thefictionvixens Chapter 94 A Small Auction Can't Contain Three Great Gods
Chapter 94 A Small Auction Can't Contain Three Great Gods
Chapter 94 A Small Auction Cannot Contain Three Great Gods
Those pirates who intended to join the Norton Pirates were currently crowding around the perimeter of GR-24 Pier.
There were about twenty of them, some in groups of three or five, others alone, watching from a corner. The bolder ones at the front had already reached the White Pearl's docking position when they were stopped.
They were stopped by the cat-man brothers.
Buji crouched on the mooring bollard, squinting as he sized up the pirates before him. Sam leaned against the ship's railing, twirling a dagger in his hand.
"What do you do?"
The leader of the pirates swallowed hard. He had seen his fair share of fierce men, but being stared at by two humanoid cats still made him a little uneasy.
"We...we've come seeking refuge—"
Buchi licked his paws.
"Seek refuge with them?"
"Yes! The Norton Pirates! We want to join!"
Sam sheathed his dagger and lazily pointed to the side.
"Over there, at the registry office."
The pirates looked in the direction the pirates were looking and then noticed a makeshift shed that had been erected at the dock. A wooden sign hung on the shed with three crooked characters written on it: "Registration Office".
There was a table and two chairs in the shed. Behind the table sat two pirates, yawning listlessly.
"Were they all prepared long ago?" a pirate muttered under his breath.
"Nonsense." Buchi yawned. "Lord Kro said long ago that people would come to join us and told us to wait here. You're lucky; you're in the first batch."
The pirates exchanged a glance and quickly headed towards the registration office.
A queue had already formed behind the tent.
Meanwhile, at GR-24 pier, the pirate guarding the ship who was delivering the message ran all the way and finally intercepted Norton in front of the clothing store.
"Admiral!"
He was panting as he handed over the letter with both hands.
"A few guys in black suits delivered it. They said it was something about Doflamingo, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea..."
'
Norton took the letter and casually opened it.
The letter was short. Just a few words.
It was nothing more than polite phrases like "I've heard so much about you," "I'd like to be friends," and "Let's grab a drink sometime." But the confidence that emanated from between the lines—"I know you very well"—was quite interesting.
Norton finished reading and smiled.
He pulled a lighter out of his pocket.
The flame licked at the letter paper, and the few sheets of paper quickly curled up, charred, and turned to ashes, falling to the ground at his feet.
Nami leaned closer and winked.
"Doflamingo? That Heavenly Demon? What does he want with you?"
"Trying to build a relationship," Norton said. "These guys always act like we're friends with everyone." But—
'
He paused, watching the ashes being scattered by the wind.
"The trip to Sabaody will not be too boring."
Nami wanted to ask more, but Norton had already turned and walked deeper into the street.
"Let's go. Let's go somewhere."
"Where to?"
Norton didn't answer, but simply tossed her a corner of the still-burnt envelope.
Nami caught it and saw an address printed on it—
GR-35, Population Auction House.
The human auction house was unremarkable from the outside, with gray stone walls, narrow windows, and two guards in black suits standing at the entrance.
But the rows of gilded carriages parked at the entrance, and the richly dressed men and women alighting from them, said it all.
Today is auction day.
Norton stood across the street, watching the ladies walk arm in arm with men, smiling as they went inside. Their skirts trailed on the ground, and their jewels sparkled in the sunlight.
Nami stood next to him, and before she even went inside, her expression had already changed.
"here it is----"
"A human auction house," Norton said. "A place that sells slaves."
Nami clenched her fists. Fu Ning stood on the other side, saying nothing, just quietly watching the door.
Norton strode toward the door. The two guards were about to stop him, but when they saw the silver hair, they stopped in their tracks.
Norton ignored them and went straight inside. Nami and Funing followed behind.
The auction hall was very large, and it was already more than half full, filled with well-dressed nobles and merchants.
At the very front was a row of VIP seats, occupied by several guys wearing bubble hoods—Celestial Dragons. They hadn't all left; a few remained, waiting for today's "good stuff."
On stage, a host in a red suit was holding a gavel and introducing the topic with great enthusiasm.
"Next up is a dancer from the West Sea! Only nineteen years old, professionally trained, and proficient in twelve dance styles! Starting bid: five million Berries!"
Someone in the audience held up a sign.
"Five and a half million!"
"Six million!"
Nami's face turned pale when she saw the girl on the stage.
She was very young, even younger than her, wearing a thin dress, her head down, and a black, explosive collar around her neck.
