Sneak Into The Warehouse, It’S All Mine!

Arias, in his phantom state, bypassed the crowd and headed directly to the backstage area where all the auction items were likely stored.

As he silently moved forward, the mellifluous voice of the auction host reached his ears, announcing, "The current item up for auction is the lost notes of the great scientist Vegapunk! It contains relevant research records of Vegapunk!"

Upon hearing this, Arias and Bai Ou quickly urged Hancock beside them, "Try to capture an image of those notes!"

Bai Ou's words surprised the three girls. Moreover, the voice sounded just like Arias's!

However, with Marine Vice Admiral Kuzan nearby, they refrained from asking questions and promptly began bidding as per Arias's instructions.

"I bid 10 million beli!"

"Twelve million!"

"Twenty million!"

Vegapunk's name was widely recognized among senior executives. Even if many didn't comprehend the specifics of the so-called Wabo alloy, it didn't deter them from desiring it.

However, the bidders mainly consisted of nobles from various countries, and the prominent pirates present showed little interest in these scientific notes.

Kuzan, standing nearby, overheard Arias's voice and cast a curious glance at him. Does this guy have knowledge about science? Considering what Admiral Sengoku mentioned, the protective armor on Arias's wrists and ankles might have been crafted by him.

Kuzan chose not to participate in the bidding. Vegapunk was currently working for the World Government, and the Vegapunk alloy had been extensively studied, yielding only failures.

This set of notes being auctioned was likely a record of those failed attempts.

Arias was aware of this fact. However, the saying goes that stones from other mountains can be used to attack jade. Vegapunk's research records might offer inspiration for his own weapon refining. After all, to create a weapon like the Thousand Blades of the Demon Sword, he might need memory alloy technology.

As the bidding reached 50 million Baileys, Arias instructed Hancock to cease further bids. A failed research note was not worth the high price, and if necessary, he could resort to less conventional means to obtain it.

After examining the notes, Arias noticed that all the items being auctioned were mundane and secular. Nobles and wealthy businessmen eagerly bid on them, while the pirates remained disinterested.

However, the atmosphere changed when another auction item was introduced.

"The next item up for auction is a Devil Fruit illustrated book!"

"It's the most detailed Devil Fruit illustrated book in the world to date!"

"I believe everyone here understands the significance of Devil Fruits, but with so many abilities, it can be challenging to know which one suits you. While strong individuals claim there are no useless fruits, only those who can't harness their abilities, consider Zoan types. Ancient species are superior to ordinary ones, and fantasy beast species surpass even the ancient ones!"

"There are some fruits that grant ultimate power immediately upon consumption, like the Shock Fruit wielded by the great pirate Whitebeard, with the power to shake the world!"

"So, imagine acquiring a fruit without knowing its ability—wouldn't it be a wasted opportunity if it turns out to be a less desirable power?"

"But with this Devil Fruit illustrated book, you can compare and choose the fruit that best suits your needs!"

The host's words stirred emotions in everyone at the auction, including Arias, who now desired to obtain this illustrated book.

A sudden thought crossed his mind about Teach, whom he had encountered earlier. Perhaps, Teach acquired the Devil Fruit illustrated book through this auction, or intercepted it midway. This might explain why he began searching for the Dark Fruit, eventually leading to the death of Sage and his subsequent escape. All the while, various factions recruited powerful individuals, eventually forming the infamous Blackbeard Pirates.

Under Arias's instruction, Hancock began bidding for the Devil Fruit illustrated book. However, the price skyrocketed too quickly, forcing them to abandon their initial plan of acquiring it through legitimate means.

Resorting to underhanded tactics became the only viable option.

As the host continued to explain the auction lots, Arias quietly made his way to the backstage of the auction house. Two pirate guards stood watch, but he skillfully used his Earthly Immortal ability to enter the room without alerting anyone.

Inside, he found all the items slated for auction that day. Once the auction concluded, these products would be individually traded with the winning customers.

Examining a large wooden box, Arias discovered a hundred kilograms of meteorite iron—a highly conspicuous and top-quality material for weapon refining.

In another nearby box lay the day's grand finale—the golden fruit.

All items were present except for an antique currently being auctioned at the front desk. Arias removed an empty pouch from his waist and carefully stowed away all these items.

Taking everything seemed justified in light of Doflamingo's questionable dealings—consider it as robbing the rich to aid the poor, or in this case, robbing Brother Ming's wealth to alleviate his own poverty.

The haul was substantial, requiring three full bags to accommodate everything. As Arias used the Earthly Immortal to leave, he suddenly heard commotion outside.