The banquet ended late at night.
Shakky's bar has guest rooms upstairs, enough to accommodate everyone.
Roy was assigned a room on the third floor by the window, from which he could see the iconic Yarukiman Mangrove of the Sabaody Archipelago.
He didn't rush to sleep.
Moonlight streamed in through the window, casting a silvery-white glow on the floor.
Roy leaned against the window, gazing at the brightly lit commercial street in the distance.
The nights in the Sabaody Archipelago are never quiet.
Especially these past few days.
He could sense a restless atmosphere permeating the entire island—from pirates, the navy, bounty hunters, slave traders, and underground forces...
The various forces are intertwined, like a string stretched to its limit.
The auction starts tomorrow.
Those mermaids and female warriors will also be put up for auction.
Roy looked away, lay down on the bed, and closed his eyes.
never mind.
Who cares?
When soldiers come, generals will block them; when water comes, earth will dam it.
The next morning, when Roy woke up, it was already bright outside.
He pushed open the door and walked down the stairs.
Inside the bar, two people were sitting at the bar counter.
Tesoro.
Ben Beckman.
The two stood on either side of each other, holding coffee, and silently looked at each other.
Judging from the looks of it, they've been sitting there for quite a while.
Roy raised an eyebrow. "You two, didn't sleep all night?"
Tesoro put down his coffee cup. "Boss, how can I sleep at a time like this?"
Beckman exhaled a smoke ring and said calmly, "I'm used to it."
Roy smiled.
It has to be said that Tesoro really does act like the team's second-in-command when it matters most.
He's usually all smiles and laughter, but when it comes to serious matters, he's more reliable than anyone else.
If it weren't for the fact that his skills are still a step behind Bullet and Hawk Eyes, he could easily have taken the position of first mate.
However, in the Roy Pirates, Bullet's authority was ingrained in the bones of every member.
That guy usually keeps a low profile, but if anyone dares to lose their temper in front of him, he'll teach them a lesson in no time.
Although Tesoro is quite strong, he is still a bit lacking compared to Bullet.
Besides, Roy doesn't care about these empty titles.
Making Tesoro the chief financial steward of Hachinosu, managing the entire pirate crew's finances, is far more suitable than making him a vice-captain.
He walked to the bar, poured himself a glass of water, and took a sip.
" Tesoro, go and fetch Lafitte."
Tesoro put down his coffee cup, and in a flash, he vanished as a bolt of lightning.
A moment later, he returned with Lafitte.
Lafitte was dressed neatly, his top hat worn properly, looking nothing like someone who had just been dragged out of bed.
"Captain, you were looking for me."
Roy nodded. " Lafitte, how long can your Clone-Clone Fruit last?"
"A perfect imitation would take about two hours. If it's just changing the face and body shape, it can last half a day."
That's enough.
Roy took a few Beli out of his pocket and placed them on the bar.
"Go wander around the streets and find out which auction house the female warrior and mermaid girl from the Kuja Pirates are being held at."
"The time and location of the auction, the participating parties, and the security arrangements—the more detailed the better."
Lafitte took the Beli and bowed slightly. "Understood."
He turned and left the bar, and the moment he stepped out the door, his face had transformed into that of an ordinary middle-aged businessman.
Roy nodded in satisfaction.
Lafitte was born to do intelligence work.
Lafitte returned in less than half a day.
When he pushed the door open and came in, he still had his disguise on his face, looking like a merchant who had just returned from the market.
"Captain, we've found out."
Roy gestured for him to sit down and said.
Lafitte picked up the water glass on the table and took a big gulp.
"There's no need to inquire about these things; the news has spread throughout the entire Sabaody Archipelago."
The auction will be held at the ' Golden City Auction House ' in Zone One tomorrow at 10:00 AM.
"That place is the territory of the ' Ginos Family,' the giants of the Underworld; security is extremely tight."
He paused.
"Photos of the mermaid girl and the female warriors of the Kuja Pirates have been made into posters and put up at the entrance of the auction house."
Starting bid: Mermaid Girl, 50 million Beli. Kuja Warrior, 30 million Beli each.
Lafitte pulled a few crumpled posters from his pocket and placed them on the table.
On the poster, a mermaid girl with long blue hair is locked in a cage, her eyes filled with fear.
The other two photos show female warriors wearing the Kuja Pirates' battle uniforms. Their injuries haven't healed yet, but their eyes are defiant.
Elder Nyon walked over at some point, her face turning ashen as she looked at the posters.
"Where... are they being held?"
Lafitte shook his head. "I couldn't find out. The location where the Ginos Family is being held is classified; outsiders have no access to it."
Elder Nyon gritted her teeth and gripped her snake-walking staff tightly with both hands.
Roy patted her on the shoulder.
"Don't worry. The person will naturally show up at the auction tomorrow."
Elder Nyon took a deep breath and nodded.
Lafitte continued, "There's one more thing."
"Explain."
"It is said that there are many treasures in this auction."
Several Devil Fruit, a Great Grade Sword, and some items unearthed from ancient ruins.
"That's why it attracted many important figures."
"And—" Lafitte lowered her voice, "There's a rumor that Celestial Dragons will be there tomorrow."
After he finished speaking, the bar fell silent for a moment.
Celestial Dragons.
Celestial Dragons.
Descendants of the Creator.
The most dangerous presence on this vast ocean.
Roy's lips curled into a cold smile.
" Celestial Dragons? Interesting."
"It seems the lessons learned from Mary Geoise a few years ago weren't profound enough."
Beckman was standing nearby, twitched at the corner of his mouth when he heard this.
He thought to himself: Do you think everyone has the strength of your Roy Pirates?
They don't even respect the World Government; they not only dare to offend it, but they've done so more than once.
Elder Nyon's expression changed. " Celestial Dragons? If Celestial Dragons are present, then..."
So what?
Roy interrupted her, his tone calm.
"If I, Roy, want to save someone, even the Celestial Dragons can't stop me."
Elder Nyon opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing.
She suddenly remembered what Shakky had said last night—this man never plays by the rules.
Meanwhile, at the Sabaody Marine Base.
Zephyr's warships arrived at the port in the early morning.
Before the boat had even come to a complete stop, he jumped ashore and strode towards the base.
He's barely slept these past few days.
After the Heavenly Tribute was stolen, he led the new recruits in a token "chase" for a short time.
Then he received orders from headquarters to immediately proceed to the Sabaody Archipelago and rendezvous with Garp.
In the base's conference room, Garp, Akainu, Aokiji were already waiting.
With the addition of Black Arm Zephyr, the four Admiral of the Navy are now all together.
When Zephyr pushed open the door, Akainu was sitting in the corner with a gloomy expression, lava dripping from between his fingers, burning the armrests of his chair with pits.
Garp sat in the main seat, crunching away on a rice cracker.
Only Aokiji nodded at him. "Thank you for your hard work, Professor Zephyr."
Zephyr sighed and found a seat.
The Vice Admiral stationed at the Sabaody base stood in front of the nautical chart and began to report on the current situation of the Sabaody Archipelago.