Ke Luoluo's confident demeanor vanished in an instant. His pupils shrank as his face turned pale, and an uncontrollable tremor ran down his spine.
"This... how—how could this be...?"
A wave of dread seized him, rendering his mind blank.
His subordinates, who had followed his lead without question until now, quickly noticed his unnatural reaction. They exchanged hushed whispers:
"What's going on with the boss?"
"Yeah, he looks like he just saw a ghost..."
"This isn't right. The boss has always been the one to terrify others, not the one getting scared!"
"Could it be... that person on the opposite side of the lake?"
The murmurs grew more urgent. Soon, one of the pirates gasped in realization as his gaze locked onto the figure standing by the water, a sharp blade levitating beside him.
"W-Wait a minute... That man—he looks like Caesar!"
"Caesar? Who's that?"
"How could you forget?! He's the captain of the Caesar Pirates! The one they say has an ability rivaling a Devil Fruit's power!"
"Oh! Now I remember! The same Caesar who fought against the Navy for days and slaughtered a battalion before escaping unscathed?!"
"That's the one!"
A suffocating silence fell over the group. Realization dawned upon them like a death sentence, and in an instant, sheer panic set in. Their breath hitched. Their limbs stiffened.
Caesar remained motionless, his face devoid of emotion. When he finally spoke, his voice was eerily calm.
"So, you already understand that you're doomed?"
There was no need for threats, no exaggerated intimidation. Yet, his quiet statement alone was enough to send shivers through their bones. It was as if the temperature around them had plummeted, freezing their very souls.
Ke Luoluo's subordinates tried to move, to run—but their bodies refused to obey. Paralyzed by fear, they were trapped in place, helpless against the force that held them.
Ke Luoluo himself was no exception. His breathing became ragged as he struggled against the terror gripping his heart.
"Damn it... Why—why did I have to run into Caesar here of all places?!"
A gust of wind swept through the area.
Before they could react, an invisible force weighed down upon them, as if a massive hand had seized them all at once.
Then, without warning, they were lifted off the ground.
"Aaaaaahhh!"
Screams of pure horror filled the air as Ke Luoluo and his men were hurled across the island. In an instant, they were flung beyond the protective bubble of Fish-Man Island, into the crushing depths of the ocean.
At a depth of over 10,000 meters, the water pressure was merciless.
Their bodies were instantly compressed into grotesque, fist-sized lumps of flesh.
Blood spread rapidly through the water, its scent drawing monstrous creatures from the deep. Within seconds, the remains of Ke Luoluo and his crew were devoured, leaving nothing behind but a crimson haze in the ocean.
Caesar watched without a flicker of emotion.
There was no sense of righteousness, no desire to punish evil—just cold, detached indifference.
His gaze shifted to the mermaids, who remained tightly bound nearby.
Their eyes were wide with terror.
To them, it was unclear whether this man was their savior or merely another predator.
They had been betrayed by humans before. They knew all too well the horrors that awaited them if they were captured again.
But Caesar paid no heed to their fear.
With a mere thought, the Tyrannical Saber floating beside him trembled slightly, releasing a series of razor-thin slashes.
In an instant, the ropes binding the mermaids were cut—clean and precise, not even grazing their skin.
Had a master swordsman witnessed such control, they would have bowed down in awe.
For true swordsmanship was not just about strength, but about complete mastery—wielding a blade as effortlessly as an extension of one's own body.
And Caesar had already reached that level.
Yet, the rescued mermaids, still reeling from their ordeal, failed to grasp the skill he had just displayed.
Instead, overwhelmed by relief, they collapsed into each other's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
Caesar stood in silence, allowing them a moment to weep.
He understood their emotions well.
For countless years, Fish-Men and Mermaids had been captured and sold as slaves. Many never returned.
To them, their rescue was nothing short of escaping hell itself.
Finally, when their cries had softened, Caesar let out a quiet cough to regain their attention.
"Have you cried enough?" he asked flatly. "Hurry and get out of here. Don't stay any longer."
The mermaids looked up at him, tears still shimmering in their eyes.
For the first time, they fully processed what had happened.
This man—Caesar—had saved them.
Overcome with gratitude, they rushed toward him, embracing him tightly.
"Thank you for saving us!"
"If it weren't for you, I don't know what would have happened to us!"
Caesar's face turned slightly red. Whether from embarrassment or a surge of emotion, even he wasn't sure.
Seeing his reaction, the mermaids giggled through their tears, their voices like tinkling bells.
Surrounded by their beauty and laughter, Caesar felt slightly flustered.
"Damn it… It's too hot in here," he muttered, regaining his composure.
Clearing his throat, he gave a final warning.
"You should leave now. I killed those men, but they might have allies. If more of them show up, I may not be able to protect you again."
His words worked instantly. The mermaids' joy turned to urgency.
However, before leaving, one of them turned back and bowed deeply.
"May we know your name?"
Caesar hesitated briefly before answering.
"Caesar."
Just as he spoke, his expression darkened.
His gaze shifted toward Mermaid Bay.
Something was off.
"What's wrong?" one of the mermaids asked.
Caesar didn't answer immediately. His heightened senses picked up a commotion in the distance—angry voices, filled with rage and hatred.
Moments later, a large group of Fish-Men stormed into view.
Their eyes burned with fury as they spotted Caesar standing among the mermaids.
One of them, shaking with anger, pointed a trembling finger at him.
"It's him! Another filthy human here to capture us!"
The mermaid beside Caesar gasped.
"Brother, wait! He's not—"
But the mob wasn't listening.
More shouts erupted:
"These humans keep kidnapping our people! How many brothers and sisters have we lost to their greed?!"
"They deserve nothing but death!"
"Kill him!"
Weapons were raised. The Fish-Men charged.
Caesar sighed.
He had no intention of explaining himself.
Instead, he prepared to unleash his Conqueror's Haki—to remind them exactly who they were dealing with.
Subscribe to Patreon.com/Akeyno to get 30+ chapters