Chapter 9: Schemes
Married men can still chase other women?
Are all men like this?
"Well, to be honest," Caesar smirked, "I actually like traditional women like you."
Yamato's earlier comment made Caesar's heart skip a beat—he almost blurted out "Father-in-law" to Kaido right then and there.
But of course, that was just a fleeting thought.
In a world where power struggles often end in bloodshed, some things shouldn't be joked about.
"Forget it, let's not talk about that…"
Caesar shook his head. "So, what did captain call me here for? Just to ask about my training?"
"Hmph… Arrogant brat."
Kaido scowled, clearly displeased by Caesar's deflection. "Whatever you're thinking, the fact is, you're still one of my men. And it's about time you showed your face out there."
That piqued Caesar's interest. "Heading out to sea? For battle or plundering?"
Kaido let out a cold laugh. "What difference does it make? You're a pirate."
"There's a huge difference," Caesar replied smoothly. "I used to be a big-time businessman. I'm not going to tarnish my reputation by looting some petty goods."
When money came into the picture, Caesar's demeanor changed. He opened his hands in a languid, aristocratic gesture.
"I recall there's a World Bank branch in Dressrosa. How about I personally invest another 10 to 20 billion into our crew? Much faster than robbery."
Kaido looked bewildered. "Didn't you say your business assets were being handed over to me? Where's this money coming from?"
"Assets are one thing, savings another."
Caesar shook his head with a wry smile. "I've said it before—money is a tool, not the goal. Its value lies in resource exchange and investment cycles. That's why the rich stay rich, and the poor remain poor."
"Talk simpler. I don't get it."
Kaido grunted. Though he was no fool, expecting a battle-hardened brute like him to understand economic theory was a stretch.
"Fine, let me give you an example. Say you have a hundred million berries. You'd throw a party with it, right? But I'd use it for business, earn more, and then invest that profit. Over time, the wealth snowballs, growing on its own—even if I do nothing."
"You might say, 'Just steal if you need money.' But manpower has its limits. And the more you pillage, the more merchants will avoid these unstable seas. The loot will only shrink over time."
"Do you know why the World Government has never truly feared pirates?"
Caesar chuckled and pointed a finger at Kaido.
"Because pirates pose no real threat. Even if they let you run wild in the New World, in a few decades you'd destroy yourselves. There'd be no need for them to lift a finger. In fact, the Four Emperors' existence helps maintain stability in their regime."
"Hmm…"
Kaido didn't rage or shout. Surprisingly calm, he said, "So, you're saying… the economy matters?"
"Of course!" Caesar grinned. "It's simple: the wealthier the people, the higher the taxes. Higher taxes mean a richer nation, which in turn means even wealthier citizens. It's a virtuous cycle."
"Imagine this—Captain, if you take down Orochi and announce that you were being manipulated by his witchcraft all along… Then shut down those pointless seastone factories, and declare that Wano is now under the protection of the Beasts Pirates…"
"Encourage trade, promote agriculture. With national financial support, your wealth would multiply several times over in two years. And by then, even if Kozuki Oden returned from the dead, the people of Wano would ask him to die again."
"Oh?"
Kaido's eyes lit up, a spark of interest gleaming in them.
Was the Beasts Pirates crew poor?
Honestly, with Orochi's support, they lived comfortably—but just barely enough to keep operations running.
Real wealth?
They didn't have it.
If Kaido had real money, he wouldn't have to scrape and search for Devil Fruits. With 10 billion berries, he could easily snag a few—even mythical Zoans.
Caesar's words hit him right where it mattered.
"Wait, wait—Caesar, something doesn't feel right!"
Yamato, who had been listening quietly, finally couldn't take it anymore. "The Kozuki family is the rightful ruler of Wano!"
"Whoever brings peace and prosperity to the people is the rightful ruler," Caesar replied with a sneer. "Which regime in this world wasn't built through violence? Who says only the Kozuki can sit on the throne?"
"Worororo! Well said, Caesar boy!"
Kaido burst out laughing. "My original plan was to make Yamato the next shogun—but this idiot only wants to become Oden…"
"Hey—Caesar!"
Yamato pulled him aside, lowering her voice. "What about the Kozuki retainers? What happens to them?"
