Chapter 121: Auction

Asa really didn't want to deal with Olivia and the others right now.

You can have a dream, and no one will stop you. No one has the right to stop you from pursuing it. But if you're chasing your dream, must you drag unrelated people along?

If they're like-minded, Asa has nothing to say—but what bothers him most is when others are forced into it against their will.

Not a single bolt of lightning struck him. That, in Asa's eyes, was already polite enough.

Nico Olivia watched Asa leave with a heavy heart.

…

"Auction?"

After walking for some distance, Asa paused and decided to check it out. He was bored anyway—might as well join the fun.

Quickening his pace, he rushed to the auction house on Mangrove No. 1.

Because auctions like these often involved shady dealings, there were no invitation letters. Anyone who showed up would be welcomed in.

Asa arrived at the tall doors, watching powerful figures stride in one after another. Then, he stepped in as well.

The brightly lit entryway gradually dimmed. Seating filled the hall in all directions, with luxurious private rooms on the second floor above. These were reserved for dignitaries and renowned pirates. Though Asa was well-known, without his own faction, he didn't qualify for a private room.

The seats, arranged in a half-moon formation, sloped from high to low and surrounded the central auction platform. Onstage stood an old man with white hair and beard, silently waiting for the auction to begin.

A waiter guided Asa to a seat in the front of the first floor. He didn't care much and sat down casually.

Time passed, the hall filled, and the lights in the second-floor boxes flicked on—indicating that the VIPs had arrived.

Through the Heart Network, Asa sensed that Nico Olivia and the other four had entered. They were seated near the top of the first floor, quietly discussing the ancient notes that were set to be auctioned.

The once-quiet hall gradually buzzed with noise.

"Hmph! The slave from last time broke down in just two days. I hope I can find something better this time."

"I heard there's a Devil Fruit today. If possible, I'll buy it for my subordinates…"

"Wonder if there'll be any mermaid slaves. Haven't seen high-level slaves in a while."

The lights were dim, and the crowd consisted mostly of wealthy nobles, pirates, and officials from the World Government. Their topics of conversation were darker than the hall itself.

"Ahem! Now that most of us are here, the auction will officially begin…"

The auctioneer, silent until now, cleared his throat to grab attention. He stepped up to the stage and lifted the auction hammer.

"I am Ftoriak, your auctioneer today. Welcome to the auction!" He paused for effect. "I'm sure many of you are eager, so let's not waste time. Let's begin with the first set of items."

He banged the hammer, and two scantily-clad women with graceful figures walked onto the stage, each holding an item.

"The first item: one of the Twenty-One Great Grade Swords—Longship. Length: 73.63 cm! Forged by a swordsmith from Wano Country in the New World, also known as the famed 'Great sword smith'…"

Ftoriak's tone grew excited, drawing the audience's attention toward the legendary blade.

A few swordsmen in the crowd had eyes gleaming with desire.

At the back of the hall, in the seats reserved for the archaeologists of O'Hara…

"We must get that ancient notebook. It'll help us decipher the old texts!"

"If we obtain it, we'll gain a deeper understanding of ancient history."

"We can form bold hypotheses and test them with real evidence!"

"Let's hope everything goes smoothly with no unexpected surprises."

The four whispered among themselves, fully confident they'd win the ancient notes.

Meanwhile, in a certain private box on the second floor…

With a mane of orange-red hair and beard and massive arms folded across his chest, Vice Admiral Jaguar D. Saul looked down with concern.

"Ah la la… Saul, you should relax. Constantly monitoring you is a pain. I rode here from headquarters just for this," murmured the lazy Aokiji, reclining in a chair, a sleep mask pushed onto his forehead and his eyes half-lidded.

Vice Admiral Saul had been ordered to investigate the O'Hara archaeologists. However, the giant had a gentle temperament and wouldn't take action without solid proof—and even with it, he was reluctant to make arrests.

In his heart, he didn't see archaeology as a crime. Why stop others from doing what they believed in?

"Hehehehehe… Kuzan, I don't want to arrest them at all. I think this mission is doomed to fail," Saul said with tears welling up.

He and Aokiji were close friends. He could speak freely.

"That's your call," Kuzan said, waving lazily before turning his attention to the first-row seats, locking eyes on a man with a blue cloak, long hair, crossed legs, and an indifferent expression.

"He's the one we really need to watch. We've got trouble now. I didn't expect him to still be here instead of heading to the New World. And he's free enough to attend an auction?"

Hearing this, Saul shifted his gaze from the archaeologists to where Kuzan was looking.

In the front row, Asa sensed something off. He suddenly turned his head toward the private room, flashing a wide grin and gleaming white teeth.

"Vice Admiral Kuzan? We meet again. What a coincidence!"

He mouthed each word slowly, making sure Aokiji could see.

…

Item after item was auctioned off—including the ancient notebook. The O'Hara archaeologists were heartbroken, having failed to secure it.

They planned to approach the buyer and borrow the notes for a while.

Eventually, the final item—the real highlight of the night—took the stage: the Devil Fruit!

"Next, we present the treasure of the seas—an authentic Devil Fruit!" the auctioneer announced passionately, his voice rising and falling to stir the crowd.

The atmosphere reached a fever pitch.

Tales of Devil Fruits granting powers to sailors were everywhere. Everyone knew about them—but few had ever seen one with their own eyes.

Sure, eating one meant becoming a landlubber unable to swim. But for the rich and powerful, what did it matter? They had everything—except abilities that could save their lives.

After all, the seas were full of Devil Fruit users. Who cared if they couldn't swim? Could they even be drowned?

In the eager eyes of the crowd, a beautiful woman stepped up, carrying a tray covered in red cloth. Slowly, she lifted the cover under the burning gazes of the audience.

On the tray lay a square white fruit. Its surface was covered in linear patterns—interconnected stripes on all four sides, resembling a small cage.

(End Of Chapter)

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