After Kaoru Tsubasa entrusted his ship to Shakky for coating, he decided to take a leisurely walk around the Sabaody Archipelago by himself.
Meanwhile, Olvia stayed behind, chatting idly with Shakky in her bar, observing the woman's sharp yet easygoing demeanor.
"Hmm? This must be the place."
Tsubasa stopped when he found himself standing in front of a grand building with a lavish sign — an auction house.
"Well, I've got time to spare," he muttered. "Might as well see what kind of treasures they've got inside."
If his memory served him right, this auction house was under the control of none other than Donquixote Doflamingo. With that in mind, there could very well be some rare and valuable items up for sale.
"Hello, sir. If you wish to participate in the auction, there's an entry fee of one thousand Berries," one of the attendants said politely.
That was Doflamingo's rule — no one entered his auction house for free.
Tsubasa didn't argue. He simply flicked a small pouch of coins toward the man. "Here."
"Excellent. Tonight's auction will begin promptly. Please be on time," the staff member said with a customer-service smile. "Just remember — once the time starts, there are no refunds."
He didn't sound worried in the slightest about offending anyone. After all, the man backing this establishment was one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea — the infamous underworld broker known as the Heavenly Demon, Donquixote Doflamingo. No sane person would complain over a thousand Berries.
Tsubasa nodded and left quietly, deciding to kill some time elsewhere until the auction began.
By the time evening arrived, the auction house was packed.
"Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the Human Auction!"
The host's enthusiastic voice echoed through the ornate hall.
Kaoru Tsubasa took a seat in a shadowed corner, his mask still in place.
"Now then, let's begin with our first item of the evening!" the host declared. With a theatrical flourish, he pulled away a cloth from the table in front of him.
"The first item up for auction — a Devil Fruit!"
A collective murmur rippled through the crowd.
"According to the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia, this one is classified as a Paramecia-type — the Armor-Armor Fruit."
The host went on to explain that this particular fruit had been discovered by one of Doflamingo's men. The encyclopedia only mentioned its name, with no details about its abilities or potential. That mystery alone made it a tempting gamble.
"The starting bid is eighty million Berries, and each increase must be no less than three million," the host announced.
"Eighty-three million!" someone shouted immediately.
"Ninety million!"
"Ninety-three million!"
The bidding quickly escalated. For a Devil Fruit — even an unidentified one — this was typical.
"One hundred million Berries," came another voice.
The host raised an eyebrow. "One hundred million Berries! Any other offers?"
Silence.
He chuckled, tapping his gavel. "Going once, going twice… sold! The Armor-Armor Fruit goes to that gentleman for one hundred million Berries!"
Though some attendees looked envious, most shrugged it off. A Devil Fruit of unknown power could be either a blessing or a curse — and few were willing to take that risk.
The auction continued, and soon it was time for the fifth lot.
"This next one is quite special," the host announced. Two staff members rolled a large cage onto the stage, covered by a black cloth.
"The fifth item tonight… an old man!"
He yanked the cover away, revealing a gray-haired man sitting cross-legged inside the cage, his expression calm — almost amused.
Kaoru Tsubasa's lips twitched slightly beneath his mask.
Because the man in the cage was none other than Silvers Rayleigh.
In the original story, Tsubasa knew, Rayleigh had once sold himself to the auction house simply because he'd run out of money for alcohol — only to rob the buyer afterward and reclaim his freedom.
But seeing it happen this early still caught him off guard.
A young, overconfident noble soon won the bid for Rayleigh, grinning proudly as the cage was rolled away.
After the auction ended, Tsubasa quietly followed the man who had purchased Rayleigh.
Not long after they left the building, Tsubasa felt it — a pulse of Haki.
A moment later, a wave of Conqueror's Haki burst forth, knocking the buyer unconscious where he stood.
"That's all the Berries he had? How pitiful," Rayleigh muttered as he crouched down and rummaged through the man's pockets.
He found only a handful of coins — barely a few Berries left, since most had been spent buying him.
Rayleigh sighed, scratching his chin. "Hmph… maybe I should just rob the auction house next time."
Hidden in the shadows, Tsubasa couldn't help but shake his head with a quiet chuckle.
"To think… the great Dark King Rayleigh, former right hand of the Pirate King, reduced to this. How disgraceful," he murmured.
Without turning around, Rayleigh spoke, "I didn't expect anyone to recognize me."
He'd already sensed someone tailing him since leaving the auction house.
Rayleigh slowly rose to his feet, his hand resting casually on the wine bottle at his waist. His sharp eyes flicked toward Tsubasa's masked figure.
"That mask… you from CP?" he asked, referring to the World Government's secret intelligence agency.
Tsubasa didn't flinch. He'd been mistaken for a Cipher Pol agent so many times that it barely fazed him anymore.
"No, no. I'm not one of those government dogs," he replied lightly.
"Oh?" Rayleigh tilted his head, curiosity piqued. "Then who are you?"
The old man didn't seem tense — if anything, he looked amused, taking another casual sip from his bottle.
Tsubasa smiled faintly beneath the mask. "You should already know."
He reached into his system space and drew out his weapon — Lightning, the distinctive blade that shimmered faintly with stored energy.
He didn't remove his mask. After all, this was the Sabaody Archipelago — the Marines could be watching, and this body was only a physical clone. His Observation Haki wasn't yet refined enough to ensure safety otherwise.
The moment Rayleigh's eyes landed on the sword, recognition flashed across his face.
"That sword… so it's you," Rayleigh said with a grin. "Kaoru Tsubasa, the Speed Sword Ghost."