Training, more training…
Focus, more focus…
Kuri, Utopia Farm.
Caesar sat shirtless under the waterfall, letting the cool water cascade over him.
Thanks to his training in resisting Sea Prism Stone, the waterfall's impact didn't cause him any significant discomfort.
Holding his breath and calming his mind, Caesar submerged his consciousness deep into the Sea of Consciousness, closing his eyes and emptying himself completely.
This method of waterfall meditation was something he had learned from Denjiro. While the exact effects were hard to quantify, the force of the water hitting his body was quite soothing, and the white noise of the splashing water did help to calm his breathing.
Unfortunately, this calmness wasn't pure.
It felt like lying in bed at night, unable to sleep, but forced to stay quiet because of work the next day, all while his mind wandered aimlessly.
As mentioned before, Caesar wasn't a pure person by nature. Few modern people were.
To be honest, while Caesar took his upcoming battle with Kaidou seriously, in his heart, it wasn't as important as getting Robin into bed.
Even though he had tried his best to hypnotize himself—"You're a strong man now, can't you act like one?"—unfortunately, Caesar had failed.
Perhaps because he had grown stronger too quickly and no longer faced the threat of death, Caesar felt that his mindset had become even more inflated recently.
Far from being able to calm his mind, his distractions had only increased.
Humans are just like that…
Even though he knew that arrogance was the greatest taboo for a strong person, once he gained a bit of power, he naturally started to get carried away.
"A true master always keeps the heart of a beginner."
"Well said."
"Holy crap…"
The sudden voice of approval startled Caesar.
Turning his head, he saw Black Maria standing by the pond, a faint smile on her face.
"Maria? What are you doing here?"
"I tried calling you, but you didn't answer…"
Black Maria picked up Caesar's jacket from the shore and pulled out a snail—a Den Den Mushi. "I called everyone, and after asking around, I heard you were here training. As expected of the man who defeated King."
"So, how's it going? I heard your next target is Lord Kaido? It's fine if you fail, you know. Lord Kaido would never kill you. If you're willing to stay, I'll even waive all your fees here~"
"That sounds tempting."
Caesar rubbed his chin. "But if I defeat Kaido, wouldn't the result be the same?"
"Ara, that depends on your strength."
Black Maria chuckled softly. "Also, before you challenge Lord Kaido, there's something I need to trouble you with. Do you have a moment?"
"What? Did Joker cause trouble again?"
Caesar returned to the shore, quickly dried himself off, and casually threw on his outer garment.
"It's the World Government. Actually, it's somewhat related to you."
Black Maria held a slender smoking pipe and blew out a faint puff of smoke.
"The news of Hanafusa being defeated and captured by the Whitebeard Pirates was published in the newspaper by that big-mouthed Morgans. The World Government plans to revoke his title as a Warlord of the Sea. You know, the title of Warlord represents the face of the World Government—they can't afford to lose."
Caesar nodded in understanding. "I guess they offered two options? Either lower the price of Sea Prism Stone and increase the supply, or revoke Hanafusa's title as a Warlord of the Sea?"
"You guessed it again."
Black Maria's lips curled into a playful smile. "Should I say you're as cunning as those guys... or what?"
Caesar scoffed lightly. "Isn't it obvious? Those guys from the World Government are more like merchants than politicians. At their core, they just want to exploit the situation for greater profits."
"Hanafusa is the channel for the Beasts' Connected Paradise. Without the title of Warlord of the Sea, it would be troublesome for us to do anything in Paradise."
Although the Navy wouldn't easily go to war with the Four Emperors, the same goes for the Four Emperors—they wouldn't easily engage in battle with the Navy.
In a sense, if the New World is considered the territory of the Four Emperors, then Paradise can basically be seen as the Navy's territory.
Everyone has their own turf. As long as you don't provoke them by barging in, peaceful coexistence isn't impossible.
Among the Four Emperors, Whitebeard has no interest in conquest and rarely appears in Paradise, which the World Government naturally prefers.
Big Mom maintains close ties with the underworld through marriages, so she doesn't need to worry about the trivial matters of Paradise.
Shanks can come and go freely in Paradise, but he follows an elite path—his entire assets consist of just one ship, and he moves faster than a rat. Not to mention, he also has the status of a Celestial Dragon.
As for Kaidou, his influence in Paradise relies solely on Hanafusa. Half of the Ancient Zoan Devil Fruits in the crew were gathered by Hanafusa. This connection might not be crucial, but it's definitely something we can't do without.
"Given Hanafusa's background, the reason he became a Warlord of the Sea in the first place was probably due to the World Government's compromise regarding their need for Sea Prism Stone, right?"
"Exactly."
Black Maria nodded slightly. Without some benefit, the World Government would never have allowed a former member of an Emperor Crew to take on the role of a Warlord of the Sea.
Caesar chuckled. "The World Government is likely more inclined to revoke Hanafusa's title as a Warlord of the Sea, but the fact that they're making demands means there's room for negotiation."
"So, how do you plan to negotiate?"
"Who said I'm going to negotiate with them?"
Caesar sneered. "Tell them to revoke it if they want. If not, we'll just contact the Revolutionary Army!"
Black Maria covered her mouth and laughed softly. "You're really banking on this, aren't you?"
"What else?"
Caesar spread his hands. "It's no surprise that the Warlords of the Sea are no match for the Four Emperors. The World Government is exploiting this situation not just for profit, but also to test how far we're willing to accept this."
"Would you choose chocolate that tastes like shit or shit that tastes like chocolate?"
Black Maria frowned slightly. "Isn't there another option?"
"You can choose not to pick."
Caesar laughed. "But you see, normal people would instinctively think about which one to choose, and that's how they fall into a passive position."
"I see…"
Black Maria nodded and turned to leave. "Thanks for your help this time, Caesar. Next time you come to my place, it's on the house~"
No thanks…
Caesar's lips twitched. He wasn't into cleaning up after others.
Besides, Yamato was completely devoted to him. Their stamina and vitality seemed limitless, and they were in the honeymoon phase of their relationship.
Do you understand the allure of a white-haired beauty?
If it were Robin, he might waver, but otherwise, Kozuki Hiyori wouldn't catch his eye.
It's human nature to be drawn to beauty and desire—there's nothing wrong with that.
But one can't be completely indiscriminate...
After changing his clothes, Caesar headed to a nearby abandoned quarry. He casually picked a small hill and began practicing his punches in the manner of Garp.
Without using Haki, relying solely on his physical strength, he delivered heavy blows to the rock, one punch after another.
In the blink of an eye, the afternoon quietly passed.
Buru buru buru…
As the sun set, the Communication Den
Den Mushi rang.
"This is Caesar, who's calling?"
"It's me…"
Black Maria's lazy voice came through the other end: "Doflamingo wants to meet you."
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