Chapter 27: Shinsō Confronts Rayleigh!

With Rayleigh the handsome, troublemaker out of the picture, no one else dared to challenge Claudius for the Demon Blade Shindō. Why, you ask? Well, it was simple: no one in their right mind would dare.

The fact that Claudius managed to win a renowned sword ranked among the Twenty-One Great Grade Swords at a minor auction like this was already a pleasant surprise. After all, the swords in this category were coveted treasures, weapons that could only be wielded by true masters of the blade.

The only reason Shindō was even up for auction was because it was a cursed blade an item most people avoided. Otherwise, it wouldn't have ended up in such a lackluster place. As soon as it resurfaced, swordsmen of great renown would have gone to great lengths to claim it.

That was also why Shindō had never risen to the level of the Twelve Supreme Grade Blades, despite its quality. Its sinister nature held it back. If it had been forged without its malevolent aura, it might have climbed even higher perhaps even becoming something akin to the First Generation Kitetsu, whose terrifying reputation overshadowed its status as a cursed blade.

Rayleigh, as a veteran swordsman, could see through to Shindō's true potential. But even he, despite his keen eye, knew it wasn't worth getting entangled with the Celestial Dragons over it. He understood that Shindō's reputation didn't match its capabilities. That was why he had risked drawing attention to himself by bidding against Celestial Dragons.

Now, though, Shindō had ended up in the hands of another Celestial Dragon. Rayleigh felt a pang of regret. He doubted any Celestial Dragon would ever put the blade to proper use. More likely, it would be treated as a mere trinket, left to gather dust.

He couldn't imagine any Celestial Dragon wielding a cursed blade in battle. More than likely, it would become a status symbol a sign of wealth and power rather than skill and strength.

After the auction concluded, Claudius had Stussy arrange for the transport of his newly acquired items, including the Logia-type Swamp-Swamp Fruit and the Demon Blade Shindō. He then continued exploring Sabaody Archipelago at a leisurely pace.

He didn't worry in the slightest that someone might try to rob him of his purchases. This was Sabaody Archipelago, after all an island practically under the control of the Celestial Dragons. If anyone dared to act against him, an Admiral would descend upon them faster than they could even blink.

Stussy, having spent more time with Claudius recently, had become familiar with his personality and quirks. She was no longer as reserved as when they first met. Smiling, she commented, "I thought you might end up buying a few slaves, Your Highness, but instead, you went for a Devil Fruit and a cursed blade."

The Devil Fruit was particularly surprising. Celestial Dragons generally viewed Devil Fruits as mere playthings, not worth their time. Buying one at an auction wasn't something she'd seen before.

Claudius laughed. "What can I say? I'm a man of refined tastes. Sometimes, you just have to buy what catches your eye."

"Spending over a billion Berries on a whim? It's good to be rich and willful, I guess…" Stussy thought silently, but she didn't voice her thoughts. Instead, she continued to chat with Claudius as they strolled through the area.

"Your Highness, if we go any further, we'll reach the illegal port. It's not exactly the safest place. Maybe we should head back?" Stussy suggested gently.

She was right the port in the illegal zone was one of the most dangerous spots on the entire island. It was like a backdoor exit. If things got too heated on Sabaody, people often fled through this port to make a quick escape.

Claudius nodded thoughtfully. "Hmm, maybe you're right. Let's turn back."

He had been somewhat tempted to take a look at the famed Oro Jackson, the ship that would one day carry Roger and his crew across the Grand Line. But then he thought better of it. If Roger and his crew were this brazen, parking their ship out in the open, it would only be a matter of time before Garp showed up to exchange "old friends' greetings" with Roger.

No need to get involved in such matters now. There'd be plenty of time to visit Sabaody again in the future. He might even choose this island as his first base of operations. It was conveniently located a crucial hub with easy access to New World, and more importantly, it was close to Mariejois, allowing him to maneuver efficiently.

Just as Claudius turned to leave, he heard an all-too-familiar arrogant voice echoing from a small hill in the distance.

Claudius frowned. "What's that idiot up to now?"

The arrogant voice belonged to none other than Saint Rothschild, the fool Claudius had slapped earlier at the auction. Curious, Claudius gestured for his group to follow him up the hill to get a better view.

