The sky was dotted with leisurely drifting clouds.
Caesar lay sprawled on the chaotic beach, his stomach growling loudly, yet he didn't move an inch.
The recent Conqueror's Haki Infusion had nearly drained him completely.
Even so, that punch had only managed to deflect King's blade and land a barely noticeable blow on his face.
Despite the Lunarian Race's innate formidable defense, weakness was still weakness. If it had been Kaidou throwing that punch, the outcome would have been entirely different.
"Conqueror's Haki Infusion, huh…"
Caesar closed his eyes, the lingering power of Conqueror's Haki still surging through his veins.
He lay there on the sand, reflecting on the sensation he had just experienced, remaining still for a while.
Suddenly, Caesar's brow furrowed slightly, and an invisible ripple spread out, gently stirring the dust around him.
"Ha! Conqueror's Haki! So it was you fighting here earlier, wasn't it?!"
A cheerful voice suddenly rang out from above. Caesar opened his eyes to see a tall figure standing before him.
It was a strikingly beautiful Oni Race girl with gradient white hair that faded into blue-green at the tips.
She wore a white sleeveless kimono and a wide crimson skirt. Her smooth wrists were adorned with shackles, and around her waist, like Kaidou, she wore a thick Shimenawa Rope. A pair of red Oni horns on her head were particularly eye-catching, and her towering height of over two meters completely blocked the sunlight above.
She had appeared!
The woman in the main storyline whose strength was second only to Big Mom!
Caesar carefully examined her beautiful face. Her fair, delicate cheeks seemed as if they could be pierced with a touch, and her high, arched eyebrows gave her expressive eyes a stubborn and sharp edge.
"What's the matter?"
Caesar's tone was lazy as he tilted his head slightly to find a more comfortable angle, quietly admiring the towering peaks before him.
Such proportions were truly a miracle of nature…
"Judging by your attire, you must be from outside, right?"
The girl looked at Caesar curiously. "A pirate?"
"Indeed, I am a pirate…"
A faint glimmer of amusement flashed in Caesar's eyes as he feigned a sigh of resignation. "To be precise, I was captured by Kaidou and forced to join the Beasts Pirate Crew."
"Huh? Captured?!"
A look of embarrassment crossed the girl's face. "That bastard… How could he do something like that!"
"Well, pirates take what they want by force. Though, for me, it wasn't much of a loss…"
Caesar struggled to sit up. "By the way, my name's Caesar. What's yours?"
"I'm Yamato! Kaidou's son!"
The girl said as she knelt beside Caesar, resting her hands on her knees, her fingers fidgeting slightly with the hem of her skirt.
"I'm really sorry about what happened to you! Even though I don't get along with that guy, no matter what…"
"It's fine."
A hint of a smile flickered in Caesar's eyes. He hadn't expected to encounter her under such circumstances.
Come to think of it, part of the reason he had willingly stayed here was to learn Haki, and the other part was for this white-haired girl!
Beneath her beautiful exterior lay a personality as pure as a blank sheet of paper, coupled with the formidable strength inherited from Kaidou!
For Caesar, who aspired to build his own faction in the future, Yamato was undoubtedly a reliable potential ally.
Of course, before that, he would need to cleanse that little head of hers, which had been poisoned by Oden's ideals…
At this thought, Caesar's mind was made up, and he smiled warmly. "We can't choose our origins, but we can choose who we become. It's clear that you and him are not the same kind of person."
Hearing this, Yamato was slightly taken aback, her beautiful eyes widening as a bright sparkle flickered within them.
"Hah... What's this! You're a really good guy!"
Yamato laughed with a simple innocence, raising her hand to pat Caesar on the shoulder.
With a dull thud, Caesar's head hit the sand.
"Whoa! Sorry, sorry!"
Flustered, Yamato helped Caesar up, her eyes scanning over him. "Are you hurt?"
"No, just a bit weak."
Caesar shook his head, trying to brush the sand off his face, but his arm felt sore and weak.
"If it's convenient, could you take me back? I live in the main building."
"Oh! Leave it to me!"
Yamato hoisted Caesar onto her back and ran swiftly towards the interior of Oni Island, bringing him back to his residence.
"So this is where you live."
Handing Caesar over to Ayun for support, Yamato glanced around. "This used to be the red-light district, right? Black Maria's area?"
"Yes, Master Yamato."
Ayun clearly knew Yamato and quickly responded.
"So, we live quite close to each other!"
"Oh? Do you live in the red-light district too?"
