https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-221-What-Are-World-Nobles-Worth-/12611188/
Chapter 222: An Age of Scum Breeds More Scum (6k words)
Chapter 222: An Age of Scum Breeds More Scum (6k words)
Everyone else was stunned by Sag's action of chaining up a World Noble, their attempts to leave halted.
What is he doing?
Is he chaining up a World Noble?
A World Noble!
Everyone broke into cold sweats at this sight, incredulous.
So he's not just capturing but also planning to sell them?
Would anyone dare to buy them?
"What a terrifying man."
Ulqi finally broke out of his rigidity after a while, no longer able to maintain the eerie laughter that had been bubbling up constantly.
"What are you planning to do?" Ulqi asked, eyeing Sag who had started to pull on the chains, intending to drag the two World Nobles along.
"Of course, I plan to sell them. Anyone captured can be sold, and World Nobles are no exception, right?"
Sag laughed. "I wonder how much they're worth... What do you think?"
He turned to the five-meter-tall hulk he had just rescued.
"Why did you save me?" The hulk asked, his eyes regaining some of their spirit as he looked down at the white-haired man.
"A pirate doesn't need a reason for his actions." Sag replied with a smile.
The hulk lowered his body, trying to make himself smaller so that Sag could look him in the eye or even gaze down at him.
"My name is Jambarl. It would be my honor to follow a strong man like you!"
"Jambarl?" Sag paused, taken aback.
"Do you know me?" Jambarl's confusion grew.
"No, your name just sounds vaguely familiar." Sag shook his head. "But if you want to be one of my men, you're most welcome to join."
In terms of willpower, this guy wasn't an upper-level one. Among the Disaster Pirates' officers, Sag wouldn't dare to make assumptions about the others, but if those three women were turned into slaves, they would definitely act as he predicted.
After all, they would all be slaves, so it was only natural to exchange one life for another.
This guy seemed relatively normal. At least after being released, he exhibited a noticeable increase in agitated frenzy, which was far better than that Dias, who was worth sixty million berries, or even the crew members who had once been Bridge Kingdom slaves.
This guy had decent strength and could serve as a minor officer on the ship, perhaps partnering with Miot.
"You take the lead."
Sag handed the chain to Jambarl.
"Me?"
Jambarl took the chain in a daze, then reacted and instinctively looked at the chain in his hand and then at the two World Nobles lying unconscious on the ground.
His instinct was to throw away the chain, which felt like molten lava, burning hotter and hotter in his grip.
However, Sag's words stopped him.
"Give it a try. Experience what it's like to be the one pulling the chain."
Jambarl stared at Sag's departing figure for a moment, his hand, which had been about to let go, clenching the chain tightly again.
He was no longer the slave being led; he had not run away but instead swapped positions. He had become the one doing the leading.
This feeling...
Jambarl lowered his head, tugged on the chain a couple of times, and then bared his teeth in a sinister smile.
It felt rather good!
"Hahahaha! The man who captures others as slaves has now become a slave himself! Disaster, you may be crazy, but you're doing a damn good job!"
In the corner, where his wounds were being bandaged by his crew, Kidd laughed out loud:
"Whether it's a scoundrel or not doesn't matter. Compared to these people whose desires have warped them, the villains of the world are slightly more humane. That's how it is—an age of scum breeds more scum!"
Sag glanced over at Kidd and smiled. "I thought you were just a punk, but you speak well. I like you. How about joining my crew?"
"Hmph!"
Kidd snorted coldly. "I have to admit you're strong now, but I, Kidd, will never submit to you. Let's have a real contest in the New World. That's where the true pirate showdown awaits!"
"Then make sure you grab a lot so you can pay me back."
Sag wasn't asking for repayment now, and the small amount he had asked for earlier clearly indicated that Kidd had no intention of paying. However, Sag didn't mind; the longer it took, the more he would get.
This was the advanced form of lending money—a sustainable way of fishing a pond dry.
"The same goes for the rest of you. If you can't pay me back now, it's fine. Feel free to run if you want, as long as I don't find you. The longer you take, the more you'll owe!"
"Unless you don't go to the New World, but as Supernovas, how could you not go? Hohohoho!"
Sag laughed heartily and walked up to Ulqi. "But it's different for you. I only give you one choice: join my pirate crew."
Ulqi stared into Sag's eyes for a moment, then raised his hand in a holy gesture, saying, "I still have my followers. I cannot abandon them."
"That's simple. Bring them all. My ship is big enough. Your crew shouldn't exceed a hundred people for your level of pirates."
