Two days before the auction.
In the reception hall of a building in the Pleasure District, Sig and Stussy sat side by side on a couch.
Across from them, on the opposite couch, was a newly arrived ruler of the underworld.
He was a stern-looking middle-aged man with a fierce appearance, his chin adorned with a thick, bushy black beard that seemed larger than his face.
Rather than a ruler of the underworld, this man looked more like a notorious pirate.
"Another big shot from the underworld..."
Sig also wore a serious expression, his mind racing.
Stussy, Umit, and Morgans—these rulers of the underworld were kings of entertainment, shipping, and news, respectively.
Although their businesses spanned the seas, their true foundations lay in the New World.
While Loguetown, located at the entrance of the Grand Line, was an important commercial hub, it couldn't compare to their headquarters in the New World.
Most of these underworld rulers had only established branches here.
Sig hadn't expected that Umit, who should have been in the New World, would personally come here.
"Umit, you've actually come to Loguetown. Could it be that you're also planning to bid on Mr. Sig's treasure map?"
As the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, Stussy was the first to break the silence.
"Of course not. With the two of you joining forces, how could I not come?"
Umit's lips curled into a somewhat menacing smile.
His gaze shifted back and forth between Stussy and Sig with interest.
"Stussy, I never expected that you had Sig behind you."
"Just you alone was enough to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us... You've hidden this quite well."
Umit said in a deep voice:
"And your collaboration with Morgans to launch the Tieba Tabloid has been quite the sensation. It has the potential to become a major hit."
"So, is the Pleasure District planning to cross industries and collaborate with Morgans?"
Sig suddenly understood.
This was probably the reason Umit had come, right?
The Six Kings of the Underworld controlled six industries: entertainment, media, shipping, storage, funeral services, and finance.
The six industries were clearly defined, with no overlap.
But after Sig arrived in Loguetown, some changes had occurred.
As the man behind the Queen of the Pleasure District, Sig himself represented a mysterious and powerful new force.
At the same time, he was incredibly enigmatic, with an impressive track record. His recent collaboration with Morgans had also been highly successful...
So Umit was here to probe for information?
After thinking it over, Sig smiled faintly:
"You might not believe it, but..."
"I'm not an ambitious person. I just want to make 100 million berries from this treasure map."
"Hahaha... Mr. Sig, you're quite the humorist."
Umit laughed heartily, his bushy beard trembling, but his eyes remained serious, clearly not buying it.
100 million berries? What was that?
For ordinary people, this was certainly not a small sum.
But for these rulers of the underworld, it wasn't even a medium-sized deal—it was a small one.
"Speaking of which, I've come here to thank Mr. Sig for helping put Loguetown on the map."
"The treasure map of the great treasure is an opportunity for many forces on Loguetown."
Umit's lips curled into a light chuckle.
While his words were somewhat flattering, they weren't entirely untrue.
The auction would be held at Auction House No. 1, the largest on the island, which was jointly owned by multiple factions. Each faction stood to benefit and gain recognition from this.
This was also Sig's deliberate move. To prevent the auction from going off the rails, he had spent the days when the newspaper was on hiatus visiting various factions on the island.
If anyone dared to break the rules, all the factions would intervene.
After some mutual flattery, the three finally got down to business.
Umit gave a subtle glance to one of his subordinates, who immediately brought out a small box and placed it on the table in the reception hall.
Inside the box was a blue-purple banana with strange patterns.
"I happened to be passing through Loguetown and didn't bring anything particularly valuable. This Calm-Calm Fruit is the only thing that can barely pass as a decent gift."
"How could I accept this?"
This was actually the first time he had seen a Devil Fruit in person.
This fruit could create a silent space, blocking the transmission of sound.
Although the Calm-Calm Fruit didn't directly enhance combat power, it had a wide range of uses.
For example, aiding sleep, sneaking into widows' homes at night, or performing a righteous backstab...
"It really is a bit embarrassing."
Umit was slightly taken aback, then nodded with a serious expression:
"I originally planned to give this Calm-Calm Fruit to Mr. Sig as a meeting gift, but such a weak fruit is really not worth presenting."
"So I've decided to auction this Calm-Calm Fruit alongside Mr. Sig's treasure map."
"Although the Calm-Calm Fruit isn't particularly impressive, it's still a Devil Fruit. It should help liven up the atmosphere."
Seeing Sig's expression darken slightly, Umit was momentarily stunned, then continued:
"Mr. Sig, I've also prepared other treasures from the four seas..."
As he spoke, his subordinates understood and opened various boxes of different sizes.
Inside were antiques, jewelry, and famous swords, all gleaming with a radiant brilliance.
Sig's heart filled with anticipation, but at the same time, a sense of foreboding crept in.
"That's right. These will also be auctioned to help Mr. Sig create a grand auction."
"Of course, these can't compare to Mr. Sig's treasure map. They're just supplementary items."
Umit nodded solemnly, his expression serious as he looked at Sig.
Sig opened his mouth but said nothing.
Finally, Stussy reacted first, chuckling softly:
"Umit, your instincts are sharp this time."
"You knew Mr. Sig was planning to stir up trouble with the treasure map, so you rushed over immediately, bringing all these things..."
The two of them, being familiar with each other, quickly fell into conversation.
After a long while, Umit finally stood up to take his leave.
Only Sig remained sitting on the couch, still a bit dazed.
The Calm-Calm Fruit had come... and then gone.
Not only that, but Umit's goodwill was something Sig couldn't easily refuse.
After all, Umit was one of the major forces behind the auction house. Selling items in an auction house he had a stake in was something Sig couldn't stop...
"Can't I just peacefully make my 100 million berries?"