Totto Land, Donut Island.
Since Whole Cake Island had been utterly devastated by a massive battle, Katakuri was busy directing craftsmen in urgent repairs.
As a result, Caesar and the others had temporarily relocated to an island under Katakuri's jurisdiction.
The estate where Caesar and Linlin resided was situated by the southern coast—a luxurious white structure built into the cliffside.
The bedroom balcony faced the sea, offering a breathtaking view of the horizon at dawn, where the rising sun painted the sky in hues of gold and pink, visible through the fluttering sheer curtains.
As the first rays of sunlight filtered through the fabric, Caesar shifted Linlin's long leg off himself and sat up on the plush, comfortable bed.
His gaze landed on a graceful figure standing on the balcony.
"The Pirate Empress… what was her name again? Boa Hancock, right? That's too long—how about just calling you Han-chan?"
With a faint smile, Caesar walked over to Hancock and crouched down in front of her.
Hancock glared at him with resenment—if looks could kill, Caesar would have been torn to shreds by now.
Her wrists and ankles were bound in seastone shackles, the chains secured to a stone pillar on the balcony.
Even without guards, her weakened body made escape impossible.
Suddenly, Hancock's gaze froze as she realized Caesar was completely naked.
His bronzed muscles radiated raw masculine energy, creating an overwhelming visual impact.
"Ah! You—you shameless brute! How dare you walk around unclothed?! Get away from me!" Hancock shrieked, instinctively kicking at Caesar despite her restraints.
Thud.
Caesar chuckled, effortlessly blocking her feeble strike with one large hand.
"Now, now, Empress," he teased, "where exactly are you aiming? You're royalty, not some street thug."
Hancock blinked, then followed his gaze downward.
Instantly, her face flushed crimson, blood rushing to her cheeks as she tried to retract her leg—only to find it held firmly in Caesar's grip.
His massive frame then began to shrink, until he stood at roughly two meters tall, matching Hancock's height.
With a wicked grin, Caesar pointed at her.
"It's perfectly normal for me to be naked in my own home. But you… hehehe."
Only then did Hancock realize—she was completely naked as well.
During yesterday's battle, Linlin's storm of lightning and flames had incinerated every last stitch of her clothing.
In the heat of combat, destroyed attire was nothing unusual.
Unless one was a Logia user capable of elemental intangibility, most fighters would eventually find themselves stripped down naked mid-brawl.
As for Zoan-type Devil Fruit users, the can make their cloths as strong as their body.
Take Caesar or Kaido, for instance—they could lounge in molten lava for days on end and emerge unscathed along with their cloths.
Caesar smirked wickedly as he pulled Hancock into his embrace, their bodies pressed tightly together.
A subtle tension began to spread across the balcony.
"Let... me go." Hancock's delicate body felt weak and limp, not just from the seastone but also from the overwhelming aura radiating from Caesar.
Holding her like a lover, Caesar inhaled the fragrance of her hair, his muscular arms encircling the usually domineering Pirate Empress.
This woman in his arms was fierce and imperious by nature, but Caesar was even more overbearing than her.
Gently grasping Hancock's smooth wrist, Caesar's gaze burned with predatory intensity as he roamed over every inch of her flawless skin.
Hancock's cheeks flushed crimson, her heart pounding violently.
Never had she experienced anything like this.
She was captain of the Kuja Pirates, emperor of Amazon Lily, where her word was absolute law.
She held power over life and death for all her subjects.
Accustomed to dominance, Hancock never deigned to look directly at anyone, whether at sea or elsewhere.
She was proud—and rightfully so.
With her high status, formidable strength, peerless beauty and the ability to charm any man through her Love-Love Fruit powers, she had every reason to be.
"Hmm? What's this? The Celestial Dragon's hoof mark?"
Caesar turned her around, tracing his fingers over the mark on her back.
"Ah!" Hancock shuddered violently before suddenly screaming.
She immediately clutched her chest and backed against the balcony's stone pillar, pressing her back firmly against it to hide from Caesar's view.
As if struck by a devastating blow, she trembled uncontrollably, appearing utterly vulnerable and pitiful.
Caesar chuckled softly touching her shoulder.
Hancock curled into herself, shaking as if drained of all strength, too frightened to resist.
"It's just a slave mark. Nothing to fear. Come here—I'll remove it for you."
"Remove it?" Hancock's lowered head snapped up, her eyes briefly flashing with unprecedented hope before dimming again into despair.
"Impossible. The Celestial Dragon's mark is etched deep into the flesh. The only way to erase it is by carving out that part of the body. Otherwise—"
Caesar's lips curled into a scornful smile.
"Who told you that? Decades ago, I removed this very mark from someone else. Heh, that guy was once a Celestial Dragon's slave too."
Gently gripping Hancock's shoulders, Caesar murmured, "Hold still."
For some reason, Hancock's trembling ceased abruptly, as if Caesar's voice carried a strange, calming magic.
Then she felt it—two waves of scorching heat flowing from Caesar's palms into her body, energy surging through her veins.
Steam began rising from Hancock's porcelain skin as it turned feverishly red, wisps of crimson energy evaporating from her body.
Caesar pulled her closer, turning her around.
Stiffly, Hancock complied, revealing the alluring expanse of her snow-white back.
The celestial dragon's hoof mark branded on her skin was gradually fading under the torrent of Caesar's abundant life force.
Red pigment, resembling blood, began seeping from Hancock's back—this substance had been deeply embedded in her muscles and even bones.
Now, Caesar was forcing it all out with his boundless life force, drop by drop, as it slid down Hancock's beautiful back.
"Done. Its gone now," Caesar said calmly, releasing her shoulders.
Hancock trembled, her eyes clouded with confusion yet flickering with hope as she looked at Caesar.
Understanding what she wanted, he grasped her right hand and led her towards the bathroom.
"Go take a look."
Seeing Hancock still dazed, Caesar gave her a gentle push, sending her into the bathroom.
Outside the door, Caesar gaze darkened.
He glanced at his palm, then suddenly raised it to touch his own back, a sharp glint of killing intent flashing in his eyes.
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