Although his physical strength did not match the sheer, monstrous power of beings like Kaido and Charlotte Linlin, Caesar had honed his body to an exceptional level through relentless training.
Caesar initially considered avoiding the confrontation but changed his mind upon reflection.
After all, this was not an actual battle—it was a sparring match with Hades, a means to refine his understanding of Fish-Man Karate.
With that in mind, he had to seize the opportunity to test his theories.
He gathered water around him, attempting to manipulate the ocean currents in response to Hades' water arrows.
Crash!
With a forceful movement, Caesar sent a wave surging forward. The seawater, under his control, crashed like a moving wall.
The impact of his technique was far greater in scale than Hades' precise water arrows.
Hades frowned at the spectacle before him.
Had he not witnessed it firsthand, he wouldn't have believed that a human—let alone a beginner—could wield Fish-Man Karate to such an extent.
Yet, despite its grand appearance, Caesar's technique lacked focus. His water mass dispersed upon impact with Hades' water arrow, scattering and dissolving into the sea.
The arrow, though weakened, still shot toward Caesar.
Snap!
The attack struck him, but with its force already mitigated, it barely caused any damage.
"Just as I thought," Caesar mused. "Even though my attack made a bigger splash, my water manipulation lacks the concentrated power of your arrows."
This brief exchange deepened his understanding.
He imitated Hades' earlier motion, swinging his right hand and launching a water arrow of his own.
Though it was slower and weaker than Hades', it was still a legitimate Fish-Man Karate technique.
Hades, caught off guard, was forced to dodge.
The sight left him momentarily stunned.
Caesar had not only adapted to Fish-Man Karate in real combat—he was already imitating techniques after a single exchange.
Hades couldn't help but question his own years of training.
Humans struggled immensely with water manipulation; even a decade of effort might not yield results.
In all his years, Hades had never seen a human successfully utilize Fish-Man Karate.
Not once.
Yet Caesar had done it—quickly grasping the fundamentals, summoning water for defense, and now, taking another leap forward by launching an attack.
The rate of improvement was staggering.
Hades was stunned but also filled with admiration. "Captain, if it's you, you might take Fish-Man Karate to a level I can't even imagine."
"One step at a time," Caesar replied. "To grow stronger, we must think in battle. We have plenty of time to improve."
"And remember what you said earlier—we must all grow together."
"Of course!" Hades agreed, his excitement for the future evident.
Then, a thought struck him. "Captain, what exactly is that ability you used to control water?"
"Oh, that?" Caesar grinned. "I call it telekinesis."
"Telekinesis?"
"Yeah. By strengthening my mind, I can exert force on objects remotely."
[Chapter 90: The Navy's Ambush]
With their minds set on mastering Fish-Man Karate, Caesar and Hades dedicated nearly all their time to training.
Sparring had become part of their daily routine.
As their training sessions intensified, Caesar's mastery deepened, and even Hades felt himself improving.
As a result, the waves surrounding their pirate ship grew wilder by the day.
On the ship, Brad looked on in frustration. Watching the two clash in the water, he sighed, "Our jobs just keep getting harder. Not only do we have to steer the ship through these crazy waves, but we also have to repair all the damage."
"Seriously," Gliner groaned. "How long are they gonna keep this up? It's great that they're getting stronger, but they're making life hell for us. At this rate, the ship's gonna sink before we even reach the next island."
The two shared a silent look.
Ten days passed in a blur, and the crew finally neared their next destination.
As the island came into view, Caesar and Hades paused their training and returned to the deck.
Brad sighed in relief. "Finally! We'll be on solid ground soon. No more eating, drinking, or sleeping on this damn rocking boat."
He repeated finally twice, emphasizing his longing for land.
Gliner didn't say anything, but he silently agreed.
Caesar, meanwhile, looked at them in confusion.
Wasn't it normal for a ship to rock at sea?
If they couldn't handle a little movement, they'd be better off as bandits than pirates.
Having never suffered the full brunt of their Fish-Man Karate-induced waves, he couldn't understand their pain.
Hades, however, clenched his fists in excitement. "I wonder if we'll find strong opponents here. I want to test my strength."
Caesar glanced at the island.
It was a small harbor town, far less prosperous than their last stop.
Not that it mattered—what he cared about was acquiring better materials for his sword.
"Don't get your hopes up," he told Hades. "The stronger your expectations, the bigger the disappointment."
"And besides, it's not like powerful enemies show up just because we want them to."
"…Is that so?" Hades muttered, a little dejected.
Meanwhile, in a Certain Room in the Harbor Town…
A marine scout peered through his binoculars, watching the approaching ship.
After confirming its appearance, he pulled out a sketch of the same vessel.
There was no mistaking it.
Although its pirate insignia had been removed, the ship matched the description from their intelligence reports.
His eyes lit up.
"It's Caesar! That's Caesar's ship!" he shouted.
"Quick! Inform Vice Admiral Garp! This is our chance to take down those filthy pirates!"
His comrades, who had been lazily waiting, immediately snapped to attention.
Excited, they rushed to deliver the news.
When Garp heard it, he grinned and cracked his knuckles.
"Finally! I was getting bored waiting for this guy. Not as exciting as chasing Roger, but this should be fun!"
With his command, the hidden marine forces sprang into action.
They had arrived on the island a full day earlier, well-prepared thanks to the Navy's intelligence network.
And to ensure victory, Garp himself had come.
This was the man who had thwarted Rocks D. Xebec's ambitions at God Valley—the Hero of the Marines.
With him leading the charge, the marines believed there was no escape for Caesar and his crew.
Back at Sea…
Brad, steering the ship, suddenly stiffened.
His face paled as he spotted a warship emerging from the island at an alarming speed.
His voice trembled. "Boss! We've got a problem—the Navy's here! They found us!"
Caesar's expression darkened.
Spreading out his Observation Haki, he quickly scanned the incoming warship.
At first, he was unimpressed. A single marine vessel was hardly a threat.
But then, his gaze locked onto the warship's bow.
That iconic figurehead.
The dog-headed ship.
His eyes narrowed.
This wasn't just any warship—it was Garp's warship.
And standing at the bow, already removing his cape, was the man himself.
Brad and Gliner also recognized it instantly.
"It's him," Gliner muttered. "Caesar, do we run or fight?"
They all knew Garp's reputation.
Yet, after months of rigorous training, they were eager to test their newfound strength.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, cannon fire rained down.
But these weren't ordinary shells from the ship's artillery.
No—Garp himself was hurling them like cannonballs.
Explosions rocked the sea, shaking their vessel violently.
Caesar smirked.
"Brad, full speed ahead. I want to see how much stronger I've become. It's time to fight Garp!"
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