"No, I mostly live in the underground prison cells!"
"Hmm? The parent-child relationship is quite delicate."
"Haha, usually it's because I failed in challenging Kaidou and got thrown in there."
"I see..."
Looking at Yamato's cheerful demeanor, Caesar smiled. "Ayun, help me to the bathroom first, then prepare some food and drinks. I want to entertain my new friend."
Ayun looked worried. "But sir, your body..."
"Leave it to me! I could use a good bath too. Where's the bathroom?"
Yamato laughed heartily, reaching out to support Caesar.
"Wait, there's a difference between men and women."
Caesar struggled to stand up. "If you want to bathe, wait until I'm done."
"It's fine, didn't I tell you? I'm a man!"
Yamato laughed, her arm firmly around Caesar, and without another word, she charged into the bathroom.
She stripped Caesar down to nothing, then yanked off her own top, and a dazzling holy light instantly filled the entire bathroom.
Truly spectacular!
Hey!
It's not like I'm trying to take advantage here!
Caesar's eyes widened as he pointed at the dazzling holy light. "You're clearly a woman."
Hearing this, Yamato raised her hands high. "My body is that of a woman, but I've long resolved to live as a man!"
At these words, Caesar smirked playfully. "Oh? Then, my good brother... can I touch your pectoral muscles?"
"Of course not, you pervert!"
Yamato's face darkened, a fierce expression with a barely noticeable blush. "I can tell harassment when I see it. You're not treating me like a fool, are you?"
"If I can't even touch your pecs, what kind of man are you?"
Caesar chuckled lightly, it seemed the girl at least had basic cognitive abilities.
"After all, you're not a real man. Being so careless will make people take advantage of you as a foolish woman, though you do seem a bit naive..."
"Stop rambling!"
With a swift motion, Caesar was tossed into the bath. Yamato followed with a splash, sending water flying everywhere. "Haha! This feels great!"
Stretching comfortably, Yamato turned her head and noticed Caesar floating on the surface of the water...
Startled, Yamato quickly pulled Caesar up. "Hey! Caesar, what's wrong? Snap out of it!"
"I'm... a Devil Fruit user," Caesar murmured weakly, his already exhausted body unable to muster any strength.
"Oh, I see. Looks like you're not used to this kind of weakness yet," Yamato said as she helped Caesar up, her curiosity piqued. "What kind of Devil Fruit user are you?"
"Mythical Zoan, Vampire Fruit."
"A Vampire? That's amazing! Do you need to drink blood? Do you want to drink mine?"
"Pectoral muscles?"
"Damn it! I told you I'm a man! Men shouldn't harass other men!"
"Funny, I'm gay."
"What?!"
Yamato's face was a mix of shock and then darkened with anger. "You jerk! You're messing with me again!"
"By the way, why are you so determined to become a man?" Caesar lazily leaned against the edge of the pool. At 190 cm tall, he looked almost petite next to Yamato, who stood over two meters tall.
"To be honest, I want to become... Kozuki Oden!" Yamato pursed her lips, her tone tinged with hesitation.
The latest novel is first published on 69shuba.com!
It was an answer that didn't surprise anyone.
"Kozuki Oden, huh..." Caesar's tone was enigmatic. "You're just the right kind of adorable fool. It'd be a shame if you turned into that kind of idiot and ruined that face of yours."
"What did you say?" Yamato's expression darkened, her demeanor shifting from playful to genuinely angry.
"What's the problem? The Kozuki Oden you're talking about..." Caesar tilted his head, thought for a moment, and then suddenly smiled. "Isn't he the samurai who caused trouble as a child, abducted women as a teenager, abandoned his country as an adult, and was fooled by lies upon his return?"
"That's not true, Caesar! You've misunderstood him!" Yamato quickly defended her idol. "Those were just the reckless actions of his youth..."
Caesar laughed. "Oh? So his misdeeds were just youthful recklessness, but when Kaidou does evil, he deserves to die a thousand deaths?"
"It's not the same!" Yamato clenched her fists, her gaze stubborn. "He changed! After seeing the vastness of the sea, he became compassionate. He genuinely wanted to do something for everyone, to open Wano Country to the world!"
"And what was the result?" Caesar smirked. "He was tricked into dancing naked, lost the people's trust, and let Wano fall into the hands of Kurozumi Orochi, leaving the people in misery and starvation."
"That was because he was deceived by traitors!"
