The black flag bore a large emblem at its center—a striking pattern resembling the sun.
At the heart of this sun motif lay the most crucial element of any pirate flag: the skull.
The skull's eyes, however, were shaped like crescent moons, giving it a unique and ominous look.
Among these symbols, the sun represented the majesty of Caesar, while the moon symbolized the indomitable spirit of his crew.
Once the name of the pirate crew and the flag's design were finalized, they wasted no time in crafting their Jolly Roger.
From this day forward, they were no longer nameless wanderers—they were the Caesar Pirates.
Their era had officially begun.
No longer operating in secrecy, their growing infamy spread across the seas.
The Caesar Pirates encountered ruthless crews—pillagers, murderers, and tyrants who sowed chaos wherever they roamed.
For such enemies, there was only one fate: total annihilation.
With each victorious battle, Caesar and his crew carved their names deeper into pirate history, their reputation swelling like an incoming tide.
The Navy, already wary of Caesar, soon issued a slew of new bounty posters for the Caesar Pirates.
---
The Bounties Are Revealed
One morning, as the sea breeze carried the scent of salt and adventure, Hades purchased a fresh newspaper from a News Coo.
He casually flipped through its pages—until his eyes locked onto a familiar sight.
His voice rang out across the deck:
"Captain! Gliner! Brad! Come out!"
Holding the newspaper high, he shouted excitedly:
"It's the new bounty updates!"
A grin stretched across his face as he read aloud:
"My bounty is now 52 million Berries! Hahaha! After all the pirates we've taken down, the Navy finally acknowledges my contribution!"
Gliner and Brad crowded around him, eager to see their own updates.
"What about mine?" Gliner asked.
"Yeah, what about me?" Brad added.
They quickly scanned the paper and found their new figures:
Gliner: 403 million Berries!
Brad: 187 million Berries!
The numbers had skyrocketed, and both men grinned with satisfaction.
A pirate's bounty was more than just a price on their head—it was a mark of recognition.
Then, as if struck by sudden realization, Brad turned to Hades and asked:
"What about the captain? How much is Caesar's new bounty?"
Silence fell as they all looked back at the newspaper.
A moment later…
"OH MY GOD!"
"Boss' bounty just jumped to 2,011,000,000 Berries in one go! Isn't that insane?!"
Brad groaned. "We fought just as hard—why is there such a ridiculous gap? Can't they just split Caesar's bounty in half and give me a share?"
Gliner smirked. "If you manage to beat Garp, your bounty will skyrocket too."
Brad scoffed. "Then why don't you take on Garp one-on-one? Or maybe fight Sengoku? Zefa?"
The moment those names were uttered, an eerie silence swept over the deck.
Right. This bounty increase came from a clash with Garp the Fist.
Breaking the silence, Gliner gripped the hilt of his western sword, a glint of determination in his eyes.
"Caesar says we're still young. We have time to grow. One day, I'll reach Garp's level."
Brad, though hesitant, clenched his fists. "I… I'll work hard too."
Hades grinned, cracking his knuckles. "I'll just keep honing my Fishman Karate. With the captain training me, I might even catch up to you two soon."
---
One Year Later – The Rise of the Caesar Pirates
[94] One year later, the Caesar Pirates had undergone drastic changes.
Among the most notable changes? Their ship.
Their first vessel had suffered extensive damage—between Hades and Caesar's intense training, and their battle against Garp, it was practically falling apart.
In relentless clashes against the Navy and rival pirate crews, the ship had ultimately met its demise.
Now, they had acquired a new one.
Still, it wasn't their dream ship—not yet.
They had been in near-constant battle for a year, leaving little time or resources to build the perfect vessel.
But even more important than the ship… was the crew.
Over the past year, five new members had joined the Caesar Pirates.
The New Recruits
1. Yakexi (Chef – 25 years old)
A master chef who had traveled across the Grand Line, learning from the world's best culinary experts.
Also a skilled martial artist, specializing in boxing.
To protect his hands, he commissioned custom gloves, allowing him to fight without injury.
After training under Caesar, he became as strong as a Navy Vice Admiral.
Bounty: 262 million Berries.
2. Lily (Navigator – 19 years old)
A stunning purple-haired navigator with a genius-level IQ.
Though lacking in combat strength, her ability to predict weather phenomena rivaled that of Nami.
Thanks to her, the Caesar Pirates avoided countless maritime disasters.
Bounty: 39 million Berries.
3. Regina (Doctor – 23 years old)
A cold, silver-haired beauty with the aura of a royal noblewoman.
Wields scalpels with deadly precision—both for surgery and in combat.
With Caesar's Haki training, her attacks rarely miss their target.
Bounty: 88.5 million Berries.
4. Weina (Musician – 19 years old)
A blue-haired beauty, proficient in every instrument.
Unlike most musicians, she specialized in kick-based martial arts to protect her hands.
Bounty: 100 million Berries.
5. Arnold (Sniper – 29 years old)
A former bounty hunter, now the crew's marksman.
Skilled with both long-range rifles and dual pistols.
Bounty: 113 million Berries.
---
Total Crew Bounty: 4.2 Billion Berries!
With just nine members, the Caesar Pirates had reached an astronomical total bounty.
Even more shocking? They were still growing.
---
Forging the Ultimate Blade
Over the past year, Caesar had entrusted the black market with gathering the rarest sword-forging materials.
Now, at last, they had everything they needed.
Standing before his crew, Caesar announced:
"We'll be going off the grid for a while."
The crew exchanged glances.
Yakexi raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Caesar smirked. "Because it's time to forge my ultimate sword."
Hades' eyes widened. "Then… who's making it?"
Caesar turned toward the horizon.
"In the East Blue… there's a man named Shimotsuki Kozaburo."
Gliner and Brad immediately understood.
The others, however, looked puzzled.
Caesar chuckled. "He's one of the greatest swordsmiths alive. The man who forged three of the 21 Great Grade Swords. He's the only one I trust to make mine."
Yakexi grinned. "Can he reinforce my gloves too?"
Regina added, "I could use a new set of scalpels."
Hades cracked his knuckles. "A trident for me."
Caesar smiled.
"Then let's go pay him a visit."
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