Knowing that Isuka had improved significantly, Ace and Deuce weren't particularly surprised. After all, she had already made a name for herself without any direct guidance, proving she possessed genuine talent. Now that she had access to one of the Marine's sword masters—even if it wasn't one-on-one instruction—the occasional guidance was more than enough to help her advance considerably.
"We'll see about that," Isuka said with determination. "Even if you join the Whitebeard Pirates, I won't give up on capturing you."
"Ahahahaha, bring it on!" Ace laughed heartily, genuinely happy that Isuka had regained her faith. Though she still wanted to arrest him, he wasn't afraid in the slightest—if anything, he seemed to be encouraging her challenge.
"Hey, calm down! Don't start fighting in here!" Deuce interrupted nervously, seeing the two of them getting fired up for another confrontation. "Look, we're almost at the top now. The scenery outside is beautiful!"
Indeed, their Ferris wheel gondola was approaching the peak of its rotation, and Deuce's distraction worked perfectly. Both Ace and Isuka stopped their verbal sparring and turned to look out the windows.
From their elevated vantage point, they had a spectacular view overlooking the entire Sabaody Archipelago. The sight was genuinely breathtaking—a panoramic vista of the massive mangrove trees stretching endlessly in all directions, their roots disappearing into the sparkling ocean below. In the distance, the sea and sky seemed to blend together in perfect harmony, creating a scene so beautiful it looked like a masterpiece painting.
"The view really is incredible," Deuce said with genuine emotion after they'd taken it all in. "It was definitely worth all the talking I did about wanting to ride this thing."
"Haha, Deuce, want to go around two more times?" Ace teased as they exited the gondola.
"Get lost! We're not children anymore. Haven't you had enough fun already?" Deuce shot back, though he was smiling.
"Alright, alright. Let's go—I want to buy some more senbei crackers," Ace said, already heading toward the nearby shops.
"See you later, Isuka!" he called over his shoulder.
The two walked away chatting and laughing, but when they turned back to wave goodbye to Isuka, they saw her smile slightly as she slowly drew her sword from its sheath.
Deuce's eyes went wide and his mouth twitched. "Oh no... seriously?"
"Huh? Starting already? Run, Deuce!" Ace exclaimed, as if he'd been expecting exactly this development. He grabbed Deuce's arm and they both sprinted into the nearest alley at full speed.
Sword in hand, Isuka gave chase immediately.
"Stop running and face me!" she called out as Ace led Deuce through the winding streets and narrow alleys.
"Running is the whole point!" Ace shouted back without even turning around, continuing to navigate the maze-like passages with practiced ease.
"Fine then, keep running!" Isuka replied, managing to block off their current route and slowly advancing toward them with her blade ready.
"Ahahaha, wait just a second!" Ace laughed, finding himself facing a dead-end wall. "Deuce, you go first—I'll be right behind you!"
"Got it! I'll wait for you on the other side," Deuce replied, taking several steps back to build momentum before rushing forward and scaling the wall with impressive agility, disappearing over the top.
Ace turned around with his characteristic grin. "Hey, it's been a while since our last fight. Come on!"
Ignoring his cheerful expression, Isuka attacked without hesitation, thrusting her sword forward in a precise strike.
Though still relatively thin, her blade was now coated with a visible layer of Armament Haki—clear evidence of her training progress.
Ace's eyes flashed with recognition as he met her attack with his own Haki-enhanced fist.
Steel clashed against hardened flesh as neither fighter gave ground, launching into another intense battle in the narrow confines of the alley.
After months of dedicated training, Isuka's improvement was evident. She moved with fluid grace, her sword creating flashing arcs through the air as she pressed her attack with renewed confidence and skill.
Ace, focusing primarily on dodging and blocking, handled her assault with his usual composed ease despite the cramped fighting space.
However, Isuka's growth still hadn't quite matched Ace's own development. After exchanging several moves and gauging her current level, Ace decided it was time to reunite with Deuce.
