Chapter 26: I’m a Celestial Dragon Too!

Claudius wasn't the only one who recognized Rayleigh. If the legendary swordsman hadn't spoken up, sitting quietly in the last row, it was likely no one would have noticed him at all. But as soon as Rayleigh placed his bid against a Celestial Dragon, he attracted the attention of everyone present.

Rayleigh wasn't just some random nobody; he was the vice-captain of the Roger Pirates.

Years ago, his name might not have been as widely known, but after the Battle of the Valley of the Gods, the Roger Pirates though defeated by the World Government had become a major force, gaining a spot on the government's blacklist.

In recent years, the Roger Pirates had been constantly pursued by Marine Hero Garp and had clashed frequently with other powerful pirate crews, such as Whitebeard and Golden Lion. Their infamy had grown, and Rayleigh, once just a skilled swordsman, was now widely known as "Silver Rayleigh."

At this point in time, he hadn't yet earned the epithet "Dark King", but his reputation as a formidable pirate was well established. His bounty was set at 1.2 billion Berries, a testament to his notoriety.

To put things in perspective, the bounties of prominent figures like Whitebeard, Golden Lion, and the future Emperors like Big Mom and Kaido hadn't yet skyrocketed to the four-billion mark. Whitebeard's bounty, for instance, was around 2 billion Berries, bolstered by his participation in the Battle of the Valley of the Gods. The others, like Kaido, were hovering around the one-billion range. So Rayleigh's bounty, during this period, was considered extremely high full of prestige.

"Isn't that the deputy captain of the Roger Pirates?"

"It's Silver Rayleigh!"

"No wonder he dared to bid against a Celestial Dragon!"

"Should we inform the Marines? Marineford isn't far from here…"

While Claudius was still processing his surprise, he noticed more details about the group surrounding Rayleigh.

Sitting next to Rayleigh was a man with an unremarkable appearance but an overwhelmingly commanding presence. Just from the way he sat there, one could feel the aura of authority and dominance radiating off him.

He was casually holding a half-empty bottle of cheap booze, dressed in a standard pirate captain's coat and hat, looking a bit drunk. Despite his rough appearance, the intensity in his gaze and the weight of his presence were unmistakable.

There was no doubt about it—this man was none other than Gol D. Roger, the future Pirate King who would one day trigger the Great Pirate Era!

"Didn't they say to keep a low profile and avoid causing trouble? We're almost done coating the ship. We're too close to Marineford. I really don't want to run into that troublesome guy, Garp," Roger muttered helplessly, clearly frustrated by Rayleigh's antics.

Rayleigh, however, wasn't the least bit concerned by Roger's complaints. He merely laughed and replied, "But that blade is truly a masterpiece. You know how I make a living, right? How could I pass up a blade like that?"

Roger glanced at the unassuming Western sword hanging from Rayleigh's waist and sighed. "I get it. You're always on the lookout for quality swords…"

"Exactly. I'm a swordsman after all. When I see a blade of this caliber, it's only natural I want to buy it, right?" Rayleigh responded with a grin.

Before Roger could continue arguing, a burly man with sunglasses and a ponytail interjected with a playful smirk, "Captain Roger, Rayleigh's already drawn attention. You're just wasting your breath trying to talk sense into him. We should wrap up here and leave as soon as possible. Who knows, someone might have already alerted the Marines by now."

Roger scratched his head in irritation. "Damn it, Gaban, you just love egging him on, don't you? If Garp does show up, we'll leave you behind. We'll be waiting for you at Fish-Man Island!"

"Hahahaha, I've got no problem with that. But I think Garp wouldn't bother with me he'd be more interested in chasing after you, Captain," Gaban laughed heartily.

Watching this scene, Claudius was astounded. It wasn't just Rayleigh Roger himself was here, as well as the elusive Scopper Gaban. They were practically parading around Sabaody Archipelago!

"Who would have thought that the Roger Pirates were hiding out here on Sabaody? If Garp found out, I bet he'd drag Dragon along just to raise hell in the New World…" Claudius thought, a grin forming on his lips.

While Claudius was absorbed in these thoughts, the Celestial Dragon seated in front of him seemed to take offense at the way Rayleigh and his companions ignored his status.

Fortunately, he didn't escalate the situation. Instead, he called out again, raising the bid to 600 million Berries.

Claudius couldn't help but shake his head in exasperation. The behavior of these lower-level Celestial Dragons always embarrassed him. Instead of participating in a proper auction, where financial power determined the winner, they resorted to flaunting their status and attempting to intimidate others. It was pathetic.

And considering who Rayleigh and his group were, these tactics would have no effect. They wouldn't back down just because a Celestial Dragon tried to throw his weight around. If anything, it just made the Celestial Dragon look even more foolish.

Sure enough, Rayleigh casually raised the bid by another 50 million Berries, completely unperturbed.

"Just as I thought, the Roger Pirates aren't exactly swimming in wealth," Claudius mused. The Roger Pirates, after all, were notorious for not engaging in traditional trade or business ventures. Any funds they had likely came from looting and pillaging. No way they could casually toss out hundreds of millions of Berries without blinking.

Most of their money probably came from plundering other pirates or wealthy merchant caravans. If Claudius remembered correctly, there were even rumors of the Roger Pirates toppling entire nations.

"Seven hundred million!" The Celestial Dragon in front of Claudius shouted furiously, glaring in Rayleigh's direction. "Who do you think you are, daring to compete with me, Saint Rothschild ? Do you know who I am?"

