In a quiet, deserted spot not far from the auction house…
A Japanese‑style doorway materialized in mid‑air, and Oboro stepped out from within, calm and unhurried.
Standing nearby was Dom, looking incredibly tense and anxious.
Dom had already left the venue long before the auction had even reached its midpoint.
This ability of Oboro's had originally been a skill he extracted from the villain Muzan during his time in the world of Demon Slayer, related to the concept of the Infinite Castle.
But after being assimilated and adapted to the laws of this world, it had transformed into something resembling a Devil Fruit power.
Originally, the portal connected to that endless dimension, but since that specific place didn't exist in the world of One Piece, the ability functioned very similarly to the Door‑Door Fruit used by the character Blueno.
It was essentially a Blood Demon Art that had mutated and evolved into something new.
Oboro hadn't hesitated to use skill cards on Dom, as well as experience cards to rapidly boost his combat capabilities…
Right now, if his strength were translated into a bounty, Dom would certainly be worth far more than the captain of the Flame Dragon Pirates — definitely over twenty million Berries, at the very least.
However, because the ability to open doorways through space originated from a lower‑level world, it showed certain limitations when manifested here.
There were restrictions regarding maximum distance, duration, and the fact that only one person could travel through at a time.
Seeing Oboro appear safe and sound, Dom let out a long breath of relief.
It worked!
Now, they needed to leave the Sabaody Archipelago as quickly as possible.
Their situation was already dangerous enough, and now they had openly offended Doflamingo.
He feared…
"Let's go," Oboro said, walking away at an unhurried pace.
Dom glanced back toward the auction house.
For the moment, no crowds were rushing out.
Presumably, the officers of the Donquixote Family were busy trying to contain the situation and restore order.
...
As they walked, Oboro looked at the card held between his fingers.
He had no special attachment to things like Devil Fruits… To him, they were merely a way to rapidly increase one's power, but they came with a heavy price: the user became forever bound to a fatal weakness — the sea itself. Oboro disliked anything that came with such inherent disadvantages.
Besides, he had heard that the taste of a Devil Fruit was indescribably foul.
"Are we setting off now?"
Dom couldn't see what Oboro was holding; his mind was occupied with other worries.
"No rush to leave just yet," Oboro replied, putting the card away.
"What else is there to do?" Dom's heart tightened with dread.
"Isn't there a slave auction scheduled for tomorrow?" Oboro chuckled softly.
"!!!"
Dom stopped dead in his tracks.
He remembered now… Oboro had spoken before about killing a Celestial Dragon.
Oboro turned slowly to look at him. "Scared?"
"No." Dom shook his head, taking a deep breath to steady himself.
He had personally witnessed the miraculous methods Oboro used to grant power to others…
Deep down, he knew very well that following Oboro was perhaps his only chance to make a name for himself across the seas and climb to the very peak of piracy.
If not for this strange twist of fate bringing them together, a small fry like himself — with a bounty of only a few million Berries — would never have been able to stand in the presence of someone like Oboro.
He didn't want to let this opportunity slip away… yet Oboro's reckless, high‑stakes plans meant that at any moment, they could both be erased from existence.
Succeed, or die… It's that simple.
Sometimes… a man just has to gamble everything.
And he knew there was no changing Oboro's mind.
"Wanted posters have already been issued. Running away is useless… Once the festival ends, the Marines will still hunt us down with everything they have. Since a target has already been painted on our backs, we might as well go all out and play for the highest stakes imaginable! That way, even if we die, the entire world will remember who you were."
Oboro's voice drifted back to Dom as he walked further ahead.
"Yes, sir," Dom replied, following him.
...
Back at the auction house, things were moving fast.
Trebol had mobilized the full resources of the Family and officially placed a "shadow bounty" on Oboro's head…
Meanwhile, as hundreds of pirates dispersed from the venue, news spread like wildfire: the coveted Devil Fruit was gone, stolen right under the noses of one of the Seven Warlords.
