I collect everything in the One Piece world.

[“To thank our valued guests for their continued support and to celebrate our anniversary, we are offering an unprecedented selection of new products and rare race slaves, both in quantity and quality—the best we have in recent years! Don't miss out!”]

The wealthy and nobles who received the invitations arrived one by one, filled with a mixture of trepidation and greed after much deliberation.

When they saw the layers upon layers of private guards surrounding the auction house, as well as the significantly increased number of solemn-looking naval patrols, many people finally felt a little relieved.

The tension in the air seemed to be somewhat alleviated by this powerful display of force.

As expected of a human auction house, the fact that they were able to hold the auction on schedule clearly shows they have something to rely on; their trip was worthwhile.

At the entrance to the auction house, the person in charge, Disco, dressed in his signature sequined suit, greeted and shook hands with each arriving "VIP" with a professional and enthusiastic smile, skillfully employing his set of rhetoric.

"Haha, Mr. Hawke, long time no see! Don't worry, there's definitely a surprise tonight!"

"Mrs. Nidall, you look radiant! You'll love today's grand finale!"

"Oh my, isn't this Lord Hollint? Please come in!"

Although the greetings continued, the guests still wore expressions of lingering worry.

Seeing this, Disco patted his chest and loudly proclaimed, as if wanting everyone around to hear:

"Everyone! Put your minds at ease! In the entire Sabaody Archipelago, no, in the entire Grand Line, there is no one who can make our 'Human Auction House' shut down yet!"

He deliberately raised his voice, his finger sweeping over the heavily guarded area and the large naval force: "That... 'Black Cat Sheriff'? He's nothing but a little mouse hiding in the shadows, someone who can't even get close to the big picture!"

"I guess he's some pathetic wretch who lost face at home and is just venting his personal anger by using his skills!"

"The naval officers have already laid a trap; catching him and crushing him is only a matter of time!"

He paused, leaned closer, and lowered his voice while making sure everyone around could hear him, with just the right amount of boastful mystery: "Besides, everyone knows who's behind this place."

"The name 'JOKER' is a golden brand in the underworld! And..."

At this point, he straightened up, his voice becoming loud and clear again, filled with a sense of pride: "Tonight, we are even more fortunate to welcome several distinguished guests!"

"Saint Roswald, Saint Charlos, and the Charlos Palace will all be present to select their preferred 'collections'!"

"With these esteemed officials here, what scoundrel would dare to act recklessly? Wouldn't that be courting death?"

These words were like a powerful reassurance; the name JOKER (Doflamingo) represented the power of the underworld.

The presence of the Celestial Dragons erected a seemingly insurmountable "sacred barrier" in everyone's hearts.

In their minds, no matter how crazy the "Black Cat Sheriff" was, he would never dare to lay a hand on the "descendant of God"!

With the Celestial Dragons present, this is the safest place in the world! Without a doubt.

Fear was quickly replaced by a distorted sense of security and a morbid excitement.

The wealthy men straightened their clothes, as if their worries had never existed, and, chatting and laughing, walked into the auction house with their heads held high, guided by the disco.

A while later, a commotion arose at the end of the street, and the guards and the crowd quickly retreated.

Three figures wearing bubble hoods rode on the backs of several slaves of varying sizes, and swaggered to the entrance of the auction house, surrounded by a group of bodyguards in black and naval officers whose expressions were becoming increasingly tense.

The father, Saint Roswald, wore sunglasses and had an arrogant look in his eyes; the son, Saint Charles, was obese and looked foolish, even with a runny nose; the daughter, Princess Charlelia, also wore light brown sunglasses and had a cold expression.

"Welcome! A warm welcome! Your esteemed Lord Roswald! Your esteemed Lord Charlos! Lady Charlelia!"

Disco practically lunged forward, greeting the group with an almost kneeling posture, his smile extremely fawning.

"Your presence truly enhances the auction house! Rest assured, today we have prepared only the finest and rarest items for you, guaranteed to satisfy you!"

He bowed and scraped as he led the three Celestial Dragons into the auction house and escorted them to the VIP seats in the front row with the best view.

When the figure of the Heavenly Dragon appeared inside the auction house, the hall, which had been filled with whispers, instantly fell silent.

All the guests, no matter how arrogant they were outside, subconsciously lowered their heads and looked away, not daring to make any contact with the gaze behind the bubble headgear, for fear of being targeted and losing their lives in the next second.

A suffocating sense of reverence and fear filled the air, but at the same time, a strange sense of "security" in many people's hearts also reached its peak.

The Celestial Dragons have really arrived! This means there will be absolutely no surprises today! It seems that "Black Cat Detective" won't be showing up!

Disco was very pleased with the result. He strode onto the auction stage, cleared his throat, and put on his professional and infectious smile again.

The spotlight shone on him, drawing everyone's attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen! And distinguished guests!" He opened his arms, his voice booming through the microphone: "Welcome to this month's human auction!"

"I know there has been some minor disturbance lately. But please look around you, and look at the distinguished guests present tonight, the symbols of absolute power and order!"

He paused deliberately, allowing everyone's gaze to sweep once again with awe over the few Celestial Dragons in front of them.

So forget all those trivial worries! Tonight, there are only treasures here! Only passion and moments when dreams come true!

"Let's focus all our attention on the unique 'work of art' that's about to appear!"

"I guarantee that every item up for auction tonight will make your trip worthwhile!"

In just a few words, Disco cleverly used the oppressive feeling brought by the Celestial Dragons, turning it into a tool to soothe and stimulate the desire to buy.