Claudius sighed inwardly. This was precisely why he hated revealing his status as a Celestial Dragon outside Mariejois it was just embarrassing.

The Rothschild family was a perfect example of this. No sense of true nobility, no understanding of propriety. They behaved like spoiled brats, trying to bully people with their status in a place where money spoke louder than titles.

And Rayleigh? He'd rather snap his sword than bend to the will of a Celestial Dragon.

Knowing he had to step in to maintain some semblance of dignity for his kind, Claudius glanced at Nia and nodded.

Understanding immediately, Nia ignored Rothschild's angry outburst and calmly raised the paddle. "800 million Berries."

The room fell into stunned silence.

Everyone had already been on the edge of their seats, watching a fierce bidding war between a Celestial Dragon and the Roger Pirates. But now, another heavyweight had jumped into the fray?

Who was this audacious bidder who dared to raise the stakes without hesitation? Who would ignore both the Celestial Dragons and the Roger Pirates and confidently place such a high bid?

The attention of the entire auction hall shifted to Claudius and his group. Even Roger and Rayleigh looked over curiously, wondering who had entered the fray.

Saint Rothschild, caught completely off guard, turned around with a furious glare. "Who the hell are you?! How dare you..."

But before he could finish, Claudius raised his hand and casually flicked his fingers. A small, invisible surge of nitrogen gas struck Rothschild squarely across the face, producing a crisp slap sound. Though it didn't cause any visible harm, it left Rothschild stunned.

Not just Rothschild—everyone in the room was left speechless.

The Roger Pirates had at least played by the rules of the auction house. But who was this man who dared strike a Celestial Dragon, and in the face no less?

"Rothschild, my dear cousin, I don't need you telling me what to do," Claudius said calmly from his seat, not even bothering to stand. His voice carried an undertone of disdain, as if Rothschild were no more than an insignificant pest.

Rothschild, finally realizing who it was that had hit him, grew even more incensed. "Claudius! You bastard! You dare strike me? Even my own father has never laid a hand on me!"

"Well, consider it a favor. I'm educating you on behalf of your father. This is an auction, not some social gathering where you can throw your weight around. Either place your bid or shut up and go home."

Claudius's words were sharp and unyielding, his tone brooking no argument.

The Donquixote family, to which Claudius belonged, was notorious even among the Celestial Dragons for their eccentric and unpredictable nature. Not long ago, a member of the Donquixote family had even descended to the "lower world" to live among commoners. If Claudius kept this up, it wouldn't be surprising for him to develop an even wilder reputation within Mariejois.

Claudius' temper was well-known among the Celestial Dragons, and slapping around fellow Celestial Dragons was nothing new for him. As long as he didn't cause any permanent injuries or deaths, no one would bother to step in. Disputes among the Celestial Dragons often played out this way petty rivalries escalating into physical altercations that were later resolved or swept under the rug.

The most critical factor here was the family background. And in this regard, the Donquixote family was far more influential than the Rothschild family. Among the nineteen Celestial Dragon families, the Donquixotes were in the top tier, while the Rothschilds languished in the bottom ranks.

Rothschild knew this well. He wasn't so foolish as to escalate a conflict he couldn't win. Trembling with rage, he jabbed his finger at Claudius several times before finally huffing in frustration. Without another word, he turned around, gathered his entourage, and stormed out of the auction house, utterly humiliated.

The other onlookers finally put two and two together. No wonder the man had dared to bid against both the Roger Pirates and another Celestial Dragon. He was one of them an even higher status Celestial Dragon.

The realization settled in, and the room's atmosphere shifted. People began murmuring amongst themselves, some with admiration and others with relief that they hadn't gotten involved.

"Who would've thought… He's a Celestial Dragon too."

"And not just any Celestial Dragon… He's got a bigger presence than Rothschild."

"Did you see that? He didn't even flinch when he slapped Rothschild! I didn't know there were such gutsy Celestial Dragons…"

Meanwhile, another Celestial Dragon who had been sitting beside Rothschild glanced uneasily at Claudius before turning to look at the exit. After a moment of hesitation, he decided to follow Rothschild out of the auction hall.

Although he didn't have much of a relationship with Claudius, he was somewhat friendly with Rothschild. Sitting next to him, competing for slaves, and coming to the auction together wasn't a coincidence. Besides, they'd already won the bid for the giant slave earlier. Staying now would just add more awkwardness to the situation.

After all, he didn't want to provoke the notorious oddballs of the Donquixote family and risk getting slapped in front of everyone. There was no honor in that.

With the two of them gone, Claudius relaxed, his mood much improved. He glanced over at the Roger Pirates, then gave Rayleigh an apologetic smile, as if to say, Sorry for the trouble caused by that idiot earlier.

This caught both Rayleigh and Roger off guard.

"Well, well… Who would've thought there'd be a Celestial Dragon like him? Quite the amusing fellow," Roger said with a chuckle, finding the entire situation more entertaining than anything else.

Rayleigh looked back at Claudius, an unreadable expression on his face. Then, with a small sigh, he slumped back in his seat and placed his hand on his chin, appearing contemplative.

"What's wrong? You're not going to continue bidding?" Roger asked, confused. "You liked the sword, didn't you?"

Rayleigh glanced at Roger and smiled wryly. "That guy named Claudius did us a favor by shutting down that troublesome Rothschild. If I keep bidding, it'd make me look petty. I'm not shameless enough to ignore that. Let's just leave it at that."