What he saw left him incredulous.

Rothschild was sitting atop a large Fish-Man slave, glaring down at a group of people surrounded by his entourage. And those people just so happened to be members of the Roger Pirates.

Saint Rothschild was ordering his servants around like a wannabe general, boasting that none of the pirates would leave Sabaody alive. He promised to capture every last one of them and haul them back to Mariejois as slaves.

"Is this guy out of his mind?" Claudius thought, genuinely stunned. "Picking a fight with Roger's crew? This is a whole new level of stupidity."

Unable to vent his frustration on Claudius earlier, Rothschild had turned his ire toward the Roger Pirates, whom he blamed for sparking the initial conflict. He thought capturing them would restore his dignity as a Celestial Dragon.

Rothschild sneered down at the pirates, completely unaware of the impending danger. "On your knees, all of you! Maybe if I'm in a good mood, I'll let you keep your lives," he said, voice dripping with arrogance.

Roger and his crew stood silently, not making a move. To Claudius, it was clear they were contemplating whether to wipe the floor with this fool or just leave.

But to Rothschild, their silence was a sign of fear and submission. His smug smile widened.

"See? They're scared stiff. They know they can't afford to anger me."

On the other side, Rayleigh glanced at Roger. "What's the plan, Captain?"

"Just kill them," grunted Douglas Bullet, the hulking newcomer of the Roger Pirates.

Douglas Bullet was a fierce addition to the crew. Though he was one of the junior members, his strength was undeniable. He was a former soldier who had gone rogue after being betrayed by his commanding officer. After decimating the forces that had wronged him, he had been marked as a highly dangerous criminal by the World Government. Eventually, he ended up joining Roger's crew.

His style was brutal and direct. For someone like Bullet, killing a Celestial Dragon was just another day at the office. After all, with the bounties on their heads, they were already condemned men. What difference did one more crime make?

However, Roger shook his head. "There's no need to kill him. But we can't just walk away, either. Let's rough him up a bit enough to make him wish he was dead. The World Government can heal him up later. As long as he's not dead, it'll blow over."

Rayleigh chuckled at Roger's confident tone. Typical Roger brimming with bravado even when discussing breaking a Celestial Dragon. But Roger was right. As long as they didn't kill Rothschild, they wouldn't stir up as much trouble. They could still carry on with their journey.

"Let me handle this one," Rayleigh offered, stepping forward. He didn't even bother drawing his sword. Using his blade on trash like Rothschild would be a disgrace.

With a single step, Rayleigh closed the distance. He moved with such speed that it seemed almost casual. He didn't need to go all out crippling a Celestial Dragon hardly required his full strength.

But just as Rayleigh was about to deliver his blow, something happened.

A flash of steel, faster than the eye could see, shot out from a distant hill.

"Shoot to kill, Shinsō!" Claudius murmured softly.

A silver light zipped across the air, targeting Rayleigh with pinpoint accuracy. The sword extended impossibly fast, its blade glinting in the sunlight as it aimed for Rayleigh's chest.

Rayleigh's eyes widened in surprise. Even with his enhanced vision and Observation Haki, the speed of the blade caught him off guard. It wasn't a slash it was as if the entire blade had been shot straight at him, the tip hurtling towards him at breakneck speed.

"Damn!" Rayleigh grunted, channeling Armament Haki into his hand. He caught the blade just before it could pierce his skin. The force of the strike pushed him back several steps, his feet digging deep furrows into the ground.

Claudius, witnessing the scene, was momentarily stunned. He had fully expected Rayleigh to dodge, never imagining he would try to catch Shinsō with his bare hands.

But before Rayleigh could fully comprehend the situation, Claudius' thoughts commanded Shinsō, and in an instant, the blade retracted back to its original form, resting peacefully in its scabbard.

Rayleigh stared at his empty hands, feeling a bit awkward. He had just attempted to catch the strange, flying blade, but before he even realized what was happening, it had already vanished. Did he really fail to catch it?

If Claudius could hear what Rayleigh was thinking, he might have laughed out loud. Seriously? Did Rayleigh actually think he could just snatch Shinsō out of his hands? This wasn't some ordinary weapon this was like a piece of bound gear from a game. Did Rayleigh really believe he could simply take it away? He was definitely overestimating himself.