Is Caesar highly dangerous?
Of course, he is. His danger lies not in his strength, which, frankly, is negligible. Whether it's Diarmuid or Borsalino, if Caesar appeared before them, he could be crushed with a single finger.
No, Caesar's threat lies in his intellect. While he may not be a match for Vegapunk, the genius said to be '500 years ahead of the world,' Caesar is undoubtedly a very talented scientist.
If his abilities were to fall into evil hands and be used recklessly, the disaster he could unleash would far exceed the threat posed by a typical great pirate.
Look, Punk Hazard, a place ordinary pirates couldn't even find, was completely ruined by him in a muddle.
That's why Diarmuid ordered Vice Admiral Yamakaji and the Intelligence Division to quickly find the source of this trouble and bring him to justice.
Naturally, Diarmuid had no intention of killing Caesar.
He was a protector of Marine interests. Killing a man like Caesar would be a waste. Let him serve a few years in jail to clear his slate, then bring him back to contribute to the Marines. How much better is that?
"Yes, Admiral," Vice Admiral Yamakaji responded immediately.
"Hmm... Let me think. Keep an eye on Doflamingo's side, as well as Big Mom and Kaido. Caesar's personal strength cannot support his research path, so if he wants to continue, he must turn to someone who can provide him with more resources. Oh, right, and Smoker... Forget it, I'll notify Doflamingo and Smoker myself. As for Charlotte Linlin and Kaido, you in the Intelligence Division do your best to watch them," Diarmuid instructed.
"Understood, Admiral," Vice Admiral Yamakaji replied again.
"Okay. Is there anything else interesting going on? Oh, and also, do me a favor and stir up some trouble for the Fleet Admiral. Tell him that this bastard Borsalino is always causing problems and is clearly unfit to be an Admiral. If push comes to shove, let Gion have a try, hahahaha." Diarmuid laughed heartily.
Vice Admiral Yamakaji, on the other end of the Den Den Mushi, said with a tone of deep resignation: "Admiral, is that something a Vice Admiral like me can interfere with? Why don't you tell the Fleet Admiral yourself?"
Of course, Yamakaji knew Diarmuid was only joking.
But he also knew perfectly well that if a real opportunity arose, Admiral Diarmuid would absolutely move to promote Gion to the rank.
"So boring," Diarmuid griped.
Vice Admiral Yamakaji took the opportunity to say: "There are no other matters."
"Alright. Since there's nothing else, I'll hang up," Diarmuid responded, then ended the Den Den Mushi call.
"Such troubled times..." Vergo sighed nearby.
He had, of course, overheard the entire conversation.
Diarmuid glanced at Vergo, bit into the watermelon, and said: "Contact Doflamingo. Tell him that if that Caesar guy actually finds him and wants to cooperate, he is to capture him and send him to Marineford."
"Yes, Admiral," Vergo replied, putting down the watermelon, pulling out his Den Den Mushi, and going to contact Doflamingo.
Diarmuid then turned to glance at Hina, who was lighting a new cigarette, and grumbled: "Smoke, smoke, smoke. Your nicotine addiction is out of control."
Hina gave Diarmuid a pained look, then reluctantly put away the cigarette.
"Contact Smoker, same message," Diarmuid ordered.
"Got it," Hina answered, still sounding slightly aggrieved.
Diarmuid placed the remains of the watermelon down and glanced at a gambling den across the street.
Carnival City was all about entertainment, so gambling dens were naturally abundant.
However, the one nearby was clearly the lowest-tier establishment, filled with low-life, deadbeat gamblers—people who were poor but couldn't stop themselves from betting. Respectable wealthy merchants or nobles would never even look at a place like this. They all went to high-end casinos, often reserving VIP rooms.
Diarmuid only gave it a casual glance, but as luck would have it, a sea breeze blew through at that exact moment, lifting the door curtain and allowing him to see inside the gambling den.
"Hmm?" Diarmuid paused.
Then, he stood up and walked toward the gambling den.
Hina and Vergo both noticed Diarmuid's movement, but as they were in the middle of their tasks, they didn't immediately follow him, only watching as Diarmuid walked into the den.
There was nothing surprising about it. While Diarmuid didn't have a gambling habit, it was perfectly normal for him to relax and play a round or two.
On the other side, as Diarmuid entered the gambling den, he was enveloped by the clamor.
A tall, somewhat stout figure was sitting at the gambling table right by the entrance, his back to the door.
He was wearing light purple rōnin attire with a shikomizue (cane sword) hanging from his waist. He was eagerly throwing a handful of chips onto the table, shouting excitedly, "High! Bet on high!"
Diarmuid didn't alert him. Instead, he walked halfway around to the other side of the table and finally saw the man's face.
Fujitora Issho!
It was definitely him. His appearance was slightly younger, but otherwise identical. The only thing that surprised Diarmuid was that the man's eyes were wide open and clearly not blind at all!
Long, long ago, after Diarmuid ate the Gravity-Gravity Fruit, he often wondered what would happen to Issho. Would losing the Gravity-Gravity Fruit change his fate?
