An officer of the Donquixote Family had been killed.
And the mysterious man who stole the Devil Fruit had supposedly fled the island by ship.
News spread fast through the lawless districts.
After all, Dellinger's body was found near the port, and based on the tracks and inquiries, it seemed the thief had intended to escape immediately after securing the fruit.
He had simply run into Dellinger on his way out.
From any logical point of view, running away was the smartest choice. The longer you stayed on the island, the more dangerous it became.
Furthermore, rumors were circulating that Doflamingo, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, was already on his way here…
After parting ways with Dom, Oboro never returned to the inn. Instead, he changed his appearance and clothing… and now sat casually at a stall along a busy street, watching pirates and merchants hurry past.
This was exactly the advantage of the lawless zone — absolute chaos. It was an area even the Marines couldn't fully control.
No matter how famous or powerful the Donquixote Family was, they couldn't possibly monitor or search every single corner.
From snippets of conversation he overheard from passers‑by, Oboro learned that Trebol and Lao G had already found Dellinger's body using a Vivre Card, and had most likely reported the situation to "Joker" by now.
"I can't be certain, but right now almost everyone assumes I've already escaped… Tomorrow is the slave auction, and Doflamingo will definitely arrive before it starts. But… will he prioritize serving the Celestial Dragons, or hunt me down first to avenge his 'family'?" Oboro murmured softly, sipping juice through a straw.
Based on what he knew about Doflamingo, the answer was undoubtedly the second option.
Right now, the man must be absolutely furious.
Currying favor with the Celestial Dragons was a long‑term game, but Joker took his concept of "family bonds" very seriously.
Moreover, this incident had dealt a heavy blow to the Family's reputation and prestige.
At his core, Doflamingo was still a businessman.
Oboro finished his drink, placed a few Berries on the table, stood up, and walked away disguised as a mafia member.
He was wearing that familiar suit again.
This entire street was lined with taverns and bars — the main places for pirates to unwind… yet only this one shop sold fruit juice, catering specifically to ladies and children.
"Next… it's going to be your turn."
Oboro murmured, hands in his pockets.
In his mind, the face of Saint Charlos — a Celestial Dragon — appeared.
That guy would definitely come to the auction.
But killing him wouldn't be so easy… What concerned Oboro most was the Will of the World interfering again.
Normally, Admirals didn't shadow Celestial Dragons everywhere. They only accompanied them during emergencies, important missions, or grand events.
For example, Celestial Dragons often traveled to nations across the four seas under the pretense of inspections… yet, during Oboro's arrival here, Admiral Kizaru had been present right beside them.
This indicated that due to the subtle manipulation of the Will of the World, there was a very high chance an Admiral would appear at the auction house too.
If that happened, he would have practically no chance to strike.
In fact, it might even be difficult to escape a second time.
But nothing was absolute. Oboro decided to wait and see. If an Admiral really did show up… he would just leave immediately.
There was also another problem: how to escape after killing a Celestial Dragon.
He had sent Dom ahead to secure a merchant ship, but the World Government would almost certainly blockade every port.
They wouldn't just use Marine forces — they would seal the island so tight not even a fly could escape. Even if he didn't kill Saint Charlos, there was still a risk of exposure.
The merchant ships and cargo vessels all had their own backgrounds and connections… The Donquixote Family's influence couldn't cover every single boat, so it was always possible to slip through the cracks.
But if the World Government stepped in? That was a completely different story.
"I have to leave at least some kind of shock on this world…" Oboro thought to himself as various plans swirled in his head.
Every faction and power group had combed through the lawless districts and searched the entire Sabaody Archipelago, but found no trace or clue of the mysterious thief.
Eventually, everyone reached the same conclusion: the intruder had already fled.
...
The next day, the entrance to the auction house was once again crowded with people coming and going.
But unlike yesterday, only a small portion of the guests were pirates. The vast majority were nobles, wealthy elites, and dignitaries… dressed in eye‑catching, expensive clothing.
They came from all over the world; some were royalty or nobility from various kingdoms, while many others were businessmen and brokers directly involved in the slave trade.
It showed clearly that today's event served a very different clientele.
Those pirates who did come were mostly just there for the spectacle and gossip.
Even after the dramatic events of yesterday, security checks today remained loose and informal — not strict at all.
