CHAPTER 167 — Auctioned Treasures and Red Sails
In an auction house in the 28th District of the Sabaody Archipelago…
Mindy stood in the center of the main hall, arms crossed, brows furrowed. Her boots clicked against the polished wooden floor as she scanned the space. Her disappointment was clear.
"There aren't a lot of auctions than expected," she said finally, her voice low but tinged with irritation. "This place is too empty except for some nobles. And there seems to be no pirates."
Naruto, standing beside her, gave a slow nod. He understood her frustration. Saeko, leaning lightly against a nearby table, let out a small sigh and nodded in agreement.
Her thoughts were more complicated than just disappointment. Part of her had hoped for action, something to awaken the sharp thrill she felt in battle. At Marineford, she had met so many strong opponents, yet her sadistic curiosity had gone unfulfilled. Most people here were just ordinary buyers, nobles counting their gold, or merchants inspecting exotic items. There was no one to fight. No one to test her strength against. She couldn't just kill them to satisfy herself, It wouldn't have been meaningful, it would have been just cruel."
Tony, standing with hands behind his back, regarded her calmly. "This should be understandable,"
he said. "After all, Marineford is at war with the Whitebeard Pirates."
And it was also because Luffy, the Strawhat, had punched a Celestial Dragon in an auction house before the Marineford War. That incident had drawn the attention of an admiral, forcing all the pirates there to scatter and escape.
Naruto's brow furrowed slightly as he looked toward the empty rooms and deserted corridors. "Indeed," he said. "How is big sister Diana?"
Tony glanced at him, eyes softening just slightly. "She should be fine. She's strong as well anyway."
Naruto nodded slowly. He knew she was capable, but his concern for her well-being hadn't disappeared entirely.
Mindy moved her gaze over the room again, noticing that there were few places left unchecked. "We should pretty much have cleared all nearby auctions," she said, her voice carrying both relief and a hint of restlessness.
Saeko gave a small nod. "We should list what we got, using the identification."
Everyone agreed. The team began gathering the treasures they had collected over the last few hours, careful not to damage anything. Crates were opened, chests tipped onto the floor, and piles of gold, jewels, and exotic items began to grow in the center of the room.
By the time they were finished, a small mountain of treasures lay before them. Gold coins spilled from boxes, bars gleamed in the low sunlight filtering through the windows, and weapons of all shapes and sizes were stacked carefully.
There were curved swords, finely balanced firearms, piles of notebooks, and small trinkets with intricate designs. Among it all were several Devil Fruits, each carefully wrapped in padded containers.
Mindy's eyes were immediately drawn to the fruits. "Is this the treasure of the sea?" she asked quietly, more to herself than anyone else.
Saeko and Naruto both nodded. The unusual shapes and bright colors made the fruits stand out from the rest of the treasure.
Tony stepped forward. "This should be the Devil Fruit that the man at the bar referred to," he said. He set his hands on one of the fruits, letting the identification system activate. A faint shimmer of light appeared above it, visible only to the five of them.
The panel popped up, displaying the fruit's name and power in clear text.
Ochi Ochi no Mi (Drop–Drop Fruit) — Paramecia:
The Ochi Ochi no Mi grants its user the ability to force anything they physically touch to "fall" in any direction they choose, overriding natural gravity and causing targets, living beings, objects, or attacks, to accelerate along an imposed vector as if gravity itself had shifted. This allows the user to hurl enemies sideways or upward, redirect projectiles, and drop heavy objects from impossible angles, turning positioning and balance into weapons. The power requires direct contact and rapidly drains stamina with continued use, and it is completely nullified by Pyrobloin, which prevents Devil Fruit activation and can weaken the user upon contact.
Tony, Mindy, Naruto, and Saeko leaned in, eyes wide. The potential of the fruit was immediately clear.
"That's… powerful," Mindy said. Her voice carried a mixture of excitement and awe. "As long as you have stamina, you could redirect attacks any way you want. That's almost… invincible."
Tony frowned slightly, reading the small note on the panel. "Pyrobloin?" he murmured, confused.
Gaius, who had been silently observing, tilted his head. "This Pyrobloin should be a particle or an element that the sea contains. It makes Devil Fruit powers unable to activate."
Tony's eyes lit up with sudden realization. "Then if we eat this fruit here, we wouldn't have any side effects. There's no Pyrobloin in our world!"
