It didn't take long for Caesar to locate his crew, relying on his Haki to sense their presence.
At this moment, they had regrouped inside a lively restaurant, indulging in a feast of fine cuisine, exquisite desserts, and aged wine.
"Caesar, you're here!"
"Come on, try the crab roe tofu—it's amazing!"
Caesar stepped inside.
However, before he could say anything, Gnaly, Brad, and several other male crew members exchanged knowing glances, raising their brows in amusement.
Meanwhile, Lili and the other three women, who had been in cheerful conversation just moments ago, suddenly went silent. Their smiles vanished, replaced by piercing stares directed at Caesar. A wave of unease crept over him.
"...What's going on here?" he muttered in confusion.
Then, forcing a chuckle, he asked, "What's with those looks?"
The three women remained silent, their gazes cold and distant. Within their eyes, there was something deeper—grievance, anger, and a hint of sadness.
Brooke, the ever-cheerful musician, let out his signature laugh.
"Yohohoho! I truly envy you, Caesar! To be surrounded by beautiful women, while I—alas!—am but a mere skeleton! Yohohoho!"
"Huh?" Caesar was baffled. What is he talking about?
His expression grew serious. When did I ever make out with a beautiful woman? This is slander! A complete misunderstanding!
Then, Gnaly smirked and said, "Caesar, you've got several lipstick marks on your face."
Caesar blinked. Lipstick marks?
Hearing this, he suddenly recalled what had happened earlier—after rescuing those kidnapped mermaids and humans, some of them had rushed forward in gratitude.
So that's what this is about…
No wonder Gnaly and the others had been looking at him with such mischievous expressions. No wonder Brooke had suddenly made that ridiculous remark. And no wonder Lili and the others were glaring at him like that.
Feeling the weight of their gazes, Caesar's face grew slightly red. Under the guidance of his male crewmates, he hastily wiped off the incriminating marks.
Hades' Plea, The Mermaids' Invitation
By now, word had spread across Fish-Man Island about Caesar's heroic act in saving the kidnapped mermaids just a few hours ago.
Gnaly, Brad, and the others had already caught wind of it.
Especially Hades—when he heard about it, he was deeply moved. Though he remained silent, he made a solemn vow in his heart: No matter what happens, I will follow this man as my captain for life. No request of his will ever be refused.
However, alongside this gratitude, another pressing concern loomed over him—the recurring kidnappings on Fish-Man Island.
Pirates. Human traffickers. Slavers.
The mere thought of them made Hades' fists tighten.
---
Lili, Wei Na, and Regina's gazes remained stern as they watched Caesar, their earlier warmth replaced by a quiet resentment.
Caesar sighed helplessly and spread his hands in surrender.
"Alright, alright… Let me explain."
He cleared his throat and began, "I ran into a group of human traffickers on my way here. They had kidnapped several mermaids."
"So, I took them out and rescued the captives."
"I'm sure you've all heard about it by now."
Gnaly and the others nodded, confirming that the rumors had already reached their ears.
Then, Yakexi smirked and playfully interjected, "Oh, I see. Let me guess how this went—our fearless captain, the hero, saves the beauties… and in return, those mermaids fall head over heels for him?"
"And then… they express their gratitude in the most passionate way possible?"
Several male crew members, including the ever-honest Brad and the ever-melancholic Arnold, looked at Caesar with a mix of envy and begrudging admiration.
Even Brooke widened his skull mouth and let out a devilish laugh.
"Yohohohohoho!"
Yakexi's teasing only made Lili and the others more annoyed, their glares turning toward him instead.
Feeling the chill of their stares, Yakexi chuckled nervously and backed off.
"It's nothing like that," Caesar insisted. "They were just expressing their gratitude, that's all."
"Yakexi, if you keep spouting nonsense, I'll personally show you the full majesty of your captain!"
With that, Caesar dusted off his hands, as if closing the matter.
Lili, Wei Na, and Regina exchanged glances. Upon hearing that the lipstick marks were a result of gratitude from the rescued captives, their tense expressions softened.
The cold air around them seemed to thaw, and their faces gradually eased.
However, upon realizing how obvious their initial reaction had been, all three of them blushed slightly, turning away in feigned indifference.
The other male crew members, meanwhile, smirked knowingly at the subtle exchange between Caesar and Lili.
At last, the tension broke, and Caesar relaxed. The little misunderstanding had been resolved.
The mood in the restaurant grew cheerful again.
Everyone—except for one.
Hades' Silent Resolve
While the rest of the crew laughed and enjoyed themselves, Hades remained silent on the sidelines.
His usual bright expression was absent. Instead, he sat quietly, drinking spirits, his face heavy with thought.
The contrast between his solemn demeanor and the lively atmosphere around him made him stand out.
Noticing this, Caesar's gaze sharpened. Something's on his mind.
Hades took another deep sip of his drink, then slowly lifted his gaze to meet Caesar's. His face was flushed from alcohol, but his eyes remained clear. He had something important to say.
Caesar waited.
After a long exhale, Hades finally spoke.
"...Captain."
The weight of that single word was not lost on anyone.
Hades rarely addressed Caesar as "captain." Ever since joining the Caesar Pirates, he had grown comfortable enough to call him by name—except in serious moments like this.
This was one of those moments.
Hades clenched his fists and continued:
"Captain… will you help Fish-Man Island? Will you help my people?"
His voice was low, slightly hoarse, but filled with sincerity.
The restaurant fell silent.
The crew members exchanged glances. They all knew that Hades wasn't someone who spoke lightly.
Pirates frequently raided Fish-Man Island, abducting merfolk and selling them as slaves. Hades had seen it happen too many times.
He had long wanted to change things—but alone, he was powerless.
Caesar was the only person he trusted enough to ask for help.
Everyone turned their eyes to Caesar, waiting for his response.
Caesar's expression remained calm.
"Hades," he said at last, "helping Fish-Man Island isn't a small matter… but I will help. That's a promise."
"However, this isn't something that can be solved overnight. We'll need to plan carefully."
Hearing these words, Hades' eyes lit up. His spirit, which had been weighed down moments ago, lifted. He nodded firmly, gratitude shining in his gaze.
For the first time in a long while, hope flickered in his heart.
The crew, seeing Hades' relief, smiled in satisfaction.
Yakexi raised his drink and grinned.
"To our future! Let's drink to that!"
Everyone raised their glasses. Even Hades, feeling lighter, clinked glasses with his crewmates and took a hearty sip.
For the first time that evening, he laughed.
And at that moment, Caesar knew—this was only the beginning.
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