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Byakuya and Smoker, led by Boyle, entered the auction house and sat in the first row on the left side.
The venue had about two hundred seats, most of which were already occupied by the time they arrived.
Their presence in full Marine Rear Admiral uniforms drew significant attention since such auctions rarely saw naval officers.
The typical attendees were pirates, bounty hunters, and underground factions.
Occasionally, a Celestial Dragon would come to purchase slaves.
For the Marines, most items in the auction were of no use, and in lawless areas like this, they couldn't arrest pirates.
Attending such an event would only provoke the pirates, making it better to stay away.
Especially surprising was the audacity of Byakuya and Smoker attending in full naval regalia, which shocked the onlookers.
"These two Marine Rear Admirals are so bold. How about we take them out after the auction?" one pirate suggested.
"Yeah, the marines here are so scared, killing two admirals won't be a big deal. We can just escape by ship.
"Even if the Marine Headquarters sends someone after us, we'll be long gone."
"Exactly, and it'll raise our bounty significantly!"
A group of pirates sitting nearby plotted together, their eyes filled with murderous intent as they looked at Byakuya.
For pirates, the higher the bounty, the stronger they were perceived to be.
Like how people often talked about the total bounty of Yonko's crew being over two billion berries, this recognition of strength motivated them.
The quickest way to increase their bounty was by killing naval officers. In simpler terms, these pirates wanted to boost their reputation by killing Byakuya.
If they succeeded, they might even be able to join the ranks of Yonko's crew in the New World.
Smoker, feeling uneasy, asked, "Byakuya, are we going to participate in this auction?"
Smoker had second thoughts upon learning that a Celestial Dragon would attend the auction.
Any marine with a sense of justice despised the Celestial Dragons.
To marines, the existence of the Celestial Dragons was the biggest mockery of the justice they upheld.
However, the Celestial Dragons' status had been entrenched for eight hundred years, with the belief that they were gods passed down through generations.
Thus, despite their disdain, marines could only avoid them, as Garp did, keeping their distance to prevent any interaction.
Byakuya's eyes sparkled with a mysterious light as he chuckled,
"Why not? Don't you think it's a coincidence that the Celestial Dragon is coming this time?"
Smoker was puzzled. "Isn't it just a coincidence?"
"Think about it. We came straight from the Marine base to the auction house and immediately ran into Harris, the Finance Minister's son, leading to a conflict," Byakuya explained.
"After I cut off Harris's arm, he fled in disgrace. Then, Boyle, the auction house owner, appeared."
"When I mentioned their failure to notify the Marine about selling slaves, Boyle informed us that Saint Esthercoke would attend the auction, using the Celestial Dragon to pressure us."
"You think that's all just a coincidence?" Byakuya asked.
Smoker connected the dots after Byakuya's explanation and realized that it indeed seemed too coincidental.
Smoker still didn't quite understand some things.
"Even if the auction house is Doflamingo's enterprise, how could he command the Finance Minister's son and a Celestial Dragon? Just because he's a Shichibukai?"
Byakuya patiently explained, "Being a Shichibukai alone isn't enough. But what if Doflamingo himself is a former Celestial Dragon?"
The reason Doflamingo could leverage the Celestial Dragons to pressure the Marine was precisely because of his past status.
Though he was despised by the Celestial Dragons living in Mary Geoise, they still regarded him more highly than other commoners.
Moreover, Doflamingo might possess secrets about the Celestial Dragons...
"What? Doflamingo is a Celestial Dragon!" Smoker was so shocked he nearly shouted.
It was unimaginable for him that a Celestial Dragon would go to sea, become a pirate, and even be recognized by the World Government as a Shichibukai.
But reality often defies expectations. Just as Smoker couldn't fathom why Doflamingo became a pirate,
Doflamingo couldn't understand why his father renounced his Celestial Dragon status to live as a commoner, ultimately being killed by the very people he once deemed beneath him.
As the two conversed, a commotion erupted at the auction house entrance.
The auction house owner and staff all knelt at the door, shouting, "Welcome Estercock Saint and Mapelseciel Palace!"
Typically, male Celestial Dragons have "Saint" added to their names, while female Celestial Dragons have "Palace" added to theirs, signifying their nobility.
Two Celestial Dragons, wearing bubble helmets and dressed in luxurious attire, rode in on male Longarm Tribe slaves, followed by a dozen more slaves.
Unlike the grotesque and dim-witted Celestial Dragons depicted in the anime, these two were strikingly handsome and beautiful.
However, their air of superiority and disdain for commoners was unmistakable.
As the Celestial Dragons entered, most pirates' expressions shifted slightly.
They gritted their teeth and knelt, pressing their heads to the floor to avoid attracting attention.
A small number of defiant pirates, unwilling to kneel, tried to hide behind their seats, also hoping to avoid notice.
This was an unavoidable situation, for offending a Celestial Dragon would prompt the immediate intervention of a Marine Admiral or CP0 agent.
Under such threats, only the crews of the Yonko dared challenge the Celestial Dragons.
Led by Boyle, the two Celestial Dragons were seated in the first row, slightly to the left.
This arrangement placed four people in the front row: the two Celestial Dragons, Byakuya, and Smoker.
Strikingly, Byakuya and Smoker seemed entirely unfazed by the Celestial Dragons' arrival, sitting comfortably while other pirates knelt or hid.
This stark contrast drew attention. Estercock Saint noticed that Byakuya and Smoker hadn't knelt and raised an eyebrow, ready to reprimand them.
However, Mapelseciel Palace, recognizing their Marine Rear Admiral uniforms, spoke up first, "Let's start the auction quickly. I need to replenish my slaves."
The atmosphere in the auction house was tense.
Byakuya and Smoker's calm demeanor amidst the chaos highlighted their confidence and defiance, setting the stage for an auction filled with potential conflict and intrigue.
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