Chapter 10: The Guide Siblings
It didn't take long to walk from the Inn District to the Auction Grounds—just about half an hour on foot, and Sakazuki soon arrived.
He had only caught a fleeting glimpse of this grimy place before under Ross's guidance. Now, it was his first time seeing it properly.
Though the numbers on the red trees marked the different areas, each district was actually fairly compact with only a few buildings, spaced out by empty buffer zones—not too large, not too small.
After a short walk, Sakazuki reached the edge of a small town.
What met his eyes were three massive auction houses surrounded by scattered shops, taverns, and slave traders—nothing decent or honorable in sight.
It made his stomach turn, but he pushed down his disgust and continued forward, hoping to find a shop that sold explosives.
"Hey there, mister! Need a guide? Just a thousand Berries, and the Sphinx siblings will take you anywhere you want in this city!"
Just as Sakazuki was starting to feel lost, a boy dragging a girl behind him ran up and stopped in front of him, energetically pitching their services.
"Mister, the Lotine Auction Grounds are huge! Most first-timers get lost right away—but with a guide, you'll have no trouble at all! And it's only a thousand Berries!"
Sakazuki looked down. The two kids weren't even half his height. The girl gazed at him pitifully while the boy wore a forced, cheerful grin.
He froze for a moment, caught off guard. This was the first time he had faced such a direct approach.
After all, he was just a boy from a small island. He'd never seen anything like this and didn't have the heart to chase them off. All he could do was hesitate awkwardly in place.
Finally, he sighed, pulled a large bill from between the pages of his book, and handed it over.
"Take me to a place where I can buy explosives."
Even if not for the boy's forced smile, he couldn't ignore the girl's sorrowful face.
Thanks to Ross's training, Sakazuki was much sharper now. His keen perception picked up the injuries on the children—just barely visible beneath their clothes but deep enough to hint at frequent abuse.
Two tools—that was Sakazuki's guess.
How much of this 1,000 Berries would they actually get? He didn't know. But maybe it would spare them a beating today.
He wasn't a saint. He understood full well that he didn't have the power to change anything—not yet. But if something could be done with little effort, he didn't mind doing it. It cost him nothing.
After this errand, he could still stop by the souvenir district and pick up a few gifts—maybe for Big Brother Moxxi, his other two little brothers, or some of his crewmates back on the ship.
"Thank you, mister! I'm Sphinx Zoro, and this is my sister Zoe. We're happy to be your guides!"
Zoro beamed as he handed the money to his sister, then straightened his worn-out clothes and gave a mock-polite bow, motioning for Sakazuki to take the lead.
"You're looking for explosives, right? You won't find good stuff on this street. If you want the best bang for your buck, Old Medic on West Street is your guy!"
Sakazuki appreciated the boy's enthusiastic service, though it pained him too.
Because service like this only came from one of two things: training or survival.
Either way, it meant their childhood was likely far harsher than his own. He tried not to dwell on it as he followed Zoro's lead toward West Street.
"Has this place… always been like this?"
Sakazuki asked suddenly. Along the way, he had noticed how surprisingly well-ordered the area seemed—at least on the surface.
It didn't match the "kill-or-be-killed" lawlessness he had imagined. He hadn't even sensed anyone trying to tail him!
He always expected the worst from these kinds of scumbags—because no amount of suspicion toward trash like this was ever too much.
Zoro glanced at him, then smiled knowingly. So this big guy was definitely new here—a noble kid, probably. That would explain why he handed over 1,000 Berries so easily.
Sakazuki was dressed neatly and carried himself with a composed demeanor—definitely not someone ordinary. It was no surprise Zoro mistook him for a noble.
"There's a difference between the auction grounds and the lawless zone," Zoro explained. "This place is basically the public face of the underworld. Aside from the real idiots, no one dares break the rules here."
Hearing the way Zoro casually tossed out underworld lingo made Sakazuki's head spin. If only Master Ross were here—he could've explained everything clearly.
Seeing his confusion, Zoro clarified:
"It just means bigshots are backing this place. Everyone here plays by their rules. Step out of line, and it never ends well. After all, this is business, not robbery."
"…Thanks. Got it."
"Ahem! Mister, we're here. My sister and I will wait outside. Just go in and ask for the old man—he's the most trustworthy person on this street."
The trio had arrived at a modest shop—not bad-looking, but clearly small potatoes compared to the massive auction halls nearby.
The weathered sign above the entrance read "Old Medic", cracked and faded from long years of use.
Sakazuki gave a small nod and stepped inside, understanding the arrangement now.
This probably wasn't the best store in town—but the owner clearly had a deal with the siblings to bring in customers. He was just another one on the list.
Still, if the store had a reputation for honesty, that was better than nothing.
"Welcome to Old Medic's Gunpowder Shop. Take a look around. If you've got questions, just ask this old man."
A hunched figure shuffled out, his voice creaky with age.
The moment Sakazuki laid eyes on him, he tensed up.
Strong. This old man could easily kill him!
The only comfort was that he didn't seem stronger than Big Brother Moxxi.
Still, Sakazuki forced himself to relax. The old man carried no hostility, though Sakazuki remained cautiously on guard.
He wandered the store in silence, shelves lined with various types of gunpowder. Each one had different craftsmanship, affecting its power—finished bombs sat next to the ingredients used to make them.
Everything was neat and professional. Some even had little wooden plaques detailing their explosive power and price.
"I want the most powerful gunpowder you have. Can you show me?"
"No problem, noble sir," the old man chuckled. "Come check this out—Vinsmoke Industries from the North Blue just released a new product: the 'Kazami Fish' high-grade explosive!"
---