Momousagi's eyes were fixed on the three figures standing off to the side.
A trace of confusion flickered across her face.
Judging by their attire, they were likely members of the "Jun Lin" organization—just as Sister Tsuru had mentioned. And their presence here aligned with the objective of her mission. One of their goals was Doflamingo, but according to Tsuru's instructions, uncovering the true nature of Jun Lin was even more important.
Still... something felt off.
She extended her Observation Haki toward the three.
Two of them—strong, certainly, but not overwhelmingly so. Their strength fell somewhere between a Rear Admiral and a Vice Admiral.
But the one leading them...
She couldn't sense anything.
It was as if a mysterious force blocked her Haki entirely. Or perhaps—more disturbingly—what stood before her was merely an illusion, a phantom presence that didn't exist at all.
This was the first time she'd encountered something like this.
After a moment, Momousagi withdrew her gaze. Without a word, she, Doberman, and Yamakaji quietly took seats in an open corner of the auction hall.
Their arrival caused a few raised eyebrows from the other factions, but not much else. The presence of the Navy at such an event wasn't unheard of. In fact, the underground world and the Navy often maintained complicated relationships—even cooperation at times.
After all, this wasn't a pirate gathering—it was the black market.
And let's be honest, what underground emperor hasn't dealt with the World Government or the Navy at one point or another?
Clearly, the Navy was here for one reason: seastone.
A strategic resource, invaluable for dealing with Devil Fruit users.
Everyone in the room understood that much.
Still... this was a black market auction. Rules were simple: you bid, you win, you take.
And afterward?
Well, may the best survivor win.
---
Several minutes passed.
Another group of three entered the hall.
Like the Navy, they didn't bother with masks.
Yet no one dared underestimate them.
Everyone recognized the man in the lead—Donquixote Doflamingo, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and the underground king who controlled most of the world's arms trade.
Some even knew his other identity: one of the rulers of the underworld.
In terms of influence, Doflamingo was on equal footing with the black market's enigmatic master.
Swaggering in with an unmistakable arrogance, Doflamingo took his seat accompanied by Diamante and Trebol.
Hidden behind his sunglasses, his eyes remained locked on one spot—on Luo Lan's side.
Just like Momousagi, a flicker of doubt passed through his mind.
"Whew, looks like that crazy woman didn't recognize me," Luo Lan sighed in relief.
He then turned his gaze toward Doflamingo's group.
"Two of his top officers came down personally... and that's just the ones who disembarked."
"I'll bet the rest are waiting on the ship."
"Looks like he's gone all-in."
"Which means..."
"It's about time Morgans made his move."
Luo Lan had provided Morgans with a rather explosive piece of information prior to this.
He'd also instructed the news tycoon to release the story on the day of the auction—but not to deliver the paper to the volcano island or its surroundings.
By now, the latest issue of the World Economic Journal was likely sitting on the desk of a certain old man.
And indeed, Luo Lan's prediction was spot on.
---
At Marine Headquarters, inside the Fleet Admiral's office...
Sengoku's expression had grown stormy.
In front of him lay a copy of the latest World Economic Journal, its bold headline screaming across the front page:
"G-5 Base Commander Vice Admiral Vergo—A Pirate Infiltrator?!"
The article was damning.
It revealed that Vergo was not only one of the top executives—"Heart"—of the Donquixote Family, but had infiltrated the Marines long ago.
His rapid promotion? All thanks to Doflamingo's secret support.
And that wasn't all...
Even the former commander of the G-5 base had allegedly been eliminated by Doflamingo's hand, clearing the way for Vergo's rise.
Sengoku felt his blood boil.
He knew Morgans could be sensational, exaggerating to grab attention. But one thing the man never did was publish false news.
"Tsuru, send Sakazuki from G-1 to arrest Vergo immediately," Sengoku ordered grimly. "And you—take charge of the investigation yourself."
"A pirate infiltrator, promoted all the way to base commander of a G-series branch?"
"If Morgans hadn't exposed this, would Vergo have tried to climb all the way to Fleet Admiral?!"
"Once this auction ends, tell Gion—arrest Doflamingo on the spot!"
Sengoku's fury was palpable.
"Sengoku, if we arrest Doflamingo directly, the World Government might object. After all..."
"I know. But this time, he's crossed the line." His voice dropped cold. "As long as we don't kill him, the Five Elders won't push back too hard."
"Very well, if you're sure."
Tsuru wasn't so convinced.
The Five Elders didn't tolerate Doflamingo simply because he was a former Celestial Dragon.
No...
It was because Doflamingo held some dark secret—one so dangerous that its revelation could shake the very foundations of the World Government.
Otherwise, he would've been dealt with long ago.
As for being a former Celestial Dragon?
Please.
That title alone didn't protect anyone.
---
Meanwhile, back at the auction...
With the butler-like host stepping on stage, the black market's long-anticipated auction officially began.
Of course, the event wasn't just about the seastone.
That would've been too dull.
It was saved for last—the grand finale.
Before that, the black market rolled out 11 rare and carefully curated treasures.
The items were top-tier.
One Devil Fruit in particular caught everyone's attention—not some worthless power, but a high-value Paramecia with real potential.
It sold for a stunning 700 million Berries, the highest price of the night so far.
Over an hour passed before the final item was brought forward—28 kilograms of pure seastone.
But just then...
Luo Lan quietly waved over one of the nearby attendants.
"Sir, how can I assist you?"
"If I want to add an item to the auction now, is that still possible?"
"It is—but only if the item is appraised at no less than 300 million Berries."
"No problem. Have someone appraise it."
Luo Lan handed over a long rectangular case.
The attendant nodded and took it backstage.
Some time later...
The same attendant hurried up to the stage, whispering something into the host's ear.
The host—who still maintained his elegant butler façade—turned to look at Luo Lan.
His gaze lingered, deep and calculating.
Luo Lan could only offer a wry smile.
He hadn't wanted to do this—but he'd already burned through five hundred million Berries buying people for Seras.
Even after emptying Nami's vault, he only had a little over one billion left.
Given how today's auction was shaping up, that might not be enough.
And while he did plan on robbing the place afterward...
There was no guarantee things would go smoothly.
Better to secure the seastone now—just in case.
---
A/N: Updates will now be only 2x a day. You can read more advance chapters on Ko-Fi if you want.
https:// ko-fi.com/sami27