Partly because these guests were powerful and influential people whom no one dared offend; partly to demonstrate Doflamingo's absolute confidence and authority; and partly because of the widespread belief that "the killer had already run away."
Oboro slicked his hair back, removed his mask, painted a tattoo design on his face with dye, and made minor changes to his appearance. He walked straight in, completely unrecognized.
He found a seat and sat down.
While looking around, he expanded the range of his five senses. He detected several powerful presences hidden in the shadows, though none were overwhelmingly terrifying.
Doflamingo was not here!
However… other members of the Donquixote Family had arrived.
Before the auction began, Oboro spotted two familiar figures: the top executive Diamante, the "Diamond" of the suit cards… and Gladius, recognizable by his outrageously styled hair.
These two, along with Lao G and Trebol, were positioned in different spots — both on stage and behind the scenes.
Although the robbery and Dellinger's death seemed not to have shaken the Family too deeply, they had clearly increased their vigilance.
"Joker and the rest aren't here… They're probably patrolling the ports and checking the departure manifests from yesterday," Oboro realized.
Even if Oboro and Dom had already left Sabaody yesterday, with Doflamingo's speed and resources, he could easily track them down from among the list of suspects in a very short time.
In other words… Joker was currently busy searching for him outside.
Just as Oboro had predicted.
"Though… with his intelligence, it won't take him long to realize it was all a smokescreen. Heh."
"Let's see if you can make it back in time."
A smirk tugged at the corner of Oboro's mouth.
Before long, today's slave auction officially began.
The process was identical to yesterday's, and the host was still Disco.
As usual, he stood on stage enthusiastically hyping up the crowd and praising the "value" of the merchandise.
Down in the audience, wealthy buyers competed fiercely with their bids.
But unlike yesterday, most of the bidders today were private individuals rather than representatives of powerful factions or crews.
Slaves — regarded as "toys" or property — weren't a luxury exclusive to Celestial Dragons in the world of pirates.
Oboro also noticed that some pirates hadn't just come for fun; they were specifically targeting special slaves.
Rare races or high‑bounty criminals who had fallen into Doflamingo's hands were highly sought after.
Because these individuals already possessed combat strength or unique abilities, they could be integrated directly into a crew as active fighting forces — hence the high price tags.
Still, the highest prices were usually paid for beautiful women, children, or handsome young men.
It wasn't strength or ability that determined the price… it was purely "appearance" and "condition."
Furthermore, the slave auction ran in multiple sessions, and didn't drag on as long as yesterday.
After every three or four groups of slaves were sold, there would be a short break before the next round.
They were categorized and sold in batches based on different characteristics and types.
As a result, the audience turnover rate was huge. Many merchants left immediately after buying what they wanted, while new groups arrived later.
Everyone had a clear goal and didn't want to waste time.
But Oboro remained seated where he was.
Time passed slowly. Gradually… Oboro noticed that the hall, which had originally been packed, was starting to empty out.
He realized the main event was approaching.
The batch of slaves about to appear were the most valuable ones — goods that ordinary people simply couldn't afford.
Their arrival also signaled that the Celestial Dragons were nearly here. Those who dared stay behind were either extremely brave, incredibly powerful and confident… or simply didn't fear trouble or attention from the Celestial Dragons.
And then there were the ones who just didn't care about dying…
For pirates and members of the underworld — who were already wanted or targeted by the World Government — being in the presence of Celestial Dragons wasn't that big a deal.
As long as they didn't provoke them, didn't attack them, didn't make a scene, and managed to slip away afterward… it was fine. After all, their lives were already lived in the shadows.
The ones truly terrified of Celestial Dragons were royalty, nobles, or powerful figures who relied on the authority of the World Government.
From the perspective of an outlaw or desperado, a bit more trouble didn't matter — as long as it wasn't fatal.
That was why, whenever Celestial Dragons appeared, there was no need to forcibly clear the venue. Those without the strength or courage to handle it left on their own.
Now, only a few dozen people remained in the vast, empty hall, standing out clearly. Everyone was silently sizing each other up.
Moments later, the sound of synchronized footsteps and commotion echoed from outside the building.
It was the Marines!
Not many of them.
They weren't here to make arrests — simply to escort and protect the Celestial Dragons.
The main characters… had finally arrived.
____________________
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