With an earth-shattering explosion, the port of Whole Cake Island had turned into complete chaos—shattered ground, scattered rubble, collapsed streets—not a single spot remained intact.
Moments later, as the billowing dust settled, several towering figures stood amidst the ruins like flickering candles in the darkness, their imposing forms intersecting.
Rayleigh gripped his sword, still holding his slashing stance.
Opposite him, Kaido bore a fresh scar several feet long—a wound freshly carved by Rayleigh.
Zephyr's face darkened as he glared at Caesar, roaring.
"Caesar! Where's Aokiji?"
"Dead, of course. I turned him into ice shards" Caesar shrugged, spreading his hands with a carefree grin.
Zephyr lunged forward as he was enrage—only for Kaido to step in his path, baring his teeth.
"Didn't I say it already? You two belong to me now. Caesar can't interfere."
"Bastard! Who the hell do you think you are? Move!"
Zephyr threw a punch at Kaido, trying to force him aside.
Beneath his shattered mechanical arm was an intact, pitch-black limb—whether coated in Armament Haki or naturally that color was unclear.
Rayleigh's expression twisted in displeasure as he spotted the towering Linlin clutching Hancock in her palm like a doll.
"Mamamama~ Caesar, look who I caught! None other than the famed Pirate Empress, the peerless beauty of the seas. Interested?"
Ignoring Rayleigh's darkening glare, Linlin brushed past him and approached Caesar.
Caesar glanced at the woman in her grip—Hancock's torso and arms were entirely engulfed by Linlin's fingers, leaving only her head and legs exposed.
Noticing his gaze, Linlin chuckled and leaned in, whispering into Caesar's ear, "Her clothes are all torn up. I won't show her off here—wouldn't want others getting a free look."
"Linlin, you... you're not jealous?"
Caesar was baffled.
If anything, Linlin seemed excessively indulgent towards him—not only allowing him to pursue other women but even capturing the Pirate Empress for him.
Logically, a woman as dominant as her should be fiercely possessive, unwilling to share her husband with anyone.
"Jealous? Mamamama~ Caesar, how naive. Do you know why Totto Land thrives so magnificently? Not because of my strength alone, but because of the countless children I've adopted over the years—they manage this vast kingdom for me.
Only family will truly stand by you. I want Totto Land to become the true Land of All race. And now, with you shielding us from the storm, these matters naturally fall to you."
Linlin smiled, yet her tone was solemn.
"Caesar, only blood ties can be trusted. Everyone else may betray you. Even among my adopted children, some may harbor treachery—they stay loyal only because we're strong. I want you to take more wives, sire hundreds of sons like Katakuri. Then, you won't even need to lift a finger to conquer the world."
Nearby, Katakuri stood motionless, eyes downcast—as if he hadn't heard a thing.
"Bloodline guarantee loyalty? Then what about that unlucky kid of my brother?"
Caesar muttered inwardly, though he didn't voice it aloud, not wanting to hurt Kaido feelings.
Caesar's lips twitched, still struggling to comprehend Linlin's mindset.
He cleared his throat and patted Katakuri's shoulder.
"It's not that simple. The odds of perfectly inheriting my bloodline like Katakuri here are extremely slim. Look at our four sons—only Katakuri has this talent. And that's only because you're strong enough, Linlin. With anyone else, passing down my powerful bloodline would've been even harder."
"Mamamama, isn't there a perfect candidate right here? The Pirate Empress—strength, beauty, talent, all top-tier, just slightly inferior to me."
Caesar had no rebuttal.
"Do as you wish....." Caesar said helplessly.
"CAESAR!"
Suddenly, Rayleigh frowned and called out sharply to him.
Caesar turned his gaze, wondering what this old man "Dark King" wanted to say.
On the ice field, Rayleigh showed no intention of joining Kaido and Zephyr's battle yet.
In the distance, explosions and crashes echoed continuously as Kaido's massive hybrid form relentlessly pummeled Zephyr.
His physical prowess far surpassed Zephyr's.
Were it not for Zephyr's masterful martial arts and extraordinary Armament Haki, he'd have been pulverized by Kaido long ago.
Rayleigh's eyes flickered to Hancock, clutched in Linlin's grasp, before lifting to meet Caesar's gaze.
Rayleigh had heard of Caesar's infamy over forty years ago.
That era saw a terrifyingly ambitious man attempting to gather the world's greatest talents, aiming to overthrow the World Government and Marines—through sheer brute force, then crown himself the new sovereign.
That man was Rocks.
When Rocks and his dozens commanders rampaged through the New World, Rayleigh and Roger were mere rookie pirates.
After years of brutal training, Roger led their crew to emerge from the New World's as the second greatest pirates after Rocks.
Once, Rocks even sent emissaries to recruit Roger—with Whitebeard himself, as the persuader.
Recalling this, Rayleigh's expression turned peculiar.
Roger's charisma was overwhelming—he'd somehow converted Newgate into his friend.
This very betrayal became pivotal in Rocks' eventual downfall during the God Valley incident.
Caesar, the most brutal executioner aboard Rocks' ship.
Roger had clashed with him multiple times, but Caesar's monstrous physique rendered him nearly impossible to suffer a fatal wounds.
The memories flashed through his mind in an instant and Rayleigh spoke up.
"Caesar, we're both men from the same era. Though we never had much of a connection, your name was widely known back then. While we never crossed paths before, Roger did have dealings with you."
At the mention of Roger, Caesar couldn't help but grin widely.
"Borororo! Gol D Roger, the top rookie of his time, unrivaled in fame. I still remember how he used to sneak around the Rocks Pirates' base alone, challenging each of the division commanders—Shiki, Wang Zhi, Newgate and me.
At first, he could only handle weaklings like John, but gradually, after every battle, his strength seemed to evolve. He was like a sponge, absorbing every technique he grasped in combat."
Here, Caesar couldn't help but show a hint of envy, clicking his tongue.
"I've never admired anyone in my life, but that damned captain of yours—his talent and comprehension were truly something to envy. Roger's growth was terrifyingly fast.
In just half a month, he had defeated every division commander under Rocks except Newgate, Shiki, and me. Even we three eventually couldn't keep up with him. That guy was a born combat genius!"
Then, Caesar suddenly revealed a strange smile. "Rayleigh, do you know why Rocks sent Newgate to recruit Roger back then?"
Rayleigh was taken aback, not quite understanding Caesar's implication and frowned silently at him.
"Borororo! Originally, I was the one assigned to recruit Roger."
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