The Fire Festival…
Land Purification research…
Recalling the news he had just heard, it wasn't hard to guess that Kaidou was planning to make a move against Kurozumi Orochi.
But it was no surprise. In Kaidou's eyes, Orochi had always been a mere tool, someone whose sole purpose was to exploit the people and supply the Beasts Pirate Crew with resources.
However, Caesar had painted a picture for Kaidou that he couldn't refuse—a vision where the entire nation could support the crew while simultaneously eradicating the lingering threat posed by the Kozuki Clan.
Kaidou might be wild, but he wasn't foolish. On the contrary, he was shrewd.
Although he advocated for rule through violence, if there was a more efficient way to maximize profits, then Kurozumi Orochi, the tool, would become obsolete.
Caesar didn't care about Orochi's fate.
He only wanted to seize this opportunity to eliminate the influence of the Kozuki Clan.
As Kaidou's daughter, Yamato was destined to inherit the title of Shogun of Wano Country. Even if she didn't want the position, Caesar would give her enough reasons to take it.
And once Yamato ascended to that position, her relationship with the Kozuki Clan would inevitably turn adversarial!
Those loyal to the Kozuki name would never stand by and let Yamato win the hearts of the people. They would undoubtedly rise up and cause trouble, thereby proving the point Caesar had made to Yamato earlier—that the Kozuki Clan was no different from the Kurozumi family.
Even if they were truly good people, once Yamato consolidated the people's support, the Kozuki Clan would have no place in this country.
By then, the so-called "Kozuki Virus" in Yamato's mind would be completely eradicated!
...
Time passed day by day, and in the blink of an eye, another month had gone by.
On the shores of Oni Island, Caesar, blindfolded, nimbly dodged Yamato's attacks.
A month had passed, and he had already mastered the application of Observation Haki. However, he didn't stop training in this area; instead, he devoted even more effort to honing his Observation Haki.
For top-tier fighters, ordinary levels of Observation Haki were practically useless.
Only by reaching the level of foreseeing the future could one contend with such individuals!
Over this period, Caesar had also roughly outlined the conditions necessary to become a top-tier fighter.
First, Conqueror's Haki Infusion was an essential prerequisite.
Second, Armament Haki needed to be capable of flowing and extending outward to destroy objects from within.
Finally, Observation Haki had to reach the level of foreseeing the future!
All three conditions were indispensable, and once one possessed all three, their strength would immediately surpass that of King, the right-hand man of the Four Emperors.
Yes, top-tier fighters were just that unreasonable!
For example, Zoro, after two and a half years at sea, had fought King for half a day without inflicting any significant damage. Yet, as soon as Caesar mastered Conqueror's Haki Infusion, he made King's mouth bleed. That was the power of Conqueror's Haki Infusion!
Or take Luffy's battle with Katakuri, where he was toyed with by the ability to foresee the future.
And then there was his fight with Kaidou, where a single Thunder Bagua infused with Conqueror's Haki nearly ended his dream of becoming the Pirate King.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
The spiked club whistled through the air, narrowly missing Caesar's body.
Caesar was like a butterfly, fluttering gracefully through the storm of staff strikes.
"Damn it, you're so slippery!"
Seeing that she couldn't land a hit, Yamato furrowed her brows and suddenly swung her staff with force: "Take this—Kabura Arrow!"
In an instant, a sharp, piercing sound tore through the air, like an arrow ripping through the atmosphere.
"Is this… Staff Aura?"
Caesar's heart tightened as he gracefully sidestepped the attack.
The fierce Staff Aura howled past, carving a massive trench across the surface of the sea.
"Hey, hey, isn't this move a bit too dangerous?"
Looking at the parted sea behind him, Caesar felt a slight sweat on his forehead.
He could understand sword energy…
But how could a stick produce something akin to a slash? That was beyond his comprehension!
With such a wide surface on the stick, how much force would it take to create an air cannon effect like that?
And this wasn't even Yamato's full strength!
Keep in mind, this girl was still wearing those Sea Stone Shackles on her wrists!
"Lord Caesar! Young Miss!"
From the bushes in the distance, a small underling cautiously poked his head out, looking in their direction: "Lord Kaidou has summoned you."
Yamato grumpily hoisted her stick onto her shoulder: "Huh? What does that bastard Pops want now?"
"You'll find out when we get there. Let's go."
Caesar had a rough idea of why. The Fire Festival was approaching, and the atmosphere on the island had clearly become livelier than before.
For pirates, liveliness often meant instability.
Not long ago, a minor officer who had drunk too much in the red-light district had 'accidentally' taken a wrong turn and ended up causing trouble in Caesar's building.
