Chapter 227: Starting Bid of 1 Berry
Chapter 227: Starting Bid of 1 Berry
At the entrance, Nami didn't even have time to call out to the mermaids before she saw Sag pointing at the famous General Kemmi and handing them over.
Then, out of nowhere, two hundred million berries appeared.
Two hundred million!
It's true that she had just asked to borrow two hundred million from Sag, but that was genuinely to buy Kemmi, not to rescue him like this.
Does this require money, too?
Isn't this just giving it to her directly?
Without even seeing a single berry, she suddenly found herself indebted to Sag for two hundred million berries?!
Is the Grand Line that dangerous?
Just as Nami was about to pound her chest in frustration, the scene that unfolded before her left her standing stupefied, along with everyone else except for the Supernovas who already knew what was going to happen. They all froze like sculptures, feeling simultaneously terrified and wondering if they were still asleep.
In addition to Charlos, there were two more individuals dressed identically, wearing the same attire, and even sporting the same topknot hairstyle as Celestial Dragons, being led by their necks with iron chains onto the stage.
"Lo, Rozvard Saint, Sharulia Palace!" someone murmured in a dazed tone.
...
"Hahahahaha!"
In the New World, within the Dressrosa palace, Donflamingo found himself in a secret chamber, watching the scene projected by the Den Den Mushi, and he couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Excellent! Well done, Sag! You actually dared to do it!"
As he laughed heartily, his temples throbbed, and veins bulged on his forehead, indicating both excitement and anger—a contradictory mix of emotions.
"This is too much! You not only disrespect the heavens, but you also intend to trample them underfoot. You despicable commoner, you've really gone too far this time!"
Donflamingo's lips curled into a snarl, and his eyes narrowed menacingly behind his sunglasses, radiating a chilling killing intent.
This scene was so reminiscent of his childhood.
Three people: his father, himself, and his younger brother. They had been watched and humiliated in the same way.
"This is fantastic!"
He threw his arms wide, his face contorting with glee. "It brings me even more joy than an impending war! Damn you, Sag! Curse you for doing such a wonderful job! A new era is about to begin, and we won't have to wait anymore. You've dragged them down, hahahaha!"
...
At Mary Geoise.
On this day, due to the execution of Ace and the coercion of Whitebeard into a final battle, Sengoku had also arrived at the Holy Land above the Red Line to prepare for a meeting.
However, at this critical juncture, a major incident occurred.
Sengoku's head was pounding as he listened to the report from a Marine, and his body trembled with rage.
"A Celestial Dragon has been captured?! And it had to be at such a crucial moment, with that guy being involved again!"
He gripped the conference table for support and gritted his teeth. "Since he escaped, why didn't he just quietly go to the New World? Why did he have to do something so drastic? What is he trying to accomplish? Is this information reliable?!"
"Yes, because it was too ostentatious."
The reporting Marine's face was ashen, and he looked terrified. "According to the residents' reports, the members of the Heavenly Disaster Pirate Crew were using iron chains to restrain a Celestial Dragon, and they weren't hiding it at all as they approached the first tree. Moreover, the over one hundred million pirates gathered in the Shabondy Archipelago are also heading in that direction. We don't know what they plan to do. But currently, there are two Celestial Dragons being held hostage by the Heavenly Disaster Pirate Crew, and they are presumed to be at the Human Auctioning House in the first sector."
Sengoku's expression grew even grimmer.
The Marine clenched his jaw and continued, "According to our intelligence, there is also a third Celestial Dragon who will be going there. If they encounter the Heavenly Disaster Pirate Crew, given their style, it is highly likely that they will end up with three hostages."
"Have they made any demands?" Sengoku asked.
"Not yet," came the reply.
"Damn that Sag!" Sengoku cursed. "What is he trying to accomplish?"
"Oh~ how terrifying. So, he hasn't changed his ways since coming out of Impel Down, huh? True to his reputation as the pirate with the highest bounty in the first half of the Grand Line."
The yellow-haired monkey, who had been sitting beside Sengoku and sipping tea, set down his cup and stood up. "However, with the Celestial Dragons involved, we can't just sit idly by, Sengoku. I'll go take care of this matter and be back soon."
"Be careful, Monkey D. Garp!"
Sengoku warned, "That man is different now. According to Magellan's intelligence, he's becoming more and more troublesome!"
He had single-handedly broken out of Impel Down and even managed to temporarily drive back Magellan, escaping at a speed that the latter couldn't match.
