ONE PIECE: THE GREAT VOYAGE

Lieutenant General He frowned, his expression cold. After a long pause, he spoke slowly, "Don't worry about it. Treat the wounded and return to base."

"Locus, there might be some concerns, or perhaps even a conspiracy."

Zefa nodded approvingly. "Why complicate things? Return to base now. It's important to tend to the wounded."

Sengoku remained silent, his gaze fixed in the direction where the Rocks Pirates had just left. After a moment of reflection, his eyes, calm and deep, seemed to carry the weight of the future marshal he would become in over ten years.

"One thing is certain," he said finally.

"They've grown stronger. Their power has only increased. The Rocks Pirates have expanded, adding numerous powerful combatants."

"When they were scattered, they were nothing more than ruthless criminals. Together, they've become an even greater force."

After speaking, Sengoku's thoughts drifted to the newcomer on the ship, and his expression grew cold.

"Why didn't we receive any relevant information about him?"

"The addition of such a powerful figure is a huge threat to the Navy."

"Especially considering that he's both talented and ambitious."

He Zhongjiang frowned deeply, his face stern.

"An unfamiliar face. I've confirmed that he's not on any official arrest warrants."

"It seems he's just recently gone to sea and joined the Rocks Pirates."

There was a brief silence as everyone pondered. The discussion shifted from Locke's escape to the newcomer, Caesar, who had boarded the Rocks ship.

Around them, the Navy personnel were repairing ships and attending to the wounded.

A few lieutenant generals gathered in the cabin, sitting as if holding a meeting.

"If I recall correctly, Locke mentioned that his name was Alexander Caesar," Sengoku began. "His strength shouldn't be underestimated. Our priority now is to gather intel on him and issue a bounty."

Lieutenant General He nodded in agreement.

Garp and Zefa's expressions were also serious.

"The Rocks Pirates are strong enough as it is, and adding someone with such overwhelming power, with all three types of Haki, is troubling," Sengoku continued, his voice filled with concern over Caesar.

"I think it's best we eliminate him before he becomes a real threat."

Zefa squinted at Garp, disapproving of the suggestion but not immediately refuting it.

"And what do you suggest we do?" Sengoku asked.

"Isn't it obvious? A wanted poster and a bounty," Garp replied with a chuckle.

Sengoku glanced at Zefa before continuing.

Zefa sighed internally, knowing the reality of pirates. If Caesar's now a pirate, he would soon be targeted by the Navy.

But there was something else—Zefa felt a sense of regret.

Such a talented young man, throwing it all away to join pirates?!

Crane nodded. "He looks to be about fifteen or sixteen, and he joined the vicious Rocks Pirates at such a young age."

"In time, he will be a massive threat to the World Government."

"Also..." Crane paused, gathering her thoughts. "His position in the Rocks Pirates is notable—his strength is second only to veteran powerhouses like Whitebeard, Golden Lion, and Charlotte Linlin."

"Nani?!" Several in the room were shocked.

They had seen Caesar's power firsthand, but those who fought him were much weaker than him, and they hadn't witnessed his full capabilities.

Their expressions turned grave.

"Then let's proceed with the plan. Issue his arrest warrant globally, set a higher bounty—no matter the cost, dead or alive!" Sengoku decided, taking the lead as always.

The others nodded in agreement.

"Alright, get moving..."

Just then, the phone bug rang.

Garp pulled out a tiny snail from his clothing.

"Moxie, Moxie."

Sengoku connected the call.

As the report came through, Garp's expression shifted, excitement growing on his face.

"Pfft! Ha ha ha ha! It's that guy, Roger!"

With a laugh, Garp grabbed his newly delivered Navy coat and strode for the door.

"I'm off now—this time, I'll catch that guy, Roger!"

Sengoku and the others exchanged glances, bewildered, watching him leave. It didn't feel like Garp was going after a pirate—it seemed more like he was meeting an old friend.

---

[27] The legendary Pirate Paradise, landing on Hive Island!

Their ships floated through the air as the wind howled, ruffling their hair.

"Report: The front can land safely," a navigator said, addressing the Golden Lion.

"Heh, ha ha ha, then let's land," Golden Lion replied, raising his finger to control the ship's descent.

The wind felt invigorating.

The pirates, having narrowly escaped death, were all excited.

"Thanks to Captain Shiki's Piao Piao no Mi, we could escape the battlefield so easily."

The crew worshipped the Golden Lion, who laughed heartily at the praise.

Caesar stood on deck, glancing at the cabin, puzzled as to why Locke wanted to flee.

He wasn't afraid of the Navy.

Nor did he care much for the casualties among his crew.

Considering the number of strong fighters among the Rocks Pirates, they clearly had the upper hand.

...But, never mind.

He shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it. It wasn't his concern. As long as he focused on his own tasks, that was enough.

Brad, standing nearby, let out a relieved sigh. "This is the first time I've encountered the Navy. I thought I was a goner."

Caesar grinned. "Impossible. You're just underestimating yourself. The power of the animal-type Devil Fruits is formidable."

"With your physical training over the years, you're more than enough to take on those mid-tier Navy soldiers."

Brad nodded. "Of course I know."

While fighting, he had also observed other cadres in action. Against the Navy, they went all out, showing their peak strength.

If this had been on land, the battle would have changed the entire map.

He was soon excited again.

"Speaking of which, there's good news." Brad said, speaking mysteriously.

"What is it?" Caesar asked.

Brad instantly activated his Haki, his arms almost completely wrapped in the color of armament.

Caesar's eyes lit up with joy. "Your armament Haki has improved greatly."

It used to be limited to just his hands, barely able to coat his forearms. But after going to sea, it had already spread up to his upper arms.

Caesar gave Brad a hard pat on the shoulder, genuinely pleased for him.

Brad was also thrilled. "This is the result of all my training."

This pirate crew was absurdly strong, with members constantly fighting each other, regardless of the stakes.

Because he was aligned with Caesar, his status was somewhat more secure, which made him a target.

Fortunately, he had eaten a powerful ancient Devil Fruit, like the Saber-Tooth Tiger.

So, when his life was threatened, his strength surged.

"Well, let's see how strong you've gotten." Caesar said, drawing Brad into a fight.

Brad groaned. "No way! You're fighting too?"

The ship landed smoothly on the sea.

The pirates looked around, relieved. "The Marines are gone."

The ship resumed its normal course.

A week later, a seagull delivered the bounty poster featuring Caesar's face.

Brad ran over, holding the reward notice. His eyes sparkled with excitement. "Caesar! Caesar! You have your bounty!"

The other pirates gathered, murmuring excitedly.

Caesar raised an eyebrow and took the stack of wanted posters.

"Alexander Caesar, bounty: 380 million Baileys?!"

The pirates gasped.

"It's close to the bounty of the senior cadres! Impressive!"

Whitebeard and the others also joined in the discussion.

The Golden Lion patted Caesar on the back. "Not bad."

Caesar felt a sense of pride swell inside him—it was the joy of being recognized for his strength.

When Rocks received the reward notice, he laughed loudly.

As Caesar flipped through the papers, he noticed Brad's bounty.

"Thirty million Baileys. Pretty impressive."

Brad blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed.

---

Two months later, Rocks' ship finally reached the Rocks Pirates' base, Hive Island.

The island's entrance was marked by a colossal building shaped like a skull.

Brad's eyes widened in surprise at the strange architecture.