Naturally, the result was that Caesar drained him of all his blood and hung him outside the gate as a warning. Since then, no one dared to 'get lost' so casually.
The law of the jungle, survival of the fittest!
The Beasts Pirate Crew was exactly that kind of place!
Mythical Zoan, Conqueror's Haki.
From the moment he arrived, he occupied territory in the main building just like the officers, and even after taking down a major officer like Who's-Who, nothing happened to him.
Every day, he either trained or hung out with Yamato, not even needing to set sail. Anyone could see the favor and preference Kaidou had for him.
This special treatment and favor naturally sparked jealousy and resentment among many. That 'lost' guy from earlier was one of them.
And with his actions, Caesar had proven to everyone that he had the capital to stand out even in this dog-eat-dog world.
They made their way to the main building.
Along the way, they ran into Ulti and Page One, who had also been summoned by Kaidou.
"OIOIOI! Caesar, you bastard!"
The moment Ulti saw Caesar, she started yelling, one hand on her hip and the other pointing at him: "You've been hanging out with Yamato all day lately. Don't tell me you've fallen for this dumb woman?"
"Huh?"
Yamato was taken aback, looking at Caesar with a mix of hope and hesitation: "Is… is that true?"
"Ha—?"
Ulti rolled her eyes, mimicking Yamato's tone: "You're asking: is that true? What's true, huh? You dumb woman, don't tell me you're actually in love? How could a sly, shameless guy like him fall for an idiot like you?"
Yamato awkwardly scratched her head: "Is that so? Well, I guess there's nothing I can do about it, haha…"
Caesar shook his head: "No, actually, I do like Yamato."
Yamato's eyes lit up: "Nani? Really, Caesar?"
"You like her?!"
Ulti was also shocked, staring at Caesar: "So you actually like this dumb type?"
Hearing this, Caesar smiled at Ulti: "Yamato has a great figure."
"Ha—?!"
At Caesar's words, Ulti froze as if struck by a sudden blow, her head tilting back as she stood petrified on the spot.
"Long time no see. You've gotten stronger than before."
Page One gave Caesar a slight nod: "Don't mind her. My sister's still hung up on what you said about her figure last time."
"I can tell."
Caesar nodded. The girl had immediately started a confrontation upon meeting him, practically wearing the word "revenge" on her face. "It seems the girls of the Oni Race aren't very bright. Yamato is like this, and Ulti is the same..."
"How dare you compare me to that idiot? Damn it! Caesar, you jerk! Want to fight? And Page One, you fool, who would hold a grudge over something so trivial? It's just a few pieces of meat. What's the big deal? Am I holding a grudge? Haha, what a joke..."
Caesar glanced at Ulti, who was muttering incessantly. "Has your sister always been like this?"
"My deepest apologies..."
Page One seemed a bit embarrassed.
"Caesar, were you serious about what you just said?"
Yamato nudged Caesar with her elbow, her face beaming with a mix of cheerfulness and nervousness. Her index fingers tapped lightly, and she stole glances at Caesar, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.
"Of course, it's true. Yamato is kind and beautiful. How could anyone not like her?"
Seeing Yamato's expression, Caesar's face showed a hint of something indescribable. "No one would refuse to be friends with Yamato, right?"
"Is... is that so?"
Yamato was momentarily stunned. For some reason, she felt a faint pang of disappointment, but then she grinned again. "Caesar, you're my best friend too!"
"Oh?"
Noticing Yamato's reaction, Caesar's lips curled slightly into a faint smile.
"Somehow, my stomach feels a bit bloated. I'll head over first..."
Page One quickly walked ahead, and soon Ulti followed, her gaze fixed intently on Caesar.
"This idiot seems different than usual. You two are definitely up to something, aren't you?"
"Do you have something to say?"
Caesar sighed in exasperation. "Even if we were up to something, it would just be between the two of us, right?"
Ulti suddenly placed her hands on her hips, her expression serious. "No! I don't agree!"
Caesar's face darkened. "Who cares what you think, you idiot!"
The way this girl talked to herself had a bit of Monkey D. Luffy's vibe.
Cute, but also a bit of a pain...
Ulti pointed at Yamato. "What exactly does she have that I don't? Why do you like her?"
"What if I liked you instead?"
"I don't want that!"
"You're definitely here to pick a fight, aren't you..."
"I just can't accept losing to this idiot! That would make me even worse than an idiot! Do you even get it? Stupid Caesar!"
The group continued to bicker as they made their way to the activity hall, where most people had already gathered.
"You're late, brats!"
As soon as they entered, Kaidou's thunderous voice boomed in their ears.
Inside the hall, Kaidou's massive figure loomed like a mountain on the main seat. Caesar and the others instinctively shrank back at the roar.