Sag waved his hand. "I'm very generous to people like you. After all, you're all clergymen, right?"
"He noticed a group of people dressed as clergy hiding in the corner of a building some distance away. They were a mix of male and female monks, priests, and worshippers.
This was the kind of person Sag welcomed. Hawkins' subordinates were a bunch of little diviners who liked to perform rituals and fortune-telling, even though they had exchanged their unusual attire for normal clothing. Their habits wouldn't change, and a group of clergy could potentially be useful for collaboration.
This side fortune-telling, that side performing rituals, improving the odds."
"I suppose I can't refuse."
Ulqi remained silent for a moment before speaking up. "I want to see what kind of man you'll become."
"That's very wise of you, a Sky Person with not-so-grand ambitions. I wouldn't give someone like you a chance to leave," Sag laughed. "Join my pirate crew, and you won't be at a disadvantage! A monk like you probably can't grab much money, so why not join me and see what it's like to be truly unrestrained? Hahahaha! As for the rest of you, the best slave auction venue in the Unlawful Zone, the First Auction House, awaits you! Today is the best day to pay up!"
Not all pirates had grand ambitions. Some things could be sensed through battle.
The strongest wills belonged to Kid, Law, and perhaps the pink-haired girl, who might have been a girl.
Their physiques suggested they were girls, but something about this girl felt off to Sag, even though he had only briefly come into contact with her. She seemed to have the heart of a little girl, but her will was exceptionally strong, reminding him of Reti, although her heart seemed a bit simpler.
These three had grand ambitions and strong wills. They wouldn't give up easily and would surely find a way to achieve their goals. They could be let loose outside to raise funds; time was of no concern to Sag.
The others, like the short one and the dinosaur-transforming guy, had less ambitious wills.
It wasn't that they were weak, just that their ambitions weren't as strong as the first three.
These pirates could also be released to bring in money.
There was no fear of losing them since Sag was confident he could find them again, especially after entering the New World and establishing his territory and influence.
Only Ulqi was different. Perhaps it was because he was a monk, but his ambitions didn't seem as grand as the others', and his obsession with becoming the Pirate King wasn't as intense. As a Sky Person, his escape would be harder to prevent, and with his small wings, he could easily flee to the ten-thousand-meter-high sky.
This man had decent strength, but more importantly, he could be useful for something else.
"You scoundrel!"
Kid scowled at Ulqi, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.
The other Supernovas also had peculiar appearances.
How could a fellow Supernova surrender so easily?
True, this man had the second-lowest bounty among them, but it still felt too quick.
Anyone who could become a Supernova would surely find a place for themselves in the New World and wouldn't easily submit to others. As Supernovas, they were expected to fare better than other pirates, and even if they were to join another crew, they would opt for the Yonko.
Some admired Ulqi's decision, while others scorned it.
Only Ulqi knew the strange feeling lurking beneath his eerie smile.
There was a sense of dominion in the eyes of the Disaster.
It wasn't about killing, but Ulqi felt that the Disaster wouldn't take his life. However, if he refused, there seemed to be something far more terrifying than death awaiting him.
"Sharp intuition."
Hawkins put away his tarot cards. "You won't regret it."
"Is that how you ended up on his ship? If so, perhaps my decision as a monk is the right one."
"Death is not to be feared, but dying without meaning is worthless."
Ulqi didn't aspire to be the Pirate King. As a monk, his greatest dream was to aid those in distress and punish the wicked.
Sag's reputation was ambiguous, and it was hard to judge if he valued righteousness. However, one thing was certain: this man was only interested in the strong.
This didn't conflict with Ulqi's goals.
So, joining the crew wasn't particularly objectionable.
Sag's plan was simple, and it was the same as when he encountered Hawkins. If they didn't agree, he would capture them, then find the idiot, take his ability, and throw his head to the bounty hunters, selling him off. He already had someone in mind for the ability, Miot.
But since they had agreed, he would let it go.
This man had a decent level of discernment and wasn't someone who didn't know his place.
Sag asked Lucky, "What's the situation at Auction House 1?"
"The best 'job agency' in the Unlawful Zone, it holds slave auctions once a month. It's where you'll find the best slaves."
"Lucky, what's the situation at Auction House 1?" Sag asked.
"The best 'job agency' in the Unlawful Zone. They hold slave auctions once a month, and that's where you'll find the best slaves," Lucky replied.
As for the more elusive races, they fetched a high price.
Giants were divided into male and female categories, with the former starting at fifty million berries and the latter at ten million berries.
