The small island, usually quiet and uneventful, was now brimming with excitement.
Surrounded by villagers, Caesar entered the village like a great hero returning home. Cheers and laughter filled the air as old friends and family welcomed him back.
After three years away, Caesar took a leisurely stroll through his hometown, taking in the familiar sights of his childhood. The nostalgia filled his heart with satisfaction.
Brad, who had been separated from his family for a long time, was even more overwhelmed. The moment he saw his parents, he rushed to them, tears streaming down his face as he hugged them tightly.
Under the warm hospitality of the villagers, the island momentarily shed its usual tranquility, replaced by lively banquets and festivities.
Caesar and his crew remained in their hometown for several days, enjoying the rare peace.
Time passed quickly, and soon, the day before their departure arrived…
"Are you leaving so soon, Caesar? I still want to hear more stories from the outside world!"
"Yes, Captain! I want to go to sea with you!"
Over time, the island's youth had been captivated by Caesar's tales of adventure. Their longing to explore the vast world had been ignited.
"That's right! Captain Caesar, take us with you!"
Surprisingly, the parents did not object. They trusted Caesar's strength and believed that if their children followed him, they would be safe and might even accomplish great things.
Standing on the boarding ramp, Caesar turned his head and smiled slightly.
"It's too early for you to go to sea."
"The dangers of the ocean are beyond your imagination."
He turned down their request, partly out of concern for their safety.
More importantly, Caesar saw little potential in them—he had no interest in filling his ship with weaklings.
In a world ruled by the strong, those who couldn't even defend themselves had no business setting sail—especially not when they were the children of his fellow villagers.
He felt responsible for their well-being.
"Huh? We really can't go?"
The young men let out disappointed sighs, their excitement deflating.
"Though I can't take you with me, I do have a gift for you!"
Using his abilities, Caesar lifted several boxes from the ship's cabin and placed them on the beach.
"What kind of gift?"
Hearing this, the young men's eyes brightened with anticipation.
To them, Caesar was a legend. Anything he gifted would surely be extraordinary.
"These are Devil Fruits. They may not be the strongest, but they're far from weak."
Caesar spoke casually as the boxes landed gently on the sand.
"What?! Devil Fruits?!"
Even the adults in the village were shocked, let alone the younger ones, who were utterly ecstatic.
Though they had never ventured beyond their small island, they knew exactly what a Devil Fruit was!
And yet, with a simple wave of his hand, Caesar had given away several of them—priceless treasures that left the entire village in stunned silence.
Seeing their reactions, Caesar smirked, then turned without hesitation and boarded his ship.
"Let's go. Set sail!"
"Oh! Captain!"
As the Rex slowly drifted away from the shore, the villagers finally snapped out of their daze.
"You're leaving already? Safe travels, Caesar!"
"Come visit us again!"
"Hey, stop staring at the fruits! The captain is leaving!"
The elders bid their farewells, but the younger ones were fixated on the Devil Fruits before them.
They had never seen such strange-looking fruits before and were filled with curiosity about the powers they would gain.
As the Rex faded into the distance, the young men glanced at the fruits in their hands.
Understanding Caesar's intent, they clenched their fists and nodded toward his departing figure.
The fruits he had left behind were mainly Zoan and Paramecia types.
Their potential was undeniable—it was up to the users to awaken their true power.
Caesar had gifted them as a way to strengthen the next generation of his homeland.
Three Years Later – Year 1494 of the Sea Calendar
Beneath the warm sun, the Rex sailed smoothly across the ocean.
Suddenly, joyful laughter rang out as two boys came rushing toward Caesar.
"Father! Alice is teasing us again!"
"Yeah, she's being unfair! You have to do something!"
The two children clung to Caesar's legs, their faces filled with grievance.
Just as they were complaining, a girl with white angelic wings swooped down from above and landed in Caesar's arms, giggling.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, nestling herself comfortably against him.
This was Alice, the daughter of Caesar and Regina.
Since the Angel Fruit was a Zoan-type, it lacked the instability of Logia fruits like the Goro Goro no Mi (Rumble-Rumble Fruit).
So, when Alice turned one, Caesar gifted her the Angel Fruit.
People often said daughters were like little angels, and in Caesar's case, that was literally true.
"Father, my brothers are lying! Let me tell you what really happened..."
Alice shot a glance at her two brothers, then, in a soft voice, began tattling on them with an innocent pout.
She even kissed Caesar's cheek, looking at him with big, sincere eyes—trying to win his favor.
How could such a cute child lie?
Caesar listened with amusement, nodding as he smiled.
"See? Father believes me!"
Seeing this, Alice cheekily stuck her tongue out at her brothers in triumph.
Her two brothers fumed.
"Father, don't believe her! She's lying!"
"Yeah, she was the one using her powers to mess with us!"
Carlos and Lucius shouted anxiously, worried their father would side with Alice.
Their tone and expressions were filled with urgency.
Caesar chuckled, looking at his beloved children.
With one hand, he held Alice close, and with the other, he ruffled the hair of his sons.
"Silly boys, I believe in you!"
Sibling rivalry was the most natural thing in the world.
Of course, he wouldn't play favorites—he loved all his children equally.
"Really? Father!"
"Hah! I knew Father would see the truth!"
The anxious expressions on Carlos and Lucius's faces vanished instantly, replaced by wide grins.
A child's happiness was simple—sometimes, just a few words from a parent were enough.
Seeing his sons go from anger to joy so easily, Caesar smirked. Then, he pinched Alice's tiny nose and spoke in a serious tone.
"Alice, no more using your powers to bully your brothers."
"Otherwise, they won't play with you anymore."
Hearing this, Alice's triumphant expression faded. She pouted her lips, crossing her arms.
"Hmph! Father is mean! I don't want to play with you anymore!"
With that, she flew toward the back of the ship, snatching a floating bubble from the Adam Tree Eve at the stern.
Then, she carried it into the aquarium section of the ship.
The Rex's aquarium was no ordinary fish tank—it was a vast, underwater paradise.
Thanks to Tony's fruit abilities, the space had been expanded twentyfold.
What was once a modest 40-meter-long aquarium had grown into a structure with a floor area of 700,000 square meters, nearly 300 meters tall!
It was practically an underwater world.
Inside, a massive 120-meter-wide bubble, resembling a miniature Fish-Man Island, floated beneath the Adam Tree Eve.
Three years ago, new crewmates—including a few mermaids—had joined Caesar's crew.
To accommodate them, Hades, with Caesar's help, had created this Little Fish-Man Island within the aquarium.
Inside a cozy house, a young mermaid girl and a fish-man boy, both around two years old, were eating.
Just then, Alice flew in angrily.
Seeing her, the mermaid girl's eyes lit up.
"Alice! What's wrong?"
Hearing Alice's complaints, she comforted her, siding against the brothers.
Before long, the little girls had completely forgotten their argument and were happily playing again.
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