"What do you mean 'what happens'?" Caesar feigned confusion. "Aren't their goals the same? To give the people a better life? Once everyone's well-fed and living comfortably, what complaints could they possibly have?"
"History gave the Kozuki clan a chance, and Oden squandered it. Are we supposed to make the people suffer again for old ideals? Or… do those retainers not care about the people at all? Are they just fighting for power? In which case, how are they any different from Orochi?"
"I…"
Yamato hesitated, something about that didn't sit right. "Wait, but Kaido didn't act under Orochi's spell—he chose all this willingly!"
"Does it matter?"
Caesar gave her a disappointed look. "Right now, Orochi rules Wano, and the people are starving. You and I can't change that overnight. Are we going to just let them die? If it were Oden, would he sit and watch his people starve?"
Yamato froze. She didn't know how to answer.
Would Oden watch his people starve?
No—he wouldn't.
He might not have been a qualified ruler—naïve to the point of foolishness—but at least he cared. At least he had honor.
Yamato tried to hold onto that belief.
But then she remembered what Caesar said—how Oden abandoned his people and went to sea, how the citizens of Wano had suffered all these years.
Suddenly, she wasn't so sure anymore.
Yamato pressed her lips together. In the end, she didn't argue.
Seeing her reaction, Caesar smiled slightly, secretly amused.
He had nothing but contempt for the Kozuki clan.
Kozuki Oden. All his subordinates are useless; aside from endlessly thanking him for his kindness, they're incapable of doing anything. Mention Oden, and they'll burst into tears like it's a reflex!
As for his son, Momonosuke…
Momonosuke must die. No further explanation needed.
Cowardly, lecherous…
If it weren't for the concern that others might exploit his status as the legitimate heir of the Kozuki name, he wouldn't even be worth killing.
The Kozuki clan must be eradicated.
Of course, it couldn't be him who did it—not if he wanted to avoid alienating Yamato.
That stubborn girl only sees the world in black and white. You can't change her beliefs overnight. It has to be gradual, a slow and steady influence.
Kaido was the perfect tool for that.
Once Kaido had finished building up Wano, he would step in, defeat him, and pluck the ripened fruit that was the Land of Wano…
---
"You two brats! Think my Observation Haki is just for show?!"
Reclining on his couch, Kaido shouted gruffly as he noticed the two whispering to each other.
No matter how dominant he was, Kaido was still human. Deep down, he cared for Yamato. Denying that would be a lie.
So when this cocky little blonde brat—Caesar—suddenly showed up and had his daughter listening wide-eyed to his every word, Kaido couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.
Of course, he'd never let it show on his face.
"Caesar, brat! You haven't finished talking!"
"Wano is a wasteland now—totally unsuitable for farming. What, you expect me to throw money into it and feed those people out of my own pocket?"
"Money? Why bother?" Caesar sneered. "Isn't Orochi loaded? Just kill him and redistribute the wealth to the people."
"Besides," Caesar added, "isn't Queen a scientist? Let him deal with the land pollution. If he can't solve it, pass it to Vegapunk. If even he can't fix it, then restrict the export of seastone. Trust me—when that happens, the World Government will panic even more than you do."
Kaido's eyes gleamed. "Throw the problem at someone else, huh? You really are a schemer."
"So, Kaido-san," Caesar smiled, "what do you think of the plan?"
"Worororo… not bad! I originally brought you here just to put your face out there, but I didn't expect such a pleasant surprise…"
Kaido laughed heartily. Though he wasn't an expert in economics, he wasn't an idiot either.
Caesar's proposal was extremely viable.
Agriculture, trade, seastone processing, tax support—it all pointed to a massive pool of resources.
Looking back on his own plan to enslave Wano, Kaido had to admit: all the years of scheming and ambition still fell short of the depth Caesar showed with a single, offhand comment. No wonder this brat could make so much money…
After a pause, Kaido glanced at the two of them again.
Something crossed his mind. With a slight wave of his hand and a surprisingly soft tone, he said, "Enough of that for now. You two—stay and drink with me?"
"Who wants to drink with you?!"
Before Caesar could react, Yamato grabbed him and stormed out of the room.
"Hey, what the hell—!?"
