In the depths of the human trafficking auction house, where imprisoned individuals awaited their fate, the sound of dice colliding echoed through the darkness.
"Ta-ta!"
Rayleigh sighed as he examined the dice he had just rolled, his expression a mix of resignation and amusement.
"My luck in gambling has always been terrible," he muttered, glancing across at his opponent.
The blind swordsman, holding a cane, calmly took his turn, rolling the dice with a gentle flick.
"Ta-ta."
The dice landed with the same minimal result as Rayleigh's.
"Another tie. Our luck seems equally ill," Rayleigh chuckled, looking at the blind swordsman.
"I wouldn't call it bad luck," the blind swordsman remarked, his eyes, only the whites visible, hinting at a mysterious confidence.
"I have a feeling today might just be a day of unprecedented fortune for me."
Rayleigh raised an eyebrow at the swordsman's cryptic words.
"A fortunate day? I hadn't expected to encounter such a formidable figure of unknown renown in these parts. What brings you here?" Rayleigh inquired, his smile fading as his gaze sharpened.
"Renown?" The blind swordsman's lips curved into a half-smile.
"And what about you?" he countered.
"I'm merely here to secure some drinking money," Rayleigh replied nonchalantly, a slight grin forming on his lips. "As an old man, I follow my instincts. They led me here today."
The blind swordsman gestured towards the dice before him, his smile growing.
"Your Observation Haki is impressive, but it can't 'see' the distant future, can it? Is it all based on intuition?" Rayleigh asked, observing the blind man keenly.
"I don't need to see. There are too many repugnant and distressing aspects of this world that people turn away from," Fujitora replied, his gaze unwavering. "Here in Sabaody Archipelago, in places that cater to the Celestial Dragons, and in establishments like this human trafficking auction house, which flourish under the Celestial Dragons' influence and legality. Sometimes, not seeing is a blessing."
The blind swordsman met Rayleigh's gaze with his sightless eyes wide open.
"I'm starting to appreciate you," Rayliegh remarked with a chuckle.
Rayleigh's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Can you at least tell me your name?"
"Fujitora. Just a blind man of no consequence," the swordsman replied lightly, heading towards the auction house.
"A smile from fate, eh?" Rayleigh mused, his smile fading as a sudden realization dawned in his eyes.
Inside the human trafficking auction house, the air was tense as Disco, the auctioneer, addressed the room.
"Dear guests, our auction continues. Once again, we express our utmost gratitude to the esteemed Celestial Dragons for their presence."
On the stage, Disco, wearing star-shaped glasses, flattered the three Celestial Dragons seated prominently at the front.
"Charros, take care of him. Who will host the next auction? I don't want to wait to buy a slave stronger than you," one of the older Celestial Dragons demanded.
"The slaves I bought before were useless," complained a female Celestial Dragon, visibly displeased.
"Add more slaves this time, Shalulia," instructed the older Celestial Dragon.
Disco, anxious to avoid upsetting the Celestial Dragons, hurriedly ordered, "Bring out something exceptional immediately."
"St. Roswald, St. Charlos, and Charulia Palace, pay attention," the servants exclaimed enthusiastically, referring to the Celestial Dragons with honorifics.
While Celestial Dragons addressed each other by their names, others, considered mere mortals, had to append "Saint" for males and "Palace" for females when addressing them.
"This is an extraordinary item," Roswald observed as a rare mermaid was presented.
"A mermaid!" Charros exclaimed with excitement, his face breaking into a silly smile.
"Since the Whitebeard Pirates took over Fish-Man Island, capturing mermaids has become rare," remarked someone in the audience.
"Yes! Esteemed guests, behold the legendary mermaid!" Disco announced dramatically, gesturing to the frightened creature in the water tank.
"After Fish-Man Island fell under Whitebeard's influence, mermaid captures plummeted," he added, emphasizing the rarity of the occasion.
"This young and beautiful specimen is the finest of its kind," Disco declared, his eyes gleaming with avarice. "We'll start the bidding for this female mermaid at 500 million beli!"
The bidding quickly escalated in the prestigious auction venue, despite the astronomical starting price.
"600 million!"
"650 million!"
The bids soared, driven by the rarity and allure of such a young and beautiful mermaid.
"800 million beli!" Disco announced, as the bidding slowed down at this exorbitant figure.
"Is there any higher bid?" he called out, scanning the room.
As the bidding stalled at 800 million beli, Disco prepared to close the auction.
"A billion beli!" a sudden voice interrupted.
"Saint Charlos offers one billion beli!" Disco proclaimed, immediately showering Charlos with effusive praise.
"Do you plan to buy her to experiment, Charros?" Roswald inquired.
