Buying an unknown material at such a high price was a gamble, especially when you still needed to find a skilled swordsmith afterward. Not everyone had the courage—or the funds—for that. One by one, potential buyers dropped out.
After Toji gave him a firm nod of approval, Aiden raised his bidding paddle. "Ten million Berries!"
In Sabaody, money was the last thing anyone lacked. Someone immediately called out, "Fifteen million!"
"Twenty million!" another shouted.
Then came a calm voice from a private room upstairs: "Thirty million."
Aiden's hand tightened into a fist. They still needed to buy the Treasure Tree Adam and cover shipbuilding costs. For a moment, he wavered, tempted to stop bidding altogether.
Toji clapped him on the shoulder. "Money can always be earned again. Bid as you like—we've got enough."
Aiden took a deep breath. "Forty million Berries!"
Miss Sweet, the auctioneer, scanned the crowd. "Forty million for a one-of-a-kind forging material! No other bids?"
"Going once… going twice… sold for forty million!"
Aiden lowered his paddle, scowling slightly. "These auctions are a scam. Everything sells for way over its value."
Ginn chuckled. "That's business. Everyone's just trying to make a little extra. You can't blame them."
Toji added casually, "Ginn, ever think about getting yourself a high-quality metal to use as your weapon? You can already shape metal freely—having the right material could boost your strength a lot."
Ginn gave a mysterious grin. "I've got something in mind. I plan to refine my own metal. It'll take a lot of raw material, but once I've got enough, the quality should transform completely."
Aiden smirked. "Then refine a piece for me too. I'll have it forged into a sword."
Ginn waved both hands. "No way! I'm still testing things out. I'm not even sure if the metal I make will be suitable for forging."
Toji couldn't help but chuckle at the excuse. "Aiden, that material you just bought—it's good enough to make a Supreme Grade Blade."
That made both of them freeze. They glanced around and lowered their voices. "We'll talk after the auction," Aiden whispered.
When the final item was announced, all three of them sat up straight. They'd waited the entire evening for this one.
Miss Sweet smiled radiantly. "Our last item of the night is too large to display here, so we ask for your understanding.
It is none other than the legendary Treasure Tree Adam! A material so strong it can be used to build ships—or masterpieces beyond imagination."
"It measures sixty meters in length. After the bidding, our staff will escort the winner to view the item. Starting bid: two hundred million Berries."
Ginn clicked his tongue. "Two hundred million, huh? That's steep."
Toji stroked his chin, glancing at the private rooms upstairs. "No rush. Let's see how the others move first."
The starting price alone scared off many bidders. Buying it was one thing—paying for someone to craft it into a ship was another.
"Two hundred and fifty million!" "Two hundred and seventy million!"
The numbers climbed slowly. Toji could tell that many in the room weren't bidding seriously. Some were already plotting to rob whoever won instead.
"That chunk's bigger than our whole ship," Aiden muttered.
"Even if we took it, moving it would be a pain," Ginn added.
That wasn't the main issue, though. Toji was more concerned that the seller might not even be in Sabaody. That would complicate things.
Thinking it over, he finally raised his paddle. "Three hundred million."
Some in the hall laughed quietly. Sure, the auction house was trustworthy—but only to a point. What if you got escorted to an isolated spot and never came back?
No one else bid. Miss Sweet glanced down, surprised that the voice had come from the main hall rather than a VIP room. "Sold—for three hundred million Berries!"
As soon as her gavel struck, tension rippled through the room. Whispers spread fast.
"The Infinite Pirates, huh? I heard their bounties are only high because they target nobles."
"Only three of them, right? Easy prey."
"Let's take them out afterward. Free fortune!"
By the time Toji and his crew stepped out, the rumors had already spread across Sabaody Archipelago.
At Shakky's Rip-Off Bar, the owner smiled faintly as she polished a glass. "Looks like the sea just gained another terrifying pirate crew."
Aiden, thrilled to have secured his material, followed the staff into a side room to finalize the purchase. Inside, a large, bull-horned Fishman was calmly drinking tea.
"Tom?" Toji recognized him immediately.
Tom blinked, surprised that someone had called his name.
Ginn tilted his head. "Who's Tom? Is he strong?"
Toji smiled. "You could say that. When it comes to shipbuilding, he's a legend."
He stepped closer. "So, you're the seller?"
Tom chuckled, lifting his teacup. "Guilty. Guess my hands got itchy."
Toji turned to explain for his crew. "He's the man who built Gol D. Roger's ship—the Oro Jackson."
That revelation stunned them both. They'd seen that ship firsthand and knew how extraordinary it was.
Tom waved modestly. "Ah, it's not that great."
Toji grinned. "If you're the seller, then we're in luck. Where's the material now?"
"In Water 7," Tom replied. "Are you planning to build a ship? If so, I'll volunteer to do it myself. You can tell me what you want on the way there."
Toji's grin widened. "Exactly what I was hoping for."
Tom stood with a hearty laugh. "Well, how convenient! No time like the present—let's go!"
Toji scratched his chin. "How much will the shipbuilding cost?"
Tom waved a hand cheerfully. "Don't worry about it. Consider it included with the Adam purchase. Not every day I get to build with that material again."
"Then let's set sail," Toji said, pleased. Saving money was always good news.
Tom coughed lightly. "Ah, one thing. You know how dangerous the seas are these days… I'll be heading back on a Marine ship."
Toji blinked. "...Right."
Tom gave a sheepish grin. "Maybe you three can leave a day later?"
"Fine," Toji agreed easily.
After setting the time and place, Tom departed first. Toji and his crew left the auction hall soon after, walking openly through the streets.
He could already sense multiple eyes tracking them from the shadows. Smiling slyly, he glanced at Ginn.
A cold chill ran down Ginn's spine.
"Ginn," Toji said, grinning wider, "you're the youngest, so when it comes time to collect the bounty later, that'll be your job."
Aiden turned away, pretending to admire the street lamps.
Ginn sighed. Ever since he joined, he'd always been the one stuck exchanging heads for money. Toji liked to call it "training."
"Since that's settled," Toji continued, "you'll take point in the fight. Good time to test your Devil Fruit in real combat."
Ginn stared at him blankly. So he'd do all the work while the others reaped the rewards?
Aiden tried hard not to laugh. "There's an alley up ahead. Fewer people there."
Ginn didn't even respond. He just exhaled slowly, muttering under his breath. "Why do I feel like I'm about to regret this…"