"Just slightly faster, that's all."
As if sensing everyone's shock, Caesar chuckled lightly.
What kind of joke was this?!
How could a person move at such impossible speeds?
A layer of fine sweat broke out on Law's forehead.
"Well? Surprised? Shocked?" Caesar asked with an amused grin.
"ROOM!"
Gritting his teeth, Law suddenly raised his hand: "Slaugh—"
Before he could finish, Caesar's fist slammed into his stomach.
Law immediately doubled over, collapsing to the ground like a shrimp, unable to rise again.
Watching Law tremble in pain, drenched in cold sweat, the others felt a chill run down their spines.
"Though I do have some mischievous intentions, I still hope you'll fight me with the mindset of trying to kill me. After all, the sea won't always match you against equally strong opponents."
Casually tossing Law aside, Caesar flashed a dangerous smile.
"Of course, I'll make sure each of you loses... just perfectly!"
"Damn it, this is too much!"
Ace roared and charged at Caesar again.
"See? This is what we call a hot-blooded idiot."
Caesar sidestepped effortlessly, dodging Ace's punches as if taking a leisurely stroll.
"Law could be considered your tactical commander. When the commander's injured, the first priority should be providing support. Without teamwork, a group is destined to be picked off one by one."
With that, Caesar spun and delivered a sweeping kick, sending Ace flying.
"Protective Barrier!"
A barrier materialized in front of Law as Barto hurried to help him up. "Hey, you okay?"
"Cough... fine, that bastard!"
Clutching his chest, Law coughed lightly. "But you came at the right time—I've got a plan! Everyone, attack him now!"
Without hesitation, the others immediately rushed toward Caesar.
"Roar—what the—!"
Bepo led the charge, throwing precise strikes at Caesar.
When his punches and kicks failed to connect, he quickly retreated.
In that same instant, Pell and Chaka surged forward from behind Bepo, attacking Caesar from both sides.
Caesar chuckled dismissively, effortlessly blocking with two punches.
"Now!"
Law shouted: "ROOM!"
Whoosh!
A green circular barrier suddenly encased Caesar's upper body just as Pell and Chaka's attacks reached him.
Using the barrier as handcuffs?
Caesar raised an eyebrow in surprise. He hadn't expected Barto and Law's abilities to synergize like this—Barto's Barrier could be relocated using Law's ROOM!
You guys actually came up with a Fruit combo technique?
With a powerful kick, Caesar sent both attackers flying, then smugly raised his leg.
"Should I fight you with both hands tied?"
"Damn you, you bastard!!"
Ace scrambled up angrily and charged again.
Thud!
The response was another clean kick.
As Ace went flying, Bonis finally made his move—his fingers gleaming with a cold edge as he slashed toward Caesar's legs.
From behind Caesar, Vivi emerged from the sand, sending a Sandstorm slicing toward his neck.
Clang—
Caesar didn't even use Haki, directly taking the attacks from both of them. The sharp slashes landed on his body but couldn't even scratch his skin.
"How is this possible?"
Vivi's pupils trembled.
"His body… is harder than steel?"
Bonis' gaze was filled with shock.
A spinning kick sent both of them flying backward. Caesar stomped hard, pinning Miss Merry Christmas, who had just emerged from the sand.
To be honest, Caesar had almost forgotten he had this mole-Fruit-wielding aunt among his subordinates.
Boom!
Caesar's body dispersed into Blood Bats, slipping free from the Barrier's restraint before reforming not far from the group.
"Alright, everyone, the game ends here…"
His eyes swept over their faces one by one. Suddenly, Caesar reached behind him, grabbing Ace—who had been attempting a sneak attack—by the head and slamming him hard into the ground!
Boom!
A dull thud echoed. As the dust settled, Ace lay unconscious, eyes rolled back.
The next instant, Caesar's figure blurred with that same eerie, teleportation-like speed—only this time, he appeared beside Barto.
Boom!
Another muffled punch.
Barto was tough, refusing to make a single sound!
In less than a second, the main attackers and frontline fighters had lost consciousness.
"W-wait…"
Nami looked at the two unconscious figures, her face tense. "Isn't your approach a bit too brutal?"
"I don't have much of a choice."
Caesar sighed leisurely. "The Grand Line's climate is unpredictable, and ability users emerge endlessly. Normally, whether you're a Pirate or an explorer, you'd have to fight your way from the start all the way to the New World. Only through countless adventures and life-or-death battles can you stand out in these seas."
"But with me around, you'll hardly get such opportunities."
Caesar shook his head helplessly.
So far, the only decent opponent they'd encountered was Crocodile, but Ace alone could solo him.
After all, Caesar was a Four Emperors-level combatant. The Navy wouldn't dare provoke him lightly.
His 2.8 billion berry bounty was enough to deter most bounty hunters and Pirates.
Occasionally, some foolhardy idiots would try their luck, but they'd usually be sent to meet their ancestors with a single Fire Fist from Ace before their ships even got close.
In the original storyline, the Straw Hats would constantly attract trouble wherever they went—but that was purely for plot convenience.
In reality, the seas were vast. The chances of encountering other ships during their voyage were slim, and most were merchant or passenger vessels. The odds of running into Pirate ships were pitifully low.
As for the NPC-style trigger events from the original plot? Not a single one had appeared.
This meant that even if Caesar wanted them to gain combat experience, there were no suitable targets for them to train against.
So, there was no other way.
If there were no suitable opponents, Caesar would just have to be their opponent himself—pushing them to their limits.
"As the saying goes, if there's no opportunity, create one! If there's no danger, then I'll be your danger!"
With that, Caesar's figure blurred as he appeared behind Nami.
Nami's expression changed instantly, a chill running down her spine.
Almost instinctively, she threw herself forward.
But it was futile. Though Caesar was slightly impressed by her reflexes, with his strength, how could Nami possibly evade him?
Taking a single step forward, he casually chopped at her neck.
Thud!
Nami collapsed, unconscious.
Caesar's figure shot out once more, charging through the surrounding crowd.
Thud, thud, thud...
A series of dull impacts fell like heavy rain, and in less than two seconds, everyone present saw darkness.
"Ah, they're all down..."
Yamato rested her weapon on her shoulder, looking somewhat disappointed. She had wanted to join in the fights too.
"Hmm..."
Caesar observed Ace's slightly twitching fingers and gave a small nod.
It seemed he had controlled his strength well—Ace would wake up soon.
Once he was awake, they could start the beatings all over again, holding back just enough to gradually push these people to their limits.
By the time the sun set, they should have made significant progress...
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