"Fire Pillar!" he called out, throwing a punch toward the sky above them.
A circular column of flames erupted several meters high from the ground, forcing Isuka to retreat while simultaneously blocking her line of sight.
When the fire pillar dissipated moments later, Ace had vanished completely.
"Hmph, always with the tricks," Isuka muttered, though she made no attempt to continue the pursuit. She stared at the high wall for a few moments before sheathing her sword and walking away.
Meanwhile, Ace and Deuce had already navigated through several more alleys and blended back into the crowded streets.
"Come on, Deuce, let's go buy those senbei now," Ace said cheerfully.
"Are you sure we shouldn't worry about her following us?" Deuce asked, gesturing back toward where they'd come from.
"It'll be fine," Ace replied, already pulling his friend toward a nearby shop.
Back at the auction hall, the atmosphere had reached fever pitch as the main event finally began.
"Honored guests! Tonight's auction officially begins!" the auctioneer announced as the curtains parted on the main stage.
He walked to the left side of center stage, where staff members had already positioned a small display case.
"This is tonight's grand finale—a Zoan-type Dog-Dog Fruit!" he declared with theatrical flair. "As one of the sea's most legendary treasures, the rarity and value of Devil Fruits requires no explanation from me!"
"Come now! Let us all witness this miraculous fruit together—the source of supernatural powers that can transform any ordinary person!"
With a dramatic flourish, he grabbed the red cloth covering the display case and whipped it away with a single motion.
As the fruit was revealed, the audience erupted in excited discussion. Those who had seen Devil Fruits before compared notes with those experiencing their first glimpse of such a legendary item. The strange, swirled patterns covering the fruit's surface fascinated everyone present.
Many guests began showing signs of serious determination, clearly prepared to bid aggressively for the prize.
"Hmm? Does it taste good?" Carrot asked Jerry, tilting her head with innocent curiosity as she stared at the bizarrely patterned fruit on display.
"Well..." Jerry considered his answer carefully. "It depends on whether you prefer carrot-flavored vomit or vomit-flavored carrots."
"Eww! That's disgusting!" Carrot exclaimed, pulling a face. "You must have eaten one before to know something like that!"
Jerry found himself unable to argue, since he technically had consumed a Devil Fruit—albeit secondhand and something that had tasted worse than anything imaginable.
The suspicious armored group he'd been observing also seemed mildly interested in the fruit on display, though they didn't discuss it extensively. After all, their real objective lay elsewhere—acquiring the Devil Fruit would be nice, but it wasn't essential to their mission.
After allowing the audience to buzz with excitement for several minutes, the auctioneer felt the atmosphere had reached its peak and spoke again.
"Very well then! Let's welcome our first auction item!"
He gestured grandly as backstage staff wheeled out another covered object.
The auction proceeded with a steady stream of rare and valuable items. Collectible artworks, masterfully crafted weapons, and ancient swords all found eager buyers among the wealthy attendees.
Skull successfully bid on one piece—a metal arm guard decorated with skull patterns. According to the auctioneer, it was supposedly crafted by a deceased master and recovered from the mysterious waters of the Devil's Triangle. Whether the story was true or not, the gothic design captured Skull's imagination completely, and he won the bidding without hesitation.
"Excellent! Now we come to our next offering—a selection of premium slaves! Bring them in!"
The auctioneer's enthusiasm hadn't dimmed despite the evening's length, and he continued his passionate announcements with undiminished energy.
Following his cue, several staff members began escorting a line of shackled figures onto the stage. The slaves shuffled forward with their heads bowed, the weight of their chains audible even over the crowd's murmur.
Jerry's attention immediately snapped to focus as he observed the group of enslaved people being paraded before the audience.
"No way... is he short on money again?" Jerry muttered under his breath.
Skull blinked in surprise and asked uncertainly, "Jerry, that person there... is that Old Man Ray?"
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