It certainly would. He had even secretly asked Spandine to help him search for the man, but without any clues.
He never expected to see Issho in this low-end street gambling den in Carnival City.
"Perhaps losing the Gravity-Gravity Fruit was a good thing for him?" Diarmuid murmured softly.
At least he wasn't blind.
Issho once said that he blinded himself because he could no longer bear to look at the dirty and ugly world. Diarmuid didn't know when he went blind, but for now, Issho was still enjoying his life as a cheerful gambling addict.
Issho hadn't noticed Diarmuid. In fact, he was currently an unknown figure.
Though not truly small, he simply lacked fame. People like him could be collectively called 'folk masters.' The sea is full of countless experts; it's not just pirates and Marines who have the big shots. There are many who haven't joined any organization or power, but their individual strength is top-tier.
However, Diarmuid was currently uncertain what level Issho had reached after he intercepted the Gravity-Gravity Fruit.
Issho was staring at the dealer at the table, a young girl with twin pigtails. She was bare-chested, though her flat chest was tightly bound with white bandages, preventing any exposure and making her look rather bold.
"No more bets! No changes!" the little girl shouted, then slammed the dice cup onto the table. A wicked smile played on her lips as she added, "Deadbeat gamblers, are you ready to face your fate?"
Issho rubbed his hands, seemingly looking forward to the moment of destiny's revelation.
Just then, the little girl suddenly looked up and saw Diarmuid. Her eyes registered surprise, then immediately turned into hostility!
This reaction also drew a response from Diarmuid. He instinctively turned to look at the little girl, first with confusion, then with surprise in his own eyes.
"I'll blow your head off with one shot, you bastard!" the little girl roared, quickly pulling out the revolver holstered on her thigh.
Unlike her petite frame, the revolver in her hand was clearly oversized.
Diarmuid recognized the gun model; it seemed to be called the 'Taurus.'
The muzzle alone was roughly the size of a bowl. The bullets were clearly super-large, to the point where the revolver should no longer be called a gun but a hand-cannon!
Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
Diarmuid's reaction speed was lightning fast. He slid his foot, and the bullet zipped past his head, tearing a head-sized bloody hole in the chest of a spectator standing on a stool behind him. The gambler died instantly.
Issho, who had been waiting for the 'payout,' jumped in shock. What the hell is going on? I was focused on waiting for the results, and suddenly someone started shooting?
The moment the gun went off, everyone at the gambling table was startled, crying and shouting as they scattered and ran.
Failing to blow off Diarmuid's head with the first shot, the little girl smoothly stood up from the stool. Her other hand grabbed her thigh, and she pulled out a second hand-cannon-grade revolver of the same model, roaring: "Die, Diarmuid!!!"
As her voice fell, the little girl unleashed her full firepower. The revolvers in her hands thundered, and extremely lethal bullets shot toward Diarmuid.
"Damn it! You're still alive? Berserk Loli Sphinx!" Diarmuid cursed as he dodged.
He was wearing casual clothes and carried nothing; Kokorowatari was left on the ship.
"I'm going to kill you today to avenge Captain Shiki!" Sphinx shouted furiously.
With a flick of her small hand, the cylinder of her revolver was flung out. She expertly attached a new one from her belt, reloading the ammunition with practiced ease.
Berserk Loli Sphinx. According to Marine intelligence, she was presumed dead in the New World in late 1502, Sea Calendar. Her previous affiliation was with Shiki the Golden Lion's crew. After Shiki was imprisoned, the Flying Pirates collapsed, and the crew scattered. Sphinx was reportedly killed in a conflict with the Big Mom Pirates, crushed by Charlotte Linlin's forces.
How the hell is she alive again?!
As for why she shot at Diarmuid on sight, it was because of her close relationship with Shiki. It was said that she was an orphan adopted by Shiki, and she had always been fiercely loyal to him. Diarmuid first sent Shiki to Impel Down, and later personally finished him off...
It would be strange if she didn't harbor hatred for Diarmuid!
He wondered why she hadn't pursued piracy or sought revenge against Diarmuid all these years.
In a brief moment, the gambling den was completely riddled with holes by Sphinx's twin hand-cannons.
After dodging the barrage of bullets, Diarmuid raised his hand and launched a palm strike at Sphinx from the air.
It was a variant of Rankyaku, one of the Rokushiki techniques.
Slicing air blades shot out from his fingers and flew toward Sphinx.
Just then, Issho swung his cane sword. A flash of cold light blocked the slicing attacks, and his figure stood protectively in front of Sphinx.
Sphinx, now screaming in rage, yelled: "Deadbeat gambler! Fight with me! Let's take down this bastard!"
"Hey, hey, Sphinx, what's with you today?" Issho asked, clearly bewildered.
It appeared their relationship was quite good?
Diarmuid was also somewhat surprised. What is going on here?
At the same time, Vergo and Hina rushed in, quickly blocking Sphinx and Issho's escape routes from the left and right, bringing the situation to a tense deadlock.