KING sighed.
His left thumb continued pressing directional inputs on the handheld console. His right hand remained too lazy to even form a fist.
A colossal arm made from fused steel beams screamed toward him, metal shrieking like a swarm of angry insects.
KING's brow tightened.
"…Where did this giant iron mosquito come from…?"
Without turning, he lazily flicked his hand backward.
The instant his finger touched the steel—
BOOM—!!!
The explosion was not the sound of metal colliding.
It was the sound of force being violently rejected.
No resistance.
No struggle.
Only absolute destructive recoil.
Kid's massive steel arm shattered instantly. Every fragment blasted backward at multiples of its incoming velocity, as if repelled by an invisible meteor impact.
White shockwaves rippled through the bar.
Eustass Kid's savage grin froze in place.
His pupils filled with expanding black fragments.
"What—"
Blood sprayed.
The torrent of rebounding metal engulfed him.
CRASH—!
Kid blasted backward through the wall he had just entered, through the storefront across the street, and finally slammed into the trunk of a mangrove tree nearly two hundred meters away.
He remained embedded there.
Unmoving.
Dust drifted down.
Killer's hands trembled.
That hadn't even been an attack.
The man hadn't turned his head.
Later, when Kid recovered, the name he hated most would spread among pirates:
Iron Mosquito.
Silence filled the bar.
KING glanced at his screen.
CLEAR
He exhaled in relief.
Good. The level wasn't wasted.
He unplugged the device, pocketed it, picked up the half-melted ice water, and drank.
The swallow echoed in the dead silence.
Every Supernova present felt cold run down their spine.
That was the highest-bounty rookie among them.
KING placed a coin on the counter and flicked it spinning.
Then he stood.
Hands in pockets.
"This place is too noisy. I'll find somewhere else."
X Drake stood rigid.
The undercover Marine's instincts screamed.
Headquarters described him as quiet and mild.
This is mild?!
He nearly saluted.
Basil Hawkins flipped another tarot card.
Death.
Upright.
"If he hadn't attacked," Hawkins rasped, "that card would have been ours."
Urouge wiped sweat from his brow.
"This is Vice Admiral King… true karmic retribution."
Outside — Sabaody Streets
KING walked under harsh sunlight, irritation simmering.
That "mosquito" nearly cost him the stage clear.
Crowds everywhere.
Noise everywhere.
Wasn't there a quiet place to rest?
His gaze settled on a large domed structure guarded at the entrance.
Formal.
Enclosed.
The sign gleamed:
Human Auctioning House
Perfect.
Air conditioning.
Soft seats.
Dark interior.
KING walked straight toward the entrance.
A guard raised a hand—
KING lazily flashed the edge of his Marine ID.
The man froze.
Vice Admiral.
He stepped aside instantly.
Inside the Auction House
Cool air washed over him.
Comfortable.
The auction had not begun. Nobles whispered. Pirates loitered. Guards watched.
KING ignored everyone and headed straight to a dim corner seat near the rear.
Ideal location:
low lighting
minimal disturbance
near restroom
He sank into the chair, pulled his hood down, then slid an eye mask over his face.
Perfect.
On stage, a mermaid girl trembled inside a glass tank.
Greedy murmurs spread through the audience.
KING heard nothing.
Vacation meant sleep.
He shifted to a better position.
Just as consciousness began fading—
BOOM—!!!
The auction hall doors exploded inward.
Wood fragments scattered.
The Straw Hats burst in.
"Camie—!!"
Gunshots echoed.
KING's temples throbbed.
Sleep was officially impossible.
He removed his eye mask and sat up.
Chaos unfolded before him.
A straw-hatted boy advanced toward a bloated man in a space suit clutching a golden pistol.
"…Hmm?"
KING narrowed his eyes.
That straw hat…
Garp's grandson.
Trouble.
The next moment froze history.
Monkey D. Luffy pulled back his fist, rage blazing.
He punched.
THUD—!!
The Celestial Dragon's face collapsed inward. His body flew backward through rows of seats before crashing unconscious into debris.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
He hit a Celestial Dragon.
Everyone knew what that meant.
An Admiral would be dispatched.
Buru buru buru…
A Den Den Mushi rang from KING's pocket.
He answered.
"King—!!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" roared Sengoku.
Garp's laughter echoed faintly behind him.
KING held the receiver away from his ear.
"I knew it. Running into Straw Hat Luffy never ends well."
"Old man Garp, why am I cleaning up your grandson's mess?"
"Vacation my ass! A Celestial Dragon has been assaulted! Guards reported a Vice Admiral inside maintaining order — that's you!"
Sengoku sounded on the verge of collapse.
"Borsalino is already en route! Control the situation before he arrives!"
Click.
The line went dead.
KING slowly turned his head.
Ahead:
Luffy adjusting his hat
pirates preparing to flee
nobles screaming
guards panicking
Kizaru was coming.
And he was on vacation.
KING looked at his leave slip.
One final thought surfaced:
His vacation… had just ended early.