The most valuable race was the mermaids. Male mermaids were inexpensive, usually starting at the same price as fish-men, around one million berries. In human eyes, there was little difference between fish-men and male mermaids.
However, female mermaids commanded a different price, starting at seventy million berries. Even those who had grown a pair of legs still fetched a price of ten million berries.
As for ability users, they were also up for sale, but their prices fluctuated based on the current era's valuation.
Inside the venue, everyone awaited the opening on the front stage, curious to see what kinds of slaves would be presented.
Some wanted to buy fish-men, others desired giants, and there were those who only sought to purchase young women of high quality or robust young men.
Among them, Kalifa stood in line, holding the number 44 token, awaiting the arrival of the slaves.
"Welcome, everyone, to the monthly Human Auction!"
The host, donning a purple robe, a yellow tall hat, and a pair of star-shaped glasses, stood on the stage with a microphone in hand, his voice passionate and enthusiastic.
"There's no need for a lengthy introduction. I know our guests are eager to begin, so let's kick off the hottest auction of them all! Get a tight grip on your tokens and calculate your budgets as you unleash your most sincere desires and aspirations. Bid for the items that suit you best!"
The host enthusiastically spread his arms wide, a fervent smile on his face. "Now, let us introduce Item Number One: a proud pirate from the Kingdom of Troja in the Western Sea, a man born into a musical family, a master of all instruments, a human music box capable of bringing melodies to life with his playing!"
"Additionally, as a human, he places great importance on cleanliness. Aside from being a musician, he can also serve as a cleaner. With his skills, I'm sure he can give you a spotlessly clean home!"
"Of course, these are merely his skills and not his specialties. Despite being a pirate, he possesses a fine talent for winemaking!"
"He can play music, brew wine, and clean. Who knows, he might even make a fine butler, capable of managing your estates and perhaps even bringing in new profits!"
The host gestured to the side, drawing attention to a man with curly hair parted down the middle, who was being escorted by two guards onto the stage.
"Baylon, 25 years old, 192 cm tall, weighing 130 kg! As the first item, he's also our special offer. Usually, humans start at a base price of five million berries, but we're dropping the price to four million eight hundred thousand berries for the auction. And now, let the bidding begin!"
"Four million eight hundred thousand berries? That's quite a bargain. Sounds good to me," the owner of Token Number Seven remarked, raising their token.
However, it didn't take long for someone else to outbid them.
"Five million berries!"
"Five million two hundred thousand berries!"
"Five million three hundred thousand berries!"
"Six... sixty million berries!" The owner of Token Number Seven hastily raised their token again, seeing how many people were bidding.
"Sixty million berries, sixty million berries. Anyone else? This pirate, who can brew wine, play music, and clean, might just become your future butler, a renowned wine connoisseur, a famous musician who can thrill crowds with his concerts, bringing you both face and fortune.
"Buy him, and you might just earn sixty million berries, six hundred million berries! Anyone else? If not, then sixty million berries it is. Going once, going twice... sold to Number Seven!"
"One million berries."
A voice, robust and full of vigor, resonated from the entrance.
Sag, accompanied by Lily, strode through the door, a boisterous laugh escaping his lips. "I'll bid one million berries for him. I quite like this musician!"
"Well, dear guest, one million berries it is. But it seems you don't have a token, and for that, I apologize. I would love to sell him to you, but without the proper qualifications, I'm afraid I can't. Thank you for your enthusiasm, and please do join us next month... Oh, it seems we have a bidder with Token Number 44 offering one million berries!"
The host, a smile on his face, pointed at the person holding up the token in the center of the venue.
Sag descended the stairs, and Kalifa quickly stood up, yielding her spot to him as she and Lily stood to his sides.
"You want to buy this guy? He doesn't seem very strong," Kalifa inquired.
"Does strength really matter? I'm buying talented professionals to liven up the party, and besides..."
Sag leaned back, pulling a cigar from his cloak and lighting it with a lighter before taking a puff, a trail of smoke escaping his lips. "I'm a man of honor. I'll buy first, then steal."
If Dove didn't want this place, then it was ownerless, and if he did, Sag would still buy it out of consideration for their partnership. He could just wait for Dove's merchandise to arrive and then seize it all at once.
Sag's eyes fell on the smiling face with a slash through it, painted on both sides of the stage, a sinister smile stretching across his features.
"Kalifa, go backstage and have them look for Dove. Dove will teach them what to do, and then wait for my men to arrive. Have them blockade this place. These people will also be participating in my auction!"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
