The entire venue fell into a dead silence.
Everyone stared in shock—at the tight dress on stage and at the two furious Charlotte Family officers storming out of the 2A VIP box.
In the luxury suite...
Sengoku: ...
Daren: ...
Several black lines appeared on their foreheads.
"How scary... those two are radiating murderous intent," Borsalino said with a half-smile.
"...It's a pretty solid auction item," Daren finally managed to squeeze the words out after holding them in for a long time.
Was this... the original flavor?
But that's Big Mom!
The image of a huge, obese woman ravenously devouring food flashed through Daren's mind. He broke out in goosebumps, a chill running down his spine.
Who would want to buy something like that?!
Wait!
Daren suddenly sensed something was off.
He narrowed his eyes, taking a closer look at the dress displayed inside the glass case.
Curvy and tight-fitting, with traces of dried blood still on it.
This size... doesn't add up...
If it were the Big Mom he remembered—with that enormous, distorted body—there was no way she could squeeze into this sultry, hip-hugging dress!
Then it hit him—what timeline he was in.
The year was 1493 of the Sea Circle Calendar. Nine years had passed since the God Valley Incident, and the Summit War was still more than twenty years away...
Could it be...
"Admiral Sengoku, do you know what Big Mom Charlotte Linlin looks like right now?"
Daren turned to Sengoku and asked.
Sengoku was silent for two seconds before beckoning with a hand.
A Marine soldier handed him a stack of wanted posters. He pulled one out and slapped it down on the table with a loud smack.
Daren: "..."
Alright, now that made a bit more sense.
Still, would anyone actually bid on this?
And with two senior officers from the Big Mom Pirates already issuing threats, it was unlikely anyone would dare make an offer...
"You think I'm scared?! I'll bid 210 million Belly!!"
A pirate with a rooster-like mohawk suddenly stood up, grinning wickedly as he locked eyes with Charlotte and Perospero.
"That dress is mine!!"
His outburst sent shockwaves through the crowd.
"Who the hell are you?! I'll offer 230 million Belly!!"
A fat man in an Italian mafia-style suit blew a smoke ring as he spoke, a gold-trimmed cigar clamped between his teeth. Clearly someone from the underworld, his gaze at the dress burned with unrestrained greed and lust.
"Hehehehe! I'll go 240 million!!"
Another bidder shouted out.
This one was decked in luxurious robes, clearly a noble or high-ranking official from some kingdom.
Voices rang out across the hall, bids rising rapidly amid heavy, excited breathing.
"I'll pay 250 million Belly!"
"I'll go..."
"..."
As the bids piled up, the faces of the Charlotte brothers darkened like scorched iron. Their chests heaved, and their bodies trembled with barely contained fury.
"Big Mom Pirates, 300 million Belly!"
Charlotte Perospero growled through clenched teeth, his voice cold and sharp.
If someone actually bought that dress, their entire pirate crew would be the laughingstock of the sea!
This wasn't about money anymore—it was about pride!!
A bunch of perverts!!
"...What a group of gentlemen."
Watching the frenzy below, Daren's mouth twitched uncontrollably.
The higher the status, the weirder the fetishes—just look at the Celestial Dragons.
And this was Big Mom they were talking about!
A terrifying Great Pirate, a natural-born destroyer... and now, apparently, a bombshell beauty with curves to kill!
As the bidding soared past 300 million Belly, Daren couldn't help but mutter, "They really know how to have fun."
...
Three minutes later, the "original" tight dress from Big Mom Charlotte Linlin was successfully auctioned off to the Charlotte brothers, Charlotte Perospero and Charlotte Daifuku, for a staggering 340 million Belly.
As the auctioneer brought the gavel down with satisfaction, many in the audience wore expressions of disappointment.
Only the Charlotte brothers looked absolutely livid.
"How strange... They got exactly what they wanted, but they still look like they're ready to kill someone..."
Borsalino offered his usual offhand commentary at just the right moment.
Sengoku: "..."
Daren: "..."
The auction carried on.
The next round of items returned to more "normal" territory—Intricately crafted armor, hallucinogenic drugs, strong and healthy human slaves, breathtakingly beautiful mermaids...
A dazzling array of contraband goods filled the stage, leaving the audience overwhelmed with temptation.
Daren also placed bids on a few items that caught his eye. As before, under Sengoku's increasingly numb gaze, he kept bidding with that same carefree "money's no object" attitude, effortlessly discouraging any would-be competition.
This soon had the guests buzzing with curiosity about the identity of the mysterious occupant of the 3A box.
Spending over a billion Belly already? That wasn't something just any group could afford.
...
Elsewhere in the venue, Marco sat quietly in a corner, his body completely concealed beneath a hood. Even he couldn't help but click his tongue in surprise.
"Over a billion Belly... That's enough to fund our whole crew for years..."
On the other side, Charlotte Perospero and Charlotte Daifuku were also watching the 3A box with growing hostility.
"Brother..." Charlotte Daifuku said cautiously.
"This guy's not ordinary," Perospero muttered darkly. "Even our Big Mom Pirates only brought 500 million this time."
"And he just throws around over a billion like it's nothing..."
The two exchanged a glance and instantly reached the same conclusion:
Once the Moa Moa no Mi appears, the guy in the 3A box has to be dealt with first. After that, they could turn their focus to King.
Meanwhile, King's gaze toward the 3A box was also turning cold.
The closer the auction drew to its end, the more tense the atmosphere became.
Every major faction present knew a brutal scramble was about to erupt.
And the owner of the 3A box—that mysterious powerhouse—was bound to become the center of it all!
Even if they failed to get the Moa Moa no Mi, taking him down would still be worth it.
In fact, that guy might be even more valuable than the Moa Moa no Mi!
In an instant, countless hostile, malicious gazes all locked onto the 3A box.
"Let's give a big round of applause to the distinguished guest in the 3A box for securing this auction item! And now—at long last—it's time for the grand finale!!"
The auctioneer's voice rang out, full of excitement, breaking everyone's focus.
Clang, clang, clang...
Countless spotlights beamed down, casting the silhouette of the man in the tailcoat in multiple directions across the stage.
He stretched out his arms as if performing the final chord of a grand symphony, eyes gleaming.
"The moment everyone has been waiting for..."
Whoosh!
As soon as he spoke, the stage floor suddenly split open, and a hidden mechanism rose from beneath.
Atop it sat a transparent glass case.
Inside was a Devil Fruit, radiating an eerie, mysterious energy, resting silently.
In that instant, everyone held their breath.
"The Moa Moa no Mi!!"