When Dragon first appeared, Caesar thought he was a big shot.
When Ivankov showed up in prison, Caesar assumed Dragon had some grand plan.
When Sabo sneaked out of the Holy Land, sweating as he read the newspaper, Caesar just thought he was shocked by the power of the Celestial Dragons.
It wasn't until the Egghead Island arc, when Ginny's storyline was revealed, that Caesar finally concluded: this guy was nothing but a pure clown.
Seeing Kuma's expression as cold as still water, Caesar shook his head and chuckled.
He could tell Kuma wasn't angry at him but rather questioning himself, clearly provoked by the earlier words.
"To put it simply, revolutions usually intensify class contradictions, allowing the spark of ideas to be fanned by the winds of public opinion, forming an unstoppable wildfire of will. Thus, bloodshed is inevitable and necessary."
"It's about sacrificing the lives of thousands to awaken millions, not about a cadre being captured and immediately abandoning everything to flee. An organization like that wouldn't grow even if you gave it a hundred or a thousand years."
"Perhaps this sounds a bit one-sided, but it's the inevitable truth of this world. The top powerhouses on this sea are entirely different life forms compared to ordinary people. A single top-tier powerhouse can easily destroy a nation and is the decisive force that truly influences the course of war."
"But the strong have their pride. A bunch of cowards hiding in the shadows, not even daring to rescue their comrades—why should they be respected? How can they gather the strength to oppose the Celestial Dragons?"
Caesar's tone was dismissive: "I know you admire Dragon, because, after all, in this shitty era, he was the first to choose to lead the masses in resisting the Celestial Dragons…"
"I don't deny he has revolutionary awareness, but his abilities are limited, his vision constrained by the times, and his courage doesn't even come close to half of his son's. He might become a pioneer on the path of revolution, but going further is simply impossible."
"Dragon has a son?"
Kuma suddenly looked up, his face filled with surprise.
"Monkey D. Luffy…"
A faint smile appeared on Caesar's lips. "Speaking of which, that kid has some connection to your Buccaneer Tribe."
"Connection?"
Kuma had already grown accustomed to Caesar's absurd amount of intel, but he was curious about what Caesar meant by "connection."
"Yes, a connection…"
Caesar nodded. "He's the user of the Gum-Gum Fruit, and this fruit had another name in the past: the Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Nika Model! Also known as… the Sun God Form!"
Behind his frameless glasses, Kuma's eyes widened in shock.
"Nika… is real?"
"That's right, but to transform into Nika, the fruit must be awakened. That kid is still far from it. Right now, he's just an ordinary rubber man."
Caesar spoke casually. The Mythical Zoan Nika was truly hard to evaluate.
Other Mythical Zoans unlocked their unique abilities immediately after being eaten, like his blood control, Marco's immortal flames, Kaidou's weather manipulation…
But Nika's ability of "imagination materialization" could only be used in an awakened state. Caesar didn't know the reason, but he figured it couldn't just be Oda forcing a power-up into the story, right?
"By the way, I can also tell you that with that kid's personality and talent, as long as he's trained properly, he should awaken in about seven or eight years. However... he probably won't have the chance to shine."
Kuma hesitated upon hearing this: "What do you mean..."
"Don't misunderstand. What I mean is... by then, I might have already unified this vast sea."
Caesar spoke seriously: "It might sound unbelievable, but I do have considerable confidence. Of course, this is based on the condition that you join me! To be frank... I need your strength!"
"But what I hope for is that you willingly lend me a hand, not because you're coerced or out of a sense of gratitude. That's why I choose to tell you everything without holding back, whether it's my views on the Revolutionary Army or the existence of Nika."
"So... make a choice, Kuma!"
Caesar slightly spread his arms, palms open, his gaze fixed on Kuma's eyes behind the frameless glasses.
"Will you choose to believe in so-called fate, the legend of the Buccaneer Tribe, and wait for the so-called Liberation Warrior to save you?!"
"Or will you follow me, witness with me, and together we will turn this vast sea upside down, send those rotten and decaying Celestial Dragons to hell, sweep the old order into the dust of history, and create a brand new era?!"
After these words, a long silence filled the room.
Kuma's face was calm, showing no emotion, as he quietly stared at Caesar.
"Mr. Caesar... what kind of era do you want to create?"
"It's hard to say, but one thing is certain: in the era I create, there will be no slaves!"
"Slaves..."
As if touching on a key word, Kuma's breath grew even quieter, and a corner of the album named "memories" in his mind was suddenly flipped open...
Those were truly days that made life unbearable just to think about.
The information about their bloodline was revealed, leading to the entire family being enslaved.
Mother died.
Father was also shot right before his eyes, the reason being that he had disturbed the Celestial Dragons. When the blood splattered on his face, the joyful smile he wore because of the legend of Nika hadn't even had time to fade.
"Your mother is dead, she has gone to heaven, perhaps it's better for her this way..."
"Listen to me, Kuma, you're a strong child, you must endure and live on!"
"Why? I want to die too!"
"The Liberation Warrior will appear! He will definitely come to save you!"
"Who is he?"
"Sun God Nika!"
"The name of the warrior passed down through generations in our Buccaneer Tribe! One day he will take you to the sea of freedom! To live happily under the sun!"
"Nika always wears a smile, he will make everyone happy with this rhythm! Dong dong ta ta~ dong dong ta ta~"
"Hahaha..."
Bang!
The gunshot from the depths of his memory suddenly jolted Kuma awake. He looked at the young and handsome face before him, growing even more silent.
Father, you were right...
Nika truly exists!
He will appear one day!
But...
But...
Life is just too painful!
In his mind, Ginny's radiant smile rippled, and Kuma's eyes filled with bloodshot veins, as endless pain engulfed him like a tide.
I can no longer endure... nor do I wish to endure any longer!
I'm sorry I haven't told you yet, Father.
Rather than waiting for Nika, I want to become a hero like him—someone who can save those who have lost their freedom and are struggling in pain!
The room grew increasingly quiet. As Kuma closed the album of memories, a beast seemed to stir silently within him, its fur bristling with anticipation.
"I hope my strength can be of help to you, Mr. Caesar!"
(End of Chapter)