Kapitel 69: Chapter 69: The Don Quixote Auction
Sreed, a cold-weather island located in the North Blue, remains frosty throughout the year.
At this moment, the port buzzes with tourists and locals alike, a picture of bustling prosperity.
"So, this is where the Don Quixote Family hangs its hat now? Seems a lot sturdier than Otefi Island."
Adrian, sporting a sleek black suit with an unbuttoned shirt, revealing a light blue vest, a crisp white shirt, and a dark red tie. His black hair is pulled back into a ponytail, topped with translucent yellow shades.
"From what we've gathered, the Don Quixote Family has been posted up here for a few years. Can't say for sure if their bigwigs are around though."
Tommy Shelby, unseen for quite some time, exudes a newfound maturity, clad in a modest ensemble of a newsboy hat and tweed coat.
Since they were reaching out to the Don Quixote Family, a fellow underground power in the North Blue, Adrian naturally brought along Tommy, well-versed in such matters.
Assigning the right tasks to the right people is the key to effective action.
"Should we take a break and send some folks to check things out," Tommy whispered, scanning the area, "or should we go find someone from the Don Quixote Family?"
Given the chance to expand the Razor Gang's reach to other distant seas, Tommy couldn't pass it up.
He knew that the Razor Gang and the Shelby Company by themselves were not strong enough to make them a giant spanning two foreign seas at present, but who made the Razor Gang be backed by the great god 'White Ghost'?
Sorry, having a backer is amazing!
Adrian said casually, "Since we're looking to collaborate and do business with others, it makes sense to pay a visit to their place of business."
He tapped the newspaper in his hand, freshly bought from a nearby newsstand. The headline on the front page caught his eye: Don Quixote Auction, tonight!
...
The Don Quixote Auction, renowned as one of the top auctions in the North Blue.
Becoming a leading auction house in the seas, even in the Grand Line, is no small achievement.
There are several requirements that must be met.
There are specific criteria to meet.
Firstly, regular auctions featuring luxury items like exquisite paintings, plush furs, and elegant jewelry are a must.
Secondly, each auction must rake in at least a billion berries in sales, setting the minimum bar.
Thirdly, it must have a stable and devoted membership.
Lastly, and most importantly, it must have robust support to ensure the safety of its participants. After all, anything can happen on the vast ocean, and the wealthy attendees don't want their newly acquired items stolen.
Only auction houses that meet these requirements can be considered top-notch.
Presently, the Don Quixote Auction House is a trusted option for nobles and businessmen in the North Blue, especially in terms of its reputation.
There is probably no other businessman at sea with more integrity and honesty than Doflamingo. He even dares to sell genuine Devil Fruits without resorting to deceit.
Just imagine how many Devil Fruits will be traded through Doflamingo's hands in the future!
Just two of them are enough to be impressive.
The world-rocking treasure - the Goro Goro no Mi!
The power to engulf all in flames - the Mera Mera no Mi!
Indeed, even though many people dislike Doflamingo's arrogant demeanor, he is only arrogant on the surface. In essence, he is still an honest person.
Hmm, an honest person...
The auction items that caught Adrian and Tommy's eye were far from ordinary.
As one of the top auction houses in the North Blue, the Don Quixote Auction House occasionally hosted auctions for truly special items.
For instance, the star attraction of this event was a genuine sea treasure: a Devil Fruit!
As the public leader of the Shelby Company and the Razor Gang, Tommy's business acumen and prowess were beyond doubt.
But in a sea where might makes right, strength is paramount.
Though Adrian occasionally offered Tommy martial arts advice, progress was slow.
Luckily, there's another path to power in these waters.
That's right, it's a Devil Fruit.
Adrian still had a defensive and offensive Castle Fruit, but this rather rare spatial Devil Fruit had other uses.
Since he had encountered a Devil Fruit auction here, it was also Tommy's good luck.
No matter what, let's bid first.
The Don Quixote Auction House on Sreed Island used to be a theater, and even today, it retains the theater's layout.
The stage now serves as the auction platform, with posters of auction items adorning the backdrop. The spotlights overhead are the same ones used in regular stage productions. Under these lights, jewelry and porcelain items shine brilliantly.
In the main hall on the ground floor, several merchants participating in the auction were scattered around, while a few familiar faces conversed quietly. Upstairs, the lounge had been divided into several private rooms for esteemed guests.
Adrian and Tommy quietly entered the Donquixote Auction House. Since they had come on a whim, they simply took seats in the main hall on the ground floor.
Before long, a waiter in a tuxedo provided them with a brief overview of the auction items.
"I didn't expect the finale of this auction to be the Devil Fruit." Adrian murmured as he flipped through the small booklet in his hand, "Paramecia type, Explosion type."
Tommy took a moment to recall and exclaimed, "Sir, could it be the Devil Fruit of the former godfather of the Capone Mafia, 'Scarface Bell'?"
A hint of excitement crossed Tommy's face.
Although he had arrived in Otefi Island only after Adrian had dealt with the Capone Gang, he had already collected information about the battle that day from the islanders, and naturally knew about Capone Bell's dangerous explosive ability.
"No, it's not," Adrian narrowed his eyes. "If I'm not mistaken, Scarface Bell's Devil Fruit should be the 'Bomb Fruit,' which has a similar effect to this 'Pop-Pop Fruit,' but they are not the same."
"不,不是."阿德里安眯了眯眼睛,"如果我没判断错的话,疤脸贝尔的恶魔果实应该是'炸弹果实',和这颗'爆爆果实'能力效果相近,却并不一样."
炸弹: Bomb
爆爆: Explosion
{That's what I was thinking but…}
There was something else Adrian hadn't mentioned.
As far as he could recall, this 'Pop-Pop Fruit' was supposed to belong to someone from the Donquixote Family in the future, but he couldn't fathom why it was up for auction today.
"Could it be that once this Devil Fruit gets auctioned today, it'll somehow resurface in the future, ending up back in Doflamingo's possession?" Adrian pondered silently.
Tommy asked, "Sir, in your opinion, which one is stronger, the Bomb-Bomb Fruit or the Pop-Pop Fruit?"
"In my view, they're on par." Adrian shrugged, briefly fixating his gaze on a gemstone showcased in the auction catalog.
"If I have to say, I think the Pop-Pop Fruit might be a bit stronger."
"真要说的话,我认为爆爆果实应该会强一点."
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein