Chapter 15: Hydram Palace
According to what Ross learned during his time in the Flower Country, the original Demonic Blade series consisted of three blades, all forged by the same legendary swordsmith. They were named respectively:
Ghostcaller Ashura,
Ghostslayer Kitetsu, and
Echoing Ghost Moment.
Though Ross never fully understood the meaning behind these names, from their craftsmanship alone, these demonic swords were clearly rare treasures—each with incredible value, albeit accompanied by certain drawbacks.
"Starting bid is one million Beli. Each raise must be no less than 200,000 Beli. Let the auction begin!"
"The Fat Bird Pirates bid three million!"
"Three million? For a demonic sword? This blade is already claimed by our captain, Bladesman Kokoxi! The Bladesman Pirates offer ten million!"
The allure of a demonic sword far outweighed that of mere jewels—not just for its symbolism, but for its collectability and combat utility. Nobles wanted them as rare trophies or prestigious gifts; swordsmen sought to conquer them and wield them as personal weapons.
Despite starting at just one million, the bidding skyrocketed past twenty-three million in the blink of an eye. That price alone was nearly on par with the bounty of this year's lowest-ranked Supernova.
"Thirty-three million going once! Thirty-three million going twice!"
"Forty million Beli!"
The sudden bid came not from the noble-filled private booths, but from a corner seat in the general seating area. A quiet voice—Ross's.
"Forty million going once... going twice... sold!"
Thud.
The gavel came down, finalizing the sale. One of the nobles sighed in disappointment. The value of a demonic sword typically hovered around twenty million—on par with a top-grade blade. Paying double that seemed extravagant—some might even say foolish.
Ross received a slip from the auction house staff. Payment would be made after the event—cash for goods.
"Bit of a splurge... but when you've got the money, why not?"
He ran his thumb across the slip thoughtfully. This wasn't just any good blade—demonic swords stood above standard quality. A worthy investment.
And as a Cloud-Cloud Fruit user, Ross could access the gold reserves of Skypiea's City of Gold at will. The only real issue was how to convert that gold into usable wealth.
After all, settling down with a large household wouldn't be cheap. Traveling the seas was manageable—bounty hunting pirates could fund the lifestyle—but permanent settlement would demand commerce.
He couldn't live off "Sky Gold" forever, right?
The auction continued, though nothing quite as exciting came up. Trinkets, jewels, and slaves passed across the stage. Then finally, the main event arrived: three premium auction items. The first—an extremely rare item.
"Up next: a Devil Fruit submitted for consignment. After appraisal, it has been confirmed as a completely unknown Devil Fruit. Starting price: ten million Beli. Minimum increase per bid: one million!"
A gleaming fruit was brought to the stage. Judging by its shape, it matched Ross's memory—it was exactly the Ghost-Ghost Fruit.
Originally eaten by Perona in the manga, this Paramecia-type fruit was insanely versatile—ideal for both offense and support roles.
"Let the bidding begin!"
"Fifty million from the Mole Pirates!"
"Sixty million from the Rat Pirates!"
"Sixty-five!"
"Seventy!"
"Eighty-six!"
"One hundred million!"
The room buzzed with excitement. This fruit had been heavily hyped beforehand. Both pirates and nobles were fully prepared—money bags bursting at the seams. Bidding only began to slow once the price reached the one hundred million mark—the minimum expected for an unknown Devil Fruit.
"Three hundred million Beli!"
Then suddenly, a voice boomed from one of the private booths. A Celestial Dragon had entered the fray.
The room fell instantly silent. The buzzing chaos vanished like smoke before a city patrol. No noble dared to compete with a Celestial Dragon. Even the rowdiest pirates were cowed by the CP agents standing guard.
They'd just watched a 47-million-bounty pirate get one-shot by a CP operative—someone counted among this year's Supernova. Nobody wanted to share his fate.
"Four hundred million."
Ross spoke calmly.
Gasps rang out. The crowd parted around him like he was the plague. In their eyes, he was a lunatic—a man who had just signed his own death warrant.
The Celestial Dragon inside the booth—Hydram Palace—tilted her head, eyes locking onto the challenger.
"My lady, here's his file."
A CP9 agent handed over a freshly printed dossier. It was the same sniper who had earlier aimed at Ross, his Observation Haki sensing how formidable the man was. Wanting to be thorough, he'd immediately tracked down Ross's identity.
Ross's journey across the seas was well-documented. At one point, he'd even been invited by the Navy. His record wasn't secret—most of it was public and easily obtained.
The CP's intelligence work was second to none. Ross sometimes wondered if some of the children he'd adopted were CP sleeper agents planted in his care.
Not impossible.
Hydram Palace took her time, reading through the report in silence. The host on stage didn't dare finalize the sale, waiting instead for the Celestial Dragon's reaction.
In the Four Blues and Paradise, Celestial Dragons ruled without question. Only in the New World could their power be challenged.
"I want him... as my third husband."
Hydram Palace's words stunned even her CP0 guards.
They had read Ross's file. If a fight broke out, there was no guarantee they could protect her. Ross was that dangerous.
But Hydram Palace was intrigued—not because she wanted a husband in the traditional sense. Among Celestial Dragons, the words "husband" and "wife" were just another way to describe luxury playthings.
What she really wanted... was Ross himself—his stories, his adventures, his strength. Someone who could entertain her, satisfy her curiosity, and obey her every whim.
And the kicker?
Ross was already married.
That alone checked every box of Hydram Palace's twisted preferences.