Chapter 256: Fake Life Return
"Dad has a really big appetite!"
Caesar flew over in his dragon form, hovering in the air before Charlotte, drooling at the barbecue below.
He was hungry too.
All that fireball-spitting had drained a lot of his energy.
Now, the aroma of roasted meat filled his nostrils, making his stomach growl impatiently.
Charlotte noticed this, picked up a large plate of barbecue, and tossed it into the sky.
Caesar's eyes lit up immediately.
He raised his dragon head, opened his mouth wide, and swallowed the food whole—without even chewing.
But that only made him crave more.
If Charlotte weren't the one sitting at the table, he would have grabbed the food himself.
"Bring more barbecue!"
Charlotte chuckled at Caesar's greedy expression.
"If you're hungry, just sit down and eat!" he said, glancing up at his son.
Caesar didn't hesitate.
He shifted back into his human form, sat obediently across from Charlotte, and picked up a knife and fork.
His eyes sparkled with excitement as he dug into the barbecue.
Piece by piece, Caesar shoveled food into his mouth.
Despite his small body, he devoured everything like a bottomless pit.
Charlotte watched in amusement.
But then, he noticed something different.
As Caesar continued eating, a strange white steam began to rise from his head.
Charlotte's eyes narrowed slightly.
Caesar, focused on his food, suddenly noticed his father staring at him with a strange expression.
For some reason, a chill ran down his spine.
Something bad was about to happen.
Charlotte was shocked.
Caesar inherited this talent from me?!
Watching the white mist rise from Caesar's head, Charlotte immediately recognized it.
This was the rapid digestion of energy.
It resembled Life Return, though it was a weaker version.
A pseudo-Life Return.
Even so—it had limitless potential.
Charlotte had relied on this ability to train day and night.
As long as he had enough food, he could keep training nonstop and grow stronger.
That was how—in just five years—Charlotte went from a helpless child to a powerhouse before setting sail.
Those five years had built his unshakable foundation.
With this ability, one could heal wounds, recover energy, and train endlessly.
It was one of Charlotte's greatest advantages.
And now—Caesar had inherited it.
Charlotte watched his son closely.
Caesar, sensing his father's piercing gaze, suddenly slowed his eating.
"Ahem!"
Charlotte cleared his throat.
Caesar froze instantly.
He stiffened, hesitated, and looked at his father cautiously.
Charlotte smirked.
"I saw your performance earlier. You did well."
He gave a thumbs-up and smiled.
Hearing this, Caesar exhaled in relief and immediately lifted his chin proudly.
"Dad! This is what I should do!" he declared confidently.
But—
Charlotte's expression changed instantly.
"But! You still have many weaknesses!"
Caesar's smug face froze.
It was as if he already knew what was coming.
"This battle clearly showed that you rely too much on your Devil Fruit. Without it, you can't even defeat a single foot soldier!"
Charlotte's tone turned serious.
His stern gaze made Caesar feel uneasy.
"From now on, I will personally oversee your training. Someone will watch over you! If you fail to complete it…"
Charlotte smirked darkly.
Caesar shivered.
Even though he had performed remarkably well for an eight-year-old, Charlotte wouldn't allow him to become arrogant.
Charlotte had seen too many pirates die from overconfidence.
If he praised Caesar too much, the boy's ego would skyrocket.
Strict discipline was necessary.
Charlotte glanced at Caesar's despairing expression.
This kid was so lazy—
Even if he had ten times the courage, he still wouldn't train voluntarily!
Caesar's appetite disappeared.
Thinking about training day and night, he even considered running away from home.
But then…
Where would he get money?
Where would he sleep?
Where would he eat delicious food?
He sneaked a glance at his father.
"Hmph! When I grow up, I'll starve you for ten meals straight!"
Caesar's adorable little pout was almost comical.
He stabbed his knife and fork into his barbecue repeatedly—
As if imagining it was Charlotte.
Charlotte noticed but didn't say anything.
He did this for Caesar's own good.
As the eldest son of the Rockefeller family, Caesar was destined for greatness.
He had extraordinary talent.
Charlotte would never allow his son to become weak.
That was the responsibility of a father.
After finishing his meal, Charlotte wiped his mouth gracefully and let out a soft burp.
His injuries had fully healed.
Only the dried bloodstains remained—evidence that he had been injured at all.
Just as he was about to relax—
A maid ran out of the kitchen, breathless.
"Master! We found a Devil Fruit!"
Charlotte's eyes widened.
Caesar's body tensed.
A strange desire surged within him, pulling him toward it.
The maid hurried over, holding a blue Devil Fruit covered in fish-like scales.
Charlotte's pupils shrunk.
Even Caesar, who was usually carefree, felt uneasy.
Charlotte could feel it.
The power radiating from the fruit was unmistakable.
He quickly took it from the maid's hands and examined it carefully.
There was no doubt.
This was Kaido's Blue Dragon Fruit.
A Mythical Zoan.
The Azure Dragon.
Charlotte's heart raced.
How did I get this lucky?!
The people around him exchanged glances—their expressions unreadable.
But deep down—they all knew.
This was Kaido's fruit.
Greed flickered in their eyes.
Even though most of them were swordsmen who disliked Devil Fruits, none of them could ignore its power.
They had seen Kaido wield this fruit with devastating strength.
Even Charlotte himself had struggled against it.
"Ahem! Looks like I got lucky. It must have respawned nearby."
Charlotte casually put the fruit away.
The people around him sighed in regret.
None of them had the ability to take it from Charlotte.
But Caesar—
He was panicking.
"Wait, Dad!"
His sudden shout interrupted Charlotte's actions.
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