Caesar, having been unable to determine his exact location, had no knowledge of Kuzan joining the Navy. It wasn't until he heard rumors of a monster within the ranks—one capable of freezing the sea itself—that he realized the truth.
It was a done deal; Kuzan had long since become a Marine admiral. With that, Caesar could only abandon any thoughts of recruiting him.
Over the past three years, the world had undergone drastic changes, becoming even more chaotic. In the New World, the major pirate crews had begun clashing, each vying for dominance. Amid this growing conflict, the Navy had bolstered its ranks with formidable new forces, while the underground criminal organizations remained as active as ever.
Among all these shifting tides, the most significant change belonged to the Caesar Pirates.
At first glance, the newly recruited young ones seemed insignificant—mere fledglings. However, Caesar was certain that in the future, these kids would grow into formidable threats, giving even the Navy headaches.
Since taking these children under his wing, the Caesar Pirates had adopted a new rule: every so often—between half a month to a month and a half—they would dock at an island, preferably one inhabited by civilians, and stay for a couple of days.
The reason was simple: to broaden the children's horizons and allow them to experience the world firsthand.
Though their ship, the Rex, was spacious thanks to Tony's unique ability, it was still a ship. No matter how large, it couldn't replace the experience of setting foot on solid ground, seeing new faces, and immersing in the sights and sounds of civilization.
"Lily, it's time to find an island to dock at."
Having spent an entire month at sea, Caesar felt it was time to give the children and women a chance to unwind.
Hearing this, Lily, the crew's navigator, quickly pulled out a map and scanned the surroundings. Before long, she found a suitable island. Judging by its size and name, it seemed relatively prosperous.
Under her guidance, the Rex adjusted course and set sail for the island.
Arrival
Half a day later, a dark speck appeared on the horizon. As the ship drew closer, the black dot expanded, revealing a medium-sized island.
The moment they docked, excitement spread among the children. The mothers immediately took their kids and rushed toward the shopping streets and amusement parks.
Meanwhile, the men had their own priorities—some headed for the bars, while others made their way to the casinos.
As a father of three, Caesar should have gone shopping with Lily, Wei Na, and Regina. However, despite possessing world-class strength, the mere thought of accompanying women on a shopping spree made his back ache and his legs cramp.
His heels hurt. He felt parched.
Women often interpreted this physical and psychological struggle as proof that their men didn't love them. Naturally, this would lead to them throwing small fits at him.
But it wasn't a matter of love—this was simply a universal phenomenon among men.
No matter how much Caesar adored his children, even he couldn't endure daily nagging. This stopover was his chance to truly relax.
The Casino
Lily had a knack for finding good islands. Although this one wasn't particularly large, it had everything they needed.
As Caesar wandered the streets, a particular establishment caught his eye—a casino.
Inside, voices erupted in cheers and groans as gamblers placed their bets.
Blow, blow, blow!
The energy was infectious. Caesar smirked and decided to step in for some fun.
However, before entering, he discreetly altered his appearance.
His bounty poster had spread across the world. If he showed his real face in such a crowded place, it would undoubtedly cause a commotion.
At the Gambling Table
Unlike his expectations, the casino had greeters at the entrance, welcoming guests with enthusiasm.
As he wandered inside, Caesar finally stopped at a card table—the most crowded one in the casino.
Gambling was supposed to be entertainment. Only those desperate to win would resort to cheating.
Caesar, who had no shortage of wealth, had no intention of rigging the game. For him, it was all about the thrill—the adrenaline rush.
However, after several consecutive losses, his expression darkened.
While he hadn't planned to cheat, losing repeatedly was enough to put anyone in a foul mood.
After dropping money for more than a dozen rounds, frustration crept in. Caesar wasn't the type to take losses lightly.
I won't cheat, he thought. But I can at least check if someone else is!
Activating his Observation Haki, he carefully scanned the dealer and players for any sign of trickery.
To his surprise, everyone was playing fair.
His losses?
Purely bad luck. No skills. No interference. Just sheer misfortune.
This revelation only made him more irritated.
If the casino had been rigging the game or if the gamblers had been cheating, he could have accepted his losses with some degree of closure.
But knowing he lost simply because he was terrible at gambling?
That was infuriating.
Determined to turn his luck around, Caesar switched tables, moving to the dice game.
The rules were simple: bet on whether the dice roll would be "big" or "small."
Certain that he was due for a win, Caesar focused intently on the croupier shaking the dice cup.
Just as he was about to place his bet, a young man squeezed in beside him.
His eyes were tightly shut, with occasional flickers of white beneath his eyelids. An X-shaped scar adorned his forehead—a clear sign that his blindness was due to an old injury.
Caesar's eyes widened.
The figure before him overlapped with a face from his knowledge of the future.
This young, blind man was Fujitora—the future Marine admiral, wielder of the Zushi Zushi no Mi.
"How about it? Did you guess the number?"
Fujitora, known at this time simply as Issho, sensed Caesar's presence and spoke with amusement.
His tone was confident, as if he knew what the dice would land on.
Caesar raised a brow and asked sarcastically, "You're blind. How do you even play?"
Issho chuckled, completely unfazed.
"You don't need eyes to hear the dice. Isn't that enough?"
With a knowing smirk, he carefully listened to the dice rattling inside the cup.
Before the dealer could call for bets, Issho placed his chips firmly on "small."
"Trust me, this is a sure win."
His expression was so confident that some of the gamblers around him followed his lead.
Caesar, entertained, smirked and placed his own bet on "small."
The dealer opened the cup.
"Five, five, six—BIG!"
Caesar's mouth twitched.
Issho's smile froze in place, his face filled with disbelief.
Silence.
Then, an uproar.
"You blind fraud!"
"Damn it! I lost half my fortune!"
"Who the hell listens to a blind gambler?!"
The crowd cursed and raged, venting their frustration.
Issho, however, simply smiled apologetically.
"My mistake, my mistake. But don't worry! The next one is a sure win!"
With unwavering confidence, he placed his next bet—this time on "big."
Caesar, unimpressed, rolled his eyes.
A Series of Losses
One by one, the gamblers abandoned Issho.
Caesar watched, barely containing his laughter, as the blind man continued losing spectacularly.
By the end, Issho had lost every single coin he had.
His stomach rumbled.
Then, with a sheepish grin, he turned to Caesar.
"Your Excellency, after all that gambling… aren't you hungry?"
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