"Come on, let's go over and take a look. Avoid the artillery fire and find a way around."
As Caesar spoke, he ordered everyone to maneuver the Rex to a location beyond the range of the bombardment and anchor the ship.
The crew quickly halted the vessel, disembarked, and set foot on the island. Though they had landed a fair distance from the battlefield, the thunderous echoes of artillery fire still rumbled in the air. However, the bombardment itself did not reach this area.
Before long, the group spotted a town.
"It looks abandoned," Yakexi remarked with a sigh, gazing at the desolate streets ahead.
The town was eerily quiet. Hardly any people could be seen, and only a few scattered shops lined the sides of the road.
"Let's find a place to stay first," Caesar instructed as he took the lead, striding into the deserted town.
Before long, they came across a restaurant with its door slightly ajar. The crew cautiously entered in search of food.
The establishment was empty, devoid of any patrons or staff. After placing their orders, the group settled into chairs and began discussing the war raging across the island.
Eventually, from the mouth of a staff member who finally appeared, they learned the name of this war-torn nation: The Land of Endless War.
It was a fitting name—one that spoke of a country locked in an unceasing cycle of conflict.
Upon hearing it, Caesar's eyes flickered with recognition as if recalling something important.
[The Ninth Bullet of the Douglas Force]
At that moment, his Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) spread rapidly, blanketing the entire island in his awareness. His focus sharpened on one particular sight—an army composed entirely of children.
These child soldiers fought with an unrelenting fierceness, displaying more bravery than many seasoned warriors Caesar had encountered. But among them, those with golden hair stood out the most.
The moment Caesar laid eyes on them, a memory surfaced. He recalled a man from the future—a warrior destined to reach the heights of Yonko-level combat power. A terrifying monster whose brief appearances in the original timeline hinted at his overwhelming potential.
If not for the constraints of the story's plot, he might have risen to become the strongest in the world.
Yet now, in this world, his monstrous talent had already begun to manifest. The path to becoming the strongest had been set in motion.
Gunfire continued to roar across the battlefield. Even from the safety of the restaurant, the tremors could be felt.
Gnali's expression was grim. He had never witnessed such brutal warfare before, and after hearing the details, he couldn't suppress his shock.
"This battle has been raging for far too long," he muttered.
Brad nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I bet the casualties are catastrophic. Even as a pirate, I despise meaningless wars like this."
Eli, born on the Grand Line, had seen many conflicts, but even he found this war unsettling. "I wonder what started it all…"
Yakexi, the most well-traveled of the group, responded with a knowing tone. "It's always the same two things: money and land."
Lily frowned. "What if they mistake us for enemy reinforcements and attack?"
"It's possible," another crew member said. "When soldiers are deep in battle, anyone unfamiliar can be seen as an enemy."
The conversation continued over their meal, but Caesar remained focused on the battlefield.
As night fell, the intensity of the bombardment began to subside.
"It had to stop eventually. No battle can last forever," someone commented as they noticed the decrease in artillery fire.
However, through his Observation Haki, Caesar detected a new movement—more youth squads being deployed to the front.
He soon realized their task: mine clearance.
The children were marching straight into minefields, using their own lives to detect the deadly traps. Every so often, one of them would step on a mine, triggering an explosion that tore them apart. Yet, the others continued forward without hesitation, as if their own deaths were of no consequence.
Within mere moments, more than a dozen had been killed.
Even Caesar, who had seen his fair share of cruelty, found this scene chilling.
"This country has no future," he said coldly. "Even if they win this war, they will have already lost everything that matters."
He turned to the others. "We're done here. Stick to the usual routine—go out, explore, gather supplies, and be ready to leave at a moment's notice."
"Got it!"
"Understood!"
The crew dispersed in pairs.
Yakexi, being the ship's cook, headed straight for the market to stock up on ingredients, dragging Brad along to help carry supplies.
After securing a hefty amount of food and storing it on the ship, Yakexi returned to the town, visiting restaurants in search of local delicacies.
Meanwhile, Lily, Weina, and Regina wandered through the streets. However, unlike the vibrant markets of Skypiea or Fish-Man Island, this war-torn town had little to offer.
The streets were bleak, with few vendors and little to buy.
As for Caesar—once separated from the group, he flew into the sky and made his way toward the battlefield.
Despite the temporary ceasefire, the youth soldiers continued their suicidal mine-clearing mission, while both armies remained poised to resume the fight at any moment.
Caesar, unconcerned about detection, swiftly descended and locked onto a commanding officer among the child soldiers.
With a mere exertion of his Haoshoku Haki (Conqueror's Haki), he mentally crushed the officer's resistance. Though the man remained conscious, the overwhelming force left him trembling and unable to disobey.
"I have a few questions for you," Caesar said coolly. "Do you know of a unit called Douglas?"
The officer hesitated. "Douglas? I… I've never heard of that name in our ranks."
Caesar could tell he was telling the truth.
"I see," he murmured. That meant the Douglas Unit belonged to another faction in this war.
Releasing his grip, Caesar soared into the sky once more and headed toward the opposing army's encampment.
Finding another officer, he repeated the process—seizing the man and extracting information.
"Douglas's unit… is it yours?"
"Y-Yes!" The officer stammered, his face pale with fear.
"Where is their current deployment?" Caesar pressed.
The officer hurriedly provided all the information he knew, detailing the location and movements of the Douglas Unit.
With his objective in mind, Caesar turned and left, ignoring the trembling officer behind him.
Back at the enemy camp, word of Caesar's presence spread quickly.
"Did you say that man was the Caesar!?" one commander exclaimed in shock.
"Why would a legendary pirate be interested in our forces?" another questioned, puzzled and nervous.
"Could it be that the enemy has enlisted his help to turn the tide against us?"
"We need confirmation. Contact Douglas's forces immediately!"
But before they could act, it was already too late.
Caesar had arrived.
Douglas Gray, commander of the Douglas Army, stood frozen as Caesar approached.
"Caesar…!?"
The man's entire body trembled. Though he was a capable warrior, standing before a pirate of Caesar's caliber left him utterly paralyzed with fear.
Without preamble, Caesar asked, "Where is Douglas Unit No. 9? Where is the Ninth Bullet?"
Realizing that Caesar sought one of his own subordinates, Douglas Gray hastily answered, "He's in our ranks, sir! Please wait, I'll summon him immediately!"
Before long, a blond-haired boy—muscular beyond his years—was brought forward, his face filled with confusion.
"Sir? What's going on?"
Caesar's gaze locked onto the boy, his expression unreadable.
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