The Grand Line, the New World.
Thirty nautical miles east of Sleepy Hollow Town.
In the sky above, a black-winged Vampire swiftly soared past, while behind it, a massive Azure Dragon gracefully glided on Flame Clouds, keeping pace without faltering.
Jin Caesar glanced back at the relentless pursuit of the Azure Dragon, calculated the time, and suddenly flapped his wings, coming to an abrupt halt mid-air. He turned around, leisurely observing the colossal creature approaching from the distance.
In the blink of an eye, the dragon was right before him.
Caesar carefully examined the being before him. The azure dragon scales shimmered with a chilling gleam, its massive, serpentine body resembling undulating hills. Its dragon whiskers fluttered in the wind, and its cold, enormous eyes stared directly at Caesar.
This was one of the Four Emperors—Kaidou of the Beasts!
The sheer threat and intimidation of facing his Beast Form were a hundred, no, a thousand times more intense than what was depicted in the comics!
While Caesar observed Kaido, Kaido was also sizing up Caesar.
Standing at 1.9 meters tall, Caesar wasn't particularly towering, but his posture was upright and his muscles were well-proportioned. Though he lacked a bit of raw power, it was clear that his physique was the result of rigorous training.
Kaido's gaze swept over the large black wings, lingered on the elf-like ears, and finally settled on the pair of red eyes that, despite their intensity, showed no trace of fear.
After a brief silence, Kaido suddenly grinned and burst into laughter, his breath heavy with the scent of alcohol.
"Oroorororo! Why'd you stop running, kid?"
"If I can't run, I might as well stop trying."
Caesar was straightforward. The disparity in stamina aside, Kaido could fly effortlessly on Flame Clouds, while he had to keep flapping his wings. It was clear who was at a disadvantage.
And who was Kaidou of the Beasts?
The number one gold-tier mentor in the New World, a renowned furry enthusiast who adored Zoan users. As a Mythical Zoan, Caesar was practically tailor-made for Kaido's interests…
Seeing Caesar's calm and composed demeanor, Kaido gave him a strange look, then twisted his body. In an instant, his massive form transformed into a towering, muscular man several meters tall.
The man had wild, thick black hair cascading down, with two horns protruding from his head. His left arm was adorned with a tattoo of azure dragon scales, and a thick Shimenawa Rope was tied around his waist. His bare upper body was draped with a fur cloak, and he wielded a massive, ominous Spiked Club, standing majestically on a Flame Cloud.
Caesar glanced at the Spiked Club. If he remembered correctly, that thing was called the Eight Precepts, specifically designed to "cure" kings of their addiction…
"Kid, what's your name?"
"Jin Caesar!"
"Caesar? Hmph, the qualities of a king… that name suits you well…"
Kaido murmured Caesar's name, a slow smile spreading across his face. He raised his Spiked Club and pointed it at Caesar. "Hey kid, how about joining my Pirate Crew?"
Hearing this, Caesar raised his hands in resignation. "It seems I don't have much of a choice, do I?"
"Oroorororo! Who said that? You could always choose to die instead!"
Kaido laughed heartily, clearly amused by his own joke, but then frowned. "But I don't like your attitude. Facing a threat without putting up a fight—where's the spirit of a man?"
"If I had just entered these seas, I'd be more than happy to have a match with you, Mr. Kaido."
Caesar spread his hands, looking utterly helpless. "But I haven't had the chance to grow! In the past, my talent was limited. I hadn't even mastered Haki, and just as I ate the Devil Fruit, you descended from the heavens, Mr. Kaido."
"If you're bored, why not let me go and train for a couple of years? Then I'll come back and challenge you to a manly duel!"
"Oh? You think two years will be enough for you to stand against me?" Kaido seemed intrigued, letting out a mocking laugh. The Conqueror's Haki lightning emanating from his Eight Precepts tore through the clouds.
"Roger took thirty years to become the Pirate King, Whitebeard ruled the seas for forty years, and even that brat Red Hair spent fifteen years to reach where he is today. Kid, do you even know what you're saying?"
Faced with Kaido's disdain, Caesar remained unbothered. "You make a good point! How about giving me a couple more years then?"
Boom—
A thunderclap erupted from the clouds, illuminating Caesar's pale face and Kaido's dark, scowling expression.
After a tense silence, Kaido suddenly bared his teeth and slowly raised his Spiked Club. "Orohohoho… You slick-talking little bat, daring to mess with me!"
Caesar's mouth twitched. "Actually, two years might not be enough. We can negotiate…"
"You can negotiate with this club instead!"
Armament Haki slowly enveloped the Spiked Club, and as lightning crackled, Kaido's grin turned sinister.
"Don't worry, I'll give you time. Not just two years, but ten or twenty if you need it! Not only that, I'll personally train you! Consider this strike your first lesson!"
"Thunder—Bagua!"
