Chapter 72: Killing (Part 3)
"Assholes! What are you doing?"
Just as the crowd began cursing, a figure emerged from the passageway created by Butler Fei's flying body.
Charlotte stepped forward, a twisted smile playing on his lips as he scanned the audience.
Anyone who knew Charlotte would recognize that smile—a harbinger of death.
"Hahahaha! Hahahahahahaha!"
Charlotte's laughter echoed across the auction hall, sending chills down the spines of many.
The crowd, consisting of nobles, merchants, and other affluent individuals, erupted into angry shouts.
"Brat! Get off the stage! Who do you think you are?"
"Get out of here!"
"Someone take care of this lunatic!"
From his private room on the second floor, Wells turned pale.
The colonel accompanying him collapsed to the ground, his face drained of color.
"Charlotte," Wells muttered, his voice trembling.
Mayor Hoyle, seated in another private room on the second floor, frowned deeply. He waved to his guards standing behind him.
"Kill him," Hoyle commanded coldly.
One of his bodyguards, dressed in a sharp black suit, nodded and leaped down from the balcony.
Bang!
The figure landed in front of Charlotte, who stopped laughing and turned his attention to the suited man.
"Finally, someone with a bit of skill," Charlotte said, his tone laced with amusement.
The man in the suit didn't respond. He moved swiftly, closing the distance between them in a blur.
Bang!
The suited man aimed a kick at Charlotte's head.
Charlotte raised his arm, effortlessly blocking the attack.
"Shave? So, you're from CP, huh? Which division?" Charlotte asked, his tone casual, as if they were having a friendly conversation.
The suited man's expression tightened. He hadn't expected Charlotte to recognize his techniques.
Realizing his initial attack had failed, the man retreated quickly.
"Rankyaku!"
He launched a slicing projectile from his leg, aimed directly at Charlotte.
Charlotte tilted his body slightly, allowing the attack to pass harmlessly by him.
The energy slash continued on its path, heading straight for the Red Earl, who had just stepped out of the backstage area.
Without moving from his spot, the Red Earl raised a hand coated in Armament Haki and casually intercepted the attack, dissipating it with ease.
The audience gasped in unison, stunned by the Red Earl's display of power.
"What kind of monster is this?" someone whispered in terror.
The suited man's face turned pale. He realized he had severely underestimated these two.
Charlotte, seeing the man's moment of hesitation, smirked and lunged forward with blinding speed.
Before the man could react, Charlotte's hand was around his throat, lifting him off the ground.
Activating his Observation Haki and mind-reading ability, Charlotte delved into the man's thoughts.
"Hah! CP9, huh? So, you're a lapdog of the World Government," Charlotte remarked disdainfully.
The suited man's eyes widened in shock.
Panicking, he attempted to use Finger Pistol, jabbing at Charlotte's torso.
But his attacks felt like striking steel. His fingers throbbed in pain as Charlotte's body remained unscathed.
"You're pathetic," Charlotte muttered.
With a sudden squeeze, he crushed the man's throat, letting the lifeless body drop to the floor.
---
In the private room on the second floor, Mayor Hoyle could no longer remain seated. He stood abruptly, his face pale and drenched in sweat.
Pushing open the door to his box, Hoyle stepped out onto the balcony overlooking the auction hall.
"Friend, let's not escalate this any further," Hoyle began, forcing a smile. "I am Hoyle, the mayor of the Seven Waters City and the owner of this auction house. Perhaps we can come to an understanding."
Hoyle gestured to the guards behind him, signaling them to prepare for action.
"I can compensate you," Hoyle continued. "How about fifty million Baileys and three items of your choice from the auction house? Would that be satisfactory?"
Charlotte's gaze darkened, and his smile turned into a sneer.
"So, this auction house is yours," Charlotte said coldly. "That means you're the one who dared to take me as a slave."
Hoyle's confidence faltered. Sweat dripped down his face as he frantically dabbed at it with a handkerchief.
"Wait! Sir, this is all a misunderstanding!" Hoyle stammered. "I assure you, we had no idea who you were. Please, let's resolve this peacefully."
Charlotte took a step forward, his bloodstained face twisted into a mask of fury.
From the crowd, a bearded nobleman shouted, "Kid! Get lost! This isn't your playground!"
"Yeah! Do you even know who you're messing with?" another chimed in.
The audience, emboldened by Hoyle's presence, began hurling insults and threats at Charlotte.
The Red Earl, observing from the sidelines, chuckled softly. He was curious to see how Charlotte would handle this situation.
Charlotte's eyes glowed with fury as he turned to face the crowd.
"Hahahaha! You lot really don't know when to shut up," Charlotte said, his voice dripping with malice.
His Conqueror's Haki exploded outward, washing over the entire auction hall.
Plop! Plop! Plop!
One by one, the nobles, merchants, and guards collapsed to their knees, some fainting outright.
The hall fell into an eerie silence as the weight of Charlotte's Haki pressed down on everyone.
Those who remained conscious stared at him in abject terror, their earlier bravado shattered.
Charlotte stood at the center of the hall, surveying the broken and trembling crowd with a cold, satisfied smile.
"You wanted to die," he said softly. "So I'll grant your wish."
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