Oboro and his group slipped quickly out through the inn's back entrance.
Their goal: to evade the ongoing Marine manhunt.
All of them had altered their appearances and dressed in disguises.
Thanks to Dom's intimate knowledge of the terrain and surroundings, they managed to make their way back into the lawless zones once night fell.
Along the way, streets that were usually packed with crowds were now eerily empty.
Most civilians had been warned by the Marines to stay indoors and remain hidden, terrified of getting caught up in the conflict.
After all, cornered pirates with nothing left to lose were capable of absolutely anything.
Even so, sporadic clashes between pirates and Marines still broke out within the lawless districts, while many criminals who thought they had hidden well were being systematically rooted out and dragged away.
Under the cover of darkness, as they moved through a narrow alleyway, Oboro and his companions came across three Marines posting wanted notices on a wall.
The soldiers spotted them too.
But Dom and his crew were fast and ruthless. Before the Marines could even open their mouths to shout, the pirates closed in and took them down swiftly.
"It's the wanted poster for that slave…"
One of the men flicked the blood off his blade, glancing at the papers scattered across the ground.
The others immediately moved closer for a better look, eager to see the face of the person responsible for turning Sabaody Archipelago upside down.
"Don't waste time. We need to get to the auction house fast. Someone will find this scene soon enough," Oboro warned sharply.
At his reminder, they picked up their pace again, with Dom leading the way.
Strangely enough, even though Oboro was technically the newest and youngest member of their crew, ever since he had laid out his plan back at the inn, Dom and the others had developed an inexplicable trust in him.
For someone supposedly new to the life of a pirate, he carried himself with a calmness and composure completely out of place for a rookie.
Bringing up the rear, Oboro glanced briefly at the sketch on the wall. The face drawn there was unmistakably his own.
However, in their desperate rush to escape and avoid detection, combined with the dim lighting of night, Dom and the others hadn't looked closely enough to recognize it.
If this had been broad daylight, they would have realized instantly that the man they were following was the very person the Marines were hunting.
"They really are moving fast…" Oboro thought to himself.
They were truly pushing him into a corner…
He couldn't help but wonder if the Will of the World was behind all this.
He knew he wouldn't be able to hide his identity for much longer.
"This way!"
Up ahead, Dom waved them on, his face tense as he constantly scanned their surroundings.
Oboro followed close behind.
As dawn began to break, and after great effort and many detours, they finally found themselves near Donquixote Doflamingo's grand auction house.
But the Marine presence here was far heavier and more tightly organized than they had feared.
Guards were posted roughly every dozen meters, with patrols marching continuously through the streets.
The group was forced to crawl low on their stomachs, hiding behind the crest of a small hill, observing the layout.
Given Doflamingo's immense influence and his title as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the auction house was located in the most central and best‑maintained part of the district.
Even though this was technically a lawless zone, there was none of the grime, disorder, or chaos seen in other areas.
Instead, even the ordinary shops lining the streets looked surprisingly refined and upscale.
Giant mangrove trees of all sizes grew around the buildings — though unnumbered here — interspersed with rolling small hills and slopes.
"No way we're slipping in… The whole street's surrounded and sealed off."
"Damn it! How many men did they deploy exactly?"
Two of the pirates cursed in hushed voices.
Right now, if they were spotted, they were dead. There wouldn't even be a chance to run.
And considering they had already killed several Marines during their flight here, it was almost certain that the soldiers had been alerted and were specifically searching for any rats trying to slip past the blockade.
Delaying any longer would only make things worse.
"What do we do?"
Instinctively, every eye turned toward Oboro.
Oboro shifted his gaze from the streets and the tight Marine formation.
He raised a hand and pointed toward a specific direction.
"There."
They all followed his finger. There stood a three‑story building, its walls scarred and battered by heavy cannon fire and explosions. It was reduced almost to ruins, yet it still stood upright.
"That was likely a hideout used by some gang earlier. The Marines have already raided and cleared it out… so we can use it," Oboro analyzed calmly.
"As for how to get there unseen… These soldiers aren't machines. They will rotate shifts and change posts. First, memorize every guard's position and every patrol's route. Then, we strike during the gaps between their shifts."
"We'll split into two groups. If we all move together, we're guaranteed to draw attention."
Oboro smiled faintly.
There was no question: the first group to cross would bear the greatest risk.
If they got caught, there would be no escape. Those coming later, however, could still turn and run if things went wrong.
But if the first attempt succeeded, the second group could simply follow the exact same path.
The pirates exchanged uneasy glances. No one was eager to step forward and play the hero.
"I'll go."
Seeing the hesitation and awkward silence, Oboro raised his hand.
"Great!"
"Don't worry! Once we're safely off Sabaody and back on the ship, I'll make sure to put in a good word for you with the Captain. I promise you'll get promoted fast!"
"Just be careful! If anything goes wrong, we'll come running to save you immediately!"
The pirates spoke with exaggerated sincerity.
"I'm the new guy after all. In a situation like this, it's only right I take the lead," Oboro replied casually.
His words touched the hearts of the rough crew deeply.
Then, Dom gritted his teeth and spoke up suddenly.
"I'm coming with you."
"Alright."
Oboro raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised.
Not completely lacking in courage, I see.
A moment later, Oboro and Dom slid down the slope, moving silently toward the street corner.
Dawn was beginning to brighten the sky, but it was still dim and gray.
More importantly, after standing guard for hours, the soldiers looked exhausted and their focus was clearly slipping.
Just a few meters away, a Marine stood leaning on his rifle, stifling a yawn.
Oboro simply kept his hands in his pockets and began walking slowly and casually toward the man.
Watching this from close behind, Dom felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He never expected Oboro to approach so openly and boldly…
"In this world of One Piece, purely in terms of natural physical constitution, durability, and growth potential, it ranks highest among the three worlds I've visited. However…" Oboro thought silently, his eyes fixed on the side of the soldier's face. "He didn't even notice my gaze… meaning his senses are far from sharp."
Based on his extensive experience, Oboro could accurately estimate the range of this soldier's hearing when he was unfocused.
In other words, as long as he stayed outside that auditory range, there was little to no danger.
He could also assess the soldier's physical capabilities and stats with just a glance.
At a calculated distance, Oboro changed his pace and direction, turning smoothly aside.
At that exact moment, the Marine seemed to sense something and turned his head to look.
But the street was empty. There was nothing there.
Frowning in confusion, and deciding it was just his imagination, the soldier turned back around.
Dom felt his blood run cold and his heart hammered against his ribs. They had been so close… so close to being discovered.
Fortunately, he had noticed Oboro suddenly shift sideways and crouch low. Acting purely on instinct, Dom had mimicked his movement instantly.
Otherwise…
They were now within the soldier's blind spot.
Oboro possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of human anatomy and perception.
Unless someone had undergone specialized training, he knew exactly where the limits of a normal person's field of vision lay.
From their hiding spot on the hill, the rest of the crew watched as Oboro guided Dom through the streets.
They glided effortlessly from one "blind spot" to another, fluidly weaving past guards and patrols, until they slipped into a narrow side alley and vanished completely from view.
The Marines had concentrated their defenses along the main roads. Once off the main avenues, reaching the ruined building became significantly easier.
What baffled the watching pirates most was how they did it. From their vantage point, it looked as though the soldiers had been staring directly at Oboro and Dom several times… yet they never saw them.
It was… utterly uncanny.
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