One Piece: General Blue

"Shipwright Rayleigh?"

Upon hearing this name, Rozward Saint, whose expression was growing increasingly cold, and Charulia Palace both immediately focused their gazes on the silver-haired old man being escorted in.

Noticing their attention, Charloss, who had been in a low mood, looked over in surprise as well.

The old man had silver hair and a vertical scar over his right eye. He wore round glasses on his face, which appeared worn and weary.

His upper body was clad in a white striped shirt with its buttons undone, while his lower half was dressed in red beach shorts. On his feet were flip-flops, revealing his hairy legs.

Draped over his shoulders was a white cloak, faded from countless washes and riddled with more than a dozen holes, worn casually.

The old man's lips were perpetually curled into a roguish smirk, exuding a carefree demeanor.

Even as two burly men shoved him forward, he held onto a small bottle of liquor, occasionally taking a sip.

"Dear sirs, who among you kind souls will buy me? I can coat ships, cook meals, and do BBQ. Just supply me with a few good bottles of liquor daily, and I'll bring you—hic!—great returns."

Before Berkley could properly introduce him, Rayleigh took the initiative to list his strengths and demands.

Hearing this, Berkley's perpetually grief-stricken face turned utterly speechless.

"You! Are you mocking the great Rozward Saint?"

The CP leader was infuriated.

"To think you'd bring an old drunkard, pushing seventy or eighty, to sell here! I suspect the Tenryubito Auction House has no intention of continuing operations in Sabaody. Tomorrow, I'll report this to the World Government and have your business license revoked."

While the CP leader scolded, Berkley apologized profusely, though in his heart, he had given up entirely.

Go ahead, report it. I'm running away after this anyway. If the auction house falls, so be it.

Still, for once, Berkley agreed with the CP leader.

Who in their right mind would buy a seventy or eighty-year-old drunkard?

Someone this old wouldn't just be useless for work—they might drop dead at any moment from over-drinking.

Despite his thoughts, Berkley resumed his duties as the auctioneer, wanting nothing more than to wrap up this tormenting auction as quickly as possible.

"Shipwright Rayleigh, starting bid: 50,000 Berries…"

Berkley announced lifelessly.

"50,000 Berries—only 50,000 Berries to take me home! For the price of a few bottles of good liquor, you can have a fit and sturdy man-slave. There's no better deal in the world!"

Rayleigh emptied his bottle, licking the rim longingly before echoing Berkley's words.

Charulia Palace's face contorted with disbelief as though she had witnessed the most absurd thing ever.

Rozward Saint, however, wore an expression of vindicated understanding.

As everyone braced for Rozward to once again offer his infamous bid of one Berry, they were shocked to see him raise his bidding paddle for the first time.

"One billion Berries."

"The great Rozward Saint bids… one… one billion Berries?"

Berkley's jaw dropped, staring at Rozward as though he had seen a ghost, unable to believe his ears.

Indeed, the bid was one billion Berries, not the single Berry he'd repeated so many times before.

"One… one billion Berries?"

Hundreds of wealthy spectators in the back, previously bored out of their minds, snapped to attention, their gazes darting between Rozward and Rayleigh on stage.

"That's just an ordinary old man with white hair. Why would a Tenryubito bid a billion Berries for him?"

"Are they insane? Or do they just treat money like dirt?"

"Idiot. I think it's just the Tenryubito flaunting their supreme authority. Just like earlier, when they forced the purchase of a mermaid worth a billion Berries for just one Berry. Now, they're spending a billion Berries on an old man worth less than one."

"They're showing us they can do whatever they want. If they felt like spending ten billion Berries on a pile of dung, no one would dare question it."

The fat merchant who made this comment suddenly felt a chill, as if he'd fallen into an icy pit.

On stage, Rayleigh's smile froze momentarily. He glanced at the murmuring audience, then shifted his gaze to the family of three sitting front and center.

Their distinctive bubble helmets and pristine white robes left no doubt about their identity.

In truth, Rayleigh had encountered Rozward Saint and his family many times before.

And always under similar circumstances.

The difference was, he had never drawn their attention until today.

"Ha-ha-ha! A billion Berries! This gentleman sure is generous. But I know my own worth. Despite my confidence in my vigor, I am still quite old. A few million Berries should suffice; there's no need to spend so much."

Rayleigh waved at Rozward, then glanced at Berkley, speaking softly, "President Berkley, I'm selling myself voluntarily. We agreed that I'd get half the proceeds. Don't forget, or I won't have money to buy liquor."

But Berkley wasn't listening.

