How can I become the Pirate King if you don’t work hard?.

Chapter 304 Underground Auction House

In the following days, Rayleigh worked overtime to complete the coating work on the Lionheart Knight.

His movements were so swift that Franky, who had been secretly learning the coating technique from him, was completely stunned.

However, completing the coating process faster is not necessarily a bad thing for Gao Wen and his group.

……

Two days later.

The Lionheart Knight, now fully coated, is moored in the dock.

A transparent film envelops the entire ship, like a bubble, refracting a rainbow of colors, yet possessing the strength to withstand the water pressure at a depth of 10,000 meters.

Simply unbelievable.

Gawain and his crew were about to set sail, but Nami's side still hadn't given up.

“During this period of time, we have visited almost all the auction houses in the Sabaody Archipelago, but we have not heard of any place that auctions Devil Fruits.”

On the beach, Nami changed into a form-fitting swimsuit. Although the fabric was minimal, it accentuated her beautiful figure, drawing frequent glances from those around her.

She sat leisurely in the recliner and couldn't help but let out a sigh.

Previously, Gawain and his group had acquired several Devil Fruits, which led her to a misconception that Devil Fruits were not as precious as legend had it.

But her experience in the Sabaody Archipelago was a real blow.

Such a treasure that can directly enhance strength, even with the risk of losing the ability to swim, how could it be obtained as easily as fruit by the roadside?!

Most people might never see it in their entire lives.

"Should we give up now?!"

Nami gritted her teeth and couldn't help but pick up the Devil Fruit encyclopedia again and open it.

Crash-!
The sea breeze rustled the pages of the illustrated book, soon stopping on one of them.

This page describes a Devil Fruit shaped like a marshmallow, which is also Nami's favorite fruit.

Nami stared at it for a long time, then finally sighed and slowly closed the Pokédex.

With the voyage imminent, she was unwilling to cause further delays to the fleet's journey due to her own reasons, and had already given up on finding the fruits she needed in the Sabaody Archipelago.

Just then, Kalifa, who was also wearing a black swimsuit, with fair skin and a tall figure, slowly walked towards Nami from a distance.

"Nami, I've found out everything."

“The auction of rare treasures like Devil Fruits is rarely seen in ordinary auctions.”

"After all, those who would be interested in Devil Fruits are either ambitious pirates or dangerous individuals who crave power."

"These people often break out into fights over the slightest disagreement, which is very disadvantageous for the auction organizers. Therefore, the vast majority of auctions involving Devil Fruits are not held in the open."

"Instead, they will choose to hold an underground auction."

An underground auction?!

Nami's eyes lit up, seeing hope again, but then she noticed Kalifa's expression was not relaxed: "What's wrong?!"

"I must remind you first that the underground auction in the Sabaody Archipelago has another name, which is... the Human Auction House!"

"Humanity……"

Nami paused for a moment, realizing the implications of this, but her gaze remained unwavering: "Then let's go there and try our luck."

“Yes,” Kalifa responded, clearly unsurprised by Nami’s answer, and explained, “Captain Gawain has decided that we will set sail tomorrow.”

"And coincidentally, there is an underground auction tonight. The specific items to be auctioned have not been disclosed, but according to the person in charge, there will be extremely valuable items."

"Perhaps it's a Devil Fruit."

"Whether we succeed or not, this is our last chance."

……

Time flies, and it's already late at night.

Nami and Kalifa, having changed into casual clothes, set off for the underground auction house.

Accompanying them were Sanji and Van Augur, who were dressed in black cloaks and hoods to conceal their figures.

Sanji naturally insisted on coming along, and in order to protect the two girls at the crucial moment, he even brought his Germa suit.

Van Augur, on the other hand, received orders from Gawain.

After all, Kalifa and Nami are relatively weak, and although Sanji is strong, he is prone to losing his temper when facing women. They need someone who can handle unexpected situations calmly.

Van Augur is perfect for this; at least he won't hesitate to act against anyone.

The journey was smooth, and the four-person group quickly crossed the forest and entered a bustling town. The most conspicuous place in the town was the huge auction house located in the center.

The building is quite old, and the walls are covered with moss, but this cannot conceal its grandeur and magnificence.

