A Reunion with Shiki, and a Visit to the North Blue

Caius delivered the remark with a smile.

Shiki's arrival surprised him, but only a little. The man had always liked roaming the seas. Running into him here was hardly a problem.

Hearing Caius's voice for himself, Shiki burst out laughing.

"Jihahahaha! Caius! Never thought I'd find you here. We do keep running into each other."

He knew a little about the situation in Wano, so finding Caius here was unexpected. Mostly, though, he was pleased.

He had already decided to visit Caius the following year. Meeting now gave them more time to discuss a few things.

"All right, Shiki. Come down. What are you hovering up there for? Let's talk properly."

Caius called him over.

He had a matter of his own to raise, and he wanted to hear what Shiki thought.

Shiki had no objection and soon descended.

They sat together. Seeing the four women behind Caius, Shiki grinned.

"Looks like you're living well these days. Never used to see you carrying on like this."

"That was then. At my level, the next step is going to take time. Can't I enjoy myself while I wait?"

"Fair enough."

Shiki nodded, unwilling to dwell on it.

As long as Caius did not intend to conquer the seas or the world just yet, Shiki still had a chance. The moment Caius made his move, that opportunity would disappear.

Even then, he could join him. Their relationship was hardly so bitter that one of them had to die. Changing sides would be nothing new. They had served in the same crew under Rocks, after all.

For now, he was more curious about what Caius wanted to discuss.

"So what's on your mind?"

"Things at sea are going to get worse. You may not feel it right away, but sooner or later the Marines will come for you. You still haven't reached the limit-breaking level after all this time. That puts you in danger."

Caius gave the warning plainly.

He could no longer be sure the Marines would develop as they had in the timeline he remembered. Garp had already done the unprecedented and become an Admiral.

Was Caius supposed to rescue every old crewmate when their time came?

He had no intention of doing that. He could warn them now. If they listened, good. If they did not, there was little more to say.

Shiki grew serious. He knew how dangerous it was to remain below the limit-breaking level. Roger reaching it before him had only made the frustration worse.

He refused to believe he could not achieve it. Yet he always seemed to fall just short.

Part of the problem was that Shiki wanted too many things at once.

"I'll keep that in mind. I can feel it now, just out of reach, but I can't break through. Got any suggestions?"

Pride did not keep him from asking Caius for help.

"It's simple. Slow down a little and find someone to fight. You could try Newgate, though picking that fight now would be dangerous. Or try Yelan. He broke through recently and has been complaining that he can't find a decent opponent."

Caius took a sip of the tea Gunko had brought him and answered at his leisure.

Shiki perked up. That was a good idea.

"Fine. That's what I'll do."

Caius then asked why Shiki had come here. The answer was simple: he wanted to see whether the auction had anything useful. A Devil Fruit, a fine sword, even a slave with unusual potential would do.

None of that interested Caius anymore. He had moved beyond it. Imu had called from Wano the day before to say the Five Elders had delivered the valuables seized from the Celestial Dragon families he had destroyed.

Those families possessed staggering fortunes. Unless something was truly exceptional, he had no reason to want it. As for Beli, when would he ever run short?

With that in mind, and the three nobles from outside now dead beneath the destruction caused by Shiki's entrance, he had little reason to stay.

"Take a quick look, then. Once you're done, let's eat on your ship. After that, I'm heading to the North Blue to find a promising recruit."

Caius spoke casually.

"Jihahahaha! Done! Boys, get down here! See what we can use and take it with you. We're having a feast tonight!"

Shiki laughed, delighted.

...

That evening, a cool breeze crossed the sea.

Somewhere on the Grand Line, the Golden Lion Pirates were holding a lively feast.

Shiki and Caius traded boasts while Gunko and the other women kept Caius's cup filled. The celebration grew noisier by the minute.

Caius took the measure of the pirates aboard Shiki's ship. At this point in his life, Shiki still valued quality. The men were all reasonably strong.

None stood out as an exceptional prospect, though. It was little wonder the fleet would eventually be wiped out.

Early the next morning, it was time to leave.

Caius boarded his own ship and departed without delay. They were both busy men with their own affairs to handle.

Shiki watched him go in silence, then activated his power and lifted the fleet back into the sky.

"Master, the Golden Lion doesn't seem that impressive. I thought he would be..."

Lia spoke with a trace of disdain.

"Ha! Not yet, no. Give him another ten years. That's when he'll be at his strongest. He'll even come close to sending Roger and his crew to the bottom of the sea."

Her comment amused Caius.

What the sea would actually look like by then, he could not say. He would have to wait and see. Lifespan was no longer much of a concern anyway.

"Is that so? If you say so, Master, we'll see what they become in ten years. Hehe."

In the days that followed, they reached the North Blue and finally found Borsalino on one of its islands. After a thorough session of indoctrination and instruction, he agreed to Caius's request with tears of excitement in his eyes.

Satisfied, Caius left smiling and resumed the route he had planned.

Next, he would find out where Roger and his crew had gone.