309 - One Piece: Red Dragon of the Rocks Era (Patreon)

309 - Mitsuaki's Plans and the Capital's Chief Arrives

While Joy Boy was still debating what to do, Caius had already ended the fight.

It took nothing elaborate. A single sword stroke was enough.

These fighters had been enhanced by technology, but they were too weak to interest him.

Mitsuaki and the others watched the battle end in an instant, still too stunned to speak. They had never imagined the kingdom's guards would fall so easily to Caius.

Both sides were supposed to be at the limit-breaking level. How could the gap be this wide?

"Toki... Has Caius always been this strong?" Mitsuaki caught himself. "Lord Caius, I mean."

"And surely I would have heard of someone as powerful as him. How can that be?"

Mitsuaki turned to his daughter for an answer.

"Father, my husband has always been this strong. There is almost no one in this world who could defeat him, so you can stop worrying. And it's perfectly natural that you haven't heard of him. You'll understand in time."

Toki smiled faintly.

This display did not surprise her. She had never seen Caius fight in the world eight hundred years ahead, but the fear he inspired in its strongest people told her plenty.

As far as she knew, only Imu, the senior wife of Caius's household, could face him comfortably. No one else could reach that height.

Not yet, at least. Perhaps someone would someday.

Mitsuaki understood that Toki did not intend to explain. He let the matter drop; he could hardly force an answer from her now, even if he wanted to.

Once the shock wore off, excitement took its place. The Amatsuki family could finally rise again, and this time it might stand above the rest of the Great Kingdom.

All Mitsuaki needed to do was secure Caius's support.

He looked toward Amatsuki Hikari, Amatsuki Rei, Amatsuki Akira, and the others with sudden interest.

He was already considering offering his other daughters to Caius. They were all at least eighteen; he would not cross that line. If Caius accepted, Mitsuaki believed the family's future would be secure.

He was getting ahead of himself, though perhaps Caius might be swayed by one of them.

And if one bore Caius a child, the Amatsuki family would gain even more. Keeping the bloodline of such a powerful man within the family might secure its position for generations.

"Never mind, Toki. I was only curious. If it's too soon to explain, I won't press you. But when are you two going to have children? If you don't want to raise them yourselves, leave them with us. I'd like to retire soon. I'm exhausted."

Mitsuaki spoke to his daughter at once.

The prospect of a child mattered to the family, but Mitsuaki meant what he said about being tired. Give him a grandchild to raise, and he would gladly surrender the headship and spend his days watching the child grow.

"We can talk about children later. Right now, we have company. Those people are coming, so be careful."

Caius appeared beside Toki and Mitsuaki with a smile.

He gave Toki another smile, then vanished. He drew the fighters converging on the estate away from the Amatsuki grounds and into the mountains outside the capital.

A minute later, more than a dozen fighters arrived. Their technology-assisted breakthroughs were incomplete. They studied Caius warily, unwilling to attack until someone with authority came to give the order.

Caius did not mind waiting. As long as he was not facing thirty or forty limit-breaking fighters, he had nothing to worry about. Killing that many would wear him out.

He wanted to see who had sent them.

Two minutes later, a man in a white cloak and white suit appeared nearby, frowning as he approached.

His presence was formidable. Unlike the others, he had reached the limit-breaking level through his own strength. Still, he was only around Rosha's level, nowhere near a match for Caius.

"Thank you for waiting for me. I appreciate it."

"I mean you no harm, and I don't belong to the group that targeted you. I'm only the chief responsible for the capital's security. May I ask where you come from?"

Skatperlin Michael managed a strained smile as he addressed Caius.

Truthfully, Michael had not wanted to come. What sense was there in approaching an unknown fighter who might be stronger than Joy Boy? He could easily get himself killed.

The man had been in the capital for some time without causing trouble. The conflict had begun only when those families moved against Toki. Unfortunately, Michael was in charge of the capital's security. Joy Boy himself had told him to meet Caius and learn something about him.

He could not refuse.

And so he stood here now.

Caius smiled. Michael had approached him politely enough. He could spare him a conversation.

"Where I came from won't mean anything to you. The world is vast. Your Great Kingdom is strong, but it's still only one country. Technology helped you build it, yet beneath all that machinery, you're weak."

"No offense. I'm telling you the truth. Joy Boy has his plans, and I have no interest in interfering with them. What I do want is to be left alone. As for the people who tried to attack Toki at the Amatsuki estate, I expect you to deal with them. Otherwise, I'll deal with them myself."

Caius spoke evenly, untroubled by the fighters around him.

Michael felt the pressure behind those words but managed to bear it.

He understood Caius wanted the people responsible handed over. Michael would have preferred that too, but Joy Boy would never allow it.

Michael breathed out slowly.

"I agree with you. But I can't make that decision, and Joy Boy won't agree. He doesn't want to fight you, though. Would you consider meeting him to discuss it?"

Michael offered a pained smile.

"Does Joy Boy really want to meet me? Better yet, does he dare?"

"He can see us right now. What do you think?"

Caius raised an eyebrow, his contempt plain.

In truth, he was curious about Joy Boy. He had never met him, and on entering the capital he had avoided searching with Observation Haki. That might have alerted the king.

If Joy Boy agreed to talk, Caius had no objection. What happened to the people responsible would depend on that conversation.

Michael did not dare answer. Any reply might commit him to something he could not deliver.