News traveled fast—so fast that it reached Najenda before dawn.
Once informed, she wasted no time activating the Night Raid team. The Celestial Dragons... it seemed the chaos from the last encounter hadn't been enough to wake them from their delusions.
This time, Ryuunosuke had issued a direct order, and even Morgans' News Coo had brought along a specialized film and television Den Den Mushi.
Najenda immediately understood what Ryuunosuke planned to do next.
---
The Following Night...
The auction house once again buzzed with vile opulence, its operations proceeding with clockwork precision, just as they had before the chaos.
Meanwhile, Ryuunosuke had quietly eliminated a noble and stolen his invitation. With Ace at his side, the two entered the auction hall unnoticed.
"Do you really think they're putting women from special races up for sale this time?" someone whispered behind them.
"I don't care," another voice muttered. "I've already got a batch of fighters trained. One of 'em even knows how to wield a sword. I'm just here for the weapons."
"Tch... weapons, soldiers, slaves... In the end, we all serve the World Government's scraps. Powerful my ass..."
A group of nobles lounged in the hall, chatting with smug disregard for the world outside. They dared to speak freely only because the Celestial Dragons weren't among them in the main hall—they remained sealed away in private luxury boxes, aloof and unseen.
The nobles here were no saints either. Most of them shared the same crooked interests, so within this circle, frustrations with the World Government flowed like wine.
Though they bowed and scraped in public, in private they cursed the very system they served.
"Brother," Ace whispered, eyes narrowing. "This auction... it's more than just slaves, isn't it? When do we make our move?"
Ryuunosuke leaned back in his seat, voice calm and amused. "Patience. Let the stars of tonight's show arrive first."
He smirked. "And just so you know—it wasn't me who invited Morgans this time."
Ace raised an eyebrow. "You didn't?"
"Nope. The nobles wanted publicity. They invited Morgans' News Coo themselves, thinking he'd broadcast their little event to the whole world. And they're using a special visual Den Den Mushi network to stream it."
Ace blinked. "So they're holding a remote auction? That's a thing now?"
"It is," Ryuunosuke replied. "And it's exactly why this is going to be fun."
Despite the growing instability across the seas, many nobles had still come—those greedy enough to brave the waters just to purchase 'government-certified' slaves. After all, once these slaves were marked and bought through this auction, the World Government would acknowledge them as personal property. Even if they were stolen or escaped, they'd still be considered property by law.
It was a sick system, but one that gave the auction great appeal.
Still, he knew this wasn't the time to blow their cover. The real fireworks hadn't even started.
---
As time crept on, the hall grew louder. More nobles arrived, draped in jewels, soaked in perfume, flaunting their entitlement like a second skin.
The auction house, freshly rebuilt and even grander than before, seemed to glow under the chandeliers. It had even expanded, with more chambers, more cages—and more suffering.
The auction house owner wore a delighted smile as he bowed deeply to the smug man beside him.
"Saint Charlos, everything is in place," he reported eagerly. "We expect tonight's earnings to exceed 10 billion Berries. If we pull this off, we could replicate this format across the sea—remote auctions everywhere. Once it's done, I'm certain you'll be rewarded handsomely."
Saint Charlos leaned back in his gilded chair, dressed in absurd layers of silk and fur. His expression, though ridiculous on the surface, twisted into something darker and more calculating.
"Joseph," he said with a grin, "I have no doubt tonight will be a success. The Dragon Hunter Pirates may still be prowling the seas, but they don't act as recklessly as they used to. Besides them, who would dare oppose the World Government?"
He laughed, short and arrogant.
Once, the slave trade in Sabaody was managed by several Celestial Dragons jointly. But after the emergence of the Dragon Hunter Pirates, many had chosen to retreat in fear. Charlos, however, had seized the opportunity. He took control of the entire business, expanded it, and brought in new blood.
And now, those same nobles who once abandoned ship were returning like rats sniffing gold.
What they didn't know—what most people refused to believe—was that Saint Charlos wasn't the blundering fool he portrayed.
He had perfected the art of acting ignorant. But behind the bumbling facade was a man obsessed with true power—not just the shallow dominance of nobles, but something greater.
He believed the Celestial Dragons were merely born at the summit—but that the real peak, the true power behind the World Government, lay just out of reach.
And tonight, he intended to climb one step closer.
He could already hear his father's praise echoing in his ears.
---
Suddenly, the doors burst open.
A staff member sprinted into the room, face pale as a ghost. Upon seeing Saint Charlos, he fell to his knees.
"What's wrong?" Joseph asked, stepping forward. "Why the panic?"
The man gulped. "D-Donquixote Doflamingo has arrived. He's here—inside the auction house."
Joseph's smile faltered.
Doflamingo's name carried more weight now than ever. He wasn't just a former Warlord—he was now regarded as a business partner by some of the World Government's inner circles.
And with that the Dragon Hunter Pirates backed him… his presence here could only mean trouble.
"Doflamingo?" Charlos snorted. "That Donquixote trash? Ignore him. He gave up his place among us when he chose to serve someone else."
"To bend the knee to a pirate—he's worse than scum."
Joseph hesitated for a breath, then nodded. "Understood. Regardless, we mustn't allow any mistakes tonight. The auction must proceed flawlessly."
"Yes, sir."
The staff member bowed again and rushed off.
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