One Piece: The Legendary Pirate

Upon the speaker's declaration, the auction fell into silence.

"..."

'They mentioned that 253 slaves were brought in total.'

Within the silence, Darvy thought.

'Coincidentally, the number of Celestial Dragons seated seems to match. This raises a likelihood that each master can only purchase one slave in this auction.'

Furthermore, the fact that Saint Brysus, or 'Dhrash' as other Celestial Dragons called him, was seated among them showed that although he was the one who led the expedition, he didn't have rights over the slaves he caught.

Darvy hypothesized based on this information that there exists a hierarchy even among the Celestial Dragons. Dhrash either volunteered for the role to attain a higher rank or was forced to do so for an unknown reason.

"Ha... haha... it seems that no one is interested in taking this slave in at this moment!"

"..."

"If so, perhaps we should hold onto this one for now and move on to the next one—"

A paddle was raised amidst the audience. Though silent, everyone immediately recognized this change and looked at the owner of the paddle.

Darvy saw that the owner of the paddle was a... young girl, wearing the same outfit as any other adult Celestial Dragons. Around 10 years old in Darvy's perspective, her characteristic was defined as brown hair tied in a ponytail and violet-colored eyes. Cute in appearance, she would without a doubt grow up as an attractive woman unless a life-changing event occurs.

"S-Saint Topman!"

The speaker exclaimed, before hurriedly returning to his role,

"We have the bidder! 500,000 berries as stated!"

"Tch... a member of an elder's family, huh."

Celestial Dragons murmured among themselves. Darvy noted that she seemed to be someone of higher standing among them, and noted—the name of 'Topman' and its connection with an 'elder'.

The paddle had a name written: Topman Vallerina. The owner of the paddle, staring at Darvy without any emotion present on her face, put him in a mystery.

Darvy forced a fearful demeanor. However, he couldn't help but think that somehow, she was perceiving through his facade. As she narrowed her eyes, Darvy believed that he saw a gleam containing that of an interest.

He then saw someone by her side, a male Celestial Dragon who seemed to be around his twenties in age, trying to make her revoke her decision. 

"Uh, Vallerina? Are you sure about this? Once you choose, you can't go back! You're stuck with that slave until he dies, and afterward, you'd have to wait a long turn before your turn to participate returns!"

Now that Darvy observed more carefully, something was different about them. The young man, lean and good-looking, seemed to fit the image of a noble, unlike the fat ones that surrounded them.

"I made the decision. I won't change it."

"But—haa, fine. Just don't regret it later on, okay?"

No one raised a bid and dared to compete with her. From the attitudes of the other Celestial Dragons, he concluded that the lack of competition wasn't due to their fear of that girl, but simply because he wasn't a desirable slave.

The hammer slammed, calling the conclusion of the bid.

"Congratulations to Saint Topman for winning the first bid of the day!"

The noble girl, Topman Vallerina, leaned her cheek to her hand as if sleepy. As she did so, she gazed at Darvy through the corners of her eyes, to which he gazed back with crimson eyes of his own.

"..."

He didn't know what she was thinking on the inside, as he was dragged out of the center of the stage back to his cell. Locked back into it, the soldiers attached a wooden board to the cell and wrote down the name 'Saint Topman Vallerina' on top.

"Now, moving on!"

Lively, the speaker carried on the event. Another slave was brought out, and upon inspecting his fit and strong-looking appearance, the Celestial Dragons began to exhibit eagerness, having already forgotten Darvy.

One by one, the slaves were brought out and purchased by Celestial Dragons. Unlike Darvy, everyone else looked strong and competent—enough for Darvy to believe that they were the cream of the crop within the pool of slaves that Celestial Dragons had.

Of course, this was only when he took into account their physiques. On the other hand, their mental states were filled with fear, despair, and humiliation—befitting the minds of slaves.

Darvy felt angry. As the slaves trembled, the Celestial Dragons laughed. They were being treated like tools of entertainment, and there was nothing that they could do against it.

'Celestial Dragons...'

Darvy believed that he now come to understand more about these despicable folks.

Then, as another slave was brought out, he caught Darvy's attention.

It was that pirate whom he shared the room with back in the ship. Smelly, missing a few teeth, having dirty hair and a beard that's overgrown... Darvy realized that the man was taller than he thought, and that coupled with his captain's hat and black colored cloak, he looked quite menacing.

"Now, it's the time for the highlight... the great pirate whom everyone must have heard of at least once! The nuisance who raided many properties of dear Celestial Dragons and murdered hundreds! We present to you, Haddock the 'Scourge', the man of 203,000,000 berries!"

As the pirate raised his head and looked at the greed-filled Celestial Dragons in despair, the speaker lowered his tone as if trying to set a tension,

"...Therefore, the starting bid will naturally be the same 203,000,000 berries!"

Numerous paddles were raised. Celestial Dragons heatedly shouted their bids, and the speaker busily chanted the rising price at an incredible speed.

The auction house was loud and more lively than ever. To Darvy, however, they sounded like nothing more than the squeals of pigs.