Nami's lips moved, but she didn't speak; instead, she gripped Norton's sleeve tightly.
Norton didn't react; he just stood in the shadows of the last row, watching quietly.
The auction continued, and the dancer was bought by a fat merchant. Then a fish-man was bought by a Celestial Dragon.
Then came a pair of twin sisters, which were fought over by two nobles and finally sold for twelve million.
With each sale, Nami's hand tightened its grip.
The third item, the fourth item, the fifth item.
"Next up—this item is rather special."
The host paused, deliberately keeping the audience in suspense.
"Male, estimated to be around seventy years old, but in excellent health! No diseases, no disabilities, and..."
He laughed, drawing out the sound.
He sold himself! To get money for gambling! Hahahaha!
A burst of laughter erupted from the audience.
An old man was pushed onto the stage.
He had gray hair, a stubble beard, wore small round glasses, and dressed in worn-out clothes; he looked like an ordinary old man. He also wore that black collar around his neck.
He yawned and lazily glanced at the audience.
Starting bid—100,000 Berries!
Quiet.
No one held up a sign.
Buy an old man for 100,000 Berries? What can he do with that?
The host was a little embarrassed.
"This gentleman may be a bit old, but he's in very good health! Perhaps he could be a gardener or a housekeeper, or..."
"fifty thousand."
A lazy voice rang out.
It wasn't the person holding the sign; it was the old man himself.
I'll sell it for 50,000.
Another burst of laughter erupted from the audience.
The host's face turned green.
"Sir! You are a commodity! You cannot set your own price!"
The old man scratched his head.
"Oh. Then you decide."
Nami looked at the old man, and for some reason, she felt that something was wrong.
She turned to talk to Norton, but saw that Norton's expression had changed.
It wasn't anger, nor surprise.
It's that kind of look—the look of someone who recognizes something.
"Norton?"
Norton didn't say anything.
He just stared at the old man on the stage.
The auction is still ongoing.
"100,000 Berries! Anyone willing to bid 100,000?"
silence.
"Eighty thousand?"
silence.
"fifty thousand?"
Someone whispered, "Fifty thousand for an old man? Are you out of your mind?!"
"Sold!" The auctioneer quickly slammed the gavel, afraid someone would back out. "Fifty thousand Berries! This gentleman is yours—"
"etc."
A voice rang out.
Not on the stage, but in the VIP section.
A fat nobleman stood up and pointed at the old man.
"I'll offer 100,000. We happen to need a gardener."
The old man yawned.
"casual."
The host paused for a moment, then quickly said, "This gentleman has offered 100,000! Is there anyone offering a higher bid?"
"150,000."
Another voice.
At the very front of the VIP section, a Celestial Dragon wearing a bubble hood didn't even turn his head; he merely raised a finger.
The fat nobleman's face flushed red, but he still sat down.
Fighting the Celestial Dragons?
Forget it.
"Deal! 150,000 Berries! This gentleman belongs to Saint Docher!"
The old man still had that lazy look on his face, as if he didn't care who bought him.
Nami finally couldn't hold back anymore.
"Norton! That old man—he's clearly a human being! How could he—"
"Don't rush."
Norton's voice was calm.
Nami was stunned. She looked at Norton, but Norton didn't look at her; he was only looking at the stage.
The auction continued, and next up was a child. Then came several dancers. And then—
"The last item!"
The host shouted excitedly.
"A mermaid from Fish-Man Island! Female! Young! Extremely beautiful! Starting bid—70 million Berries!"
A huge water tank was pushed up.
Inside the tank, a mermaid huddled in a corner, her golden-red tail drooping limply. She was young, her face streaked with tears.
The atmosphere in the audience instantly became enthusiastic.
"Seventy-five million!"
"Eighty million!"
"Eighty-five million!"
Nami's hands clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, wanting to ask Norton to do something for her—
"it's over."
Suddenly, Norton's voice rang out.
The hall fell silent instantly. Everyone turned to look at the silver-haired man in the last row.
Norton stepped out of the shadows, and the nobles looked at his face and at his silver hair.
"Silver, silver hair————"
"The Norton Pirates —"
"That king-slaying bastard—"
Whispers spread like wildfire.
Norton walked to the center of the hall, stopped, glanced at the mermaid on the stage, then at the old man still wearing the collar, then at the pale-faced nobles, and finally looked at the host.
"No one is allowed to leave!"
The host opened his mouth.
"What right do you have—"
"As I please."
After Norton finished speaking, he gestured with his chin toward the door.
