When Tony heard Eli's words, his vision blurred, and he burst into tears. Crying uncontrollably, he rushed into the banquet hall, muttering loudly.
"Come! I want to come!"
His exaggerated reaction made everyone laugh, further livening up the already festive atmosphere. The banquet carried on through the night, and by the time everyone woke up, groggy and disoriented, it was already noon the next day.
With the revelry now behind them, the crew prepared to set sail once more.
As Tony awoke, he noticed that Caesar and his crew had nearly finished packing, getting ready to leave the island. After spending the previous night celebrating with them, he had grown fond of them. The thought of their departure left him feeling conflicted and reluctant.
"What's wrong, Tony? Want us to take you off the island?"
Brad, carrying a box of supplies, glanced at Tony and asked casually.
"Uh… yeah."
Tony nodded hesitantly.
"Then let's go. Get on board, talk to Caesar about where you want to go, and we'll drop you off."
Brad grinned before hauling the supplies onto the ship. However, he failed to notice Tony's expression—his brows furrowed, a look of struggle on his face, as if he were wrestling with a decision.
Caesar's crew moved swiftly, finalizing preparations for departure.
Just as everyone was about to board the ship, Tony, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly stood up, as if reaching a crucial decision. Taking a deep breath, he shouted at the crew.
"I want to join you!"
Gnali raised an eyebrow at the outburst and looked at the frail young man before him.
"Are you sure, kid? We're pirates."
"I'm sure! I want to join you! My parents died a long time ago, and I've lost track of how long I've been stranded here!"
Tony's voice was firm, unwavering.
"And last night, even though I stole your food, you didn't punish me. Instead, you invited me to the banquet. That's why I think… you're good people!"
"Please let me join you!"
At Tony's declaration, the crew turned their eyes toward Caesar. While they all had a good impression of him, the decision wasn't theirs to make—it was up to their captain.
Little did they know, Caesar was amused by the turn of events. He had originally planned to persuade Tony to join them, recognizing the boy's remarkable ability. But now, Tony had volunteered himself, saving Caesar the effort.
Moreover, by making Tony take the initiative, he ensured that the boy would feel indebted to him.
Under the crew's expectant gazes, Caesar pretended to think for a moment before finally nodding.
"Fine. You're in."
A cheer erupted among the crew as they welcomed Tony as their newest member.
Thus, the Caesar Pirates gained another trainee crew member, and the Rex set sail, taking Tony away from the island that had trapped him for three years.
Growth and Training
Several days later, the Rex had long left the nameless island behind.
Thanks to nutritious meals prepared by Axi and medical treatment from Regina, Tony had regained much of his strength. Years of malnourishment had left him weak, but he was quickly recovering.
During this time, Caesar also tested Tony's ability. He discovered that Tony's power allowed him to create expandable spaces that remained indefinitely unless he dispelled them or died.
Realizing its potential, Caesar immediately put Tony's ability to use, instructing him to expand the ship's aquarium first.
Beyond that, Caesar had Tony enhance several areas of the ship, including the training grounds, storage room, and even Axi's refrigerator.
The improvements were met with enthusiasm. The expanded training area gave the crew more room to spar without restraint, while the larger refrigerator delighted Yakesi, who happily patted Tony's shoulder and promised him a feast.
But perhaps the happiest of all was Hades.
Thanks to Tony, the aquarium had become massive. Now, Hades was already envisioning the construction of a miniature Fish-Man Island inside it.
However, there was one problem—they needed a Sunlight Tree Eve to make it truly functional.
While it was impossible for now, at least they had a goal for the future.
Life Aboard the Rex
After the initial excitement, Tony's space-expanding ability quickly became part of daily life.
The voyage continued, and the crew remained dedicated to their training. Everyone was getting stronger, but Barrett, as always, showed the fastest growth. He had already mastered advanced Haki in his fights with Eli, refining his combat skills to an impressive degree. His strength and speed continued to improve steadily.
Tony, despite being a newcomer, was also progressing quickly under Caesar's guidance.
Arnold, on the other hand, constantly sparred with different crew members, honing his gun-fighting techniques against various combat styles. Even Caesar occasionally offered him pointers.
Three Years After the Incident at God Valley
Months passed.
The Rex occasionally stopped at islands for supplies, and time flowed steadily onward.
It had now been three years since the fateful battle at God Valley, and over six months since the Caesar Pirates had returned to the New World.
During this time, they had kept a remarkably low profile, almost disappearing from the world's radar.
Yet, beneath the surface, the crew had grown immensely stronger.
Barrett and Tony had also officially gained bounties from the Marines, marking them as wanted criminals.
Meanwhile, the crew had been steadily collecting Devil Fruits, mostly from auctions in the Sabaody Archipelago. Though most were ordinary Zoans or weak Paramecias, two were unidentified and unlisted in the official Devil Fruit Encyclopedia.
While Caesar wasn't particularly impressed by these fruits, he still stored them away, carefully marking them for future use.
The Golden Lion Descends
The sea was calm as the Rex sailed across the tranquil waters.
The crew was engaged in their usual activities, unaware of the shadow looming above.
Suddenly, a loud, maniacal laugh echoed through the sky.
"Jihahahaha!!"
A massive ship descended rapidly from the clouds, casting a shadow over the Rex!
"Everyone, look up!" Arnold shouted.
The crew snapped to attention, their eyes widening as they saw a flying ship plummeting toward them.
Minutes earlier, inside the captain's cabin, Caesar had been enjoying a card game with Lily, Veena, and Regina. They were laughing, teasing each other—until Caesar's expression suddenly darkened.
Then came that familiar laugh.
With a smirk, Caesar dropped his cards. His cloak, hanging on the wall, flew toward him and draped over his shoulders. Without another word, he stepped onto the balcony deck, his sharp eyes locking onto the figure above.
Behind him, Lily and the others followed, their playful expressions replaced with steely determination.
There was no fear in them. Not when they were standing behind Caesar.
As the descending ship landed with a colossal splash, forcing the Rex to shift slightly from the impact, a tall figure with wild blonde hair stepped onto the bow.
He exhaled a puff of smoke from his cigar, his piercing gaze fixed on Caesar.
Gnali and Brad immediately recognized him.
"That's…!"
The crew tensed.
The infamous Flying Pirate of the New World.
A legendary figure.
Golden Lion Shiki.
Caesar met his gaze with an impassive stare.
"Jihahahaha! Caesar! It's been a long time! Not since God Valley, huh?"
Before he could continue, Caesar cut him off.
"If you're here, Shiki, I doubt it's just to say hello. Get to the point."
Shiki grinned.
"Jihahahaha! Still as cocky as ever… Good! I came here for one thing…!"
A powerful burst of Haoshoku Haki exploded from Shiki.
Caesar's eyes flashed coldly.
A moment later, his own Haoshoku Haki surged forward, colliding head-on.
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