A Clash of Legends: Caesar vs. Golden Lion
"I can't keep holding back anymore!"
The battle had reached its climax. The sky rumbled as two monstrous figures faced each other, their bodies bruised and bloodied from their fierce exchange.
Panting heavily, Caesar steadied himself, gripping his blade tightly. Across from him, standing amidst the wreckage of battle, was the infamous Golden Lion, Shiki.
Shiki was the first to break the tense silence.
"Caesar, your strength… it's grown beyond my expectations," he admitted, his golden mane fluttering in the stormy winds.
His piercing gaze locked onto Caesar's. "With power like yours, don't tell me you've never thought about conquering the world! Admit it! You and I—we're the same!"
A smirk tugged at the corner of Shiki's lips, though his expression darkened slightly. He raised his hand, waving off the idea of recruiting Caesar outright.
"I won't waste time trying to make you join me. Instead—let's work together!" His voice grew more frenzied. "Let's stand as equals! Overthrow the World Government! Seize the world for ourselves!"
As he spoke, blood dripped from a deep wound on his forehead, trailing down his face like war paint, making his already crazed expression even more terrifying.
Caesar, however, merely snorted in response.
Work with Shiki? That man only knew destruction, not how to rule. He was a force of nature, yes, but an aimless one. Even if he did overthrow the Celestial Dragons, what then? Would he simply become one of them?
And what of his so-called vision? Without order, wouldn't he just be dragged down from his throne like every other tyrant before him?
"I've already given you my answer, Shiki," Caesar said coldly. "I'm not interested in working with you."
"Jihahahahaha!"
Shiki erupted into wild laughter, his voice carrying through the battlefield like a storm.
Without another word, his swords—Oto and Kogarashi—crackled with immense Haki, the very air around them distorting from the sheer force of his will. His golden slashes tore through the sky, racing toward Caesar with terrifying speed.
Caesar reacted instantly. The Ba Dao in his grip pulsed as his own Haki surged forth, a deep purple-gold aura enveloping the blade. At the moment Shiki struck, Caesar swung his own sword in retaliation.
BOOM!
The two slashes collided with cataclysmic force. The sheer impact sent shockwaves across the battlefield, splitting the sea below and tearing apart nearby ships. The very sky seemed to tremble at their clash.
Even from a distance, the power of their attacks was overwhelming. Caesar braced himself, coating his body in Armament Haki to withstand the explosive force. At the same time, he used his telekinetic abilities to hurl a massive chunk of debris in front of him, reinforcing it with Haki to shield himself from the worst of the blast.
Amidst the swirling destruction, Shiki's voice rang out once more.
"Jihahahaha! Caesar! If you refuse to join me, then so be it!" His laughter was as wild as ever. "But don't think this is over! Next time we meet, I'll pay you back in full!"
As his words echoed, his figure began to fade into the chaos, his fleet withdrawing from the battlefield.
By the time the dust settled, Shiki was gone.
A Battle Watched by the World
The battle had shaken the very sea itself. From a distance, both pirates and Marines had watched in awe as two legends clashed.
To those witnessing the fight, it was like watching gods wage war.
The event had been broadcast live across the world by a news ship, sending shockwaves throughout every corner of the Grand Line. However, before the final outcome could be revealed, the ship's transmission was abruptly cut off—shattered by the residual force of the two warriors' final clash.
And just like that, both combatants disappeared from the core of the battlefield, knowing that continuing the fight would bring no meaningful result.
Meanwhile, the surrounding sea had become a hunting ground. Countless pirate crews and Marine warships, having witnessed the battle, now lurked nearby like vultures, waiting to strike at whoever emerged weakened.
Neither Caesar nor Shiki had any interest in entertaining them.
As Caesar returned to his ship, the Rex, his crew immediately rushed to his side, concern evident in their expressions. His body was littered with wounds, some bleeding heavily, but he waved off their worries with a dismissive hand.
"I'm fine," he assured them. "We're leaving this place immediately."
Without wasting another second, he used his powers to lift the Rex into the sky. Within moments, they vanished into the dark clouds above, leaving behind the battlefield that had now become a graveyard of wrecked ships and shattered dreams.
Thus, the battle between Caesar and the Golden Lion came to an end.
But the world would not forget it so easily.
The Aftermath: A New Title is Born
Two days later, at Marine Headquarters, the battle's impact was still being assessed. Intelligence officers meticulously reviewed the footage obtained before the transmission had been cut off.
The conclusion was undeniable—Caesar and Shiki were now considered an even greater threat than before. Their power was enough to reshape the weather of an entire sea area, turning it into a deadly, uncharted zone.
The response was immediate.
Bounties across the Caesar Pirates and Shiki's Flying Pirates were raised once more. But one decision stood out above all others.
At the suggestion of Vice Admiral Tsuru, Caesar was given a new title on his wanted poster:
"Heavenly King" (Ten no Ō).
The name symbolized dominion over the skies—an undeniable statement of Caesar's might.
Yet there was another motive behind it.
By giving Caesar such a prestigious title, the Marines hoped to stoke the flames of rivalry between him and Shiki. After all, both were legendary aerial warriors—yet only one was publicly recognized as the king of the skies.
Would Shiki let such an insult slide?
The Navy intended to find out.
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Zou: The Moving Island
Weeks had passed since the battle. After recovering on a secluded island, Caesar and his crew set sail once more.
Their journey eventually led them to a sea filled with dense, white mist. At first, they thought little of it—unpredictable weather was common in the New World.
But then, the ship's lookout, Arnold, suddenly shouted in alarm.
"Captain! Look ahead!"
As the mist thinned, an impossibly large pillar loomed before them, stretching endlessly into the sky.
Caesar's eyes narrowed. He recognized this sight instantly.
This isn't just any island…
"This is Zou," he declared, his voice filled with certainty. "The back of the legendary Elephant Lord."
His words left the crew in stunned silence.
Zou—an ancient, thousand-year-old elephant wandering the seas of the New World. Upon its back resided the Mink Tribe and the Furry Kingdom, a land hidden from most of the world.
Excitement buzzed through the crew as they stared up at the towering leg before them.
"Captain, should we go up?" someone asked eagerly.
Caesar smirked. "Of course. Let's see what awaits us on Zou."
With a surge of telekinetic power, he lifted the Rex high into the sky, piercing through the clouds toward the mysterious land above.
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