Sabaody Archipelago, Area 1 Auction House.
Disco, the flamboyantly dressed auction-house owner, stood at the main gate greeting a steady stream of guests with his usual theatrical flair.
Since Ash had gone to the Soap Bubble Playground alone to fetch the lively Tsuki, Youki and Sali—who'd arrived early—were left outside the auction hall, waiting in boredom.
"Hmph, these people certainly wear themselves out dressing up," Perona said casually, critiquing the arriving crowd without restraint.
"They're mostly nobles or merchants," Sali replied with a chuckle. "Fancy clothes are normal for them."
Youki turned his gaze toward Perona, inspecting her new outfit after landing on the island. Gone were the pink cape, mini-skirt, and zebra socks; in their place was a black-and-white Gothic Lolita gown. Only her quirky little crown and odd parasol remained the same.
Noticing the scrutiny, Perona bristled slightly. "What are you staring at?"
Youki forced a thin smile. "Nothing. Just wondering how you can call others flashy while dressed like that."
Sali watched quietly, unsure of what to make of the exchange. Perona was timid around Ash, shrinking into silence whenever he was near. Yet the moment he left, she transformed into an unapologetic presence, domineering and proud. Even her attempts to flatter others somehow came out sounding haughty.
Worse, she and Youki constantly bickered. They hadn't even scuffled once, yet they argued as though they came from opposite ends of the world.
Sali finally settled on his own explanation: Perona must still harbor resentment over Youki having beaten Moria to death. After all, Moria had been her foster-father in name, miserable pirate though he was.
Amused, Sali watched the pair squabble—until the noisy crowd suddenly went quiet.
Even Youki and Perona halted mid-argument and looked around.
The chattering guests had parted, forming an open corridor toward the auction house entrance, and four people were walking calmly into the venue.
Leading them was a tall man in a perfectly tailored pink suit, with slicked-back green hair and jewelry that gleamed in the sunlight. Behind him was a statuesque red-haired beauty, a ninja-like figure with a towering physique, and a massive brute with a hulking upper body and spindly legs.
None of the group looked familiar to Bro Youki or Sali; they had only been sailing a short time and didn't recognize the names whispered nearby.
"Look—it's Tesoro!"
"Why has he come? Wasn't he fighting a Warlord?"
"Doflamingo's backing Disco!"
"So the Donquixote Family runs this place?"
"Will the auction turn into a battlefield?"
"Who knows? With Tesoro and the Donquixote Family here, we'll see soon enough."
"So… who exactly is this Tesoro guy?"
Youki asked, genuinely puzzled. "Will the auction even happen?"
"It should," Sali said thoughtfully. "He's strong, but not enough to stop someone like Doflamingo."
"That timing suggests he probably came to signal some kind of truce or cooperation with the Donquixote Family," Ash explained calmly as he and Tsuki stepped up beside them.
"What?" Youki spun around in surprise, startled by Ash's sudden appearance. "When did you get here? And stop sneaking up on people!"
Ash grinned slightly. "Just arrived. I heard your question and answered it."
"You mean Doflamingo," Youki said in clarification.
Ash nodded, producing a poster he'd picked up earlier from some hurried guards. "Look at his outfit. Doesn't it scream Doflamingo? His ship even bears his name." ([One Piece Wiki][2])
Youki examined the poster and burst out laughing. "Haha, spot on!"
"So who is this Tesoro guy?" Sali asked.
Ash paused, watching Tesoro's leisurely stride, and then said thoughtfully, "He's one of those tragic types…."
Youki and Tsuki leaned in, keen to hear one of Ash's stories. Besides savoring the meals cooked by the Kirk siblings, their favorite pastime was listening to Ash's recounting of interesting figures.
"Tell us everything," Tsuki said eagerly.
"Short version," Ash began, his voice even and measured, "his father died when he was young, and his mother abandoned him. He stole to survive, fell in with a rough crowd, and was betrayed by them. Later he met a woman in a slave market and fell deeply in love…."
The story continued, flowing naturally from Ash's lips, painting a picture of hardship, lost love, and a descent into desperation, all shaping this man into someone who clawed his way out of the depths of suffering.
Sali and Perona listened in silence, hanging on every detail. By the time Ash finished recounting how Tesoro and Doflamingo had once clashed and later made peace, the crowd around them had thinned significantly.
Tsuki cleared her throat. "So he's strong enough to challenge a Warlord, yet he wasn't asked to join them?"
Ash shrugged. "He dealt in the underground. No pirate flag, no official status, no bounty. That's why he never made it onto any formal list of Warlords."
Youki nodded thoughtfully. "And that's why no one outside of rumors really knows him."
Sali hesitated before asking, "The girl he loved… what was her name?"
Ash closed his eyes for a moment, recalling the tale. "A gentle blonde named Stella."