"It's really quite quiet..."
As usual, Atlas guarded the Sabaody Archipelago using his Observation Haki.
"Here we go again..."
In the lawless zone, a slender man with a stern expression sensed a familiar presence. Instantly, his entire body tensed, muscles rigid, as he cautiously refrained from making any misinterpreted moves.
He goes by the name of Lauren Frost, and he now leads the largest auction house in Sabaody. Today marks his third day in this role.
Despite being elevated from second in command to the top position, Lauren Frost couldn't be more pleased. Since the arrival of the Marine Devil, fear had gripped the criminals on Sabaody Archipelago throughout the day. Even in the slave trade, the pirates dared not breathe, lest they accidentally incur the wrath of the god of death.
In reality, the World Government explicitly forbids the slave trade. However, the Celestial Dragons, being the largest slave owners globally, render this legal prohibition nearly ineffective.
This is the very reason why, even if Lauren Frost attempts to bribe World Government officials to halt the Marines' actions or considers relocating Atlas from Sabaody, he would only receive a tepid response from the Marines, ultimately providing no real assistance.
"Curse it, those Celestial Dragons ought to dispatch someone once more to talk..."
Lauren Frost contemplated whether to gather her belongings and escape. The recent liberation of numerous slaves in Marie Joie by Fisher Tiger had left the slave-owning Celestial Dragons unsettled. Consequently, they deployed more agents everywhere to purchase substantial numbers of slaves.
Being one of the major suppliers of slaves for the Celestial Dragons, the auction house in Sabaody was inevitably within their crosshairs.
The primary reason for the existence and growth of this auction house is the backing of the Celestial Dragons. Once they deem it of no further utility, the fate of Lauren Frost is all but certain.
"I'm uncertain about the arrival time of the next shipment of slave ships. It should be soon..."
The information has been scarce in recent days, leaving Lauren Frost desperate and relying on luck to discreetly transport the slaves to the auction house. After all, the Marine admiral doesn't patrol Sabaody around the clock.
'Right?'
...
"What a troublesome youngster. It appears I should mind my words more in the days to come!"
Sengoku, seated in Marineford's office, ended the phone call with a distinct click.
Immediately, he rubbed his temples with a headache. This marked the third call from a high-ranking World Government official. Only individuals with the stature of Celestial Dragons held the privilege to freely contact Sengoku at this level.
These three factions share a singular goal – to request the transfer of Atlas from Sabaody!
However, stationing Atlas in the Sabaody Archipelago was a crucial element of his strategy. Sengoku couldn't simply abandon this plan due to the Celestial Dragons' pressure, so he almost instantly decided not to yield.
"This young troublemaker is really going to cause me headaches, but... well done!"
Sengoku's initially furrowed brows eased entirely, and a contented smile graced the corner of his mouth. The Marines had long been discontented with the distorted existence of slaves, considering it nothing short of a blemish on justice!
Yet, owing to the authority of the World Government, the Marines can only clamp down on the slave trade on a limited scale. They neither dare nor have the capability to suppress extensive human trafficking sites like Sabaody. Only Atlas remains fearless in the face of it all. The daring guy who fears nothing is the one who dares to take action.
He possesses the ability of Conqueror's Haki after all...
Sengoku was momentarily distracted, appearing to reminisce about the passionate young man who fervently declared 'the strongest justice' in his office a few years ago.
...
Area 66 of the Sabaody Archipelago, where the Marine station is situated.
"Bang bang bang!"
Thunderous and intense collisions reverberated within the training room encircled by iron sheets. In that moment, Atlas stood bare, fiercely thrusting his fists, yet it was apparent that he held back his full strength. Otherwise, with his current power, the impact would have been sufficient to obliterate the entire training room.
Now, conventional training like this holds almost no sway over Atlas. The primary objective is to maintain a physique with high-intensity explosive power and reinforce muscle memory. His sole means of advancement lies in persistently engaging in battles with formidable opponents, where the application of experience and skills becomes invaluable to his growth.
"Vice Admiral! A slave ship has been spotted approaching covertly in the Sabaody Archipelago!"
Just as Atlas was sweating profusely, Major's voice echoed from the doorway of the training room.
"Um?"
Atlas was thoroughly perplexed. How could someone be fearless and persist in walking straight into the barrel of his gun? It appeared that today he was inclined to carry out a thorough cleansing, imparting an unforgettable lesson to those fortunate enough to witness it—or rather, the ultimate lesson.
With these thoughts in mind, Atlas grabbed the clothes nearby and marched straight out of the door.
Atlas, having just completed his workout, was enveloped in steam. Majors at the door sensed an ominous air approaching, and a powerful feeling of oppression swept into his heart, causing him to momentarily lose consciousness. He stood there dazed, oblivious to Atlas' departing figure.
"Let's go! Why are you still standing there?"
Atlas noticed Majors' motion, turned his head, furrowed his brow, and shouted with a hint of displeasure.
"Huh? Oh! Yes! Sir!"
...
Sabaody Archipelago.
This is an almost deserted coastline. Lauren Frost stumbled upon this location by chance. Despite the slight inconvenience of docking, it was negligible compared to the allure of substantial rewards.
"Huh~ Come on, the Marines probably haven't noticed. It looks like the devil didn't catch wind of it either."
Lauren Frost breathed a sigh of relief. It appeared that luck was on his side today, and the slaves aboard this ship should be sufficient to meet the demands of the Celestial Dragons for the time being.
Especially... there's also a top-quality mermaid slave on the ship, a prized possession that I believe the world's nobles will greatly covet.
Lauren Frost could almost envision the future scene where he would be lauded by the Celestial Dragons and attain fame. However, he had momentarily forgotten his cautious demeanor from just a while ago.
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Bonus Chapter as this Fanfic finally got a rating.
Read 35 chapters in advance in Patr*on: patr*on.com/Cosmic_Kaminari