His ears echoed with one thing: a billion Berries.

He pondered whether what Rozwad Saint said was true or false.

If he could secure this billion Berries before escaping, even after leaving the Donquixote family, he could live the rest of his life in luxury like a noble.

"No, you're joking. If you're not even worth billion Berries, that would be a joke."

Rozwad's lips curled into a smile, and as his laughter echoed in everyone's ears, he declared:

"Hahaha! Don't you agree, Silvers Rayleigh, the right hand of Pirate King Roger, the Dark King!"

The room fell utterly silent.

"The Dark King... Rayleigh, sir, are you saying this is that Rayleigh?"

The CP leader's eyes widened as his muscles tensed up, moving swiftly to stand in front of Rozwad, shielding him from Rayleigh's gaze.

At the same time, guards stationed throughout the auction house converged, their faces wary as they surrounded Rozwad's family, ensuring their protection.

"The Dark King, Silvers Rayleigh! You're telling me that old drunk is him? What kind of joke is this?"

"Wait, is this real? That old man—the Pirate King's right-hand man?"

The crowd in the audience seats erupted into chaos.

"Ah, this is bad—I've been recognized," Rayleigh muttered, smacking his forehead with a hint of frustration.

"Lord Rozwad Saint, please stay away from him! That man is extremely dangerous!"

The CP leader turned pale as he saw Rozwad rise, pushing away the guards standing before him, seemingly intending to approach Rayleigh directly.

If the drunk old man on stage was truly the legendary Dark King Rayleigh, no one here would be able to withstand his attacks.

Unless a Marine Admiral showed up!

"Step aside."

Rozwad's gaze turned icy as an oppressive and terrifying aura emanated from him.

The CP leader and the guards, who had never before felt such a presence from Rozwad, found themselves involuntarily stepping aside.

Rayleigh narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at this approaching celestial dragon with surprise.

This celestial dragon's demeanor was unlike the usual arrogant elites he had seen before.

Instead, he resembled those five old men he had encountered in the past.

"How come I didn't notice this before? Was it my lack of attention?" Rayleigh mused.

"Dark King Rayleigh."

Rozwad stopped in front of him, looking at the legendary figure before asking a question that left everyone stunned:

"What do you think of the Celestial Dragons?"

"What?" Rayleigh blinked, baffled.

"What is your opinion of the Celestial Dragons as a group?" Rozwad asked again.

Rayleigh frowned, studying Rozwad carefully before chuckling and responding:

"The Celestial Dragons are the gods who rule this world. They are the great world aristocracy, the supreme rulers."

"Is that so? Is that your honest opinion, Dark King Rayleigh?"

Rozwad's face betrayed no trace of fear toward the so-called Dark King. Instead, he took another step closer.

Now, they were only two meters apart.

Behind Rozwad, the guards' hearts were in their throats.

The CP agents were drenched in sweat, staring intently at Rayleigh.

Rayleigh looked at Rozwad's impassive face and said, "Of course, that's my honest..."

"Kneel."

Before he could finish his sentence, Rozwad coldly uttered two words.

"Huh? What did you say?" Rayleigh raised an eyebrow.

"Lord Rozwad Saint!"

The CP leader was horrified and, forgetting all protocol, flashed forward to stand between Rozwad and Rayleigh, his face tense and his voice trembling.

The audience was left in utter disbelief.

"A Celestial Dragon demanding the Dark King Rayleigh kneel?"

"Does he have a death wish? That's a legendary pirate who knows no bounds!"

Rozwad, unfazed by the astonishment on Rayleigh's face, coldly repeated:

"If your words are honest, then why won't you kneel when I command it?"

Rayleigh rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Well, this is quite a tricky situation now."

"Dark King Rayleigh! Think carefully about the consequences of your actions!"

The CP leader, sweating profusely, stammered as he tried to diffuse the situation.

"If you don't kneel, I'll turn this place into a river of blood," Rozwad declared, pointing at the audience.

"If you don't kneel, I'll have Shakky from the extortion bar disappear."

Rayleigh's eyes instantly turned icy, and an overwhelming aura began to awaken within him, like a slumbering dragon opening its eyes.

Unmoved, Rozwad continued:

"If you don't kneel, I'll have the World Government revoke Boa Hancock's status as a Warlord, send Marine Admirals into the Calm Belt, and bring her back to Mariejois."

"If you don't kneel, I will bring every woman of Amazon Lily to the Red Line as captives."

Rozwad pushed aside the rigid CP leader, stepping right in front of Rayleigh.

"Now, you may kneel."

(End of Chapter)

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