ONE PIECE: THE GREAT VOYAGE

As he walked toward the beach, Caesar felt a deep exhaustion weighing on him. His stomach growled, but hunger was not his only concern.

The battle at God Valley had been brutal. The elite forces of CP0—agents trained in the highest levels of combat—had fought relentlessly, forcing Caesar and his crew to push their Haki and abilities to the limit. The sheer strain of maintaining their Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) and using their Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki) for extended periods had left them drained.

Now, as the aftermath of that battle settled in, Caesar felt hollowed out. His body ached, and the lingering aftereffects of using Haoshoku Haki (Conqueror's Haki) in such an intense confrontation were setting in. He needed food. He needed rest.

Suddenly, his Kenbunshoku Haki caught the presence of a sea beast swimming beneath the waves. Without hesitation, he focused his Haoshoku Haki, channeling it into a lethal burst of energy. The pressure alone was enough to stun the beast, rendering it helpless.

The creature floated to the surface, and Caesar dragged it onto the shore. Turning to the weary figures of Brad and Gliner, his crewmates who had fought alongside him, he gestured toward the beast.

"Roast this one," he said. "I'll grab another."

Without another word, he dove back into the sea. Moments later, he resurfaced, carrying an even larger sea beast over his shoulder.

The three of them gathered around a bonfire, devouring the fresh meat like starving animals. They tore into the roasted flesh, their bodies demanding fuel after the grueling battle. Two whole sea beasts disappeared in a frenzy of eating.

Once his hunger was sated, Caesar could no longer resist the overwhelming fatigue. His body, especially his mind, felt like it had reached its limit. With a heavy sigh, he collapsed onto the sand and fell into a deep sleep.

---

The Next Morning

A full day passed before Caesar stirred. When he finally opened his eyes, the sun was already high in the sky.

"Boss, you're awake!" Brad called, flipping a chunk of meat over the fire.

"You slept all day and all night!" Gliner added, laughing.

Caesar inhaled deeply, catching the scent of roasting meat. His stomach rumbled again.

"I'm starving..." he muttered, stretching his arms. The soreness from the battle was mostly gone. His stamina had returned, and his mental fatigue had almost fully recovered—about seventy to eighty percent.

He grabbed a piece of meat that Gliner handed him and bit into it. As he chewed, a thought struck him.

"Where's Whitebeard and the others?"

Activating his Kenbunshoku Haki, he scanned the island. He quickly sensed that Whitebeard and the remaining Rocks Pirates had also awakened and were gathering their things.

To his surprise, John, Wang Zhi, and Silver Axe had returned as well. It seemed they had found a boat and barely managed to escape from God Valley.

With everyone now recovered, it was time to set sail for their true objective—the hidden treasures of the Calm Belt!

---

The Hunt for Rocks D. Xebec's Treasure

On the other side of the sea, Admiral Steelbone Kong, leading a Marine fleet, was closing in on Hachinosu (Pirate Island) at an alarming speed.

Meanwhile, on the shore, Whitebeard let out a booming laugh.

"Gurara-ra-ra! It's time to move out!"

The tension in the air was thick. Everyone knew what awaited them—Rocks D. Xebec's legendary hoard.

Golden Lion Shiki led a group onto his ship, using his Fuwa Fuwa no Mi to levitate it into the sky. Charlotte Linlin summoned Zeus, floating beside Kaido, who was still growing into his monstrous power.

Caesar boarded his own vessel, nodding at Whitebeard before using his psychic abilities to make the ship levitate. With their Log Pose guiding the way, the crew set sail.

After half a day, they arrived at an island deep in the Calm Belt, untouched by the outside world.

Caesar had been here before. Navigating through the jungle, the group soon reached a hidden cave where mountains of treasure gleamed under the dim light.

Eyes widened with greed. The sheer wealth before them was unimaginable.

"Gurara-ra-ra…" Whitebeard grinned, sensing the tension in the air.

"You're not thinking of fighting here, are you?" he said, cracking his knuckles.

Charlotte Linlin rolled her eyes. "Let's just split it."

Golden Lion clenched his teeth. He wanted it all—but even he knew that trying to hoard the treasure for himself would be suicidal.

Using his Fuwa Fuwa no Mi, he separated the gold into four major shares and four smaller shares.

The four main shares went to the true powerhouses—Whitebeard, Caesar, Charlotte Linlin, and himself. Though Linlin wasn't quite at their level yet, she was still formidable enough to deserve a full share.

The four lesser shares were given to Kaido, John, Wang Zhi, and Silver Axe. They were strong, but not on the same level as the top four.

---

The Weapons and Devil Fruits

As they examined the treasure, a set of weapons caught Caesar's eye.

One, in particular, was a Western longsword, gleaming with a sharpness that rivaled the 21 O Wazamono (Great Grade Swords).

With a flick of his hand, Caesar used telekinesis to lift the blade into his grasp.

"This one is perfect for Gliner," he muttered, tossing the weapon to his crewmate.

Whitebeard remained indifferent. He had his Naginata, and nothing else interested him.

Charlotte Linlin smirked but didn't intervene. Napoleon, her sentient blade, was powerful enough.

Golden Lion, however, scowled.

"You're fast, brat!" he grumbled. "Fine, then the rest are mine!"

Using his Fuwa Fuwa no Mi, he levitated several swords, intending to distribute them to his future crew.

Then, their attention turned to the Devil Fruits.

A few small black chests sat in the corner, each containing an unknown Devil Fruit.

Golden Lion exhaled a cloud of smoke. "How do we split these?"

Caesar studied the boxes carefully. Identifying Devil Fruits without a guide was dangerous. Some were powerful, others were useless.

"Let's divide them evenly," he suggested.

Using his telekinesis, he split the eight boxes—four for him, four for Golden Lion.

"I'll take the four on the right," Caesar declared.

Golden Lion chuckled darkly. "Then the left ones are mine."

As they each claimed their share, Caesar's mind raced. What secrets lay inside these Devil Fruits?

And more importantly—was one of them destined for Kaido?

---

[79] Kaido's Growth – Mythical Zoan: Azure Dragon Form

As the treasure was divided, Kaido's eyes lingered on the Devil Fruits. He was still young, but something inside him was changing.

Would this moment mark the beginning of his rise—the day he gained the Mythical Zoan: Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu?

Only time would tell.

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