Chapter 17

Doflamingo cleared his throat and approached Luffy, who was wearing the iconic straw hat.

"Cough cough cough..."

He adjusted the microphone and announced in a loud voice, "First and foremost, our first auctioneer is..."

"2 billion berries!"

The booming voice cut off Doflamingo's words, startling the crowd. In the VIP seating area, an unsightly man, his body wrapped in bandages, abruptly stood up. He sported an eccentric outfit resembling a spacesuit, with a hood obscuring his face.

The onlookers stared at this peculiar pig-like figure in disbelief. After all, Luffy's bounty was a mere 300 million berries, and the bid of 2 billion berries was nearly seven times that amount. It was a classic case of foolishness combined with immense wealth.

Doflamingo glanced around and saw that no one else was bidding. He promptly declared, "Sold!"

"Straw Hat Luffy is now the property of Charles Rose!"

Indeed, the buyer who had acquired Luffy was none other than the Celestial Dragon who had suffered Luffy's wrath in the Sabaody Archipelago.

Observing Luffy trapped in a cage, Charles Rose clenched his teeth and displayed a menacing expression. "You lowly human, I will surely make you pay!" His demonic voice sent shivers down the spines of those nearby.

The brutality of the Celestial Dragons was notorious, causing the crowd to instinctively keep their distance.

Meanwhile, the black dragon, concealed in his private box, wore a deeply satisfied expression. A mischievous smile graced his cheeks, covered in the scales of a dragon.

Though the bid of 2 billion berries fell short of his initial expectations, it was still a substantial sum. A bit low for the unawakened Joy Boy since it could reach higher values. Nonetheless, it was far superior to the meager 50 million offered by Monkey D. Dragon.

Having successfully acquired Luffy, Charles Rose left the VIP seat, and Luffy was dragged away.

"Now, the auction for Crocodile shall commence!" Doflamingo shifted his gaze to Crocodile, who knelt on the ground, his legs and feet bound by seastone restraints. His complexion was pallid, and his hair resembled a disheveled chicken coop.

"You had the opportunity to cooperate with me before, but you refused. And now, you're nothing more than a slave. You deserve it," Doflamingo muttered inwardly before loudly proclaiming, "Crocodile's identity should be familiar to everyone. He is one of the original Shichibukai. The starting price is 100 million berries!"

"I'll pay 300 million!"

"500 million!"

"800 million!"

"900 million berries!"

"1.5 billion!"

The bidding war intensified, creating a hot and charged atmosphere in the auction hall.

Eventually, Crocodile was sold for a staggering 1.8 billion berries, an exorbitant amount considering his actual bounty was less than 100 million Berries.

The black dragon, sitting in his private room, reveled in his delight. Having auctioned off two individuals, he had already accumulated a total of 3.8 billion berries.

Suddenly, a piercing scream echoed from behind the stage, catching the black dragon's attention. It sounded all too familiar—wasn't it Straw Hat Luffy?

Driven by curiosity, the black dragon extended his Observation Haki, scanning the backstage area in search of the source.

"Hahahaha... It's so enjoyable to hear your screams! Weren't you arrogant before, daring to attack the mighty Celestial Dragons!"

As fate would have it, Charles Rose wasted no time in confronting Luffy, driven by jealousy and resentment. Holding a searing hot hoof-shaped iron, glowing red with heat, he mercilessly pressed it against Luffy's back.

The heart-wrenching scream that followed was like a beautiful symphony to Charles Rose's ears.

"This is the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon. From now on, you will be my personal slave. I guarantee that your future existence will be worse than death!"

Charles Rose ruthlessly stomped on Luffy's head, repeatedly striking, as if attempting to drive Luffy's skull into the ground.

Luffy, true to his resilient nature, remained silent, glaring back at Charles Rose with fury in his eyes.

"What do I care?"

Having reached a realization, the black dragon withdrew his Observation Haki, resuming his serene demeanor and continuing to enjoy his tea, savoring the refreshment it brought.

The spectators in the seats continued to shout, their faces flushed with excitement. Bids starting in the hundreds of millions of berries were being thrown around, creating an awe-inspiring atmosphere.

For instance, the Red Earl fetched an unprecedented 6 billion berries in the auction, and the buyer was none other than Jack the Drought from the Beasts Pirates.

The Red Earl, a renowned figure from decades ago, had once defeated a Marine Marshal and stood on par with the likes of Garp and Gol D. Roger. In terms of combat prowess, purchasing him for 6 billion berries was considered a worthy investment.

The black dragon knew that Kaido had a penchant for recruiting powerful individuals, and he didn't mind a formidable adversary like Luffy. The crucial factor, however, was whether the Red Earl, with his arrogant attitude and disregard for the Four Emperors, would be to Kaido's liking.

"The next item up for bidding is Shiryu of the Rain, starting at 300 million Berries!"

The spotlight illuminated Shiryu, a dark-skinned and bloated man. His piercing gaze swept across the audience, causing countless pirates to avert their eyes. It was a terrifying look that seemed capable of launching a deadly slash at any moment.

"Wait for me, Black Dragon!"

Shiryu's eyes blazed with a boiling intent to kill. What strong individual would want to be humiliated by being auctioned off like a slave? It was a matter of personal pride.

"Jie Jie Jie Jie... This is getting interesting. The rest of you don't need to be auctioned!"

Boom! The ground shook as debris flew through the air, and a gap was blasted open in the wall. Amidst the thick smoke, a group of individuals forcefully invaded the auction house.

At the forefront was a burly man with a pirate hat, his appearance rugged and wild. Much of his stomach was exposed, and he wore a sinister smile, his eyes seemingly hungering for flesh.

The black dragon's eyes widened in surprise. It was none other than Blackbeard and his crew who had arrived. Initially, the black dragon thought that with his interruption at Impel Down, Blackbeard's rise might be hindered. After all, without Shiryu and the others, Blackbeard wouldn't have the necessary team to challenge the Four Emperors. Moreover, with Whitebeard still alive, Blackbeard's chances of becoming a true force to be reckoned with were slim.

However, the black dragon remained indifferent to Blackbeard's presence. As long as the money was in place, he could sell to anyone.

The only thing that made him suspicious was the cost of acquiring the remaining few individuals, which would amount to tens of billions of berries. Could Blackbeard, who didn't even have a proper ship and relied on rafts, afford such a hefty sum?

—

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