?" Brad asked.
Before Caesar could reply, their pursuers finally made their move.
A mob of nearly two hundred pirates emerged, surrounding them.
Each of them bore expressions of greed and malice.
Clang! Shing!
Swords, guns, and other weapons glinted under the sun.
"Hahahaha…"
"Hey hey hey…"
The pirates sneered.
"Be smart, hand over your money and the Devil Fruits now!" one of them barked.
"Yeah! Or we'll make you regret it!" another threatened.
Caesar smirked. "Our ship was too small before. Now that we've got a new crew member, we'll need a bigger one. Looks like we just found some donors."
At his signal, Brad and Gliner dropped their supplies.
A sudden surge of powerful aura exploded from their bodies.
Gliner, in particular, released his Haoshoku Haki.
Boom!
In an instant, more than half of their enemies collapsed, unconscious.
Hades was stunned.
"This… this power…!" he gasped in disbelief.
Before he could fully process what had happened, Brad and Gliner lunged forward.
Shua! Shua! Shua!
With blinding speed, they took down the remaining enemies.
Hundreds of pirates lay scattered across the sand, defeated.
---
The Dawn of a New Crew
Hades stood in awe.
These men… were monsters.
But for the first time in his life, he wasn't afraid.
He was thrilled.
He had chosen the right crew.
And from this moment forward, his new journey truly began.
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