Chapter Seventy-Six: Once Again, the Season of Trading Swords Has Arrived

"The year-end auction is said to be the largest in recent years—I wish I could see it with my own eyes. Surely, many strange and rare treasures will be unveiled," said a young man seated at the table, his tone tinged with envy.

"Stop daydreaming. People like us aren't even allowed to enter, let alone witness it," interrupted the slightly older man sitting across from him.

"Enter? Does an underground auction require an invitation?"

"Invitation?" The elder scoffed, chiding the younger's naivety. "You don't need a useless scrap of paper to get in. What you need is a deposit—real, hard Berries!"

"To gain entry, you have to pay a hefty sum right at the door."

Only Berries can open the gates to the auction. The penniless are naturally shut out. As for trusting someone's credit and sending them an invitation... that's laughable.

Underground auctions are brutally straightforward about money.

The older man's reply quieted the young one for a moment, but he pressed on, thinking himself clever for lowering his expectations. "Even just seeing the catalogue of items would be enough..."

He was a young man with an insatiable curiosity, eager to broaden his horizons.

"That's impossible. The full list is only revealed at the event itself. Still... a few rumors do trickle out. It's confirmed that one of the highlight items is a Devil Fruit."

"A Devil Fruit?"

"Yes. The specifics are unknown, but rumor has it the Vladimir family is dead set on acquiring it. It must be something extraordinary."

"Vladimir..." The mention of that noble house made the young man uneasy; he shrank back, intimidated.

The older man frowned at this change. A curious yet timid youth—no one would find that a satisfying combination.

At this moment, three people at the neighboring table stood up and headed for the door. As they passed by, one of them suddenly remarked, "Friend, it's best not to be too curious about such things. Even if you had a chance to enter the auction... I'd recommend staying home. Pirates aren’t the sort to pay for things they want, much less pay a premium."

Such auctions can turn into robberies at any moment, sparking mass brawls, bloodshed, and death. If you don't curb your curiosity, you could genuinely lose your life.

The older man glanced at the trio. The leader was a boy with a head of red hair and a genial smile. The two behind him wore cloaks; one was slender, the other short and stocky, and the stocky one carried something on his back that resembled a coffin lid... With such attire, traveling in a group, no matter how friendly the leader smiled, the older man felt certain they were not good people.

He quickly lowered his head, as if even seeing their faces would bring misfortune, then called to the bar, "Manager, another beer!"

He then glanced sideways at the three as they left, only relaxing once they'd gone.

This was an ordinary tavern in a city called Pass. In such a place, if you don't want to get caught up in trouble, it's best not to talk to strangers or meddle in other people's business.

Elsewhere—

"The intelligence-gathering is pretty much done. Next, we need to secure our 'ticket' to the auction," said one of the three—none other than Qiu Bai and his companions.

They had arrived in the city days before, spending four or five days frequenting taverns large and small, gathering information. Without a more efficient method, they had to collect the news bit by bit from these fast-moving sources.

After several days of scouring, Qiu Bai distilled two key points: first, entry to the auction requires money; second, the island's powerful noble family, the Vladimirs, are determined to obtain the Toy-Toy Fruit.

Upon learning more about the Vladimirs, Qiu Bai found the rumors credible. They had wealth, power, and ambition; he estimated an eighty percent chance the Toy-Toy Fruit would end up in their hands.

Of course, this was instinctive speculation, but it was undeniable that local tyrants could be formidable.

Regardless, they still needed to enter the auction, and as for the funds... Qiu Bai was ready to return to his old trade.

"Understood, but... won't bringing out something like this be too conspicuous?" Ein asked, concerned.

Conspicuous was an understatement—it was glaringly obvious.

"No matter. Something eye-catching is just what we need to stir things up," Qiu Bai replied, pulling his cloak over his head.

Beipo, for his part, kept silent; all he could do was follow behind as their porter.

The place to pay the auction entry fee was secret but not obscure—easy enough to find. Qiu Bai had marked it on the first day, so they quickly arrived.

It was a nondescript shop tucked away at a street corner, with only a small side door leading in; no one guarded the entrance, so the three simply walked inside.

...

"Entry fee: twenty million Berries."

After the usual confirmation and waiting, it was finally Qiu Bai's turn.

The person in charge of collecting entry fees didn't ask for origin or identity, simply demanded a staggering sum of twenty million Berries.

Qiu Bai’s face was hidden beneath his cloak, and he forced a raspy, unnatural laugh. "Cash… we don’t have, but I heard auction items can be used instead…”

The shrouded appearance was common here, but his words made the official frown and scrutinize him.

The rule did exist, but lately the official had seen too many so-called "auction items" that were nothing but junk.

"We’ll need to verify it."

Yet he showed no overt impatience—his job required diligence, and he couldn't afford a slip, not for the guests but for his employer.

"Here?" Qiu Bai asked in that strange voice.

"Of course."

Upon receiving confirmation, Qiu Bai signaled Beipo.

Beipo understood, unfastened the "coffin lid" from his back, set it on the ground, and used his furry paw to undo the lock, revealing its contents.

Immediately, the official's focus shifted from the odd paw to what lay inside the box.

"This... This is..."

It was a weapon of exceptional caliber, perhaps the world's most famous blade. Its jet-black body radiated an irresistible allure, whether the observer was a swordsman or not.

"The world's strongest black blade, one of the twelve Supreme Grade Swords, the 'Black Blade: Yoru,' belonging to Dracule Mihawk, the greatest swordsman..."

"Take your item and follow me. Now!" The official cut Qiu Bai off, rushing to Beipo and slamming the box shut.

Among those present, there were swordsmen, and even those who weren’t, anyone who sailed the seas would have heard Mihawk's name. The official shot a sharp glance at the crowd, then urged, "Quickly."

Beipo picked up Yoru once more, and the three followed the official deeper into the building.

"Let me say, if it's a fake..."

"It's genuine," Qiu Bai declared before the official finished.

"Don't tell me you three... did you take out Mihawk?" The official didn't bother questioning authenticity—it was easily verified, and at first glance, he instinctively believed it. Still, he needed to know its origins, so he voiced a guess even he didn't believe.

"Impossible," Qiu Bai denied instantly. Even lies need some credibility. Claiming Mihawk died at their hands... who would believe that?

"We stole it from him... Theft is our specialty. Soon, you'll hear the name 'Cat-Eyed Trio' everywhere."