Eventually, the bid concluded with one Celestial Dragon winning the pirate for the price of 2 billion berries. Though Darvy didn't know how significant such value was, judging by the flabbergasted expressions on the faces of other slaves, he assumed that it was an astounding amount.

Then, the pirate was brought back to his cage and the next one was brought out. Weak ones, ones whom no one previously bought—all of them were sold by the end of the day without an exception. Darvy saw some Celestial Dragons shouting in anger, saying how the new pool of gladiators sucked and wasn't fair for them.

"..."

Seated in his cage for hours, chained, Darvy felt that the hunger in him, the starvation that hadn't been resolved for quite some time by now, was more intense than ever.

"And now, with the end of the auction, we now have the moment of truth!"

The 'Doriki' machine was brought from the side to the center of the stage, as the slave who was purchased last was kept on the stage by the soldiers on his sides.

The chattering Celestial Dragons silenced, feeling yet another surge of excitement upon remembering that there was still one more event left for them to enjoy.

The soldiers, with their holds on the slave's chains intact, ordered the slave to hit the punching pad of the machine.

"What shall his Doriki be?!"

The speaker's voice boomed through the mic, adding to the exciting tension of the room.

The slave nervously looked back and forth between the soldiers and the Celestial Dragons who watched him as if spectating the circus of an animal. Gulping, he raised his trembling hand, folded his fingers into fist, and reluctantly punched the punching pad.

The electronic screen exhibiting numbers began to fluctuate with a melody that sounded similar to the machines in a casino.

Then, the number stopped at the number of '19'.

"...Is that high?"

Celestial Dragons raised an eyebrow as if having expected higher numbers than that.

"19 it is!"

The speaker exclaimed loudly, and as he did so, the soldiers brought that slave into the cage before bringing out the slave sold second last.

"54!"

"38!"

"15!"

'So the order is in reverse.'

Darvy watched as the Celestial Dragons either revealed delight or fumed, saying that they were scammed.

"150!"

Then, a three-digit number was announced. The slave responding for generating such a number was a muscular man of huge height. The owner of said slave yelped in joy, to which other Celestial Dragons looked at him in envy.

"Three digits! Doesn't that mean that guy is, uh, like 5 times stronger than mine?! Damn it!!"

However, they then saw that the next slave brought out was none other than the renowned pirate, Haddock.

"Haha, it's finally my turn!"

His owner was none other than Saint Brysus Dhrash, the one responsible for bringing him in.

Haddock gazed at the punching pad in silence, and no one knew what he was thinking. Not moving for a while, he was nudged by one of the soldiers at the back, causing him to take a step forward.

With a grimace, he raised his hand and gave a punch, and the sound his blow made was different from that of any other—it was as if a minuscule explosion occurred.

"2-2000!!!"

The result was shocking, enough for the speaker himself to shout in disbelief.

Some Celestial Dragons' jaws dropped.

"No way!!"

"That guy is... on a completely different level!"

"Honhonhon!!! That's right!!! That's how it should be!!!"

Brysus laughed as he bounced up and down on his bed-like chair.

After, Haddock the pirate was brought back in and the test continued. Many went through, but save a thousand; the highest number that appeared after 2000 was 970, by a tall man who could be considered fit but not muscular.

As the parade of the numbers of two digits continued, the Celestial Dragons yawned and revealed boredom. Some began snoring even. Nonetheless, the show continued, and eventually, Darvy's turn arrived, the last one to go.

"Move."

Darvy, yanked once more by his chains, walked slowly. His form swayed from a long starvation and thirst.

He looked ahead and saw the very same punching pad that many others punched today.

"And the last one in today's entertainment, we're back on 'Darvy!'"

Darvy stared at his palm, his hand which was connected to his thin arm. He barely felt any strength to move his body, but nevertheless raised his arm as he formed his hand into a fist.

He punched, or more like tapped the pad. The number fluctuated for a brief moment before revealing '3'.

"...Huh?"

Even the speaker seemed to be at a loss for words. Upon the presentation of the result, silence dominated the room.

Then, the Celestial Dragons exploded in a fit of laughter. They rolled on their seats, letting out the tears from an amusement beyond their expectation.

Turning around and looking at Celestial Dragons, Darvy acted fearful, making his body tremble forcibly.

He saw that Celestial Dragon who purchased him, Topman Vallerina, looking back at him impassively with her arms crossed. That Celestial Dragon, sitting by her side, seemed to be saying something to her as he pointed his finger at Darvy, but she, unfazed by it, continued staring at Darvy.

It was as if there were only two of them in the room. The loudness of the environment, the soldiers by Darvy's sides and Celestial Dragons by her sides—they weren't existent.

For a brief moment, Darvy's eyebrows flinched, frowning coldly. He then quickly re-wore his facade, bringing himself back to the demeanor of a fearful boy.

Just then, Darvy saw that girl's eyes forming an arch as if having witnessed something delightful.

Her mouth moved.

'I knew it,'

She seemed to be saying.

"..."

Darvy was then forced to avert his eyes as the soldiers pulled him, walking back to the empty cage.

And that was the end of the day.