Rumors and reports traveled fast.
Within hours, the story was known all across Sabaody.
Suddenly, everyone was whispering about Oboro, speculating wildly about his identity and origins.
The incident even caught the attention of certain departments within the World Government.
Some sharp‑minded officials noticed the strange coincidences: the escaped slave wanted by the Celestial Dragons… and the mysterious figure who had robbed the auction… bore too many similarities to be a coincidence.
Suspicions and theories began to form.
The Sabaody Archipelago had multiple ports, but pirates almost always docked at Dock 20 — located closest to the lawless districts.
It faced the open ocean, and because the archipelago was so vast, government spies rarely patrolled this area. If trouble broke out, it was the safest place from which to escape.
Most importantly, Dock 20 consisted of a dense network of coves, bays, and hidden channels — like a rabbit warren with countless exits.
Even if the Marines mobilized in force, it would be nearly impossible to surround and capture everyone.
In contrast, the official docking areas used by the Marines and the World Government were located at Dock 60, quite a distance away.
On the very day of the robbery, the lawless districts were buzzing with activity. Groups and squads of all kinds were combing the streets, searching for any trace of Oboro.
The reward offered by the Donquixote Family was staggering.
Whoever captured Oboro would be allowed to keep the Devil Fruit — the Family would not pursue its return — plus receive an additional reward of 100,000,000 Berries!
One hundred million Berries…
For most people, that was an astronomical sum, wealth they couldn't even dream of.
The key point was that they didn't have to give the fruit back.
Otherwise, even if someone caught the mysterious thief, word would inevitably get out, and they would face the terrifying wrath of the Donquixote Family.
Making an enemy of a Warlord was practically suicide.
With these terms, there was no downside for the hunters… and so, nearly every faction and crew within range mobilized in full force.
One had to remember: beyond pirates and underworld organizations, the seas were filled with mercenary groups, bounty hunters, and all sorts of other complex powers.
...
Several hours earlier…
Sailing slowly across the blue waters was a ship of distinctive design.
Though only medium‑sized, the vessel was painted a vivid, shocking pink, with a long, slender figurehead shaped like a bird's skull or beak.
At a glance, it looked exactly like a flamingo floating on the waves.
This was the Flamingo.
Throughout the Grand Line, the sight of the black flag fluttering at the masthead was enough to make most ships alter course and flee immediately.
It belonged to Doflamingo, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
On the deck, Doflamingo sat in a large, comfortable armchair, legs crossed casually.
He swirled a glass of red wine in one hand, staring up at the sky, his thoughts hidden, while letting out low, sinister chuckles.
They were currently en route to the Sabaody Archipelago.
Originally, he hadn't planned to attend this auction festival in person… But to maintain his close relationship and standing with the Celestial Dragons, he decided to make the trip anyway; he had nothing better to do.
Today was only the first day, and not very important, so he had set off late. His main goal was simply to arrive in time for the second session tomorrow — the one dedicated to slave auctions.
Bulu buru…
Suddenly, the Den Den Mushi tucked into his coat began to ring.
Without a second thought, Doflamingo answered the call.
"Nnn… Doffy…"
The voice on the other end sounded nasal and familiar, accompanied by the sound of sniffling.
"Well? How much did it go for?" Joker grinned widely.
He had estimated that the Devil Fruit up for bid would sell for no less than three hundred million Berries at the very least.
Just a little bit of bait was enough to make those useless fools tear each other apart fighting over it.
"Someone… took our fruit."
"It happened right here… at the auction house…"
Trebol's voice trembled, filled with panic.
"…What?"
The reply instantly wiped the smile off Doflamingo's face and plunged him into silence. A prominent vein bulged on his forehead.
He squeezed the wine glass in his hand until it shattered into shards.
Red liquid splashed all over the floor.
"…What did you just say?!"
____________________
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