Chapter 348: Chapter 348: Control and Intimidation!
Chapter 348: Control and Intimidation!
It didn’t take long for Saint Charlos to realize something was off.
No matter what item was brought to the stage—weapon, treasure, Doflamingo raised his paddle without hesitation.
What was more infuriating was that even when other nobles placed bids, Doflamingo would always raise it higher. There were even times when Charlos himself tried to play along and test him, but Doflamingo still outbid him with a casual grin.
And now, they had entered the second half of the auction.
The slave lots had begun.
Saint Charlos had assumed Doflamingo would lose interest at this point. After all, a man like him wouldn’t care about such things.
But no—he kept bidding.
He bought everything.
That’s when it finally hit Charlos.
Doflamingo hadn’t come here to bid—he came to ruin the auction. He wasn’t just acting alone—he might very well be acting on behalf of the Dragon Hunter Pirates.
And if he bought all these items under his name... who would dare to collect payment from him afterward? Certainly not any kingdom, not any navy squad, not even Charlos himself.
Veins bulged on the back of Charlos’s hand as he gripped his porcelain teacup.
"Buy up everything from this point forward," he growled to Joseph. "But not under our name. Contact a few minor nobles... tell them to drive the prices up."
"We can’t let Doflamingo dominate this auction any further."
It was a hasty strategy, but a calculated one. Let the small fries feel important for a day, enjoy the stage, enjoy the illusion of influence. In return, they’d serve as disposable pawns to block Doflamingo.
And with the power of a Celestial Dragon behind them, they’d feel invincible.
Soon after, a long-arm tribe slave was brought to the stage—just a mid-tier lot.
The bid?
3.8 billion Berries.
Gasps filled the room.
That price was nearing bounty levels for royals. And this was for a regular slave—nothing rare, nothing enhanced.
Doflamingo narrowed his eyes, then stood, arms lazily draped at his sides.
"The Holl Kingdom," he said with a smirk, "just recently became a kingdom, didn’t it? The land they own isn’t even as big as one of my private islands."
He looked around the room theatrically.
"For a country like that, shouldn’t someone have verified their eligibility to even be here? I mean... they couldn’t cough up that much cash even if they sold their entire nation."
A few muffled chuckles rippled through the audience.
Doflamingo smiled.
He knew exactly what was going on. From the moment those bids started, he’d figured it out. These weren’t real contenders. They were planted nobles—little puppets fed lines by the likes of Charlos.
If this had been any other auction, it might’ve worked.
But they weren’t facing just anyone.
They were facing Doflamingo, the Dark Overlord of the Underworld.
"Mr. Doflamingo," the auctioneer snapped, clearly losing patience. "Please show some restraint. If you’re unclear about something, spreading false accusations comes with consequences!"
The room tensed.
For a brief moment, the auctioneer felt empowered. Doflamingo had been dominating the event, and finally, others were placing bids again. The flow was returning to normal.
Then, Doflamingo’s head tilted, his lips twisting into a devilish grin.
"Unclear?" he repeated, voice cold.
"Fufufufu... I probably know more about the yearly finances of these tiny nations than they do. Their ledgers are on my desk every month."
"You think I’ve run the black market this long without knowing who can pay?"
His gaze fell sharply on the small group of minor nobles—those who had dared to challenge him.
The pressure in the room spiked instantly.
Even with Celestial Dragons watching from above, even with the protection of the World Government... being targeted by Doflamingo was a death sentence.
And these nobles knew it.
After all, the World Government might back a Celestial Dragon—but they wouldn’t protect disposable nobles when the knives came out.
"You lot..." Doflamingo continued, eyes gleaming. "You seriously raising the price yourselves?"
"If that’s true... I’d be happy to provide free escort services. I’ll personally help the World Government collect payment from your kingdoms—free of charge."
"But if you’re bluffing... if you drive up the price and can’t pay..."
"I’ll burn your kingdom to the ground."
With that, he sat back down.
The corners of his mouth curved into an evil smile.
And just as that tension hit its peak, new figures slipped into the auction hall.
With security distracted—focused entirely on Doflamingo and the chaos he stirred—no one paid attention to the newcomers.
Kidd. Law. The Supernovas.
Ryuunosuke, watching silently from the shadows, raised an eyebrow. The presence of so many volatile players could only mean one thing—chaos was coming.
Doflamingo felt it too.
When Law entered, Doflamingo glanced his way—just a flicker of recognition—and then looked away.
He was not worried.
He expected trouble.
Meanwhile, the pressure on the small nobles had reached its limit.
Finally, one couldn’t take it anymore.
"I-I was wrong!" he cried out, standing and trembling. "I give up! I’m leaving now!"
He turned to run.
Bang!
The echo of a gunshot rang out.
Gasps. Screams.
A Celestial Dragon had stepped onto the auction stage—Saint Charlos.
He held a smoking pistol in one hand, eyes wild.
He’d shot the noble in the leg—not to kill, but to stop him.
If one of the pawns gave up, the rest would crumble. And if they all dropped out, Doflamingo would take the entire auction from him.
He couldn’t allow that.
But the price of playing god was about to catch up to him.
"Five Color Strings."
Fine threads glinted in the light as Doflamingo waved a hand, instantly intercepting the second bullet Charlos aimed at the fleeing noble.
He stood slowly.
"I say," he drawled, "are Celestial Dragons really this shameless now?"
"You force your lackeys to bid, then shoot them when they can’t follow through?"
Charlos’ face contorted with rage.
"You dare block me from killing someone!?" he snarled. "I am Saint Charlos! There is no one I cannot kill! If you get in my way—I’ll kill you too!"
Doflamingo didn’t flinch.
He let out a cold chuckle and released his Armament Haki, a black aura pulsing around him, thick and suffocating.
The crowd recoiled.
Every noble, every staff member—even the guards—shrank back in fear.
The killing intent was real. Heavy. Tangible.
In that moment, Charlos remembered something important.
Doflamingo wasn’t just some pirate.
He had the Dragon Hunter Pirates at his back.
If Doflamingo killed him here and now—what could the World Government do? Avenge him after the fact?
That wouldn’t bring him back.
His survival instincts screamed at him.
He gritted his teeth, snorted coldly, and turned away.
"Tch."
He stormed off the stage, his pride in shambles.
Back at the podium, the auctioneer—drenched in cold sweat—forced a smile.
"W-Well, Mr. Doflamingo... we’ll finalize that last item at your offer price."
He waited for Doflamingo to accept.
But instead, Doflamingo growled, leaning forward.
"Screw you."
The words rang out like a gunshot.
And the auctioneer, already pale, turned ghostly white.
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