Chapter 40: Freeing the Slaves

The nobles' sneers and disdain only tightened Dragon's fists, fueling the fire of anger burning in his chest.

He knew the filth of this place, the tragic fate of the innocent. Slaves here were not sold willingly, yet they were stripped of all dignity, even their lives.

"They were born as human beings, not to be enslaved by you!" Dragon's voice was filled with fury and determination, his words piercing the hearts of the slaves in the back.

Speaking up for slaves was something they only dared to dream of. Hearing Dragon's words, many burst into tears.

"Stop crying! You don't actually think they can take you out of here, do you? Stop dreaming!" a guard mocked.

The slaves didn't hold much hope, but they couldn't help but release their pent-up emotions.

Though they didn't expect much, their eyes still burned with anger at their suffering and admiration for Renji and his companions.

As the nobles began to jeer and provoke, Doflamingo's expression darkened further. His fists clenched, his body tense, ready to face any challenge. His eyes gleamed with a fiery intensity, as if he wanted to reduce those nobles to ashes.

"I was just giving you a friendly reminder. Since none of you want to leave, I won't bother with you anymore."

Renji's hair and clothes fluttered as if caught in an unseen wind. Though his voice wasn't loud, it rang clearly in everyone's ears.

Some of the nobles paled. Someone capable of this was not to be trifled with, and they began to consider retreating.

But suddenly, a roar broke the auction hall's silence. Disco led his men forward, charging at the disruptors who had ruined his money-making scheme. Now that his forces were assembled, he no longer had to hold back.

They were fully armed, equipped with the deadliest weapons, moving swiftly and forcefully. With swords and guns in hand, they charged forward, shouting wildly.

"Bang!"

A series of gunshots rang out as several of Disco's men opened fire on Renji and his group without hesitation.

The sound of gunfire ignited the anger burning in Dragon's heart. He was determined to make everyone here understand that participating in the slave trade would be met with punishment.

"..."

The auction house enforcers were no match for Renji and his companions. In an instant, cries of pain filled the air.

In the blink of an eye, the once-ferocious group lay on the ground, silent and motionless.

Disco was forced to retreat, sweat dripping from his forehead as panic set in.

"Those useless Marines! I pay them so much every year, and now they can't even protect me?!"

"Boss, I've already informed them, but they said it'll take some time to get here," a subordinate said, sweating profusely. He hadn't spent all his money yet—he couldn't die here.

"Useless, all of you! You always fail when it matters most!"

He gritted his teeth, watching his profits rapidly disappear as Renji and his group wreaked havoc.

Though more of his men joined the fray, they couldn't quell the chaos.

The hall was soon filled with the screams and curses of the nobles.

They scrambled over each other, pushing and shoving to reach the exit. Those three were too terrifying—so many people had been killed in an instant, and even those who begged for mercy were shown no leniency.

"Bang!"

Amid the chaos, gunfire rang out.

"Lowly scum, move aside! Make way for the noble Celestial Dragon to leave!"

The guards protecting the Celestial Dragon shouted loudly, though they were panicking inside. They had thought this would be a simple escort mission.

They hadn't expected something like this. They couldn't let anything happen to the Celestial Dragon, or they and their families would face a gruesome fate.

"Why should we leave? Watching them kill each other is much more entertaining," the Celestial Dragon said, showing no interest in leaving.

"Saint Roswald, let's return to Mary Geoise. The show here isn't worth watching," the head guard said, suppressing the urge to simply carry the Celestial Dragon away.

Having spent so much time around Celestial Dragons, they understood their mindset. They feared nothing, never worrying about danger because the Marines' strongest forces would rush to their aid if they were threatened.

This was one of the privileges of being a Celestial Dragon.

While the Celestial Dragon wasn't afraid, the guards were terrified. Who knew what those bloodthirsty individuals might do?

"Are you telling me what to do?" The Celestial Dragon pulled out a gun and pointed it at the guard.

CP2 agents, hidden in the shadows, appeared before the guard. "No one can get close while we're here."

"Form a protective circle around Saint Roswald. Make sure no one gets close and that they don't come near this area."

Though confident in their abilities, they took extra precautions to ensure nothing went wrong.

After all, the situation here was too chaotic, and if anything unexpected happened, no one could save them.

Renji, not far away, observed the Celestial Dragon's actions. As expected of a pig, rushing toward danger like this.

"Leave the small fry to you," Renji said, slapping away an approaching enemy as he made his way to the backstage alone.

"Really, always leaving us with the hard work."

Dofflamingo fired at an enemy, a smirk on his face. Though he complained, he enjoyed the feeling of being unstoppable.

Amid the chaos and fierce fighting, Dragon heart burned with anger. Hearing Renji's words, he simply nodded silently.

He held a strong belief in justice and a desire to protect the weak. His actions were not only to free the enslaved but also to defend his inner convictions and hopes for the world.

Renji made his way to the backstage alone. In the chaotic auction hall, he walked openly through the crowd. The guards tried their best to stop him, but they were no match. In no time, he reached the backstage area.

With a loud "bang," Renji kicked open the tightly shut cell doors. The room was dark and damp, filled with a foul odor. He frowned, unaccustomed to the environment.

"Ugh, this place is disgusting," he muttered, shaking his head as he continued forward.

There, he found a group of imprisoned slaves.

Their eyes widened in shock. Though they tried to calm their racing hearts, their excitement was impossible to hide. They recognized the voice of the man before them...

"You're free," Renji said, kicking open the cell doors. "Line up, and I'll remove the collars from your necks."

The slaves stared in disbelief at what was happening.

It wasn't until Renji moved to the next cell that someone broke down in tears, realizing this was real—so real that they could hardly believe it.

"We're free!"

After cheering, the slaves rushed out of their cells and lined up. Though they were out of the cells, the collars around their necks were the true threat to their lives.

As Renji reached the last room, he noticed one slave who stood out from the rest.

...