Before Fleet Admiral Sengoku led the Marines, he had already been a significant figure in the organization, serving as an admiral. Alongside him, several vice admirals, including Garp and Tsuru, had consistently supported Marine operations.
A massive force had once encircled the so-called Caesar Pirates, yet none of them were captured—they managed to escape unscathed.
Now, if only a few vice admirals were dispatched to confront them, it would be akin to throwing away valuable Marine lives.
Although the Marines had pinpointed the whereabouts of the Caesar Pirates, they lacked the necessary resources to orchestrate a proper arrest.
Sengoku found this situation frustrating. The last time he clashed with Caesar, he sustained serious injuries, only recently recovering from the ordeal.
Sengoku understood one thing clearly:
If the Marines wanted to eliminate the Caesar Pirates, they would need a force ten times their number, implementing a full-scale blockade to prevent their escape via submersion—a tactic that had allowed them to slip away before.
This operation would require both Sengoku and Garp, along with at least one admiral-level combatant, to ensure victory.
To make matters worse, the Caesar Pirates had recently arrived at Water 7, making Marine Headquarters uneasy.
This concern wasn't just about Water 7's historical connection to Pluton, the Ancient Weapon. That classified information was only known to the highest-ranking officials in the Navy and the World Government.
The real issue lay in Water 7's proximity to Enies Lobby, one of the World Government's most prominent strongholds.
If the Caesar Pirates attacked Enies Lobby, the World Government would suffer a humiliating loss of prestige.
Such an event would shake the world's perception of the Government's authority.
A successful attack would embolden other pirate crews, possibly triggering a wave of challenges against the Navy's dominance.
After all, pirates were like a coiled spring—if the Marines showed weakness, they would only push harder, testing the limits of the world's law enforcement.
Because of this, the Navy had to maintain a dominant stance against piracy at all costs.
Otherwise, the consequences would be severe.
The Marines wouldn't just be dealing with pirates; they would also have to face the wrath of the World Government itself—a situation far more difficult to handle than any battle at sea.
To avoid this, Commander-in-Chief Kong had no intention of wasting more Marine manpower chasing the Caesar Pirates.
Instead, he leveraged the natural whirlpools and currents around Enies Lobby, positioning a small number of elite fighters on the island as a precautionary measure.
It wasn't a large force, but it was enough to stall an attack until reinforcements arrived.
Despite this, Caesar's presence in Water 7 remained a source of anxiety for Kong, Sengoku, and the other Marine leaders.
The situation left them in a passive position, constantly on edge.
For now, Sengoku was focused on other strategic matters, hoping to free up additional resources to fortify Enies Lobby's defenses or, if possible, take the fight directly to the Caesar Pirates.
Caesar's Ambition: The Great Prison
However, Caesar had no interest in attacking Enies Lobby.
Instead, he had his sights set on Impel Down, the Great Underwater Prison.
Since its establishment, Impel Down had housed numerous powerful pirates, including many Devil Fruit users.
While most of them were weaklings, some possessed abilities that could greatly benefit Caesar's crew if they were stolen.
As of now, Caesar himself, along with Regina and Vina, remained without Devil Fruits.
Unlike others, Regina and Vina were willing to consume Devil Fruits, but only if they found ones that truly suited them.
This was different from Grenali and the others, who either didn't care about having Devil Fruit powers or had already obtained suitable abilities.
Regina and Vina had adhered to the philosophy of "Better to have none than a poor choice."
If they had been willing to settle, Vina might have already chosen a Logia-type like the Cloud-Cloud Fruit or a Paramecia-type like the Spark-Spark Fruit.
But they wanted something truly suited to their fighting styles.
If Caesar could acquire the right Devil Fruits for them, it would significantly boost the Caesar Pirates' overall combat strength.
Impel Down contained many Devil Fruit users, though most were of little value.
Still, the potential remained—sometimes, an overlooked Devil Fruit could become extremely powerful in the right hands.
One major regret weighed on Caesar:
He had no clue where the Dark-Dark Fruit was.
There were no traces of it in his memory.
This was frustrating because the Dark-Dark Fruit was an ideal ability for him.
It nullified other Devil Fruit powers and offered devastating offensive capabilities.
Its major downside—doubling the pain experienced—did not concern him.
For one, Caesar didn't fear pain.
Secondly, very few people in the world could even manage to injure him.
Even without a Devil Fruit, Caesar remained extremely powerful.
After all, Gol D. Roger never ate a Devil Fruit, yet he became the Pirate King.
The same applied to Monkey D. Garp, who reached unparalleled strength through sheer physical might alone.
Devil Fruits weren't everything.
The Arrival of a New Ship
Time passed quickly.
While everyone in Water 7 enjoyed their time on the island, legendary shipwright Tom and his apprentice Eli worked tirelessly, constructing a new vessel.
A full week passed.
Then, on the ninth day, Tom finally completed the ship.
[130] The Arrival of the Stunning New Ship—"Emperor's Might"!
The new ship stood proudly, waiting for its grand unveiling.
A massive cloth covered it—a tradition before the launch of a new vessel, building anticipation for the reveal.
Three days ago, the keel, mast, frame, and deck had all been finished. Tom had then placed a covering over it, ensuring that its final form remained a mystery.
Now, the crew gathered around, excitement in the air.
This ship wasn't just transportation.
It would be their home, their weapon, and their partner for the next decade or more.
After all, in the world of One Piece, even ships could develop souls.
"I can't wait to see it!" someone exclaimed.
No one but Eli had seen the final ship design, and Tom had sworn him to secrecy.
Even when Brad and the others pestered Eli for details, he had refused to reveal anything.
This secrecy only heightened the crew's anticipation.
"I nearly peeked under the cloth yesterday," Hades admitted, chuckling.
"But I managed to hold back."
Vina sighed. "Finally, a ship of our own… instead of just stealing whatever we find."
She shot a glare at Caesar, who had a habit of seizing other pirate ships whenever the opportunity arose.
Now, their long-awaited vessel was here.
Tom grinned, stepping forward.
"I know you're all excited—even I, as the builder, can't wait to see it unveiled!"
He grabbed the covering.
Then, under the eager gazes of the crew—
He pulled the cloth away.
A massive, battle-ready ship came into view, its design both elegant and intimidating.
The crew stared in awe.
"My God… this is incredible!" Brad gasped.
"It's exactly our style—powerful and dominant," Hades grinned.
Caesar laughed. "This ship is worthy of the Caesar Pirates!"
Tom crossed his arms, beaming.
"Well? What do you think? This is my masterpiece!"
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