Dragged along like a ragdoll, Caesar flailed as Yamato sprinted all the way to the coast.
There, she came to a sudden stop, grabbed the horns on her head, and screamed in frustration.
"Aaaaargh! This is so annoying, damn it!!!"
"…What are you so mad about?"
Caesar sat down cross-legged and casually pulled out two bottles of unopened booze, tossing one to her.
"Still hung up on the Kozuki clan?"
"I just don't get it…" Yamato mumbled, taking the bottle. "If Kaido really can feed everyone in Wano… then what did Oden's sacrifice even mean?"
"He was just stupid."
Caesar chuckled. "And 'sacrifice'? Please. He danced naked for five years, got a bunch of people killed—who exactly was he saving? Don't get it twisted, Yamato. Oden was part of the ruling class—same as Orochi."
"To be honest, Kaido, Oden's samurai, and even Orochi—they're all part of the same elite tier. The only difference is how they treat the people."
"But for the common folk? They don't give a damn who's in charge. All they want is to eat. If Kaido can give them that, then the Kozuki clan instantly becomes a bunch of rebels. And once they try to regain power, their tactics might not be any nobler than Orochi's."
"I don't believe that!" Yamato shook her head. "They're not like that!"
"Then they should be supporting Kaido's rule."
Yamato fell silent.
After a long pause, she finally chugged down the bottle and tossed it aside, fire blazing in her eyes.
"Hey Caesar… fight me!"
"…What, not confused anymore?"
Grinning, Yamato bared her teeth. "Being confused just means I'm still not strong enough, right?"
"Then let's go!"
Caesar laughed boldly, tossing aside his bottle. Dark wings unfurled behind him.
Boom!
Two torrents of Conqueror's Haki exploded at the coastline.
Yamato grabbed her spiked kanabo, Takeru, from her back, spun around, and brought it crashing down toward Caesar.
"Raimei—Hakke!"
"Starting off with your ultimate move?!"
Seeing the devastating blow charging at him, Caesar's eye twitched. He quickly dodged backward.
"Don't run, damn it! Eat my Raimei Hakke!"
"You swing that thing like you're trying to kill me!"
"Yeah, well I don't know why, but even if you make sense, you still piss me off! I just wanna hit you!"
Yamato laughed heartily. "Take this!"
"What, you turn back into a woman and suddenly logic goes out the window? That's one hell of a shift!"
Caesar danced and dodged around Yamato's wild swings, showing no signs of real panic.
Boom!
A clash between Armament Haki-infused club and Conqueror's-coated fist.
A crackling explosion of thunder and power. Caesar was blasted backward, flipping midair to absorb the impact, wings fluttering as he landed gently.
Yamato staggered two steps back, eyes locked on Caesar with burning battle spirit.
And so, the battle continued.
From dawn till dusk, moonlight to sunrise.
By morning, the coastline looked like a war zone—shattered trees, massive craters everywhere.
Caesar lay flat on the ground. Yamato sat cross-legged beside him, downing another bottle of booze.
"Ha—so much better!"
Wiping her mouth with a satisfied grin, she turned to Caesar.
He stared up at the sky, unable to move. "Seriously… you're Kaido's daughter all right. Even your stamina is a freaking abyss…"
"Heh, you're not bad yourself," Yamato grinned. "You've never even learned Ryou, and you still kept up this long."
She raised a fist confidently. "Once you've got Armament Haki down, the two of us together—we can take Kaido!"
Caesar arched a brow. "What, not frustrated anymore?"
"Mm… actually…" Yamato's face darkened for a second, then she nodded, voice tinged with lingering frustration.
"You were right, Caesar. I just feel… unsatisfied."
"I couldn't go out to sea, fine. But I didn't even understand what was right in front of me. That makes me feel like a damn fool."
Caesar nodded sagely. "Well, at least you're self-aware."
"Shut up, you jerk!"
A faint blush crept up Yamato's cheeks as she barked in embarrassment.
"I'm just not good at thinking, okay?! And back then… I saw Oden get killed by Kaido with my own eyes. I can't forget that. But… I've figured it out now."
"Caesar! I'm not going to become Kozuki Oden!"
"I'm Yamato! A woman stronger and better than any man!"
"Whether it's Kaido or Oden—I will surpass them both!"