"I want to see if she can survive in 100-degree Celsius water," Charros replied casually, eliciting laughter from Roswald and Shalulia.
As the auction concluded with Charlos's winning bid, Disco hastily declared the sale and congratulated the Celestial Dragon.
Behind the scenes, Fujitora, witnessing the scene unfold, clenched his fist around his cane handle in frustration.
Even if you don't look at things, you still can't avoid the filthiness of this world.
"The real nobles of the world," he muttered bitterly, his face contorted with disdain.
Suddenly, a deafening explosion rocked the auction venue as the ceiling burst open.
The explosion reverberated through the human trafficking auction house, a stark violation of the world government's explicit prohibition against such activities openly practiced in Sabaody Archipelago. The ceiling collapsed in a cascade of debris, plunging the venue into chaos.
"Haki," Fujitora muttered under his breath as he swiftly activated Armament Haki, freeing himself from his restraints with a decisive flick of his wrist. In moments, he stood beside the terrified mermaid and her water tank, swiftly ushering them to safety backstage.
"What's happening?" he wondered aloud, his blind eyes flickering with concern. Despite his advanced Observation Haki, something was disrupting its effectiveness, preventing him from fully perceiving the unfolding events.
A smile crossed Rayleigh's face as he emerged from the shadows, his presence calm yet resolute. "Fujitora, it seems you've finally taken action," he remarked, noting the turmoil around them. "It's regrettable to see such corruption fueled by the Celestial Dragons. It was this chaos that finally spurred me to act and rescue the young lady."
Fujitora's expression revealed a mix of shame and resolve. He knew that rescuing slaves from the Celestial Dragons meant standing against the World Government, potentially jeopardizing his aspirations to join the Marines and protect civilians. Yet, he couldn't ignore the injustice before him.
Rayleigh, perceiving Fujitora's internal struggle, smiled knowingly. "Your actions speak louder than words," he reassured. "No need for regrets."
Feeling a sense of relief wash over him, Fujitora's hand tightened around his cane, empowered by Armament Haki. "No, what you're doing is right," he affirmed, his gaze steady.
Rayleigh nodded approvingly, his respect for Fujitora growing. "In that case, consider me your accomplice," he declared, joining Fujitora in defying the status quo.
"Why are you involved in this?" Fujitora asked, genuinely surprised. "You've been in seclusion. Why risk the World Government's ire?"
Rayleigh's smile widened, a hint of amusement in his voice. "It's destiny," he replied cryptically. "Before retiring, I spent decades in their sights anyways."
As chaos reigned in the auction house, Fujitora and Rayleigh stood united, their actions defying the corrupt order perpetuated by the Celestial Dragons and the World Government alike.
"Hurry, protect the Celestial Dragons!"
The servants of the Celestial Dragons cried out in horror as chaos erupted around them. For them, any harm befalling the Celestial Dragons could mean execution not only for themselves but for their entire families.
"Charros!" Roswad bellowed in fury as he watched a massive boulder hurtle towards Charros, who appeared dazed and terrified.
"Boom!"
To Charros's horror, a hand effortlessly caught the boulder mid-air.
"If you were to die now, it would be quite troublesome," a voice resonated with Haki-infused laughter from a figure with their back turned to the auction house.
Rayleigh, observing from the background with a clear view of the figure's face, widened his eyes slightly. "So, this is the reason I sensed destiny through my intuition," he mused, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"What's happening? You seem rather pleased. Who is this approaching? Their aura and strength surpass even mine," Fujitora questioned, noticing Rayleigh's emotional shift and the appearance of the newcomer, his expression growing serious in response to the formidable pressure emanating from them.
"I believe the fate you sensed has arrived," Rayleigh remarked, his smile widening slightly as he chuckled.
"Huh?" Fujitora's surprise deepened.
"Well done! Who are you? I'll reward you for saving Charros," Roswald exclaimed joyously, looking towards the figure with his back still turned to the venue.
"A reward? You have quite the nerve to ask, trash," the figure replied, a slight smirk crossing their lips.
The words hung in the air, freezing Roswald, Charros, and Shalulia in place. Trash? Did this person just refer to the Celestial Dragons as trash?
In disbelief, everyone in the auction house stared at the figure, stunned by the brazen insult directed at the Celestial Dragons.
"What an entrance, Portgas D. Ace," Rayleigh remarked, his amusement evident in the quirk of his lips.
Fujitora's expression mirrored the shock around him. "Portgas D. Ace? The so-called Fifth Emperor of the Sea, Supposedly a threat to the World?" he questioned, incredulous that Ace would appear at a human trafficking auction and boldly label the Celestial Dragons as garbage.