The sun sank in the west.
Red clouds swirled along the horizon.
As the pirate crews departed, Gold City remained as lively and prosperous as ever.
There were simply fewer big shots around.
That was a good thing. The oppressive atmosphere that had hung over the city had completely disappeared.
At least, many people subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.
Compared with the sea of people who had filled Gold City during the day, the crowds had now dwindled by more than half.
That was because the auction had ended, and an announcement had informed everyone that Gold City was about to be sealed off and might not appear on the sea for several months. As a result, many forces had left.
Of course, plenty of people had stayed.
Gold City was so rich and entertaining that staying for several years would be no problem, let alone a few months.
At that moment, in the Gaia Building, Chaos stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking down over Gold City. Stussy and all the other Representatives were there, some indifferent, others yawning.
"Head for the Calm Belt!"
"We'll keep a low profile for the next few months and try not to let the outside world know where Gold City is."
Chaos took out a cigarette and lit it with a flick of his fingers, speaking without turning around.
"Scared?"
Betty looked at him with disdain, though deep down she was relieved, too.
She had been worried this idiot would lose his head.
But it seemed his brain was still working.
Chaos couldn't be bothered to answer Betty. He turned and sat down on the sofa, crossing his legs as he looked at everyone. "The gathering of the strong was a great success. Everything went perfectly."
"But I have to say, this is