Bellamy followed the crowded stream of people to the city center. It seemed there was a major auction today, as the entrance to the auction house was packed with visitors from all over.
"Treasure Auction House. Never heard of it."
From the snippets of idle chatter he overheard in the crowd, Bellamy was now almost certain that this was one of Doflamingo's businesses. Moreover, it seemed a Devil Fruit was going to be up for auction today, which immediately piqued his interest.
What kind of fruit will it be?
No matter what kind of fruit, it was a rare and valuable item. The auction house's promotional materials would surely have some information. Soon enough, Bellamy obtained an auction list from one of the ushers at the door.
The grand prize for this auction was, as expected, a Devil Fruit. Also on the list were some able-bodied slaves, precious jewels, antiques from a lost dynasty, and a famous sword. Of course, a major auction like this wouldn't only have these items. The auction house would intersperse "warm-up" lots throughout—items that were not particularly rare but still quite valuable—to keep the momentum going. This was also a major source of profit for the auction house.
The auction was scheduled to last for a total of four hours. The first half would be two hours long, with the famous sword as the main event, followed by a half-hour intermission. The second half would then begin late at night, continuing until two in the morning, with the Devil Fruit being the final item up for bid.
Bellamy wasn't here to buy anything, so he naturally had no interest in the auction itself. But he was very interested in that Devil Fruit.
"It's the Slow-Slow Fruit!"
Just over two months ago, "Silver Fox" Foxy had been torn to shreds by Drake, and the Slow-Slow Fruit had naturally been reborn somewhere in the world. He hadn't expected it to be found so quickly and end up in one of Doflamingo's auction houses.
The ability of the Slow-Slow Fruit was extremely powerful, and its power was simple and easy to master. Even if Bellamy couldn't eat it himself, it would be an excellent choice for one of his crewmates, especially since his crew currently included two relatively weaker women.
Since he had stumbled upon this fruit, Bellamy had no intention of letting it go. He considered just charging in and grabbing it, but that would likely alert the enemy, allowing them to escape with the fruit. Doflamingo had been running auction houses for years; he would surely have countermeasures for such a situation.
It wouldn't hurt to wait a little. He might as well wait the four hours. The moment the Slow-Slow Fruit appeared, he would go up and take it, ensuring it wouldn't slip through his fingers.
I'll go in and have a look first.
This would be the first time he had ever attended an auction in this world. With his current appearance, he didn't have to worry about anyone recognizing him. Posing as a tourist, he easily blended into the crowd and entered the auction.
Finding an empty seat, Bellamy sat down and waited patiently, a hint of anticipation in his eyes. Before long, the surrounding seats filled up, and the auction was about to begin.
Just then, someone suddenly tugged on his sleeve.
"Hey there, little brother. Are you here for the auction all by yourself?"
If the woman hadn't been tugging on his sleeve, Bellamy would have thought she was talking to someone else.
Little brother??
How long had it been since he'd been called that? The expression on Bellamy's face almost cracked. Did this woman have any idea what she was doing?
"Hands off."
"Ooh, feisty, are we?"
The woman, Della, couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle. Of course, she had no idea what she was doing. In his current form, Bellamy looked like a handsome, young human boy. Not only was he short and slender, but even his aura seemed somewhat weak. It would have been strange if she was intimidated by him.
Bellamy gave the woman a deep look, and was just about to teach her a little lesson when the auctioneer on stage suddenly shouted, "Esteemed guests, ladies and gentlemen, I now declare... the seventy-third grand auction of the Treasure Auction House... officially open!"
The auctioneer struck his gavel a few times, and the first item was quickly brought out. A small cart, pulling a large, draped object, rolled from backstage to the center of the hall.
"Our first item up for bid is from ten thousand meters below the deep sea, one of the rarest treasures in this world!"
The auctioneer ripped off the curtain, and a wave of gasps instantly erupted throughout the hall.
"A mermaid!"
"Oh my god, it's really a mermaid!"
"So beautiful! I have to have her!"
The Treasure Auction House had really gone all out, using a mermaid as a warm-up act. But the effect was undeniably good. Judging by the atmosphere in the room, almost everyone's emotions had been stirred.
"Oh heavens, that poor mermaid."
There were, of course, some voices of sympathy. A beautiful face could always easily arouse human compassion. But such voices were quickly drowned out by the crowd.
The people attending this kind of auction were either wealthy merchants or nobles. And the wealthy merchants of the Grand Line were not your ordinary businessmen. Normal commercial practices couldn't survive here.
"Ten million!"
"Twenty million!"
"Thirty million!"
The mermaid had only just been revealed, and the auctioneer hadn't even started speaking, yet the price was already skyrocketing. Before long, the bidding for the first item had surpassed 100 million Beli.
"The slave trade... what a profitable business," even Bellamy couldn't help but remark. The most worthless Devil Fruit was only worth about 100 million Beli. Yet a single mermaid could easily fetch over 100 million. Judging by the heated atmosphere, the final price would likely be even higher.
"I bid two hundred million!"
A sudden voice silenced the hall for a moment. To jump directly to two hundred million... who was so rich?
Bellamy looked at the woman beside him in surprise. If she was that wealthy, why was she squeezing into the common area? The auction house had VIP sections.
After shouting her bid of two hundred million, Della deliberately turned and winked at Bellamy. "Two hundred million, any more bids? If not, auctioneer, hurry up and bring down the hammer."
The woman seemed to be a regular at this auction house. After placing her bid, she immediately began to rush the auctioneer.
"Two hundred million Beli, any more bids? If not, this rare treasure of the world will belong to this lady!"
The auctioneer was just about to strike the gavel when a weak voice suddenly interrupted him.
"Two hundred and fifty million."
"Two hundred and fifty million! The latest bid is two hundred and fifty million! Does the lady wish to raise her bid?"
Della shook her head in disappointment and sat back down in her seat. "Damn it, I only brought two hundred million with me."
This woman could casually throw around two hundred million. It seemed she was someone of considerable background.
"Little brother, do you have any money on you? How about you lend me some? I'll pay you back later."
She was certainly forward, trying to borrow money from a complete stranger. Perhaps Bellamy's current appearance was so deceptive that she thought he would be an easy touch.
"You'd better watch what you call me," Bellamy warned. If Della kept calling him that, he was about to lose his patience and knock her out.