The New World, Oni Island.
A light triangular sailboat slowly docked at the port, and Caesar and Baby 5 leaped off the boat.
"We're here!"
"Is this Wano Country? It's smaller than I imagined."
Baby 5 looked at Oni Island with some surprise. Due to her personality, she had been involved in assassination work under Doflamingo, so this was her first time coming to Wano Country.
"This is Oni Island. Wano Country is on the opposite side of the island."
Caesar explained as they passed a sentry post. The pirate on guard quickly greeted him.
"Lord Caesar!"
"Hmm, bring me the newspapers from the past few days."
Tossing a few Skull Yugi coins to the pirate, the man hurriedly handed over a stack of newspapers, then hesitated as he looked at Caesar.
"Is something wrong?"
Noticing the pirate's reaction, Caesar was puzzled.
These low-level pirates usually avoided getting involved with the higher-ups, so this kind of behavior was rare.
"Lord Caesar, you probably don't have a bounty yet, right?"
"Is there a problem?"
"No, no, no! It's just that you might want to dress more handsomely these next few days."
The pirate on guard quickly waved his hands. "Today's newspaper has news about you. It's said that you briefly clashed with Doflamingo in Dressrosa, and it ended in a draw…"
"A draw?"
Caesar's face darkened. "Who said that?"
"Uh… that's what the newspaper reported."
Seeing Caesar's expression, the pirate hurriedly explained, afraid that Caesar might get angry and suck him dry, leaving him hanging on a lighthouse. "If we have to blame someone, it's probably Morgans?"
Caesar unfolded the newspaper. The headline read: "One-Man Revolution! The Kingdom of Sorbet in Flames! Former Revolutionary Army Officer Bartholomew Kuma Violently Seizes Power!"
"Huh? What a coincidence."
Caesar was surprised. He flipped through the pages and found his own news inside.
"Business Prodigy Missing for Days, Suddenly Appears in the New World! Briefly Clashes with Warlord of the Sea Doflamingo, Ending in a Draw!"
Caesar looked down and saw a photo of himself throwing a punch at Doflamingo below the headline.
The content of the article was unremarkable, just speculating about the reason for his appearance in the New World and guessing that he might have reached some kind of agreement with Doflamingo based on the latter's attitude toward him.
There wasn't any sensational reporting, but this "draw"…
It made him feel as if he had swallowed a dead fly!
Caesar finally understood why Big Mom was so furious when she learned about Luffy's title as the Fifth Emperor in the original storyline.
"So? What does this have to do with my bounty?"
"Lord, you're a newcomer, so you probably don't know this yet. Whenever a powerful newcomer appears in these seas, soon… a legendary man will appear by his side in an unpredictable way!"
"A legendary man? Who?"
"Photo Man!"
"…Who?"
"Photo Man! Also known as Flame Snap Snap!"
The pirate made a gesture of taking a photo and even added a sound effect: "FIRE!"
"Oh, I know that guy!"
Baby 5 clapped her hands and explained, "That guy is a famous photographer hired by the Navy Headquarters. He specializes in taking photos of wanted criminals, but because his photography skills are so good, he's quite popular among pirates."
"When Doflamingo became a Warlord of the Sea, I had the chance to meet him. He was a short man with a small mustache, and there were rumors that he was someone pirates would ignore."
"Ignore?"
Caesar seemed to recall the image of this man. If he remembered correctly, it was the guy who tried to take a photo of Sanji but forgot to remove the lens cap.
"Saying they ignore him is more about pretending not to see him."
Baby5 shook her head: "Because no one knows who he's going to photograph, especially during a fight. It's awkward to ask in front of the enemy, so everyone just silently ignores him and strikes their own poses. It's said that even the Four Emperors deliberately avoid him during battles..."
"Actually, it's not just him. Most pirates don't casually kill photographers because everyone wants to look good in their photos. But that guy is particularly skilled, and he specializes in taking wanted poster photos, which is why he's so famous."
Hearing this, Caesar suddenly remembered the battle between Kaidou and Luffy. He slapped his forehead, his face filled with exasperation.
Now that he thought about it, it really did seem that way...
The photo of Luffy's 3 billion bounty in Gear Five was taken by that guy. Judging from the pose in the photo, it was probably taken right after he awakened.
In other words, that guy actually took a great photo of Gear Five Luffy right in front of Kaidou!
And Luffy's first wanted poster was a close-up shot facing the camera...
In other words, those wanted posters where the target isn't looking at the camera aren't sneak shots—they're just the targets trying to look cool and strike a pose. Basically, they're showing off!
Once you accept this setting, things become quite interesting...
"You should dress up handsomely these next couple of days, dear~"
Baby5 clung to Caesar's arm, eagerly suggesting.
"So that's what it meant."
Caesar finally understood what the pirate meant and turned to look at Baby5: "What does your wanted poster look like?"
"I was originally a member under a Warlord of the Sea, so I don't have a bounty!"
Baby5 held her cheeks dreamily: "But if I were to take one, should I wear matching outfits with you? Or maybe a wedding dress? Ah~ so embarrassing!"
"Don't exaggerate so much..."
Caesar put away the newspaper, casually tossed a stack of bills to the pirate, and left with Baby5.
He had traveled half the way back by submarine, so there was no way he could have been tracked.
Besides, he was more concerned about the news regarding Kuma than wanted posters.
A one-man revolution...
He remembered that not long after this incident, Kuma embarked on a journey to find a doctor.
Now that Doflamingo had sent word, it shouldn't be long before he could meet him.
With that, a Yonko-level force was beginning to take shape!
Robin and Baby5 could be considered mid-tier fighters, comparable to the Flying Six. Although their strength was still lacking, their potential was undeniable.
Moreover, once Kuma joined, they would also gain Bonney, a Supernova-level fighter, who could also be counted among the mid-tier forces.
Aside from these people, there was also a potential investment he had made years ago at a bookstore in Cocoyasi Village in the East Blue.
Nami, the top navigator, was someone Caesar would never let slip away.
Being able to sense changes in the weather just by the smell and humidity—if this were in a hunter-themed setting, such a talent would be reserved for the protagonist.
And the key point is… it's also quite pleasing to the eye.
Yes, being good-looking is the real key!
As for the ship's doctor, Trafalgar Law? Or Chopper?
Why not recruit both? Who would complain about having too many doctors? It's not like we can't afford them…
And if we could somehow convince Issho to join the crew, that would be even better. We'd instantly become a top-tier force!
--Support me in Patreon for more chapters 35+ chapters in there
patreon.com/GoddessTL
Thanks!