Ren didn't have to wait long.Two days later, someone from the auction house arrived to inform them that it was time to negotiate the final price with the business association.
But before that, Nojiko had already used an Invisibility Potion to scout the place, returning with an unsurprising report.
"In this Great Age of Pirates, there's truly no place left untouched by filth."
Ren gave a cold laugh and turned toward Nojiko and Zoro. "I'll leave the ship in your hands. Don't let anything happen to it—and remember to leave one alive."
"Got it," Zoro replied with a nod, his hand already resting on his sword's hilt.
Nojiko hugged Nami briefly and reminded her softly, "Be careful out there."
"I know, sis."
After the short exchange, Ren and Nami left the Pipi Shrimp—the same duo as before.
Except this time, Chester tagged along.
As they advanced, the closer they got to the auction house, the deeper Nami's frown became.
"What's wrong?" Ren asked.
"There's… a lot less sign of life here," Nami muttered.
"Normal," Ren said indifferently. "They've replaced most of the people in this area."
Chester hopped along cheerfully behind them, tail wagging.
Soon, they arrived in the same reception room as before. A servant came in with tea and asked them to wait.
But beyond the door, they could clearly hear the sound of the building emptying—servants scurrying away, doors shutting tight.
In moments, the once-bustling business guild fell silent, until the only thing breaking the stillness was the heavy, rhythmic march of boots outside.
Gin appeared, surrounded by a crowd of royal guards. His cold, expressionless face scanned the auction house as if surveying trapped prey.
Before he could speak, the auction manager came rushing out with a forced, fawning smile.
"Lord Gin! The captain of the Demon Pirates and the woman you requested are both inside. As for that ship, Captain Crescent and the Big Bucket Pirates under your command have gone to take care of it. A swordsman with a 3-million bounty should be no problem for Captain Crescent—he's worth 5 million, after all!"
"Not under my command," Gin said coldly, eyes narrowing. The weapon in his hand—a staff ending in an iron sphere—rose sharply, its head pointing straight at the trembling manager.
The man went pale, trembling all over."Th-They're under Admiral Don Krieg's command, not yours. Right, of course!"
Gin's stare didn't waver. "That's correct."
The terrified manager chuckled nervously and quickly gestured toward the soldiers.
"The king of the Gerven Kingdom holds Admiral Krieg's business in great regard. He's sent five hundred soldiers to aid you."
As if realizing how close he'd just come to death, the manager hastily added, "Of course, I know you're the 'Demon Man' with a bounty of twelve million—more than capable of crushing them yourself. But still, numbers might make them surrender quickly. Save you the trouble, yes?"
He gave a look, and his subordinates immediately shouted toward the reception room.
"Ren of the Demon Pirates! And Nami! Surrender now! You're completely surrounded—you have no chance of escape!"
Their voices echoed through the building.
A moment later, the large doors of the guild creaked open.Ren walked out leisurely, an amused smile on his face.
Nami didn't follow. She had already used an Invisibility Potion and climbed onto the roof, preparing for battle.
To her, the Magical Clima-Tact was a true artifact. Even if she didn't yet understand all its functions, it was more than enough to handle this.
"How interesting," Ren mused, his eyes narrowing. "So it's you."
The moment he spoke, several small dark clouds—each wrapped in transparent bubbles—silently formed above the sky.
Gin's tone was cold as he lifted his iron-ball staff."Since you know who I am, there's no need to make this harder than it has to be. Will you die with dignity, or should I give you some?"
Ren's grin widened. "Funny. I prefer to give others dignity."
He opened his mouth wide.
Template Switch — Fifth Calabash Brother!
His throat became a roaring abyss—and from that abyss, a mighty surge of water burst forth!
At first, it looked like streams the width of arms, twisting wildly through the air.But in seconds, those streams grew into a full river.
"?!"
Gin's eyes widened in shock. Before he could react, the river flattened and expanded—turning into a colossal wall of cascading water!
In mere seconds, over a hundred thousand tons of seawater exploded outward, forming a flood that swallowed everything before Ren.
The screams of soldiers filled the air as torrents crashed into them—dragging, drowning, and crushing bodies beneath the waves.
Within a radius of several hundred meters, the once-prosperous district became a vast artificial lake.
"S-Seawater?!"
Gin's face twisted as he struggled in the current. Fortunately, his swimming skills kept him from being swept under like the unlucky manager, who disappeared beneath the foam and never resurfaced.
He soon realized the deluge was slowing down.
The amount of water was monstrous, yes—but Gerven was an island.He narrowed his eyes, trying to time a counterattack—when he caught the faint smirk on Ren's face.
What's that supposed to mean?Don't tell me… this isn't over?
The thought had barely formed when a sharp crackling erupted overhead.
Gin looked up—just in time to see golden brilliance engulf everything.
Lightning.
Hundreds of violent bolts burst from the clouds, golden arcs racing down to strike the turbulent flood.
Electric current spread through the entire "lake" in an instant.The soldiers' screams were cut short—bodies twitching, their silhouettes flashing white as bones showed through charred skin.
"Let's see how you like the taste of lightning!"
High atop the roof, Nami's face was alight with exhilaration.Her Magical Clima-Tact glowed sky blue as she unleashed a chain of tiny storm spheres—each one a dark cloud trapped inside a transparent bubble.
It was one of the new moves she'd figured out: when a bubble popped, it released a thundercloud capable of generating lightning.
And with a bit of guidance—she could call the storm down exactly where she wanted.
In truth, her attack wouldn't normally cover such a wide area—certainly not five hundred men at once.
But unfortunately for them…Seawater conducts electricity.
And when someone's only half-submerged, the shock is even worse.
The soldiers perished in silence, fried and swallowed by the flood.
"She's really something," Ren thought with a grin.
Having just emptied his "water reserves," he looked up at Nami's triumphant pose on the rooftop. He could practically feel her pride.
Like a gambler who'd been poor all her life finally hitting the jackpot, she was reveling in her moment.
Nami had been powerless for too long. Even though Ren had enchanted her weapons, the change was never revolutionary. But the Magical Clima-Tact—that was her true match.
Still, it had its limits.
A few minutes later, Nami noticed the weapon's "ammunition" had run dry. Without the advanced technology or knowledge of Weatheria, she had no idea how to recharge it.
(End of Chapter)