"I want all the slaves; no one can take them away!"
Quiet.
A deathly silence.
Then-
"presumptuous!"
In the VIP section, the Celestial Dragon wearing the bubble hood suddenly stood up. He pointed at Norton, his face flushed red.
"Do you even know who I am? I'm a world noble! A Celestial Dragon! You—"
He didn't finish speaking because Norton glanced at him, just once, and the Celestial Dragon's words caught in his throat, his legs began to tremble.
"Never mind, never mind—" the Celestial Dragon said softly, sitting down and shrinking into the chair, no longer daring to raise his head. "I don't want it anymore—"
Others dared not speak, but there were always those who were not afraid of death.
"Why should I?!"
A portly businessman stood up, pointed at Norton, and exclaimed, "I spent twelve million to buy those sisters! Why should I give them to you?!"
Norton glanced at him.
"You disagree?"
The fat businessman choked, looked around, and tried to find some support.
But those nobles who had just been calling him brother were now all bowing their heads, pretending they hadn't seen anything.
"Forget it—" someone whispered to him, "That's silver hair—"
The fat businessman's face twitched.
He was unwilling to accept it. Twelve million. That was half a year's income for him.
But he sat down anyway, because he was also afraid of dying.
In the eerie silence, a lazy voice rang out.
"Is the auction over?"
Everyone turned to look. On the stage, the old man who had been bought had somehow stood up. He stretched, yawned, and then raised his hand.
The black explosive collar fell off his neck and landed on the ground.
Everyone stared wide-eyed.
"Th-what is that?!"
"What's wrong with the collar—"
"What did he do—"
The old man ignored them. He kicked the collar aside and yawned again.
"I'm getting old, standing gets tiring. Can you walk now?"
The host was completely dumbfounded. He'd been in this business for decades and had never seen anything like it. Those collars were specially made; they couldn't be opened without a key.
Norton looked at the old man, a slight smile playing on his lips.
The old man also looked at Norton, his eyes narrowing slightly. The lazy expression from before disappeared, replaced by a sharper, more clear-headed gaze.
The two stared at each other across the entire hall, and the air was silent for a few seconds.
"Old man," Norton began, "what's your name?"
The old man was silent for a while, then he smiled, a smile different from before, carrying a certain indescribable meaning.
"Rayle," the old man said, "Silbaz Rayle."
Someone gasped in shock.
"Pluto————"
"The vice-captain of the Pirate King—"
"That legendary ————"
The whispers started again, but this time they were all filled with shock.
Rayleigh ignored them, only looking at Norton with a serious expression.
"You're the silver-haired one?"
"right."
Rayleigh remained silent for a few seconds.
"Interesting, young man. Want to grab a drink with me?"
Just as everyone was still reeling from the shock of the name "Pluto Rayleigh," a voice came from the shadows of the VIP section on the second floor.
"Hey, are you kidding me?"
The voice had a cynical tone, and everyone looked up.
There was someone standing by the railing on the second floor.
Wearing a pink feather coat, gold-rimmed sunglasses, and with her short, light blonde hair neatly combed, she leaned against the railing.
Doflamingo!
"A figure as important as Rayleigh, the King of the Underworld, would actually appear in this way?"
He laughed, his tone full of exaggerated surprise.
"Being auctioned off as a slave? 50,000 Berries? Fuh fu ...
The hall fell silent again. If Norton's appearance had frightened these people earlier, now it was pure terror.
A king-slayer, a celestial demon, and a Hades—these three combined were too much for this small auction house to handle. The nobles wished they could shrink into their chairs and pretend they didn't exist.
Rayleigh looked up. "Young man, you're here to join the fun too?"
"Just joining in the fun?"
Doflamingo jumped down from the second floor, saying, "I came here specifically to invite Admiral Norton for a drink, but before I even got to drink, I've already seen a good show."
He stopped in front of Norton.
"Did you receive the letter?"
"Burn it."
Doflamingo paused for a moment, then laughed even harder.
"Fufufufu—it's burned? So?"
"No rush." Norton turned to look at the slaves on the platform who were still wearing collars. "Take care of things here first."
The mermaid huddled in the corner of the tank, her golden-red tail trembling slightly. The children being auctioned off huddled together, afraid to look up. Several adult slaves, men and women, fish-people and humans, all looked at him with complex expressions of fear, expectation, and doubt.
"I want all of them," Norton said.
The host opened his mouth, as if to say something, but seeing Doflamingo standing next to him, he didn't dare to utter a single word.
The nobles dared not speak.