The atmosphere in the room was stirred up again, and the tension was replaced by the desire for the "auction items".

Chapter 21, Auction and Unexpected Turn of Events (Please continue reading!)

Meanwhile, the scene was quite different in the warehouse on the ground floor of the auction house.

The huge iron cages were arranged densely, and the air was filled with an atmosphere of fear and despair.

The cages hold various "commodities" that will be put on display tonight. They are of different races and ages, but the only thing they have in common is the numbness, fear, or despair in their eyes.

In one of the corners of the iron cage, a handsome man with a full head of white hair was sitting on the ground with his back against the railing; it was Rayleigh.

He was holding a flat wine jug in his hand, taking sips here and there, looking as relaxed as if he were sunbathing in his own backyard.

Apart from the explosive collar around his neck that clearly identified him as "cargo," he looked nothing like a slave about to be auctioned off.

Setting down the wine jug, Rayleigh raised his hand to touch the cold, explosive collar around his neck, smacked his lips, and muttered to himself, his tone tinged with a mixture of nostalgia and curiosity:

"Tsk... It's been a long time since I've worn this thing. It feels a bit tight this time, but the craftsmanship and construction are still the same as always, no progress."

Then, listening to the still noisy auction sounds and the passionate disco sales pitches despite the layers of soundproofing, a slight smile appeared on Riley's lips.

"Have fun while you can, you won't be laughing anymore in a bit."

……

On the auction stage, Disco skillfully stirred up the atmosphere.

After several decent "standard" items were successfully auctioned off and the atmosphere gradually warmed up, he smiled mysteriously, clapped his hands, and shouted:

"Ladies and gentlemen! The next item is a little surprise for tonight! Please look at the princess of the Long-Handed Tribe!"

The curtain was drawn back, and a tall, slender woman from the Long-Handed Tribe, dressed in a replica of a magnificent court dress, was brought in.

She was beautiful, but her empty eyes concealed a deep fear, and her long arms were particularly noticeable under the spotlight.

Disco deliberately dressed her up like a princess, instantly arousing the curiosity and collecting desires of many buyers in the audience.

"Starting bid: 500 million Berries!" Disco announced loudly. This price was already quite high for a Longarm Tribe slave.

"750 million!"

"800 million!"

"I'll offer 850!"

Bidding erupted, with wealthy individuals showing considerable interest in this "special collectible." The price quickly climbed to over ten million.

Just as the competition was getting fiercer, Saint Charles, who was sitting on the high platform with a runny nose and looking around, seemed to be stimulated by the "princess" gimmick and the excitement around him.

He waved his bidding paddle excitedly and shouted in his distinctive voice, "I bid thirty million Berries! I want her! This long-armed monster looks interesting!"

This price was several times higher than the starting bid, instantly silencing the entire auction hall.

In reality, there are people who can afford even higher bids, but not daring to compete with the Celestial Dragons is a deeply ingrained rule and ironclad law.

Several buyers who had been so determined to win immediately withdrew their hands, lowered their heads as if nothing had happened, and some even comforted themselves that it was too much of a loss to spend 30 million on a long-armed creature. They thought they would save their money to buy the rarer items later.

Disco beamed with joy. He loved these high-rollers who made the final decision, especially the Celestials, because their prices usually far exceeded expectations.

"Thirty million! Saint Charles has offered thirty million Berries! Any higher bids? Once! Twice..."

Just as he raised the gavel high, ready to bring it down and announce the ownership of the long-armed slave.

"I'm sorry, the auction has come to an end."

A calm but very clear male voice suddenly came from the auction hall, overpowering the disco's bidding and the subtle noise in the hall, reaching everyone's ears.

"?"

Everyone, including the Celestial Dragons, the disco performer on stage, and all the guests below, subconsciously looked up at the high dome of the auction hall, following the sound.

In the shadows behind the main spotlight stand, a figure had already taken up a seat.

He was wearing a large black cloak, the shadow of which obscured his figure, but the cow-cat mask was clearly visible.

"Black...Black Cat Sheriff?!"

"What is he doing there?!"

"when?!"

"Where are the guards? Where is the navy?!"

After a brief silence came a burst of gasps and commotion, like a pot exploding! The hearts that had just relaxed slightly because the Celestial Dragons were present instantly jumped into their throats!

Fear swept through the entire arena once again. The customers simply couldn't comprehend how this madman dared to show himself in front of the Celestial Dragons!

And how did he break through the tight security and get to the dome?!

Disco's smile froze instantly, the mallet in his hand hovered in mid-air, and his back was instantly soaked with cold sweat.

Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

He's heavily guarded all entrances, ventilation ducts, and potential infiltration points, and he's even monitoring Den Den Mushi! Is that damn ghost?!

However, as a professional auctioneer and a seasoned veteran, Disco's on-the-spot reactions were extremely quick.

He suppressed the turmoil in his heart, quickly forcing an expression of anger and authority onto his face. Pointing at the dome, he shouted fiercely, "You! How did you get in?! Guards! Guards! Seize this disruptive madman! Now!"

However, before the guards inside the arena and the soldiers waiting outside could make a move, a more abrupt, even somewhat excited voice interrupted Disco's instructions.

"Oh! Oh! That mask! He's the masked man!" Saint Charles suddenly stood up from his seat, pointing at Morsen on the dome, his snot bubbles bursting with excitement.

He gestured wildly and ordered the black-clad bodyguard beside him, "Quick! Go! Capture him for me! I want this guy! I'm going to lock him up with that long-armed monster! As my new collection! Hurry up!"