The more Kaido thought about it, the angrier he became. His mind kept going back to it—again and again—until his frustration boiled over.
With a deep, guttural growl, he upended his gourd, draining the last drop of sake. Then, gripping his massive kanabo, he swung it furiously at the boulder beside him.
BOOM!
The impact shattered the rock into dust, sending shockwaves across the top of Onigashima. The island itself trembled under his fury.
The young Beast Pirates standing nearby instantly sensed danger. Without a second thought, they turned on their heels and fled, knowing that whenever Kaido drank in this state, destruction was imminent.
Yet for him, sake was the only thing that could numb the growing restlessness in his heart.
Unlike those who once followed the Golden Lion, Kaido had stood against him—an enemy nearly wiped out by Shiki's fleet just a week ago.
The Roger Pirates had only just escaped the Navy's relentless pursuit yesterday. At this very moment, they were licking their wounds, recuperating on an unknown island.
Not long ago, Golden Lion Shiki had nearly crushed them with his legendary "Thousand Ship Armada." It was a battle they should have lost. But then fate intervened—a natural disaster turned the tide. Before they could even catch their breath, the Navy arrived in full force, forcing them to flee yet again.
Had they died in that chaos, they would have ended up just like Shiki.
And yet, now that he was truly gone, there was an odd, unspoken feeling among them all.
Was it a sense of loss? The quiet mourning of a fallen legend?
Or was it the unsettling realization that the world was shifting—rearranging itself in the absence of a titan?
No matter how one looked at it, the death of a pirate as legendary as Golden Lion Shiki was bound to send ripples across the seas.
But his death... it wasn't one of honor.
He had been executed not by the Navy, nor by a long-time rival, but by Caesar.
A man who, despite everything, had risen from the shadows to establish his own rule—strong enough to bring even legends to their knees.
In this world, there was only one truth: if you weren't the strongest, then your fate was inevitable.
Just like Roger's crew now—they had barely escaped.
For all their strength, they had nearly been erased from history.
At that very moment, far from the chaos, the World Government's highest officials—the Five Elders—watched the scene unfold, their expressions unreadable.
"The Central Navy has solidified its position," the elder with white curly hair and a cane muttered, his voice laced with resignation.
"They are becoming exactly what the world perceives the Navy to be—enforcers of justice."
The bald elder, his head scarred from countless battles, exhaled slowly. "That's right... The banner of righteousness—it has been partially stolen." His tone dripped with quiet fury.
In the past, such a thing would have been unthinkable.
The World Government was the power in this world. The Navy's justice was the only true justice.
Yet now, these so-called "Central Navy" forces had seized that perception for themselves.
"What do we do now?" asked the long-haired elder with the flowing white beard, his voice edged with concern.
For now, dealing with Caesar was a delicate matter. A direct move would be dangerous. But ignoring him? That invited disaster.
"We hold the line," said the white-robed elder, absentmindedly polishing his sword. His eyes sharpened with resolve. "We fortify the Four Seas and the first half of the Grand Line."
"We cannot allow the Caesar Pirates to extend beyond the New World."
For now, that was the only path available to them.
The World Government had never been strong enough to fully control the New World—and now, with Caesar in the picture, that task had become impossible.
Even during the last major battle, when they had discussed this issue, no clear solution had emerged.
The other elders nodded in agreement.
"For now, this is the only option."
The room fell into a tense silence.
Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters…
The scene before them left many Marines with an unsettling feeling.
Shiki's execution was just. There was no doubt about that.
But it hadn't been carried out by them.
It had been carried out by their enemy.
And that, more than anything, was what made them uncomfortable.
This wasn't justice—it was a slap in the face to the very institution of the Marines.
Why?
Because they were supposed to be the ones who defined justice.
Not the Central Navy.
If they could, they would have eliminated Caesar long ago.
But the brutal truth was—they couldn't.
And that reality burned.
Back in the Middle Kingdom…
Regardless of how the outside world reacted, cheers erupted across the Central Kingdom.
Golden Lion Shiki had been executed. His reign had ended.
And Caesar? He immediately left with the body.
No one thought much of it. Many had hated Shiki, but they still acknowledged his strength.
A king deserved a burial.
But what they didn't know—what no one knew—was that Caesar had no intention of simply burying him.
As soon as he reached the inner chambers of the palace, he stepped through a Dimensional Door created by Doyle, his ever-loyal subordinate.
On the other side stood a Seastone-reinforced chamber—a precaution he had set up long before the execution.
He wouldn't let a top-tier Devil Fruit go to waste.
It had already been more than ten seconds since Shiki's heart and brain had ceased function. If he didn't act now, the Float-Float Fruit (Fuwa Fuwa no Mi) would be lost.
Failure was not an option.
Although Shiki had lost consciousness during his execution, his body had clung to its last remnants of life for a few moments.
That small window…
It was all Caesar needed.
He had planned for this. He had trained his executioners accordingly, ensuring they would strike in a way that preserved the fruit's transferability.
Inside the Seastone Chamber…
Time slowed.
Caesar stood motionless, eyes locked onto a pile of ordinary fruits.
Then—
One of them twisted and warped, patterns curling across its surface.
Within seconds, an ashen-gray Devil Fruit appeared—adorned with the unmistakable spiral markings of a Paramecia ability.
A slow grin crept onto Caesar's face.
"Hahaha… It worked."
The Float-Float Fruit was his.
No one else in the world had the ability to harvest Devil Fruits like he did.
And for now, that ability would remain a secret.
Caesar was no longer a pirate.
But his war with the Navy still raged on.
And the other pirate crews? Many already despised him for his ruthless campaigns against them.
If they ever learned of his true abilities…
Both sides would come after him.
For now, he would remain in the shadows.
Still clutching the newly reborn fruit, Caesar turned to Doyle.
"Bury Shiki properly." His voice was calm, yet firm. "Give him the dignity of a legend."
Doyle bowed his head. "Understood, Your Majesty."
As the Dimensional Door vanished behind him, Caesar stared at the fruit in his palm.
This world…
Would soon know the true meaning of power.
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