He looked like an ordinary person.
Yet here he was—a man secretly observing from the shadows.
His appearance was somewhat unkempt, but what stood out even more was his expression. The combination of his slightly shabby look and wretched demeanor made him quite distinct.
He was only two or three years older than Caesar, yet he looked nearly a decade older.
Each day, Caesar kept this man under surveillance, relying on his overwhelming strength to remain undetected. Though the man possessed decent abilities, he still wasn't sharp enough to notice Caesar watching him.
Aside from when the man slept, Caesar observed his every move.
Caesar had traveled to this island for one reason: to find this young man.
That young man's name was Borsalino—the future Admiral Kizaru of the Navy.
But Caesar's true objective was not to kill Borsalino.
Instead, he had come to claim one of the most powerful Logia-type Devil Fruits—the Pika Pika no Mi (Glint-Glint Fruit)—before Borsalino could obtain it.
Based on Caesar's knowledge from the original timeline, Borsalino was regarded as a monstrous talent after joining the Navy.
Zephyr, the Marine instructor who trained the new recruits in the year 373 of the Age of the Sea Circle Calendar, once commented that Borsalino relied too much on his Devil Fruit. Because of this, Zephyr viewed him as the weakest among the three future admirals.
From this, Caesar deduced that Borsalino must have eaten the Pika Pika no Mi before enlisting in the Navy.
Since Borsalino officially joined the Marines at the age of twenty-six, Caesar calculated that he must be around twenty-four or twenty-five now. That meant there were roughly two years left before he would enlist.
And since he was hailed as a monster the moment he entered the Marine training camp, it was clear that he had already spent some time mastering his Devil Fruit abilities before joining.
During this period, it was highly likely that the Pika Pika no Mi would appear.
That was why Caesar was here—to intercept the fruit before Borsalino could claim it for himself.
As for who would eat the Pika Pika no Mi, Caesar had already made plans.
After solidifying his relationship with Regina, Veena, and Lily on Whole Cake Island, Caesar knew that he and the three women would have multiple children in the future.
Thus, he wanted to prepare in advance, securing top-tier Devil Fruits for his future offspring.
Even if none of his future children consumed the Pika Pika no Mi, acquiring such a powerful fruit would still be an invaluable asset.
If he successfully intercepted the fruit, Borsalino's fate—and the balance of power within the Navy—could be drastically altered.
Not that Caesar cared. His only concern was whether he could claim the full-powered, canon-version of the Pika Pika no Mi for himself.
Day after day, Caesar remained hidden on the island, patiently monitoring Borsalino, waiting for the moment the Glint-Glint Fruit would appear.
Meanwhile, Caesar's sudden disappearance from the seas caused waves across the world.
Speculation ran rampant—some believed he was plotting a major event, while others theorized that he had clashed with Big Mom on Whole Cake Island and was now recovering from injuries.
However, few believed the latter theory.
The Marines, on the other hand, were deeply concerned.
For a figure of Caesar's caliber to suddenly vanish, the Navy naturally assumed the worst—that he was planning some kind of large-scale conspiracy.
Despite their best efforts, Marine intelligence officers could not uncover his whereabouts.
Weeks passed, then months. Eventually, the world moved on.
Even the Marines, though still wary, relegated Caesar's disappearance to a lower priority.
After all, the seas were constantly in turmoil—new events unfolded daily, demanding their attention.
Three months passed.
During this time, Caesar continued his surveillance. Every day, Borsalino would go to the beach to practice swordsmanship before returning to town to study.
Nothing noteworthy happened.
This lack of progress frustrated Caesar.
He even began to wonder if his presence in this world had already altered history, creating a butterfly effect that changed Borsalino's fate.
Perhaps, because of the changes Caesar had already caused, Borsalino would never eat the Pika Pika no Mi.
Perhaps he wouldn't even join the Navy.
Maybe, in this altered world, Borsalino would become a pirate instead.
It was another ordinary day.
As usual, Borsalino woke up, ate breakfast, and grabbed his sword before heading toward the other side of the island.
To get there, he had to pass through a dense forest that led to a secluded beach. The currents here were strong, making it an unsuitable place for ships to dock.
For that reason, Borsalino had chosen it as his training ground.
Just as he had done for the past three months, Caesar concealed himself with his electromagnetic force field, using his Observation Haki to keep watch.
For an individual seeking to dominate the world, intelligence was key. Like a certain historical emperor who maintained absolute control by understanding his subordinates, Caesar knew that knowledge was power.
Suddenly, Borsalino stopped swinging his sword.
His gaze was drawn to the shoreline, where something had caught his attention.
Curious, he walked toward it.
Caesar, immediately alert, focused his vision.
Then, he saw it.
A golden-hued Devil Fruit had washed ashore.
Upon seeing its distinctive patterns, Caesar instantly recognized it from the Devil Fruit encyclopedia.
It was the Pika Pika no Mi—the very fruit he had been waiting for!
Suppressing his excitement, Caesar wasted no time.
Without hesitation, he extended his psychic powers and seized the golden fruit, pulling it toward himself.
Just as Borsalino was about to reach for the fruit, he was stunned to see it levitate into the air and fly away at high speed.
His eyes followed its trajectory—until they locked onto the figure floating in the sky.
A look of shock flashed across Borsalino's face. His pupils contracted as he recognized the infamous man before him.
"You… You're the Heavenly King, Caesar?!"
Even though he had spent most of his life in the North Blue, Borsalino was well aware of Caesar's name. After all, his bounty poster and exploits were known across the world.
Despite his surprise, Caesar ignored him.
He focused solely on retrieving the Devil Fruit, bringing it into his grasp.
Holding the fruit in his hands, he couldn't help but smirk.
Finally—after months of waiting—the Pika Pika no Mi was his.
Without wasting time, Caesar used his telekinetic powers to carve a box from a nearby tree, securing the fruit inside.
With the Pika Pika no Mi now in his possession, Borsalino's fate had been completely rewritten.
Unaware of how drastically his destiny had changed, Borsalino continued to stare at Caesar in shock.
"Why are you here? What do you want?" he asked, gripping his wooden sword tightly.
Caesar, in a good mood, glanced at Borsalino and assessed him.
Even without the Pika Pika no Mi, this man had the potential to become a fearsome force. If he focused on swordsmanship and martial arts, he could still reach Admiral-level strength in the future.
After all, the Navy's admirals weren't just strong because of their Devil Fruits.
Considering this, Caesar suddenly felt an idea take root in his mind.
He had already altered Borsalino's fate once—why not go further?
Smirking, Caesar looked down at him and said,
"You've got talent. Want to join the Caesar Pirates?"
Borsalino widened his eyes in surprise.
He had never expected an invitation from one of the New World's most dangerous pirates.
But without hesitation, he replied in his usual drawl:
"Oh~ I appreciate the offer, but I'm afraid I'm not interested in becoming a pirate~"
Despite his relaxed tone, his grip on his sword tightened, his palms slick with sweat.
Caesar studied him for a moment, then shrugged.
"Suit yourself."
With that, he vanished into the sky, leaving behind a bewildered Borsalino.
And with the Pika Pika no Mi secured, Caesar set his sights on a new target—one that lay beyond the Grand Line, in the East Blue.
His next objective: the Mera Mera no Mi—the Flame-Flame Fruit.
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