Nami took a deep breath and led the three of them quickly inside.

The waiter quickly stepped forward, led the four into the venue, and introduced them to the background of the auction.

"Behind this venue is a big shot in the new world, ensuring both the stability and security of the supply of goods."

“During the auction, very few people dared to cause trouble.”

As he spoke, the waiter's gaze intentionally or unintentionally fell on Sanji and Van Augur, who were standing behind Nami and Kalifa like bodyguards.

Seeing that neither of them refuted him, he assumed that his words had worked and a smile appeared on his lips.

He led Nami and her group to a corner of the auction hall, glanced at Nami and Kalifa, then turned and left, quickly disappearing into the crowd.

……

At this moment, a considerable number of people have already gathered in the underground auction venue.

These people were elegant in demeanor, dressed in exquisite and refined clothing, and accompanied by guards and servants; they were clearly wealthy and noble.

Many of them were clearly nobles from certain kingdoms, yet they all came to the underground auction venue. Their motives were self-evident.

Nami frowned slightly: "These people are so used to treating their own kind as commodities to be sold..."

Kalifa's understanding of the World Nobles far surpasses Nami's, yet even she couldn't help but sigh at this scene:
"In their eyes, the people being sold here are commodities, no different from roadside weeds or wild animals in the forest, and cannot be called human beings at all."

"Or……"

“In the eyes of these powerful and influential people, they are already a different kind of being, beyond human identity.”

"Like those swine in Mary Geoise who called themselves God."

As she spoke, Kalifa reached out and placed a hand on Nami's shoulder, reminding her, "Don't forget why we came here."

“I understand.” Nami nodded, taking a deep breath and forcing herself to calm down.

Soon, the lights overhead flashed and converged in the center of the auction hall, and the eyes of everyone around also focused on the exhibition platform in the distance.

"The photos of the Long-Armed Tribe I took here last time made me so happy. What kind of surprises will this time bring me?!"

"Skip the ordinary slaves, I need a stronger thrill!"

"Torturing these bastards—no, to cure their congenital deformities and make them no different from ordinary people—that is my greatest pleasure!"

"Ha ha ha ha--!"

……

Accompanied by hysterical screams, the buyers around them dropped their usual pretenses and revealed their true selves—grotesque and ugly, as if peeling off a layer of human skin to expose the most bloody and primal side.

Nami and the other three sat in the corner without saying a word, but their expressions gradually became serious.

Soon, the well-dressed host strode onto the stage, grabbed the microphone, gave a brief warm-up, and then ordered the staff to bring out the first item for auction that night!

Crash-!
Two staff members dressed as guards struggled to push a huge iron cage covered with a red cloth to the center of the exhibition stand.

"Enough with the small talk! The first item for tonight's auction is about to be presented!"

The host pulled down the red cloth, exposing the two figures inside the iron cage to the air and into everyone's view.

The scene fell silent for a moment, and everyone was stunned for several seconds before they came to their senses.

They stared at the goods in the cage, their breaths nearly stopping, but what followed was a hysterical frenzy.

"These are... fish-men, fish-men from the Dragon Palace Kingdom, ten thousand meters below the ocean!"

That's right, the two fishmen locked in the cage were indeed full of sharp teeth.

One of the stronger mermen held the smaller one in his arms, his gaze shifting uneasily, his eyes filled with blazing fear and a deep, hidden resentment.

"Spare my child, and I'll do anything you ask!"

"Please!"

boom--!
The strong merman slammed his forehead against the ground repeatedly until blood seeped out and his consciousness began to fade.

But instead of pity, he heard the sound of a heavy hammer striking.

boom!
"The whale shark father and son are now up for auction. The starting price is 200 million Berries, and each bid must be at least 20 Berries higher!"

Soon, the first buyer in the auction room raised his paddle high.

"three million!"

Then came the second, the third...

Gathered here, the elegant and reserved nobles and wealthy people, regardless of gender, participated in the auction with near frenzy, just to buy the goods on the display stand and make them their slaves, collections, or even certain products.

Amidst the noisy venue, Nami's gaze was fixed on the fish-men on the platform, feeling as if she had seen this scene before her before.

Oh right, Bellemere also protected me in the same way back then...

