"Three hundred and thirty million!"
"…"
"Three hundred and sixty million!"
"Three hundred and seventy million!"
As the bids rose one after another, the price of the Devil Fruit quickly soared toward four hundred million Berries.
But as the numbers climbed higher, the shouting grew slower and more deliberate.
Four hundred million Berries… even with how inflated the economy on the seas was these days, it was a sum not just anyone could afford.
"Four hundred and ten million — going once!"
"Four hundred and ten million — going twice!"
At last, the auctioneer, Disco, raised his right hand high, ready to bring the gavel down.
Oboro glanced sideways. The man who had bid four hundred million was standing not far away.
Dressed in a black suit, he was clearly no pirate — he looked more like a member of the mafia or some other underworld organization, or perhaps a high-ranking official from a kingdom.
He was likely not the actual buyer himself, but merely an agent sent to bid on their behalf.
All around, the other pirates were watching this man like hawks, their expressions fierce and menacing.
Though everyone had expected the Devil Fruit to fetch a high price, no one had imagined it would reach this level.
Many pirate crews had seen their plans crumble before their eyes, and naturally, their anger was now directed entirely at this suited man.
Judging by his calm demeanor, he didn't seem to regard the pirates in the room as a threat at all — clearly, he had powerful backing.
Just as the outcome seemed certain and Disco opened his mouth to declare the sale final…
Swish!
Suddenly, a blurry figure shot up from the audience and floated lightly down onto the stage.
He stood directly between the auctioneer and the Devil Fruit.
Apart from the bright spotlights focused on the stage, the rest of the hall was shrouded in darkness.
The moment this figure appeared, he drew every eye in the room — and sent a jolt of shock through countless hearts.
"This Devil Fruit… I'm taking it," said the man in athletic wear, his head covered by a hood, his voice calm and low.
"Get off the stage!"
"Who do you think you are?! Are you trying to rob us?!"
"Hahaha, this is getting interesting!"
"Is this brat crazy enough to target a Warlord's property?!"
"Is he a rookie? Or just an idiot? He has a death wish!"
"If you don't have the money, don't come here!"
For a moment, jeers erupted from below, while other pirates shouted and stoked the flames of chaos.
Yet Disco, the auctioneer, remained perfectly composed — clearly, a man who had seen it all. His employer was none other than Doflamingo.
Even across the entire Grand Line, there were barely a handful of people bold enough to rob goods belonging to the Donquixote Family, let alone right here on the Sabaody Archipelago.
Stealing was one thing… but Disco was certain this intruder would never make it out of the auction house alive.
"Foolishness… though I suppose it's just the rotten nature of pirates coming to the surface," Disco thought to himself with a sneer. Outwardly, however, he put on a friendly, enthusiastic tone.
"Dear guest… the current price of this Devil Fruit stands at four hundred and ten million Berries. So… what is your bid? I must remind you, each increment must be no less than ten million Berries."
Oboro moved his hands inside his pockets for a moment, then pulled out a single coin.
One hundred Berries.
With a flick of his finger, he sent the coin spinning through the air, straight into Disco's palm.
"…"
Disco's expression instantly darkened. "Did you come here just to cause trouble?"
"One hundred Berries… that's already quite generous. After all… I originally intended to pay nothing at all."
Oboro stepped forward, stopping right in front of the chest holding the fruit.
He swept his hand through the air above it — and in the blink of an eye, the fruit vanished, converted instantly into a card.
The hall erupted in an uproar.
No one had expected him to attempt a literal armed robbery, right in front of everyone!
But the problem was… even if the officers of the Donquixote Family didn't step in, the various factions and powerful crews below would never let him leave peacefully.
Least of all the man who had just won the bid.
Even before Oboro had made his move, he had already spotted two figures standing in the shadows near the back: Dellinger and Lao G.
And in a corner on the far side of the floor, Trebol watched the scene unfold, chuckling maliciously.
"Incredible! Simply incredible!"
