From various live broadcasts, I have seen clips of Caesar engaging in battle with formidable opponents.
With strength that rivals legends, how could anyone possibly resist him?
None of the royals or nobles had ever imagined that a figure like him would one day set foot on their island.
At first, they tried to believe that Caesar and his crew were merely passing through, indulging in food and drink without intent to cause trouble. It would be best to entertain them and avoid provocation.
But now, the reality was clear—Caesar had come not as a guest, but as a conqueror. This was not a mere intrusion but a one-sided declaration of war. More importantly, they had no means of resisting.
The royal family, nobles, and ministers were seized with panic, anger, and helplessness.
A desperate minister rushed to the "king," who was merely a puppet, and pleaded for him to call upon the World Government.
"We are a member nation! Call the government! They won't abandon us!"
The ministers, dressed in extravagant robes, trembled in fear, their eyes betraying a deep-rooted cowardice.
It was evident that they had spent their lives indulging in corruption. Their greed for survival made their guilt all the more apparent.
The so-called king, however, remained silent, gazing coldly at his flustered ministers.
"Your Majesty, we must act now! Contact the government and demand they send forces to expel Caesar!"
They were fully aware of their crimes. If Caesar took the throne, they would be the first to be purged.
This was why the ministers, who had long conspired like a nest of snakes and rats, were now drenched in cold sweat.
But the man who had already resigned himself to fate did not share their urgency. He no longer cared for their pleas—his only wish was to see things through until the end.
Everything was unfolding as Caesar had planned.
And at this moment, the man witnessed a miracle with his own eyes.
For the first time in ages, the people of this kingdom were not starving.
Caesar had given them hope.
The man resolved to see this through to the final moment, believing that under Caesar's rule, his wife and children might finally have a future.
As the nobles panicked and pleaded, he remained indifferent.
Seeing this, the desperate aristocrats took matters into their own hands. They retrieved the secure Den Den Mushi used for direct contact with the World Government and urgently dialed.
To them, only the World Government could save them now.
Even if the kingdom's army could hold out against a legendary pirate for a short while, they knew they stood no chance in the long run.
Faced with their imminent downfall, they could only place their faith in the government.
Meanwhile, among the common people, some recognized Caesar's name.
Though they did not yet know what fate awaited their kingdom under his rule, one thing was clear—things could not possibly get worse than they already were.
Caesar had already taken the first step to becoming their ruler.
Looking at the food in their hands, the people abandoned their doubts.
In a crumbling home, a man eagerly prepared the food Caesar had provided and fed it to his starving wife, who was too weak to lift the bowl herself.
Seeing the desperation in her eyes, he could no longer hold back his tears.
"The great pirate, Caesar? So what?"
"Compared to the royal family, I'd rather have him as king!"
"It can't possibly get any worse!"
In a slum filled with rundown houses and swarming with rats, the forgotten poor clung to this newfound hope like a divine blessing.
They swore that as long as Caesar could provide them with food and a chance to survive, they would accept him as their ruler, no matter what.
Even if they asked for nothing more than this one meal, it was already a luxury they had never known.
Meanwhile, in Mary Geoise…
"Purupurupuru… Purupurupuru… Click!"
The call connected.
"This is the Kingdom of Gilmanda! Hurry, send reinforcements! That man—Caesar—he's here!"
"He's taken over! He wants to replace us as the new royal family, the new king!"
"We beg the World Government to send troops and expel the pirate before it's too late!"
On the other end of the line, the urgency in their voices was unmistakable.
The government officials listening to the plea stiffened.
Caesar's name alone was enough to command their full attention.
This man was a high-priority target, closely monitored by the Marines.
Now, he had occupied one of their allied nations.
Although they couldn't be sure of his intentions, the severity of the situation was undeniable.
As soon as the call ended, the officials wasted no time in reporting the incident to their superiors.
In the lavish chambers of Pangaea Castle…
The Five Elders (Gorosei) sat in silence as they processed the news.
They couldn't comprehend why Caesar, with all his power, had chosen to seize control of a corrupt kingdom.
He could easily plunder a far wealthier nation—so why this one?
After a long pause, one of them finally spoke.
"Perhaps… this is an opportunity."
The others turned to him with questioning looks.
"How so?"
The elder adjusted his robes and continued, "A man with territory, a king—even if his nation is outside the law—will be bound by it."
"If we allow Caesar to settle in one place, we can monitor him. This could be our chance to keep the Caesar Pirates under control."
The room fell into deep thought.
There was logic in this.
It was easier to manage a pirate crew with a fixed base than to chase them across the seas.
But another elder, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, scoffed.
"If we allow a World Government-affiliated country to fall into the hands of a pirate, it would be a disgrace to our rule!"
From the beginning, their prestige had been non-negotiable.
The Marines, the allied nations, the entire balance of power depended on the image of the World Government's authority.
"Indeed," another added, "If word gets out, other kingdoms might start questioning our control."
The room remained tense.
Another elder finally broke the silence.
"The Caesar Pirates… they have become the new Rocks Pirates."
"In terms of power, they rival Rocks himself. Expelling them would require deploying the entirety of our top forces."
Everyone nodded.
This was an undeniable fact.
"…And we can't afford to deploy our entire navy just for one pirate crew. The balance of the seas would collapse."
The elder wearing glasses exhaled in frustration.
"The seas have become too chaotic."
"First, Rocks D. Xebec tried to overthrow us… and now, we have a so-called 'Heavenly King' Caesar."
"Then what do we do? Do we mobilize the government itself?" another elder asked, frowning.
"No."
"If we send our forces and fail to defeat him, it will only make us look weaker."
After hours of debate, the Five Elders reached a decision.
The navy would send a symbolic force—strong enough to maintain appearances, but with no real expectation of victory.
When the message reached Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral Kong scowled.
He called Vice Admiral Tsuru, the navy's top strategist, and held an emergency meeting with the high command.
But before any serious plans could be made, a call came in from the Five Elders.
Upon hearing their orders, Kong's expression darkened with rage.
Yet, he had no choice but to comply.
The meeting was adjourned.
Meanwhile, back in Gilmanda…
With the people's voices rising in unison, the time had finally come.
Under the watchful eyes of the entire kingdom, Caesar stormed into the royal palace.
There, on the throne, sat the puppet king.
He gazed at Caesar—not with fear, but with relief.
At last, he had found meaning in his final moments.
Before the entire nation, Caesar spoke.
"King of Gilmanda—you have oppressed your people and committed countless sins!"
"As the new ruler of this land, I sentence you to death!"
The streets erupted into thunderous cheers.
For the first time, the people of Gilmanda had hope.
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