After some conversation, Dragon left in disappointment.

But he didn't leave Dressrosa. Instead, he made the same decision as the other forces, staying behind to see if he could obtain the artificial Devil Fruit technology.

Of course, he didn't plan to snatch it directly from Caelan. Dragon believed that the Revolutionary Army still needed him, and he couldn't afford to die young.

His target was the buyers. Compared to Caelan, those guys were much softer targets.

Besides, most of the people coming to buy artificial Devil Fruit technology weren't good people, so robbing them didn't pose much of a moral issue.

Even if he couldn't use it properly after getting it, and there were various flaws, it was still better than letting the technology fall into others' hands.

"Mm-hmm."

Caelan watched as Dragon left the office, then simply shrugged.

He could roughly guess what Dragon was thinking—it was nothing more than robbing or destroying it.

"But what does that have to do with me?"

He muttered indifferently to himself.

He was just a seller. He took the money and handed over the goods. He wasn't responsible for after-sales service.

He sold the product with professional integrity and didn't steal from others. Whatever happened afterward wasn't his concern.

In other words, that would be another price.

…

In the blink of an eye, two days passed, and it was time for the auction to begin.

During those two days, various forces arrived one after another, making Dressrosa increasingly lively.

Fortunately, thanks to Caelan's warning two days earlier, all parties remained extremely restrained and didn't make any rash moves.

Only a few low-level lackeys couldn't help themselves, but they were immediately dealt with by the Neo Navy, who were there to maintain order.

Other than that, everything was calm.

At this moment, the sky was clear.

The auction proceeded as scheduled, and the venue was the Colosseum.

"It's finally starting!"

The auction for artificial Devil Fruits that all factions had eagerly anticipated had officially begun, and their thoughts were racing.

Should they cause chaos, make a feint to the east, then attack from the west?

The instincts honed over years as pirates made them naturally inclined to stir up trouble.

"Forget it, forget it. There's no need to risk your life."

As soon as they stepped into the arena and saw the seamless obsidian floor beneath their feet, they immediately calmed down.

Especially when they saw Caelan standing atop the high platform, they were so scared they had to put on their most pleasant expressions.

The scene two days ago, when Caelan summoned a pillar of light and turned the arena into a sea of magma, was still fresh in their minds.

Even now, stepping on the smooth and glossy obsidian ground, they felt a phantom heat surging up through their feet to their chest.

A constant reminder for anyone with ill intentions—move, and you die.

On the high platform, Caelan stood tall, looking down at the guests.

The World Economy News President, Morgans, had taken on the role of auction host and hype man.

He had happily accepted the job and was now enthusiastically introducing the notable figures present.

"The tough-looking man with a cigar in his mouth and gold chains around his neck is the God of Fortune, Lu Feld. Has even he been drawn here by the artificial Devil Fruit technology!?"

The king of usury smiled up at Caelan on the platform, removed his black hat, and gave a respectful bow.

Facing the threat of the God Slayer, he dared not show any airs as an underworld king.

In front of this man, his status meant nothing.

"The guy carrying a giant scythe and radiating murderous intent is the notorious Undertaker, Peclo! Just looking at him, you know he's ready to start something big!" Morgans declared boldly.

"I'm just here to buy something. I won't cause any trouble in Dressrosa!"

Peclo quickly clarified.

He wanted to rip off Morgans's beak on the spot.

He cursed inwardly. That bird was going to get him killed!

With no choice, Peclo forced a smile onto his cold face and offered a respectful greeting to Caelan.

Morgans ignored Peclo's death glare and continued his introductions.

"That beautiful and seductive lady is the Queen of Pleasure Street, Stussy. Though not exactly young, she still looks youthful and gorgeous!"

"The age of a beautiful woman is not something to be emphasized."

Stussy gave Morgans a cold glance.

Then she shot Caelan a graceful wink and bowed elegantly.

So this is the legendary God Slayer? I wonder if the plan will go smoothly.

Her shifting gaze made it impossible to tell what she was truly thinking.

Stussy was a double agent, working for both Vegapunk and the World Government. This time, she had come on the World Government's orders.

One task was to investigate the artificial Devil Fruit technology. The other was to see if she could infiltrate Caelan's circle.

Of the two, getting close to Caelan was the priority.

"Yeah, not bad."

Caelan returned Stussy's smile, though his thoughts ran differently.

She was publicly known as the Queen of Pleasure Street, secretly an agent of CP0, and in truth, a man-made human created by Vegapunk.

The only one she truly served was Vegapunk, the man who created her, her figurative father.

This warranted special attention.

It wasn't that he was interested in artificial humans, but through Stussy, he might be able to connect with Vegapunk.

Before he could think further, Morgans' voice rang out again. Due to the overwhelming number of arrivals, he only introduced the most prominent figures.

"The King of Shipping, who controls the world's logistics routes, and the world's richest man, the Golden Emperor, Tesoro! The two underground kings have arrived together for the artificial Devil Fruit technology!"

The two individuals entered in silence and sat down without a word.

"Tesoro's here too!"

The presence of the Shipping King and Tesoro drew Caelan's attention.

To be precise, it was Tesoro who caught his eye.

"Controlling 20% of the world's currency… definitely worth keeping an eye on."

Caelan quietly wrote Tesoro's name in a small notebook for future reference.

For now, the auction took precedence. The rest could be dealt with later.

After the kings of the underworld, came the major pirate forces.

"The great pirate Ochoku! The Big Mom Pirates' Sweet Commanders, Katakuri and Smoothie!"

One powerful figure after another entered, pushing the atmosphere to its peak.

When Caelan used his Observation Haki, he detected even more hidden presences.

Borsalino and Kuzan were lurking in the crowd, and Dragon, cloaked in black, was also present.

And the seven-meter-tall Yonko, Kaido!

Even fully cloaked, Caelan still picked him out easily.

"Everyone's here. What a lively crowd."

Caelan let out a soft sigh.

Two Admirals, one Yonko, Monkey D. Dragon fishing in troubled waters, the underworld kings, and two Sweet Commanders of the Big Mom Pirates.

This auction was guaranteed to become a battleground. The artificial Devil Fruit technology and Caesar Clown would fetch quite the price.

Seeing that all expected parties had arrived, Caelan stepped forward and declared loudly, "All heroes are assembled. The auction officially begins!"

As his words echoed, excitement surged through the crowd. Everyone looked forward to what was to come.

(To be continued.)