"Not quite sure yet."
Caesar laughed heartily: "To be honest, after that fight, I didn't feel anything anymore. The only gain was successfully mastering Foresight."
King carefully observed Caesar's current state and noticed that he indeed seemed much more normal.
"What exactly is that state?"
King was somewhat puzzled: "What does so-called purity really mean?"
"Why do you wield your sword? It's not about the emotions or thoughts you carry into battle, as you once asked me, but something deeper."
Caesar wasn't in a hurry to answer; instead, he chuckled and asked.
He didn't mind explaining to the other. After all, the two of them had a relationship that was both mentor and friend. And once he defeated Kaidou, King would become one of his most capable subordinates.
King wasn't in a rush to answer either. He couldn't quite figure out why he wielded his sword.
If he had to say… for Mr. Kaido?
"Why wield a sword?"
Yamato, who was setting off fireworks nearby, suddenly turned her head, looking puzzled: "Do you need a reason to fight?"
"I think you do."
Caesar pondered for a moment: "To put it scientifically, it's about determining the meaning behind your fight. Whether it's an ideal, a desire, or something you want to protect, you must figure it out and use it as the anchor that supports your battles."
"However, when you become too fixated on a goal, distractions will arise. So, you must firm up your conviction and not let the goal affect you. Instead, discard all other distractions and let everything return to instinct."
"That's roughly how I understand it. But understanding is one thing; being able to do it is another."
King questioned: "The instinct to fight?"
Caesar shook his head: "I'm talking about everything. Human instinct isn't just about fighting. It includes perception, intuition, and so on."
King recalled the scene from Foresight at the beginning of their fight.
The act of throwing the weapon and then catching it at an even faster speed to launch an attack was utterly chaotic.
But if he hadn't foreseen it, the fight would have likely ended right then and there.
King frowned: "Aren't you afraid of making a mistake?"
Caesar looked at him in surprise: "Haven't you always been critical of my philosophy of fighting without getting hurt?"
King was momentarily speechless.
Is getting hurt the same as seeking death?
And for a coward like you to suddenly become so reckless, it's just hard to adapt…
"I really don't understand what you're saying, Caesar!"
Yamato looked at Caesar, half-understanding: "When it comes to fighting, you just fight, right?"
"That's pretty much how you understand it…"
Caesar nodded, pointing at Yamato: "You might not believe it, but Yamato might have more talent in this area than both of us."
King looked as if it were only natural: "Of course, the young lady is, after all, Mr. Kaido's daughter."
Caesar sighed lightly: "Your blind faith in Kaido makes me even suspect you're gay…"
"I suspect—"
Under his mask, King's mouth twitched: "How did someone as filthy as you achieve that state of purity!"
Hearing this, Robin couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.
Yamato turned to Robin: "Viola, what's gay?"
"Well…"
Robin organized her words carefully: "Would you mind if your father married a man?"
"Eh?! That's disgusting!"
Yamato immediately looked horrified and suddenly turned to glance at King.
"...Young lady, you've misunderstood."
Facing Kaidou's daughter, King ultimately refrained from saying anything disrespectful. He turned to look at Caesar.
"Your strength has surpassed mine now. The only one who can match you is Mr. Kaido. I suggest you train a bit longer. If you lose, you could really die."
Caesar was somewhat surprised: "Oh? Isn't that what you'd like to see?"
"For someone like you to die like that would be a waste... and I haven't settled the score with you yet."
With that, King waved his hand and turned to leave.
He was in a very weak state now. Although he wasn't sure how Caesar had managed it, that nearly fatal slash would likely require a long period of recovery even if he survived.
"Is that the second-in-command of the Beasts Pirates?"
After King left, Robin asked: "He really exudes a strong sense of pressure."
"King is very strong!"
Yamato clenched her fist: "Before, even though I had mastered Conqueror's Haki Infusion, I wasn't confident I could defeat him. But now, I can definitely beat him!"
Caesar nodded. Yamato's talent in combat was undeniable!
When practicing Armament Haki Compression, she succeeded after just a couple of attempts.
If she could integrate it into her Staff Aura, the power of her long-range attack, the 'Kabura Arrow,' would undergo a qualitative transformation!
"So, we can leave in a little over two months?" Robin asked.
Hearing this, Yamato also looked at Caesar with anticipation. Only when Caesar smiled and nodded did she cheer, leaping up like an exuberant white dog.
"Hooray! Caesar! I want to go to the Boin Archipelago!"
"The Boin Archipelago? Where's that?" Robin asked curiously.
"A chain of islands made up of ultra-giant carnivorous plants, growing in the Calm Belt, each the size of an island."
Caesar explained: "These plants grow various high-calorie delicacies, luring Sea Kings to the islands with the scent of food, then swallowing them whole. But for us, they pose little danger."
Caesar had told Yamato many stories about the sea, and her desire to set sail was growing stronger by the day.
"That sounds truly fascinating."
Robin smiled: "Have you been to many places, boss?"
Caesar shook his head: "No, due to my strength, I've only been to the first half of the Grand Line. I always traveled on ships from Marine Headquarters. In fact, I once boarded the ship of the Marine Hero, Garp."
Robin nodded in understanding. It wasn't surprising that Caesar had dealings with the Marines; it would be strange if he didn't.
"The Marine Hero?"
Yamato curiously leaned in: "What kind of person is he?"
"Just a carefree old man."
Caesar chuckled: "He's a good person, very warm-hearted, but it seems he's lost his way on the path of his ideals, always acting like a fool."
"Is he strong?"
"He's definitely not weak..."
Remembering the scene in the anime where Garp was captured by the Blackbeard Pirates, Caesar shook his head helplessly.
In the tale of the Pirate King, no matter how formidable you are, if you belong to the older generation, you must make way for the new era...