"Rest assured, this will also help us deduce what kind of ability he has obtained.
"Yellow Monkey" burst into laughter as he strolled out the door.
Back in Water 7, the trio's capture naturally didn't involve exerting their full strength. They merely indulged in a leisurely battle, as no entity in the vast ocean could single-handedly face two admirals, let alone with Garp as an added factor.
There was still a gap between Sag's prowess and that of the pinnacle fighters. Although speculations pointed to him acquiring a certain ability, and even conjectures of him being responsible for Bondi Wade's demise, nothing had been confirmed as of yet.
Now, an opportune moment to verify these conjectures had presented itself.
"It's not just about confirmation anymore," Sengoku lamented. "The gap has granted him the qualification to engage in conversation."
There's a fine line between having some gap and a too-significant disparity, which renders direct comparisons inappropriate.
Based on prior intelligence, this individual had already attained the credentials to establish himself in the New World. If he had indeed acquired that particular ability, coupled with his current possession of Celestial Dragons as hostages, even the Navy would be left without a viable course of action.
The same would hold true for the Yellow Monkey.
...
1st Tree, Inside the Auction House.
As someone shouted out their names, more individuals snapped out of their stupor, with some even pinching their thighs to confirm that this wasn't a dream.
"Father! Sister!"
Charlos, upon seeing the chained figures, shouted out before turning to Sag with a menacing tone. "What do you think you're doing? We are Celestial Dragons! The admirals will come, and they will wipe you all out!"
"You're quite noisy."
Sag glanced at him indifferently before signaling to the giant standing by his side.
The giant's neck collar was unclasped, but his hands remained cuffed. Sag tugged at the giant as he strode past, effectively transferring the cuffs to Charlos.
"That's better. Slaves ought to wear collars!"
Sag laughed heartily as he pointed to the trio on stage. "Now then, let the auction begin. Allow me to introduce this lot's merchandise. Celestial Dragons, World Nobles, descendants of the ancient twenty countries. However you choose to describe them, they are currently the most noble beings in the vast ocean."
"They deem themselves above humanity, looking down on others. Shouldn't they be rarer than mermaids? Mermaids have been auctioned before, but never Celestial Dragons. So, I introduce a novelty—auctioning the very first Celestial Dragons. Now then..."
"Give up your resistance, Heavenly Disaster Pirate Crew! Release the Celestial Dragons and the hostages within! Don't even think about fleeing!"
Sag was about to continue when his speech was interrupted by a voice amplified through a loudspeaker from outside the door.
One of his underlings opened the door a crack, peered out, and then reported, "Captain, it's the Navy!"
"Let them in!"
Sag laughed. "The more bustling an auction is, the better. The more attendees and prospective bidders, the merrier!"
His underling swung the door wide open and shouted to the Navy, who had already encircled the building, "Our captain invites you to come in!"
The one delivering the message was a Navy Rear Admiral, whose face had gone pale upon witnessing the Celestial Dragons being led inside. Now, hearing the invitation, his mind was solely occupied with concerns for the Celestial Dragons' safety.
"What? Don't the Navy even have the guts for this?"
"How could we not? We are the Navy, after all! I'm going in!"
The Rear Admiral bellowed, his eyes scanning the Navy deployment that had already encircled the building. He took a bite, grit his teeth, and instructed, "Squad One, follow me in. The rest of you, maintain the encirclement!"
The Navy Rear Admiral led his squad through the door, only to find themselves facing an assembly of pirates whose bounties exceeded a hundred million, including the Supernovas from the Shabondy Archipelago.
"The Navy has arrived as well! Come, join the bidding!"
Sag pointed to the three Celestial Dragons on stage. "You're from the World Government. Being an institution of the World Government, you ought to be aware of the worth of Celestial Dragons. How much for a male? And what about a female? Give me a reference price, won't you?"
The Rear Admiral's body trembled, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.
"What are you doing?! Heavenly Disaster!!!"
"An auction, of course. What else is there to do in a place of human trafficking? Oh, but I forgot, Celestial Dragons aren't human, are they? No matter, other races have set prices too, so adding a Celestial Dragon to the mix should be fine."
Sag chuckled softly. "If you can't give me a price, then we'll just leave it to the bidders to decide. The starting bid is... 1 berry."
He glanced at the trio, his finger pointing at Sharulia. "Let's start the bidding with this woman, then. Who'll offer a price?"
(End of Chapter)
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