Nami bit her lip and slowly lowered her head.

Kalifa witnessed this scene and grabbed Nami's hand, holding it tightly.

"Nami, don't forget our purpose."

"I see."

Nami responded with a sound of agreement, closed her eyes, and refused to look at the scene before her.

But what she saw when she closed her eyes was the scene of Bellemere collapsing in front of Arlong in exchange for her own life...

Sanji, standing next to Nami, slowly removed the cigarette from his mouth and also lowered his head in silence.

Soon, the fish-man father and son were photographed by an elegant and graceful middle-aged woman.

She covered her mouth and chuckled softly, looking at the items she had photographed with satisfaction, but what she said sent chills down one's spine:

"Such a rare creature should be made into a specimen and placed in an exhibition hall for people to admire!"

Hehehehe~

……

The middle-aged woman was not far from Nami and the others, and she did not lower her voice; in fact, her tone even carried a hint of smugness.

Therefore, these words naturally reached the ears of Nami and the others, and the anger they had just suppressed instantly flared up!
Even Van Auger couldn't stand it this time.

Hey!
Van Augur grabbed the flintlock pistol in his hand, but as his finger touched the trigger, he forcibly suppressed the impulse in his heart.

Not only Van Augur, but also Nami and the others present understood their purpose and could only choose to restrain themselves at this moment.

The auction of the fish-man father and son was just the beginning.

soon.

One by one, items were brought to the auction stage, most of which were rare species of various kinds.

Whenever these rare species appear, they cause a frenzy at the scene, and are sought after far more than ordinary goods.

During this period, a Devil Fruit also appeared, but it was just an ordinary Zoan-type ability.

This wasn't the ability that Nami and Kalifa wanted, so they didn't participate in the auction and let it be bought by another group of pirates.

"I have a question I don't understand."

Van Augur looked at the exhibition booth in the distance, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Why are there no female slaves who should be highly sought after in this setting?"

"you……"

Sanji's face turned angry, and he was about to speak when he was interrupted by a flickering light.

"Distinguished guests, as you have probably noticed, no female slaves have appeared yet so far in tonight's auction!"

On the platform, the host gripped the microphone tightly with both hands, his face flushed, and he looked somewhat frantic.

"Next up is tonight's grand finale, and also tonight's only female slave!"

"To be honest, I never expected that this race would still exist after nearly a thousand years."

"They should have been wiped out before the establishment of the World Government, but I don't know why they have managed to survive until now."

The atmosphere at the scene was completely ignited at that moment.

Many people who had initially felt bored because of the lack of female slaves opened their eyes wide and looked at the exhibition booth in the distance.

A cage, entirely gilded and resembling a bird's nest, slowly descended from the top of the ceiling, accompanied by soft music.

Gorgeous! Absolutely stunning!
The cages that were simply on display were completely different from those used to sell other slaves.

It's even harder to imagine just how rare these items are!
"What on earth is it?!"

"Mermaids? Lunarians? Or Bakanias?!"

"No! No! None of these are right!"

"These races either became extinct after the establishment of the World Government, or they still exist!"

"and many more……"

"They were extinct before the World Government was established, could it be the Britannias one... No, no, no, that's impossible!"

Someone seemed to remember something, but then immediately dismissed their guess:

"That's just a legend!"

boom!
With a muffled thud, the cage hit the ground.

The host turned around and grabbed the red silk cloth covering the cage.

"Next, please welcome..."

brush!
The host ripped off the silk-textured red cloth, and the lights in the venue focused on the golden cage.

In the cage.

The woman with a full head of silver hair and an exquisitely beautiful face narrowed her eyes slightly.

She instinctively raised her hand to shield her eyes from the light, only to find that the sea stone handcuffs on her arms prevented her from even raising her hand.

The people in the auction hall were stunned for a moment, their expressions looking as if they had seen a ghost!
Behind the woman, two pairs of wings, as thin as cicada wings, were fully unfolded by silk threads, and when the surrounding lights shone on them, they immediately showed a luster like gemstones!

"The fairy race of Britannias legends, but I think you are more familiar with her by another name—"

"The Fairy of the Lake!"

"Starting bid: 300 million Berries! Bidding begins now!"

(End of this chapter)