Chapter 10: As Long As It's Caesar, It'll Be Fine
Caesar hadn't expected Yamato's change in attitude.
With her stubborn nature and years of unwavering admiration for Oden, he'd assumed it would take at least a few years of subtle influence to shift her mindset.
He had even planned to eventually take her on a tour of the Revolutionary Army's territory—give her a proper crash course in class struggle and then rip apart the feudal system of Wano in front of her eyes.
But to his surprise… she awakened on her own!
His recent proposal to Kaido wasn't just about easing the eventual takeover of Wano—it was also a calculated move to force Yamato to choose: the Kozuki clan, or the people of Wano.
The Kozuki are Wano's legitimate rulers?
What a joke. If the people don't recognize you, what legitimacy is there to speak of?
In the original story, the Kozuki clan was practically synonymous with the people of Wano, which gave them an unshakable moral high ground.
Caesar's goal was to completely sever that bond—strip away the Kozuki's last source of power and leave them entirely isolated.
This was Kaido's flaw: blind to potential threats, arrogant, overly reliant on brute strength.
It wasn't that he didn't understand—he simply didn't care.
He had too much faith in his own strength. And while yes, he was strong, he wasn't invincible—not strong enough to be above all consequences.
If Caesar hadn't used wealth and the growth of his pirate crew as leverage, Kaido wouldn't have bothered with the needs of the people at all.
But Caesar wouldn't make that mistake.
He believed that his true advantage as a transmigrator wasn't strength, nor any special power—it was the education he had received in his past life.
Foreigners wouldn't grasp the idea of eliminating threats at the root, wouldn't know the Thirty-Six Stratagems, the concept of a single spark starting a prairie fire, or the ancient rallying cry: "Are kings and nobles born any different from me?"
The core theme of One Piece, if boiled down into one Chinese sentence, was simple: "We were born free—who dares to stand above us?"
A Chinese reader would immediately recognize the tactic of gaining the people's support to weaken the previous regime. But unless they worked in politics, most foreigners lacked this sort of instinct.
There's even a funny phenomenon: throw a Chinese person into a group of foreigners, and they'll seem like they know a bit of everything. They might not be an expert, but their wide-ranging knowledge makes them incredibly adaptable with just a bit of training.
It wasn't about being "smarter"—it was the product of a compulsory education that thoroughly instilled five thousand years of Chinese philosophical thought.
The rote-memorization-heavy schooling Caesar once resented had now become his greatest asset in navigating this new world.
Severing the connection between the Kozuki clan and the people of Wano was a classic example of a strategic open scheme—like slicing up intestines and laying them out in plain sight.
Don't sever the bond? The people starve.
Sever it? The Kozuki lose all hope of resistance.
Even Kaido realized this much—but as mentioned, he simply didn't care.
Yamato, however, didn't understand the full picture yet. She was forced to choose between the two—and though her instincts told her something was off, she couldn't figure out what. That nagging discomfort was the real reason she suddenly felt like punching Caesar.
---
"9998..."
"9999..."
"10,000!"
Evening. Onigashima. Seashore.
Caesar was doing squats with a massive barbell slung over his shoulders.
Half a month had passed, and although he still hadn't mastered Armament Haki, his physical strength had improved by leaps and bounds.
Just yesterday, he could barely push past 9,000 reps with this weight. Today, he'd crossed the 10,000 mark.
Every breakthrough in limits brought a qualitative leap.
Thud!
The barbell landed on the ground with a dull thump.
Caesar stood up, panting lightly. Sweat traced the curves of his muscular upper body, glistening in the sunlight with a polished, athletic sheen.
His thighs were sore and swollen, but at least he could still walk.
At this point, he could already use Conqueror's Haki coating to go toe-to-toe with King in raw power. His mastery of it had grown steadily through their constant sparring.
Then King banned him from using Conqueror's coating altogether—demanding that Caesar master Armament Haki first, or else he'd use Observation Haki to beat Caesar like a child.
Back in his room…
Yamato was sprawled on the tatami mat, munching on potato chips while reading manga.
She wore a red dress that draped casually over her figure, one hand propping up her chin while the other flipped through pages. Every now and then, she'd reach into a bag of chips beside her. Her bare, jade-like feet were tinged with pink, crossed at the calves, radiating youthful energy.