Instead of looking angry, Disco suddenly raised his voice to a fever pitch, screaming into the microphone.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Let your excitement reach new heights! To save us from the boredom of a simple auction, our friend here is about to perform a hilarious, ridiculous show for us… with his own life as the price!"
"OOOHHH!!"
Many of the pirates in the crowd roared and cheered. Some even urged Oboro to start running, mocking him for standing still on the stage.
"Go to hell!"
The auctioneer, who had been so pleasant a moment ago, suddenly gripped a pistol in his free hand, aimed it directly at Oboro, and pulled the trigger without hesitation.
BANG!
The bullet whistled past inches from Oboro's cheek and buried itself somewhere in the audience. Someone cried out in pain.
But the atmosphere in the room only grew wilder and more heated.
Several pirates shouted at the top of their lungs, eager to see Oboro gunned down or dragged into a thrilling fight to the death.
"Hmm?"
Disco froze, instinctively stepping backward.
The man hadn't panicked at all.
He had simply tilted his head slightly and dodged the bullet.
That proved it… this was not an opponent Disco could handle.
At the same time, heavy iron gates suddenly slammed shut across the main entrance, and dozens of burly guards blocked every possible exit.
For the first time, Oboro saw firsthand what the true culture of piracy was like.
Just as he suspected… pirates like Luffy or Ace were rare exceptions.
Most people who chose this life didn't do it with dreams of conquering the seas or finding the legendary treasure.
They simply wanted the freedom to do whatever they pleased, unrestrained by laws or morals.
SWISH!
A sharp sound cut through the air as someone rushed in at terrifying speed.
A powerful roundhouse kick slashed toward him, so strong it seemed to split the very air in its path.
If it connected, with Oboro's current physical condition, it would almost certainly be instantly fatal.
His attacker intended to finish him off in a single strike.
It was Dellinger. He bared his sharp, shark‑like teeth, his eyes glowing red with bloodlust and twisted excitement.
Yet despite the incredible speed of that kick… Oboro reacted.
He leaned his upper body backward, pivoting on his heels, retreating just far enough — moving with absolute precision — to let the leg pass harmlessly by.
Several spectators whistled in appreciation from below.
"Not bad… you've got some skill," Dellinger landed, tapping his high‑heeled shoes against the floor as he sized Oboro up with keen interest.
Suddenly, his body blurred again. He launched forward, his right leg lashing out once more with speed comparable to a bullet.
"Truly worthy of a Fish‑man's bloodline… pure physical ability is extraordinary," Oboro murmured, narrowing his eyes.
He knew he couldn't afford to trade blows directly — he simply didn't have the raw strength for it.
But if it came down to technique and skill… there was almost no way Dellinger could overpower him in such a short time.
Still, Oboro had no interest in wasting time here.
He dodged the next rush with fluid footwork. Then, just as Dellinger closed in again at high speed, a strange door frame materialized out of thin air behind Oboro, appearing as if opening into nothingness.
Before Dellinger's astonished eyes, Oboro slowly leaned backward, as if falling backward through empty space… and vanished into another dimension.
But before he left, beneath the shadow of his hood, a pair of eyes looked back at the young warrior, filled with pure mockery.
"Thanks for the treat."
Four simple words. They were enough to make Dellinger's eyes burn bright red with rage and humiliation.
This stranger… was looking down on the Donquixote Family!
Snap!
The door frame closed and faded away into the void.
Oboro was gone without a trace.
A Devil Fruit user!
Every single person in the room thought the exact same thing at that moment.
No one had expected the robbery — happening right under their noses — to actually succeed.
They had all just been waiting to see Oboro die a miserable death.
Even Trebol, who had been laughing maliciously all this time, was stunned into silence, his expression frozen in place.
From the stage to the back rows, the entire hall fell dead silent.
Now they were in serious trouble…
Someone had just robbed the business of Doflamingo, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
When word of this got out…
____________________
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