Whoosh—
The overwhelming pressure of the club sliced through the air, seemingly vacuuming the surrounding space. The sound was left far behind as the Spiked Club moved at an incomprehensible speed!
The distorted Haki lightning on the club seemed to form a ghastly character for "death," casting a shadow of doom that rapidly expanded in Caesar's vision. Even the sea below them caved into a bowl shape under the sudden, immense pressure.
Just before Kaido swung the club, Caesar quickly assessed the situation.
Kaido's appearance in Sleepy Hollow Town could only mean one of two things: coincidence or premeditation. The former would just be bad luck, while the latter would mean his main target wasn't Caesar but Robin.
Fortunately, judging from Kaido's attitude, this encounter seemed to be a coincidence—though it was also possible he was more interested in the Mythical Zoan…
But why is it that in other people's stories, meeting Kaido either leads to him giving away his daughter or taking on a disciple, while for me, it's a Thunder Bagua?
Wait, now's not the time to think about that…
Forget all that nonsense…
Move, damn it!
Otherwise…
I'll die!!!
The black Spiked Club rapidly filled his vision, its gleaming metallic surface reflecting what seemed like the smile of the goddess of death.
In the shadow of death and the trembling of his biological instincts, Caesar suddenly raised his right hand high.
"Blood…River!!"
In an instant, a sea of blood surged, and a thick mist of blood rose into the air!
Thick, viscous blood gathered into a massive whirlpool, blocking Caesar's path. The whirlpool, a hundred meters in diameter and over twenty meters thick, instantly drained most of Caesar's stamina!
In the next instant, taking advantage of the vortex's cover, a golden card that appeared out of nowhere was silently plunged into the bloody vortex as Caesar swung his arm down heavily.
As the card disappeared into the vortex, the swirling water waves immediately became viscous, eventually transforming into a massive crimson shield!
[Collected Item: Non-Newtonian Fluid × 99]
Boom!
A pitch-black Spiked Club, carrying the force of wind and thunder, slammed heavily into the thick, viscous crimson shield!
A dull sound echoed as the terrifying force struck the shield, which was filled with Non-Newtonian Fluid, causing ripples to spread across its surface.
Feeling the subtle sensation of the Eight Precepts hitting the blood shield, Kaido's pupils contracted. The strange tremor that reverberated back to his arm felt as if he had struck himself!
It blocked the attack!
A glimmer of joy flashed in Caesar's eyes.
However, before the joy in his eyes could fade, the surging ripples suddenly trembled violently.
In the next moment, accompanied by Kaido's roar, an extremely suppressed sonic boom erupted, and the crimson shield exploded into pieces. The shockwave, carrying immense force, blasted Caesar away, and even Kaido himself was pushed back several meters by the unleashed power!
The terrifying shockwave scattered in all directions, pushing the sea below into waves over ten meters high!
Holy shit! It got smashed?!
What? It blocked?!
In that instant, amidst the rain of blood, both of them saw the astonishment in each other's eyes.
Whoosh—
With a powerful flap of his black wings, Caesar halted his backward motion. With a wave of his hand, the rain of blood seemed to heed some call, converging into a river that swirled around him.
Not far away, Kaido also stopped his backward movement, shaking his numb right hand. He slung the Eight Precepts over his shoulder and looked at Caesar in disbelief: "What was that move just now?"
"A special fluid state that can effectively resist external impacts, though theoretically, it shouldn't have been shattered…" Caesar said, casting a probing glance at Kaido.
"Hmph… Armament Haki is called Flowing Sakura in Wano Country. By making it flow, it can destroy the target from within."
Kaido smirked, riding his Flame Cloud to approach Caesar. His gaze held an indescribable satisfaction: "Not bad, kid Caesar. I'm really starting to like you more and more!"
"To be honest, I've admired you for a long time, Mr. Kaido!"
Caesar spread his arms openly, his expression saying, "If you hit me again, I'll really die for you": "How about we stop here? I think I'd be more than happy to join your ranks."
"Orohohoho! You sly little brat!"
Kaido laughed heartily, grabbing Caesar and pulling him onto the Flame Cloud. His massive hand gently patted Caesar's shoulder: "From today on, you're a member of my Beast Pirate Crew! Of course, if you dare to betray me, I'll personally twist your head off!"
"Can you teach me Haki then?"
"Of course!"
"Conqueror's Haki?"
"As long as you can learn it! But I'm curious, with your slippery personality, what kind of king do you want to become?"
"Actually, I just want to live freely."
"Oh? Someone like Roger? That brat is definitely the type I despise! But who knows... perhaps he harbors ambitions even greater than the Pirate King! Oroororo..."
The Flame Cloud soared towards the land of Wano, Kaido's laughter echoing across the sky.
Along the way, Caesar occasionally glanced at the Flame Cloud, then at Kaido.
Kaido sat cross-legged on the Flame Cloud, chugging from a gourd of wine. Noticing Caesar's reaction, he tilted his head slightly.