"No, it was because he was stupid!" Caesar's expression turned serious. "Listen, Yamato. Everyone wants to be the hero of their own story, but no one lives just for themselves. Everyone has their own mission. As a ruler, your mission is to take responsibility for your people!"
"If you're going to live as a man, then you should understand that the most important thing for a man is responsibility! If a man can't even shoulder his responsibilities, how can he talk about ambition? How can he talk about freedom?"
"When it was time to take responsibility, he ran away. When it was time to be strong, he was weak. When it was time to be cautious, he was naive. Looking at his life, all I see is a fool who pretended to be heroic and put on a show."
Yamato was left speechless, staring blankly at Caesar, momentarily at a loss for how to refute him.
After a long while, she finally stammered, "But... but he did it for the sake of innocent people..."
"Wars always come with casualties, don't they?"
Caesar asked indifferently, and Yamato swallowed hard, her thoughts in turmoil.
"The sea is vast, Yamato."
Seeing Yamato's speechless expression, Caesar couldn't help but smile.
"It's your freedom to decide who you want to become, but shouldn't that be something you consider after truly experiencing the vastness of the world?"
"Of course, I want to! But Kaidou has shackled me with these chains... Once I leave the borders of Wano Country, the chains will explode!"
Yamato raised her hand, the chains on her wrist clinking, her eyes filled with frustration.
"Honestly, I've wondered if he might be lying to me. After all, would someone really blow up their own child? But the thought of the slightest possibility makes me hesitate. After all, my father is that kind of man..."
"I see..."
The mist on the strands of hair in front of his forehead condensed into droplets and gently fell. Caesar exhaled softly, brushing back his damp hair, and slowly straightened up, finally getting to the point.
"In that case, how about joining my ship?"
"Didn't I just say I can't leave Wano Country?"
"I'll help you remove the chains! All you need to do is decide whether you want to set sail with me!"
Caesar spoke earnestly, "To be honest, I could leave here anytime I wanted, and I could have avoided being caught by Kaidou from the very beginning."
Yamato was puzzled, "Then why didn't you run?"
"Because I'm weak!"
Caesar shook his head, "Kaidou is one of the strongest on the sea, with immense physical strength and mobility. Theoretically, even if I fled to the other side of the sea, as long as he found my trail, he could capture me at any time."
"So, in a sense, I'm shackled just like you. The chains that bind me are my weakness! Only by growing strong enough to face Kaidou head-on can I truly have the freedom to sail this vast sea!"
"At most, two years!"
Caesar said, holding up two fingers, "In two years at most, I'll be able to stand against Kaidou. When that time comes, would you be willing to leave with me? To the sea!"
In the steamy bathroom, Yamato stared at Caesar in awe, her mouth forming an "O," her big eyes sparkling with longing.
"Caesar! You're amazing!"
After a long while, Yamato finally snapped out of her daze and exclaimed in delight.
"Hey, aren't you even going to doubt if I'm just boasting?"
"No, I'll help you! If it's the two of us, we can definitely do it!"
Yamato lightly patted her right bicep with her left hand, laughing heartily, full of determination. "Then it's settled! When we're strong enough to face Kaidou, we'll set sail—together!"
"Deal!"
Hearing this, Caesar smiled gently, "But speaking of which, do you still plan to become Kozuki Oden?"
"I do admire Oden greatly. Everything I know about him comes from his Voyage Log."
Yamato slowly lowered her arm, lost in thought.
Then, as if she had figured something out, she suddenly smiled with relief.
"But I think what you just said makes sense... There are some things that I can't understand right now, so for the time being... let's wait and see!"
"Is that so..."
Caesar tilted his head and pointed at Yamato's chest: "So, are you a man or a woman right now?"
"Huh?"
Yamato pursed her lips, following the direction of Caesar's finger. She blinked her eyes, glanced at Caesar, and blinked again, wearing a lively and slightly clueless expression.
"Well... um... in your eyes, should I be a man or a woman?"
"In my eyes..."
Caesar stroked his chin, recalling the vibrant face he had seen when they first met.
"In my eyes, you should be a woman who is stronger and more outstanding than a man, right?"
"Is that so..."
Yamato lowered her head in deep thought, her damp bangs falling messily over her forehead, obscuring her beautiful face.
After a long while, faint wisps of steam rose from her gradually whitening hair, whether it was mist or something else.
"Ahem... then I'll take your word for it, Caesar, and s
trive to be a woman who is stronger and more outstanding than a man!"
"What about the pectoral muscles..."
"Get lost!!!"
(End of Chapter)