Naruto frowned, not fully understanding the mechanics, but the idea was simple enough for him. No weakness. Full power. He nodded slowly.
Mindy clapped her hands together excitedly. "This is quite good."
Saeko gave a small smile. "Yes. This is worth exploring further."
Mindy then picked one of the fruits from the middle of the pile, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. The identification system activated again.
The Kiba Kiba no Mi, Model:
War Boar, allows its user to transform into a massive, heavily armored boar or a hybrid form combining human and boar traits. In this form, the user gains immense physical strength, durability, and charging power, capable of breaking through obstacles and crushing enemies with sheer force. The Zoan transformation enhances speed and reflexes relative to the boar's physiology, while retaining human intelligence and combat instincts. The fruit's abilities are nullified by Pyrobloin, which prevents transformation and can weaken the user upon contact.
Her face fell immediately. "A boar? Really?"
Without hesitation, she tossed the fruit back into the pile of treasure, disappointed.
Saeko selected the next fruit carefully. Identification revealed
Kabe Kabe no Mi (Wall–Wall Fruit) — Paramecia:
The Kabe Kabe no Mi grants its user the ability to create temporary, solid walls anywhere within arm's reach, allowing them to block attacks, trap opponents, or control the battlefield. The walls are fully tangible and can withstand significant force, but their creation requires physical concentration and repeated use can drain the user's stamina. The fruit's powers are nullified by Pyrobloin, which prevents activation and may weaken the user if touched.
She smiled faintly. "Useful, but nothing exciting for me personally."
Finally, Naruto stepped forward and chose one of the fruits. The identification panel glowed.
Tora Tora no Mi (Tiger–Tiger Fruit) — Zoan:
The Tora Tora no Mi is a Zoan-type Devil Fruit that allows its user to transform into a full tiger or a human-tiger hybrid. In these forms, the user gains enhanced strength, speed, agility, and senses, along with natural weapons such as claws and fangs. The fruit retains the user's intelligence while granting the predatory instincts and physical capabilities of a tiger, making them a formidable combatant in both close-quarters and high-mobility situations. Its abilities are nullified by Pyrobloin, which prevents transformation and can weaken the user on contact.
Tony nodded in agreement. "That would make you formidable in combat. Tigers are strong and fast. Close-quarters, high mobility… dangerous."
Mindy shot Naruto a glance, her expression a mixture of envy and admiration. She hadn't expected him to get such a powerful animal fruit.
While the team sorted through their treasure and Devil Fruits, far away in Marineford, tension was rising again. Akainu's eyes burned with fury, magma coiling around his arms as he prepared to strike. He advanced toward Whitebeard with a force that could incinerate anyone in his path.
Suddenly, a figure leapt into the way, Koby. The young Marine stood with his chest forward, fear clear in his eyes, but he did not back down.
"Admiral Akainu," Koby said, voice shaking slightly but resolute. "We already failed to execute Ace. Continuing the conflict would only escalate things. We've already lost. Further losses will come to Marine soldiers if you keep attacking."
Akainu froze for a moment. The magma around his arms pulsed dangerously. His teeth clenched as he stared at the young man, fury threatening to break out. But before he could strike, a familiar presence blocked him.
Kuzan stepped forward calmly, standing between the two. His eyes met Akainu's for a brief second, silent warning enough. Akainu's magma-wrapped hands paused mid-motion. The tension on the battlefield hung heavy, but an unexpected sound cut through it, a low, distant roar from the sea.
Everyone on Marineford felt it. The wind shifted. The water moved unnaturally. A large ship approached quickly, its sails bright red against the sky. The murmurs on the battlefield became shouts as Marines and Whitebeard allies alike turned toward the sea.
"It's the Red-Haired Pirates!" someone yelled, pointing toward the approaching ship.
Surviving Marines paled. The thought hit them immediately: the Red-Haired Pirates and Whitebeard could now fight side by side. The two Emperors joining forces would overwhelm even the strongest Marine units.
The ship cut through the waves with precision, the deck crowded with familiar faces from the Red-Haired crew. A calm but overwhelming presence radiated from the vessel, making the tension on the battlefield almost unbearable.
Akainu's fury shifted to disbelief for the first time. Kuzan, Kizaru, and even the hardened Sengoku looked toward the ship, minds racing with the implications. This was no longer a simple conflict. The tide of battle was changing, and it was about to do so decisively.
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