Page One silently stood in a corner, while Caesar surveyed the people in the room.
Just like the night he first arrived, King stood beside Kaidou, wearing a mask and crossing his arms. Queen was noisily slurping a bucket of Red Bean Mochi Soup. Jack, as usual, stood expressionlessly to the side, glaring at everyone as if they owed him money, his face radiating menace.
Black Maria held a smoking pipe, smiling as she watched Caesar and the others.
"Hey! Caesar, kid!"
When Queen saw Caesar, he casually tossed the soup bucket aside: "What kind of nonsense idea are you coming up with, you bastard? Making me do Land Purification! I—"
Before he could finish, a massive Spiked Club flew horizontally, smashing him into the wall with a single strike.
"Get to the point!"
Kaidou exhaled a breath of alcohol and looked at the group: "There are three things I've called you here for today! First! I'm going to kill Kurozumi Orochi during this Fire Festival and take full control of Wano Country."
Ulti tilted her head: "That's it? Why not just kill him then? Why even announce it? Are you an idiot?"
Page One and Sasaki's faces darkened: "Don't start complaining now!"
Kaidou wasn't angered by Ulti's remark: "Second, Yamato will succeed as the Shogun of Wano Country!"
"Shogun? No way!"
Yamato quickly refused: "I don't want to be Shogun!"
"Then should Kaidou-sama do it?"
Caesar said leisurely: "Your Pops is so ruthless, he probably wouldn't have much patience for the people of Wano. And the rest of us are pirates, no different from Kurozumi Orochi."
"This…"
Yamato hesitated but ultimately didn't argue back.
Kaidou gave Caesar an approving look and continued with the third matter: "Third, I'm going to shut down most of the Sea Prism Stone factories and develop Wano's economy."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the room slowly tilted their heads in confusion.
Ulti stared at Kaidou with wide eyes: "Economy… what does that mean?"
"It means making Wano Country richer."
Black Maria exhaled a puff of smoke, her tone somewhat resigned.
She had always been in charge of the Beast Pirates' finances and resource management, so she was the only one present who could understand the implications of this plan.
Sasaki frowned: "Wait, wouldn't that harm our interests?"
"That's why I say you people…"
Black Maria sighed softly: "This must be Caesar's idea, right? After all, Kaidou-sama only thinks about war and wouldn't consider such things… But he's right. If we can bring Wano Country under our control, we'll gain several times the wealth and resources we have now."
"Oh? Maria understands this too?"
Kaidou looked at her in surprise.
"I know a little…"
Black Maria nodded: "A region's economy can be seen as its lifeline. But for pirates, this approach is still too unfamiliar—so unfamiliar that I can hardly believe these words came from Kaidou-sama's mouth."
Kaidou paused: "Hey, Maria, did you just call me stupid?"
"Don't mind the details, Kaidou-sama."
Black Maria smiled: "It's a great idea. I fully support this proposal."
"Hmm… I don't get it, but if Maria says so, then it must be fine."
Jack nodded, his voice deep and muffled.
He didn't understand any of it, but he trusted Black Maria's loyalty to Kaidou.
"So what is it exactly? I still don't get it!"
Ulti pressed her hands to her head, looking frustrated: "So? What do you want us to do? I only know how to fight!"
Kaidou spoke in a deep voice, "That's the issue. I need you all to keep your subordinates in check. During the execution of the plan, no harm is to come to the citizens of Wano Country."
"Huh—???"
As Kaidou's words fell, almost everyone was stunned, except for Caesar, the mastermind behind it all. Even Yamato couldn't believe that this was an order her ruthless father could give.
Ulti put her hands on her hips, "We're pirates! Are you an idiot or something?"
Page One pulled Ulti back, "This isn't the time for pointless sarcasm!"
"Hmph... Explaining it would be too much trouble."
Kaidou looked as if he couldn't be bothered to explain to this bunch of fools. In truth, he didn't fully understand it himself, but he could grasp the concept of wealth several times greater than the current level.
"Once Yamato becomes the Shogun, this matter will be your responsibility, Caesar! I want to see results within a year at most!"
"Fine, but I'll need manpower."
Caesar raised his hand and pointed, "I want Black Maria to assist me
in management, Ulti and Page One to be my subordinates, and I'll also need Queen to provide technical support."
"Huh? I'm not going to be your subordinate!"
"That's right, you brat! Who do you think I am? My technology isn't for saving the lives of those lowly commoners!"
As soon as Caesar finished speaking, Ulti and Queen couldn't wait to protest.
Kaidou snorted coldly and waved his hand, "Fine, they're all under your command!"
"Nani—?!" ×2
(End of Chapter)