"You brat... you're not thinking of riding on my head, are you?"
"Of course not!"
Caesar quickly waved his hands. Although he did want to, how could he say such a thing to Kaido's face?
"Your eyes have already betrayed you, you little punk!"
Kaido grinned, then with a thud, punched Caesar on the head. Caesar's vision went black, and he collapsed onto the Flame Cloud.
After an unknown amount of time, Caesar woke up to find himself lying in a serene and elegant Japanese-style room.
Soft bedding was spread out on the tatami mat. Caesar lifted the blanket and noticed he had been changed into a kimono.
Without hesitation, he casually tossed the kimono aside and, with a flick of his hand, conjured a brand-new set of clothes.
The outfit consisted of a wide-sleeved, cuffed linen shirt paired with a brown leather vest with gun flaps, and black jeans in a casual style, complemented by long, cuffed Martin boots.
Life supplies, clothing cards.
The Collector System allowed for infinite replication of collected items, though the maximum number of replicas stored was limited to 99. Each time a replica was consumed, a cooldown period was required to replicate it again. The higher the item's value and the more energy it contained, the longer the cooldown time.
It was precisely this replication feature that had allowed Caesar to accumulate his initial capital.
However, it's worth noting that living beings could not be replicated. Special items with their own will, such as Devil Fruits or Demon Blades, also could not be copied.
Additionally, collecting a living being required the target to be in a state of incapacity to resist. Once collected, the being's time would be frozen.
The system's abilities were impressive, but the only issue was that it lacked the capability to actively break through limits.
For example, Caesar had once attempted to complete the system's achievement tasks by collecting over 90% of the world's kitchenware and seasonings. He was rewarded with a skill-based achievement called "Master Chef," which allowed him to create dishes that glowed...
In other words, the type of achievement accomplished would determine the type of skill or item rewarded.
If it weren't for the Vampire Fruit, which served as the key to his transcendence, he would have remained an ordinary person for his entire life, relying solely on the system.
The hardest part was always going from 0 to 1, but once that limit was broken, the path forward became much easier.
For instance, the masterpiece upgrade he received after obtaining the Vampire Fruit, and the achievement reward he gained after awakening Conqueror's Haki...
[Collected Item: Conqueror's Haki]
[Rarity: S]
[Collection Value: S]
[Evaluation: The mark of a king, but just a mark. Kaido's fart might be more intimidating than you.]
[Achievement Unlocked: Awakening a Type of Haki]
[Achievement Reward: Talent: Conqueror]
[Conqueror: Now you can attempt to challenge the limits of humanity in this world—in any aspect!]
Without a doubt, this was a talent reward.
But whether Caesar could fully realize its potential was entirely up to him.
The future is full of promise!
With a firm clench of his fist, a glimmer of delight flashed in Caesar's eyes.
Gurgle...
Suddenly, a loud rumble echoed from his stomach, and Caesar felt an unbearable wave of hunger wash over him, as if he were on the verge of collapsing.
This discomfort was both distressing and strangely novel for Caesar. In the world of pirates, being able to eat didn't necessarily mean one could fight, but those who could fight were certainly big eaters!
Monstrous combat strength required ample nutrition to sustain it. In the past, no matter how hungry Caesar was, he had never felt such a pronounced sense of weakness.
This also indicated that, under the dual enhancement of the Devil Fruit and his Conqueror's Haki, his talents had indeed undergone a transformation!
Pulling open the door, Caesar saw a beautiful maid in a kimono kneeling in the corridor outside.
Seeing Caesar step out of the room, the maid bowed slightly and said, "Sir, Lord Kaido has prepared a banquet for you..."
"Take me there..."
Caesar's stomach growled loudly, and his green eyes gleamed as if he were ready to devour someone.
The maid dared not look at him for long and kept her head down as she led the way. After turning a few corners, they arrived at the end of the corridor, where bright lights shone ahead.
Caesar could clearly hear the boisterous noise of the pirates in the banquet hall—the clinking of glasses, the startled cries of geishas, and Kaido's bizarre, roaring laughter.
When they reached the entrance of the banquet hall, the maid stopped and stepped aside, bowing respectfully.
Caesar calmly walked into the hall, the bright lights illuminating his handsome face. The previously chaotic banquet hall instantly fell silent.
All eyes turned to Caesar, filled with curiosity, astonishment, or envy—each gaze different.
Kaido, a mountain-like figure, sat at the head of the table. Beside him were three towering figures, each as massive as he was.
There was King, the Calamity of Fire, with wings on his back, a mask covering his face, and not an inch of skin exposed.
On the other side was Queen, the Calamity of Plague, his body covered in fat and wearing strange sunglasses.
And then there was Jack, the Calamity of Drought, who was even slightly taller than Kaido, with a bounty of one billion berries, nine hundred million of which was for his ivory—the so-called "Ship Reliant King."
(End of Chapter)