Behind him, Doflamingo wore the smile of a man whose scheme was going exactly as planned, but he quickly suppressed it, putting on a show of furious determination.
"Don't even think about running! Hand over the blueprint!"
He shouted as he gave chase at high speed.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!
The chase was on, and the commotion they caused along the way didn't go unnoticed.
With one fleeing desperately and the other putting on a convincing act of relentless pursuit, every faction in the area soon turned their attention to them.
Before long, word of the blueprint spread far and wide.
"He has the blueprint in his hand?!"
"Judging by what Doflamingo is shouting, it must be real! But why is Phantom trying to get it back?"
"Did the deal fall through? Maybe they didn't pay enough fruits?"
"That has to be it! Ninety Devil Fruits... who could possibly come up with that much at once? Not even the Marines could afford that!"
"Alert the captain! Prepare to intercept them, and fast!"
One after another, the major powers began to move.
What started as a minor skirmish had suddenly drawn every single force on the island into the fray.
War was imminent!
Meanwhile, deep inside the auction house, Vladimir sat perfectly still and composed.
Beside him, Nico Robin quietly poured tea.
"It has finally begun."
Vladimir raised his cup, took a sip, and smiled faintly. "A world war is upon us... but first, let us brew a cup of black tea."
"A world war is upon us... but first, let us brew a cup of black tea."
Vladimir sat upright, gently raised his cup, and took a sip.
Nico Robin stood by his side, remaining silent for a long time.
While they enjoyed their tea and wine in leisure, the world outside had descended into utter chaos.
District 2
On a wooden bridge, Ivankov found himself cornered, blocked from both front and back.
Behind him was the pursuer sent by Phantom, the Warlord Doflamingo. Ahead of him stood yet another pirate crew.
"I am the captain of the Iron Pirate Crew — Iron Man!"
The man was massive, standing over 2.45 meters tall.
He had long limbs, slightly hunched posture, and hands so large they nearly brushed the ground as he stood.
"And you must be 'Miracle Worker' Emporio Ivankov!" The Iron Captain sneered.
"Hand over the blueprint!"
"Iron Pirate Crew? Never heard of you."
Ivankov was anxious deep down, though he kept his composure on the surface.
"Who are you nobodies? Get out of my way! Hell Wink!"
His giant eyes widened to their limit. At the exact moment the word left his mouth, he blinked dozens of times in rapid succession.
BOOM!
The blast wave generated was far more powerful than the previous "Death Wink" — it was an upgraded version of the technique.
"Hmph! Iron Will!"
The Captain snorted. He planted his feet, focused his gaze, and instantly his skin turned a lustrous gold, transforming his entire body into living metal.
The explosive wind slammed directly into his chest, yet only managed to push him back three steps.
"Hahaha! Did that tickle?" He laughed loudly.
"I ate the Iron-Iron Fruit, making me a complete Iron Man. I suggest you hurry and hand over the bluepr—!"
BOOM!
Suddenly, a massive shadow fell from the sky.
It was a giant, over thirty meters tall, clad head-to-toe in heavy armor.
As he landed, he simply stepped down, crushing the Iron Man straight into the ground beneath his foot.
Ivankov's jaw dropped in shock. "Panda Jin — the Sea Giant!"
"Queen of the Kamabakka Kingdom!"
The armored giant's eyes were cold and sharp. Having stepped the Iron Man to death, he reached out his massive hand toward Ivankov.
"Since you know who I am, you know what to do. Hand over the blueprint. Don't bother resisting; we of the Bakin Alliance will have this entire area sealed off in moments!"
The Bakin Alliance was a union between two top-tier pirate crews, each commanding over a dozen subordinate crews.
These two great forces were the Giant Gold Pirates and the Yiba Pirates!
And the captain of the Giant Gold Pirates, "Sea Giant" Panda Jin, was himself a member of the Giant Warrior race.
With a bounty of 999,000,000 Berries, he was once the ace warrior of a legendary giant tribe.
Ivankov certainly recognized him; his homeland, the Kingdom of Kamabakka, had suffered an invasion from this very man in the past...
"You bastard! How dare you show your face to me again!"
Ivankov was enraged, narrowing his eyes in defiance.
Just as the giant's hand was about to grab him, a dark-green slash suddenly swept in horizontally from the side.
SWISH!
The strike landed squarely on the giant's arm, shattering through his armor instantly.
"Who goes?!"
Panda Jin roared in anger, yanking his arm back just in time to avoid having it severed clean off.
"The Bakin Alliance... I didn't realize you had allied yourselves with the Yiba Pirates. You were the ones who bid sixty-one fruits in the first round of the auction, weren't you?"
A middle-aged man wearing a straw raincoat stepped forward.
His appearance seemed ragged and shabby: a cloak and hat woven from rough straw, and simple sandals on his feet.
Yet what drew the eye immediately was the long katana he held in his hand.
The blade was exquisite and extraordinary.
Etched along its length were distinct patterns resembling crackling lightning.
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