Ever since they met, she'd moved in with Caesar. Aside from her training, she acted like an overexcited puppy—clinging to him constantly, bombarding him with questions about the outside world.
Honestly, it was a little annoying.
So Caesar brought out the ultimate pacification tools: manga, snacks, and ice-cold cola.
And just like that, she got hooked.
The manga she was reading was called "Warriors of the Sea: Sky", a series loosely based on the Navy's heroes and Germa 66, published by the World Economic News. It was popular all over the world, especially in the North Blue.
Because in the North Blue, Germa 66 was real…
To Caesar, a veteran manga reader, the story was average. But in the entertainment-starved world of pirates, this was nothing short of a masterpiece.
There's no kid who wouldn't want a full Germa 66 transformation suit — even if they're the villains!
Even someone as cool and aloof as Trafalgar Law couldn't keep a straight face when he saw Sanji's Stealth Black. He even started explaining it on the spot. That just shows how insanely popular this manga is.
For someone like Yamato, who has never even set sail before, this manga hit her like a nuclear bomb!
The good news?
Ever since she started reading it, she's barely touched Oden's journal.
The bad news?
Now she wants a Germa battle suit…
---
"Hey, Yamato. You've been glued to that manga ever since I left this morning, haven't you?"
"Huh? Oh… yeah."
Yamato replied absentmindedly, completely unaware that Caesar had entered the room.
Several seconds passed before she realized something was off. She finally looked up at him and said brightly, "Ah! Caesar, you're back!"
"What's with the whole 'Ah~ you're back~' thing?"
Caesar imitated her goofy smile, then suddenly frowned. He grabbed her smooth ankle and dragged her away from the manga.
"Are you not going to train? You can't beat Kaido by reading manga all day."
Yamato scratched her head with an embarrassed grin. "Sorry! I've just never read anything this fun before… I might've gotten a little carried away, hahaha."
Caesar sighed softly. He couldn't bring himself to get mad at her — she just looked too clueless and innocent.
Besides, she'd never experienced anything this entertaining before… No wonder she got brainwashed just from picking up that old journal.
"Don't get too obsessed, or I won't give you the next volume."
The manga was serialized in the World Economic Journal, but you could also buy full volumes in stores.
The snacks and sodas were all from Caesar's old stash. Since they were kept in stasis, they never expired — meaning he could whip up a steaming bowl of ramen anytime.
"Got it!"
---
After a quick shower, Caesar changed clothes and returned to the room.
Seeing Yamato still reading, he left her alone and sat down cross-legged to meditate.
Of the three types of Haki, he had already awakened Conqueror's Haki and could now use it in battle to some extent.
As for the other two types, he hadn't mastered them yet. But thanks to the recent fights, Caesar had started to get a faint sense of them.
Sometimes, during combat, he would feel a pressure building up — an intense, unreleased force desperate to erupt.
Other times, his instincts would flash with insight, letting him predict King's next move. But the perception was always foggy, like trying to see through a veil — never fully clear.
It was maddening.
Like seeing flowers through mist, so close yet just out of reach.
It made it hard to stay calm or focused.
Still, Caesar wasn't in a rush. After all, it took Luffy six months to get Armament Haki right, and he had only been training for one. Even just sensing a glimpse of it was already impressive.
One important detail about Haki: since it's a latent potential everyone possesses, even those who haven't trained can accidentally unleash it.
But most people don't understand what it is and never notice its presence.
What Caesar needed to do now was find those two forces — and draw them out!
He meditated every day since arriving here. Though he had yet to succeed, his senses were definitely becoming sharper.
He closed his eyes, cleared his mind, and let his thoughts settle like a still lake.
Soon, the only sounds in the room were Yamato's.
The rustle of flipping pages, the crunch of chips, the fizz of soda, her cheers when she hit an exciting part…
The sound of her skirt brushing the tatami, her heartbeat thumping, her blood flowing — and the steady rhythm of her breath, proof of life itself.
Caesar listened in silence, still as a meditating monk.
Then — for just a moment —
His sensory field rippled, as if a drop of water had disturbed the still lake, sending out tiny waves.
And in that instant, Caesar heard it.
He tried to stir those ripples, using their energy to push the lake further outward.
And then the waves surged outward, expanding in all directions like a tide responding to a call!
---
Elsewhere…
"Get the kitchen ready for late-night snacks! Lord Caesar and Lady Yamato should be hungry soon!"
"Hey… Miss Ayun, are those two… dating?"
"Oi! Don't drag me into this if you're looking to die! You think we're allowed to gossip about them?!"
"Oh come on, the whole island's talking…"
"Just shut up and do your job!"
---
"Ara~ Lord Blissgra, sassyburi~ It's been ages since you visited me~"
"Hohoho! I've been swamped lately, sorry, my little beauty~"
"Eh? Lots of guests have been absent lately… Has there been fighting?"
"Not sure. But I heard there'll be something big at this year's Fire Festival. Anyway, forget that — did you miss me?"
"Heehee, you're so naughty~"
---
"Lord Queen, Master Kaido wants an update on your land purification research. Time's running out. If there's still no progress, he'll contact the World Government and ask Vegapunk for help. But before that… he's going to dismantle your lab."
"Shut up! Just give me a bit more time, dammit! And what's with that attitude?! I'm not inferior to that bastard Vegapunk!"
"This is Master Kaido's decision…"
"Tch! That damn old man, always barking orders. He's the one who caused the pollution in the first place! Damn it! It's all that damn bat kid's fault!"
---
"Caesar? He's hot. Totally my type!"
"Eh?! You like that kind of guy? Wait — why am I even asking you?! Shoo, brat!"
---
A flood of chaotic voices rushed into Caesar's mind, making his head spin.
Back in the room, Yamato paused her reading, sensing something. She turned toward Caesar, a bit concerned.
Seeing his furrowed brow, she got up, walked behind him, and sat down cross-legged.
Then she gently pulled him into her lap, letting his head rest in the softest, most heavenly pillow imaginable.
Her hands began massaging his temples.
Lost in his first successful use of Observation Haki, Caesar suddenly felt himself fall into a cloud of indescribable softness.
A devastating move — Twin Peaks Headlock!
He kept his eyes closed, focusing on expanding his sensory reach. Though the overload of information gave him a headache, he didn't want to waste the opportunity.
After a long while, Caesar finally opened his eyes.
At the moment, his head was nestled between two impossibly large and warm bundles of justice, with a holy glow radiating from his cheeks.
"How did it feel?"
Yamato's voice came from above.
Caesar looked up at her beautiful face, dead serious.
"…Very soft."
Yamato's expression darkened. "I meant your Haki, idiot!"
"It felt… pretty incredible."
He sat up and beckoned to her. "Try punching me."
WHAM!
Before he even finished speaking, a jet-black Armament Haki fist slammed into his chest.
Caesar's back arched as he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Eyes wide, pupils shrunk to pinpricks — he stared at Yamato in shock.
It was the kind of punch that made you expect her to say, "I'm just a farmer, mister!"
"Hey hey! You okay, Caesar?!"
Yamato's face went pale as she caught him.
"I… I just wasn't ready…"
"Oh! Want me to do it again?"
"…No, I'm good."
Yeah, Zoan-types are great.
They've got insane vitality. A good meal and he'd be fine.
But if this had been the pre-Devil Fruit Caesar, he'd probably be dead right now.
Slumping back into Yamato's lap, Caesar looked up at her face again.
She blinked with wide, innocent eyes.
"…Didn't you say you were going back to being a girl?"
"Yup!"
"And you're fine with me lying here like this?"
"Yup!"
"You—!"
Caesar opened his mouth but didn't say anything.
With how clueless she was, she probably didn't see anything strange about the situation.
"If it's Caesar, then it's totally fine!"
Yamato beamed with a cheerful, radiant smile.
"Huh? So anyone else wouldn't be?"
"Of course not! I'm a girl, remember? What are you thinking, you dummy!"
"Then why am I okay?"
"Hmmm—"
Yamato thought for a moment, then laughed. Her innocent face was tinged with a faint blush.
"I dunno. It's just… you're Caesar. So it's fine, haha…"
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