After all, Caesar had been collaborating with Sander for a long time on the commission to collect Devil Fruits. But now that Charlotte Linlin herself had personally requested the collection of Devil Fruits, who should he prioritize delivering them to?
With powerful figures on both sides, Sander found himself caught in a difficult situation.
Glancing at Caesar, Sander hesitated before explaining their existing partnership regarding the Devil Fruit collection. The once lively atmosphere at the tea party suddenly froze. Charlotte Linlin's expression darkened, her gaze locking onto Caesar with a menacing intensity.
However, Caesar remained unfazed. He continued eating and drinking as if Linlin's rising hostility was of no concern to him.
The underground leaders gathered at the tea party began to sweat under Linlin's overwhelming presence, fearing that a battle might erupt at any moment between these two monstrous figures.
Realizing the danger of the situation, Sander quickly shifted his approach. He glanced at Caesar and then spoke up.
"Linlin, Captain Caesar doesn't seem particularly interested in food-type Devil Fruits."
At these words, Charlotte Linlin's expression eased slightly.
She knew all too well that engaging in a direct confrontation at this moment would be unwise. If a battle were to break out, there was a real chance that she wouldn't emerge victorious against Caesar. Even if she did, the destruction that would follow could jeopardize the foundation she had painstakingly built.
Smiling, she leaned forward and made a proposal.
"Well now, Caesar… how about a partnership? I'll take the food-type Devil Fruits, and any others that turn up in my territory, I can trade to you. A mutually beneficial arrangement, don't you think?"
Caesar considered her words for a moment before nodding.
This crazy woman… If I refuse, we'll definitely end up fighting today.
If a battle did break out, Caesar was confident he could seriously injure or even kill Linlin—but he would also be severely wounded. Worse, his crew would suffer losses, and that wasn't a price he was willing to pay.
After all, his crew was the foundation of his strength, handpicked and trained with great care.
Acting Alone – Caesar's Secret Operation
With the tension defused, Caesar and Charlotte Linlin avoided any further friction. The tea party gradually returned to its lively atmosphere, resuming as if nothing had happened.
By the time the grand event concluded, the leaders of various factions bid farewell to Linlin and departed by ship.
After the tea party, Caesar sought out Sander once again.
"Sander, wait a moment…"
Hearing this, Sander stiffened. He couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine, suspecting that Caesar was displeased with how he had handled things earlier.
Trying to gauge the situation, Sander cautiously asked, "Captain Caesar, why are you looking for me?"
"Nothing serious," Caesar replied nonchalantly. "I just have another matter I want you to investigate."
Sander, who had been bracing himself for trouble, let out a quiet sigh of relief. Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he quickly responded, "Ah, so Captain Caesar wants information! That's something I can handle—just leave it to me!"
"What exactly do you need me to look into?" he asked.
Caesar leaned in slightly, his tone lowering as he shared the details.
Sander listened attentively, making sure to commit every word to memory. After absorbing the information, he nodded confidently, patting his chest.
"Captain Caesar, leave it to me! You'll have your answer soon."
With that, Sander set sail, spreading the word to his network.
Thus, the tea party officially came to an end.
Caesar, after bidding farewell to Linlin, returned to the Rex with his crew, setting sail once more.
He was satisfied with the outcome.
While Sander had originally planned to deliver food-type Devil Fruits to Linlin, this situation had unexpectedly given Caesar an additional avenue to acquire other types of Devil Fruits from her. Given Linlin's vast influence and connections across Totto Land, her collection efforts would undoubtedly be efficient. In the long run, this would allow Caesar to secure a steady supply of Devil Fruits through trade with her.
Additionally, the tea party had introduced him to numerous influential underworld figures, allowing him to establish multiple channels for acquiring Devil Fruits.
The more sources, the better. After all, a wide net catches more fish.
And money wasn't a problem. With the power of the Force Field Fruit, he could always find gold when needed.
Tensions Beyond the Tea Party
While Caesar and Linlin had settled their differences, many forces were secretly monitoring the situation. The fact that Caesar had left Linlin's territory without conflict was disappointing to certain parties.
Several factions had been hoping for a confrontation between him and Charlotte Linlin, much like his previous battle with the Golden Lion. A direct clash would have weakened both sides, creating an opportunity for others to take advantage.
The Navy, in particular, had been watching closely. To them, powerful pirates like Caesar and Linlin were almost untouchable. Ordinary Marine warships had no hope of capturing them, and even the strongest admirals couldn't easily take them down.
Marshal Steel Bone Kong needed to remain at headquarters, unable to leave on a whim. The newly appointed admirals, Sengoku and Zephyr, alongside the veteran Vice Admiral Garp, had their hands full hunting other notorious pirates.
Even when the Navy pursued Caesar, it usually ended in a battle where both sides withdrew. A single admiral alone wasn't enough to truly threaten the Caesar Pirates—at most, they could force them to retreat temporarily.
Thus, the Navy had secretly hoped for internal pirate conflicts to work in their favor. If Caesar and Linlin had fought, it would have been a major win for the Marines.
But their expectations were dashed—Caesar had left Linlin's territory unscathed.
A New Journey Begins
After leaving Totto Land, the Rex sailed across the Grand Line for nearly half a month.
During this time, Caesar continued helping his crew train while further refining his own control over the Force Field Fruit. His mastery of its abilities was improving steadily.
Life aboard the ship remained peaceful for now, but they knew battles would come eventually. The Caesar Pirates only encountered four types of enemies:
1. Top-tier pirate crews, such as the Golden Lion Pirates, with whom any encounter would lead to a massive battle.
2. The Navy, which pursued them occasionally but rarely posed a serious threat.
3. Mid-tier pirate crews, eager to challenge them in hopes of rising through the ranks.
4. Small-time pirate crews, which either fled on sight or were swiftly dealt with by Caesar's crew.
On this particular day, as Caesar was overseeing his crew's training, the Den Den Mushi in his captain's quarters rang.
Even before answering, Caesar's heightened senses, enhanced by the Force Field Fruit, had already detected the transmission's fluctuations.
He picked up the receiver with a flick of his power.
"Hello?"
"Ah, Captain Caesar! It's Sander!" came the voice from the other end.
"It's me," Caesar replied. "Have you found the information I wanted?"
Sander's tone carried a hint of excitement.
"Mission complete, Captain! I've gathered everything you need to know."
As he listened, Caesar's expression sharpened. This was the information he had been waiting for.
After the call ended, Caesar turned to his crew.
"I have something to take care of," he announced. "I'll be leaving the ship for a while."
He instructed Gnali to lead the crew in his absence and emphasized keeping a low profile.
Though some of his closest crewmates, including Lily, Weina, and Regina, were reluctant to let him go alone, Caesar reassured them with a calm smile.
Then, without another word, he soared into the sky, flying toward his next destination.
Unbeknownst to him, his sudden disappearance had already drawn the attention of powerful forces—including Marine Headquarters, where Steel Bone Kong now regarded him as an unpredictable threat.
Meanwhile, on a remote island in the North Blue, a new chapter in Caesar's journey was about to unfold…
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