Under the stern gaze of Fleet Admiral Sengoku, he spoke with conviction, as if he were the very embodiment of justice.
The words of Sengoku the Buddha sent a ripple through the crowd.
All the citizens gathered here were instantly stirred, their voices rising in heated defiance.
"You call yourselves the Navy? You're worse than the corrupt royals! At least they don't hide behind false righteousness—you're wolves in sheep's clothing!"
The people could no longer accept the Navy's actions. Their anger had reached a boiling point, especially after what had been done to Caesar. To them, such treatment was outright disrespect.
The citizens were ready to stand against the Marines, their fury igniting their resolve.
At that moment, Fleet Admiral Sakazuki (Akainu), who had remained silent until now, finally lost patience.
His rage erupted like the very magma he wielded. Raising his fist, a massive wave of molten rock surged toward the shore.
Seeing this, Caesar sneered and declared, "I won't let you so-called 'justice' harm my people."
With a flick of his wrist, his gravity-altering abilities took hold. The sea before the port surged upward, and in a cataclysmic wave, the Navy's warships were swept away.
Then, without hesitation, Caesar shot toward the warships, chasing them as they were pulled into the distance.
Even if war was inevitable, it was best fought far from his homeland.
This land—the Middle Kingdom—was now his domain.
The rest of the Caesar Pirates exchanged knowing smiles. Under their captain's gravitational control, chunks of earth levitated beneath their feet, and they soared toward the distant warships.
Great Strides—The Middle Kingdom Reborn
As Caesar and his crew disappeared over the vast ocean, the citizens of the Middle Kingdom could only watch and pray for his safe return.
He had been through so much.
To them, Caesar had become a symbol of power and hope, the most revered figure in their land.
No one knew the full details of the battle at sea. However, the neighboring nations soon noticed an ominous shift—the weather in these waters had become even more erratic and terrifying than before.
Meanwhile, the World Government and the Navy understood one thing: they could do nothing against the Caesar Pirates.
Still, appearances had to be maintained. The world was watching.
Thus, Sengoku's fleet was pushed back, yet the World Government twisted the truth to their advantage.
Sengoku himself let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Though the battle's outcome remained unseen, the World Government's controlled press released reports carefully crafted to tell the story they wanted the world to believe:
"The Navy engaged in a fierce battle against the infamous Caesar Pirates, following the pirate crew's continued acts of plundering!"
The only tangible evidence presented? A towering tsunami captured from afar, marking the battle's location.
But no mention of victory. No details on what the Navy had actually accomplished.
Those who understood the government's tactics saw through the deception. The reporting was deliberately vague, revealing nothing conclusive.
Yet, the world at large swallowed the narrative without question.
After all, if the World Government did nothing, what would its allied nations think? What would the other great powers of the sea take from their inaction?
Thus, they were forced into this hollow spectacle—a move against Caesar, even if only on paper.
---
The Power of Perception
Back in the Middle Kingdom, Caesar sat in his palace, skimming through the latest government-controlled newspaper. He curled his lips in disdain.
"The World Government truly excels at deceiving itself."
"Of course." Gnaly, one of his trusted officers, laughed. "What else can they do? If they admit the truth, they'd lose face completely."
They had long grown accustomed to the World Government's tactics.
Time and time again, its news agencies twisted events to protect its image.
Take the Caesar Pirates, for example.
They were no ruthless marauders—in fact, they had purged many actual criminals and tyrants from the seas.
Yet, in the Navy's carefully manipulated reports, every pirate they had eliminated was credited to Marine justice—while Caesar's crew was painted as the true menace.
In truth, the only world Caesar intended to "endanger" was the one under the World Government's rule.
"There will always be those who believe their lies."
Caesar slowly let the newspaper slip from his hands onto the table. His gaze darkened.
People believe what they want to believe.
To them, justice always triumphs over evil—or so they think.
And so, each time the World Government altered the truth, the masses embraced it.
Just like this latest report.
It lacked any concrete details, yet most of the world readily accepted the idea that the Navy had acted decisively.
This was the power of controlled information.
And because of that, Caesar knew—he, too, needed his own voice.
His own media empire.
If he wanted to change the world, he couldn't rely solely on brute force.
But for now, that plan would have to wait.
His kingdom had only just begun to stabilize.
Building a global news network required resources, influence, and time—things they lacked at the moment.
There were still too many pressing matters to address.
---
Half a Year Later—The Rise of the Middle Kingdom
Thanks to the Caesar Pirates' efforts, the Middle Kingdom had developed at an astonishing rate.
A wave of new officials, recruited from the civilian population, had undergone intensive training under the guidance of former, non-corrupt noble administrators who had been spared.
These officials were then dispatched throughout the kingdom to maintain order and oversee reconstruction.
Despite the nation's vast landmass, its small population made governance relatively straightforward.
And so, six months passed.
The transformation was undeniable.
What had once been a land of desolation and chaos now flourished with green fields, strong infrastructure, and prosperity.
Before Caesar's arrival, people had scavenged for food, some resorting to eating tree bark just to survive.
But now?
Those days were long gone.
Lush crops filled the fields. Commerce thrived. Smiling faces lined the bustling streets.
And perhaps most significantly—the Middle Kingdom had become one of the safest places in the world.
Even pirates, upon setting foot on its shores, dared not break the laws.
Here, even the most hardened criminals became obedient citizens.
This was the Caesar Effect.
To the Navy, he was their greatest enemy—a threat surpassing even the worst of pirates.
To the citizens of the Middle Kingdom, he was a savior, a leader, and their unwavering pillar of strength.
And thus, in just half a year, the Middle Kingdom—once a lawless wasteland—had become an unshakable force, a thriving beacon in a chaotic world.
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