Caesar, who had long since learned the truth from reading the original text, observed everything from the sidelines in silence.
It seemed that Amichael had deliberately avoided revealing the secret of Pure Gold, as if anticipating the consequences.
He likely understood that carelessly exposing this information would bring him immense trouble.
However, what he didn't know was that Caesar not only possessed this knowledge—he had already obtained Pure Gold long ago.
Meanwhile, Brad and the others roamed the island again, hoping to find treasure. Yet, after searching for a long time, they came up empty-handed.
It was likely that any treasure swallowed by the giant anglerfish had long since been corroded and digested by its stomach acid.
Before long, Brad and his companions lost interest in exploring the fish's belly. There was no treasure to be found, and compared to the lively lands of the Mokomo Dukedom on Zou, this place was dull. Beyond its bizarre landscape, it held no meaning for them.
Finding nothing of value in Sector 337, Caesar and his crew decided to leave.
Watching Caesar's group prepare to depart, Amichael hesitated for a moment before making a decision. He stepped forward and requested passage off the island.
Seeing that Amichael wanted something from him, Caesar finally made his demand.
"I can take you with us—but you and your daughter must join my crew and travel alongside us. If not, I won't take you."
Caesar's reasoning was simple. First, recruiting a scientist of Amichael's caliber would be an invaluable addition to his crew. Second, having Amichael under his command would significantly reduce the risk of Pure Gold's secret being leaked.
Surprisingly, Amichael agreed without much hesitation.
Caesar, not one to dwell on minor details, was satisfied with the outcome.
With that, Caesar and his crew boarded the Rex, now accompanied by Amichael and his daughter, Olga.
Using his thought-based powers, Caesar enveloped the Rex in an invisible protective barrier, lifting the ship into the air. He guided it back along the path they had taken into the belly of the massive anglerfish, refusing to take the more "convenient" route through the creature's digestive tract.
Upon reaching the throat of the giant anglerfish, King Ben Boli, Caesar concentrated his psychic power into a focused attack and struck the creature's throat like a hammer.
The sudden impact caused the massive fish to convulse violently. In a fit of pain, it coughed and gagged—until it finally expelled the Rex from its throat!
Although the ship emerged deep in the ocean, Caesar's psychic barrier functioned like a coated vessel, allowing the Rex to maintain buoyancy. Slowly but surely, it ascended toward the surface.
Thus, the Rex successfully navigated the belly of King Ben Boli and escaped.
The Birth of the Strongest Crew – Six Unknown Devil Fruits
Emerging from the depths, Caesar guided the Rex back to the ocean's surface.
As they broke through the waves, fresh sea air rushed over the deck. After spending so much time inside the eerie, golden-hued belly of the anglerfish, the return to the vast blue ocean felt almost surreal.
Amichael and Olga, who had spent years trapped inside the fish, stood in awe, drinking in the endless sky and open sea.
Caesar, watching their reaction, smirked.
"Alright, you're finally out of that fish's belly. You'll have plenty of time to admire the view later," he remarked casually.
Then, glancing at the disheveled state of his new passengers, he added, "You two should clean yourselves up. There's a bathroom on board."
Snapped out of their reverie, Amichael gave a sheepish smile.
Having lived inside the anglerfish for so long without access to proper hygiene, both he and Olga were in dire need of a bath. The faint, sour odor clinging to them did not go unnoticed.
Brad, ever the thoughtful one, handed them a fresh set of clothes and led them to the ship's bathroom.
With everything settling into place, the Rex resumed its voyage, sailing smoothly across the ocean.
Although the crew still discussed their bizarre adventure inside the anglerfish, they quickly returned to their usual tasks.
Once the ship was back to its normal rhythm, Caesar retreated to the captain's quarters alone.
After locking the door, he stepped into his private bedroom and sealed all windows with his psychic power to prevent any golden light from escaping.
Only then did he retrieve a small, iron-encased package—inside which lay Pure Gold.
Carefully, he peeled away the layers of metal with his mind, revealing the radiant material within. A brilliant golden glow flooded the room.
The luminous energy washed over Caesar, and for several minutes, he remained still, observing his own body. Though the changes were subtle, he could feel something—some small shift within himself.
Perhaps this was the power of Pure Gold—the legendary material that granted eternal life.
Caesar sat on his bed, deep in thought. Should he use it on himself now?
After brief contemplation, he decided against it. He was still young. He could afford to wait.
Instead, his mind turned to another matter.
Now that Pure Gold was in his possession, should he share it with his crew?
The crew of the Rex had been through life-and-death struggles together. They shared hardships and victories alike.
But in the end, Caesar decided against revealing the truth—for now.
The more people who knew about Pure Gold, the greater the risk of exposure. And until he became an untouchable force—one powerful enough to dominate the entire world—he could not afford that risk.
Still, he would make an exception for three people.
Using a fraction of the Pure Gold, he crafted three rings, embedding a small piece into each one's inner wall. These rings would be for Regina, Lily, and Vina.
After all, if there was one thing women feared most, it was aging.
As for the male crew members? None of them particularly cared about their appearance, so there was no need to inform them about the rings—at least not yet.
Once he finished crafting the rings, Caesar secured the remaining Pure Gold in a hidden location.
At noon, after lunch, Caesar summoned Regina, Lily, and Vina to his quarters.
The three women, puzzled by the sudden call, followed him without question.
As they stepped inside, their subtle fragrances filled the room.
Lily, the most outspoken of the three, asked in a playful tone, "Caesar, what's this all about?"
Without answering, Caesar pulled out the three rings and handed one to each of them.
"Lily, Regina, Vina—these are for you," he said.
The women blushed slightly as they accepted the rings.
"The inner walls of these rings contain Pure Gold," Caesar explained. "This material grants eternal youth and immortality. As long as you wear it, you will never age."
The room fell silent.
After a moment, Lily gasped, "Caesar… is this real?"
Regina and Vina looked equally stunned.
Caesar nodded. "Yes. But you must promise never to tell anyone—not even our crewmates."
He met their eyes, his tone serious. "If word of this gets out, we'll be hunted. The ability to live forever is something the whole world would kill for."
Understanding the gravity of the situation, the three women solemnly nodded.
They each held their rings like priceless treasures.
"This will be our family's heirloom from now on," Caesar added casually.
Hearing the word family, the three women's faces turned a deeper shade of red.
Regina, Lily, and Vina had long since harbored feelings for Caesar. And now, he had subtly acknowledged them as something more than just crewmates.
Blushing, Lily quickly kissed Caesar's cheek. "Thank you!"
Vina followed suit, and even the usually cold Regina left a soft kiss on his other cheek.
Caesar smirked. The barrier between them had finally been broken.
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