Chapter 3 One Billion Baileys? Where Did The Divine Power Come From?

After leaving the Holy Land Mariejois, Carlos arrived at the Sabaody Archipelago by boat.

The first thing he did was check the gift Stussy had given him—a manor located on the outskirts of Island No. 1, far from the bustling and noisy commercial center. The environment was elegant, and the estate was expansive, covering more than two hundred acres.

Carlos was naturally very satisfied.

Next, he headed to the most famous underground auction on Island No. 1. He found a random seat in the corner and sat down. The auction hadn't started yet, and people were trickling in, arriving in twos and threes.

Maybe it was a professional habit, or maybe he was just killing time, but Carlos began to observe the crowd.

There were about fifty or sixty people in the venue. Scanning the room, he noticed that they were either princes and nobles of various kingdoms or pirates with bounties exceeding 100 million beli. He also spotted some familiar faces in the first few rows.

Carlos raised an eyebrow slightly.

"I didn't expect to see these guys here. Maybe I came at just the right time..."

After a while, everyone took their seats. A wealthy middle-aged man appeared on the stage, shouting enthusiastically.

"Welcome, honored guests! I am Laboon Lado, the host of today's auction. Without further ado, let's officially begin!"

"First up, we have this blood jade agate pendant from North Blue. The starting bid is 5 million beli!"

…

"Next, we have an ancient stone tablet, over 300 years old, unearthed in Alabasta and buried in the sands. The starting bid is 8 million beli!"

…

"A coral ring from Fish-Man Island, set with ten sapphires. The starting bid is 18 million beli!"

…

The host passionately introduced the auction items, but the jewelry and antiques didn't generate much excitement. Only a few wealthy individuals showed slight interest.

Time passed slowly, and Carlos was getting bored, almost to the point of falling asleep.

Suddenly, the host's sharp, high-pitched voice echoed through the room.

"Attention, everyone! What we're about to unveil is something truly special!"

"One of the Twenty-One Great Grade Swords—Hidden Thunder!"

The moment the famous sword appeared on the stage, it immediately captured everyone's attention. The sword was about 1.2 meters long, and under the lights, its glass-like blade shimmered with a dreamy azure hue. A lightning-like white line ran across the entire length of the blade, which reflected a cold, murderous intent.

Even though they were dozens of meters away, everyone in the audience felt an unspoken sense of awe and fear.

All eyes were locked on the sword, and the tension in the room was palpable.

Even a fool could tell this was a treasure.

After a brief silence, the crowd erupted, raising their bidding paddles like a tidal wave.

"Guest No. 21 bids 30 million beli!"

"Guest No. 17 offers 40 million beli!"

"No. 56 bids 50 million beli!"

"No. 87 raises to 100 million beli!"

…

Carlos was taken aback as he looked at the stage.

"A treasure of this caliber?"

The Great Grade Swords were second only to the Twelve Supreme Grade Swords. From what Carlos knew, some of these swords included Wado Ichimonji, the Second Generation Kitetsu, Shusui, Ame no Habakiri, and Enma.

Thanks to his system rewards, Carlos had unknowingly become a powerful swordsman. Seeing a sword of this level before him ignited a deep desire within him.

His heart raced with the urge to possess it.

"Since I've come across it, I can't let it slip away."

Without hesitation, Carlos raised his bidding paddle.

The host's eyes lit up.

"Guest No. 28 bids 200 million beli! Is there anyone who will offer more? Anyone?"

After several moments of silence, the entire audience looked at Carlos in surprise.

"Three… two…"

The host, with a broad smile, was about to announce the final result when a voice suddenly rang out from the front row.

"Three hundred million beli!"

A man stood up, wearing a black bowler hat and a mustache. His chest hair peeked out from under a dark blue slit shirt, and two long swords were strapped to his waist.

"Him…!"

"That's Bista, the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates' Fifth Division!"

"I can't believe he's here. Did he come just for this sword?"

"Doesn't he already have two famous swords? Why would he still bid?"

…

Bista glanced around the room, then smiled and said, "I'm sorry, everyone. Although Hidden Thunder is just one of the Twenty-One Great Grade Swords, it has significant value as a collector's item. Please let me have it."

The audience sighed collectively.

"Foil" Bista was a name they all knew well.

He wasn't just the captain of a division in the Whitebeard Pirates; he was also a renowned swordsman in the New World. His wealth and power were not to be underestimated. Now that he had shown interest, most people realized they didn't stand a chance.

"Wait a moment."

"Four hundred million beli."

A calm voice suddenly came from beside Bista. A tall, muscular man with short yellow hair stood up. He was wearing a blue padded jacket, his shoulders broad like two giant dumplings, and a belt with a djinn pattern around his waist. The figure he stated was staggering.

As soon as they recognized him, the crowd gasped in unison.

"If I'm not mistaken, that's…"

"The leader of the BIGMOM Pirates and the third son of the Pirate Empress, Charlotte Linlin."

"Charlotte Daifuku!"

"I didn't expect him to be here as well…"

"Are these two really fighting over this sword?"

A wave of unease rippled through the auction hall. Those who were considering bidding now hesitated. It wasn't just a matter of having the money; they also had to consider the consequences of crossing either the Whitebeard Pirates or the BIGMOM Pirates.

"Four hundred million beli? That's too much," Bista said with a shrug, sitting back down. "I already have two famous swords as good as Hidden Thunder. There's no need to spend that much just for a collection."

Just as the final decision was about to be made, Carlos's voice rang out from the corner of the auction hall.

"Four hundred and fifty million."

All eyes turned toward him.

"What? Guest No. 18 bids 450 million beli? Is there any higher bid? Any higher?"

The auction host's voice grew even more frantic.

Daifuku frowned slightly and turned to face Carlos.

"I've set my sights on this sword. Five hundred million beli. That's my limit."

Carlos didn't seem to hear him and continued, almost to himself, "You're offering 500 million? Sorry, but I'm bidding a billion."

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