At Sabaody Archipelago, the crowd lay prostrate upon the ground, foreheads pressed tightly against the warm resin-coated streets, not daring to even breathe loudly.
At the center of this deathly silent carpet of kneeling bodies, an abnormally obese figure wearing a bubble helmet slowly advanced atop a mount.
This man was none other than the World Noble, Saint Filartas.
In one hand, he held a jewel-encrusted riding whip, impatiently lashing the creature beneath him.
Crack!
The sharp sound of the whip echoed harshly through the silent street.
"You worthless trash, hurry up already!"
"If you move slower than Biolufas and the others, I'll feed you to my little pets tonight!"
Saint Filartas's shrill voice drifted from inside the bubble helmet, carrying the childish cruelty of a spoiled brat.
Only from farther away could one clearly see what exactly he was riding.
It was not some exotic beast.
It was a gigantic man.
Though not as towering as a true giant, he still possessed a body nearly four meters tall.
Yet now he crawled on all fours like a domesticated beast, laboriously dragging himself forward.
His bronze-colored skin was covered in overlapping old and new whip marks, burns, and scarred wounds.
Some injuries were deep enough to expose bone, while others were freshly split open and bleeding as he crawled.
Anyone capable of recognizing him beneath the swollen, distorted face and deadened eyes would be horrified to discover—
This was none other than Butcher Brand.
A pirate once infamous throughout the South Blue, carrying a bounty as high as 40 million Beli.
A brutal criminal renowned for monstrous strength and savage cruelty, a man who had once given Marine branches endless headaches.
Now, however, Brand seemed almost numb to the lashes falling upon his back.
Only when the whip tore through old wounds did the sharp pain cause his bloodshot eyes to twitch slightly.
His crawling speed increased by the tiniest fraction.
Crack! Crack!
Two more lashes struck his shoulder blades, leaving fresh bloody marks behind.
"Yes! That's more like it! Ahahahaha!"
Saint Filartas laughed in satisfaction.
Only after the procession—escorted by dozens of fully armored knight guards—finally disappeared into the far end of the street did the crowd, which had knelt for several long minutes, slowly begin rising to their feet.
There was no discussion.
No anger.
Hardly even any expression.
The merchants brushed dust from their knees and resumed arranging their goods.
Tourists looked around nervously before hurriedly dragging their companions away.
The local residents merely sighed deeply in helpless resignation, shook their heads, and quietly returned to the bustle of daily life.
For those living in Sabaody, this was nothing more than another ordinary scene beneath the feet of the privileged class.
—
The scene shifted back to Area 3's auction house.
Nearly an hour had passed, and the auction was now in full swing as it reached the fifteenth item.
The previous slaves, jewelry, and antiques had failed to interest Sami's group.
Until now—
"Honored guests, please direct your attention here!"
The auctioneer's voice rose with increasing excitement.
Under the spotlight, a servant dressed in elegant formalwear and white gloves carefully carried a long wooden box lined with dark velvet onto the stage.
The auctioneer personally opened the lid.
At once, a cold gleam like autumn water flowed forth, instantly attracting the attention of every swordsman and blade enthusiast present.
"Auction Item Number Fifteen—one of the Fifty Skillful Grade Blades: Azure Wave!"
He carefully lifted the sword out, only partially unsheathing it to reveal a section of the blade beneath the light.
The metal possessed a beautiful color balanced somewhere between blue-gray and silver-white.
Its curve was elegant, and the hamon resembled advancing ocean waves layered atop one another.
"This blade was forged by the master swordsmith Minamoto Kiyomori of the New World!"
"Legend says it was crafted from deep-sea cold iron and a special alloy!"
"On the day the sword was completed, it sliced through ocean waves without a single drop of water clinging to the blade—thus earning the name Azure Wave!"
The auctioneer's voice brimmed with theatrical fervor.
"Not only is it incomparably sharp and extraordinarily durable, but due to its unique material and forging method, it possesses a remarkable guiding effect upon the wind pressure generated by high-speed slashes!"
"It allows the wielder's attacks to become swifter and far more unpredictable!"
"For swordmasters pursuing ultimate martial power—or discerning collectors—Azure Wave is not merely a weapon!"
"It is a work of art!"
"A legend!"
"Starting bid—8 million Beli!"
"8.5 million!"
Almost the instant the words left the auctioneer's mouth, a cold-looking pirate wearing half a mask raised his paddle.
"9 million!"
On the opposite side, a luxuriously dressed young noble who appeared to belong to some kingdom immediately followed.
Just as Riberra Sami had expected, most merchants and nobles merely glanced at the sword politely before losing interest.
Weapons—especially top-grade weapons like this—almost always sold at inflated prices during auctions.
To them, such things held far less appeal than rare slaves or expensive jewels.
But the fierce-looking pirates throughout the hall, as well as several men who looked like royal guard captains, immediately became visibly interested.
True pragmatists—and collectors who viewed famous blades as either status symbols or ultimate passions—rarely cared about a little overpricing.
"13 million!"
"14 million!"
Marcus shouted almost simultaneously.
He looked even more excited than Kahaylo himself.
Although Marcus already possessed the Skillful Grade blade Chaotic Sakura, he still couldn't resist getting excited over a fine sword.
Besides, Kahaylo would be the one paying in the end anyway—Marcus was simply enjoying himself.
"Kahaylo! Alberto!"
"One sword isn't enough!"
"Kahaylo, you should complete the pair!"
"And Alberto seriously needs an upgrade too!"
Kahaylo remained calm on the surface, but his eyes stayed locked firmly onto Azure Wave upon the stage.
He gave a slight nod.
The twin swords at his waist were merely ordinary quality blades.
After numerous battles, both had already developed chips and damage.
They genuinely needed replacing.
Alberto also rested a hand on the sword at his waist and silently nodded.
"15 million!"
The price continued climbing.
"16 million!"
"16.5 million!"
Marcus bid again on behalf of his companions.
The auction progressed steadily, with each increase ranging between 500,000 and 1 million Beli.
The bidders included three pirate captains, two apparent collectors, and Marcus representing the Jellyfish Pirates.
Before long, the price surpassed 20 million Beli.
"21 million!"
A rough, booming voice rang out from the front rows.
It was Explosive Bear Barbarossa.
Though he himself didn't appear interested in swords, one of his subordinates clearly was.
"22 million!"
Marcus showed no intention of backing down.
"23 million!"
One of Barbarossa's officers glared fiercely toward them.
"24 million!"
A collector gritted his teeth and followed, though he looked close to his limit.
"25 million!"
Marcus practically rose out of his seat.
Barbarossa exchanged a few quiet words with his companions, spat on the floor, and ultimately did not raise his paddle again.
The collector also sighed regretfully and shook his head.
"25 million! Going once!" the auctioneer shouted.
"25 million! Going twice!"
"25 million! Sold!"
The hammer fell.
Marcus pumped his fist excitedly.
Kahaylo also quietly let out a breath of relief.
If the next two swords sold around the same price range, then between his and Alberto's accumulated savings over the years, they could barely afford them.
"Nicely done," Riberra Sami said quietly.
"But this is only the beginning."
"Be patient. The real highlights are still coming."
A Skillful Grade blade selling for 25 million Beli—
Although the price was inflated by nearly sixty percent, it still remained within an acceptable range.
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