In the luxurious sales hall, the VIPs froze momentarily upon hearing Gurd's declaration before turning shocked gazes toward Stussy.
"President... Stussy?!"
Eh???!
Not only had they developed a romantic relationship, but Stussy had also joined the Beasts?
Morgans clicked away rapidly with his camera.
Breaking news!
Though not an explicit alliance, Stussy serving as president of Groudon Company effectively tied Pleasure Quarter to the Beasts' war chariot.
This was true devotion for love!
He'd already thought of the perfect headline: "The Queen Who Fell Head Over Heels!"—guaranteed to grab attention!
Morgans was overjoyed.
Ever since Gurd rose to prominence, major scoops had been coming one after another. This man seemed to trigger major events wherever he went!
Hmm, perhaps an exclusive interview with Gurd?
After a brief opening speech, Gurd extended an invitation to the guests: "Next, please follow our staff to tour the community. The official launch prices will be announced upon your return."
"Understood, Mr. Gurd."
The crowd readily agreed.
Though he'd kept them in suspense, no one was upset—they too wanted to properly explore this fascinating community.
Many Pirates had already decided they'd buy a property here no matter the cost. It wasn't just about safety and comfort.
Imagine bragging over drinks with friends:
"Where do you live?"
"What? The slums in the east?"
"Me? I reside in Fortuna Community ."
"Gasp—!"
Just thinking about the prestige gave them chills!
Guided by staff, the Pirates toured a sample three-bedroom apartment. The exquisite interior decor left them awestruck once more.
These rough men had never seen such beautiful little homes before.
Was this where royalty lived?
When they reached the modern villas, their minds were blown again. Even Celestial Dragons' residences couldn't compare.
The gardens, leisure plazas, commercial streets, and resort beaches continuously expanded their understanding of luxury.
In this war-torn world, this place was like paradise. Just a brief tour calmed their increasingly frenzied souls.
They couldn't even imagine how blissful living here would be.
"Absolutely breathtaking!"
The Underworld Emperors exchanged glances, mutual wariness evident.
They'd noticed—there were only fifty villas. If they hesitated, they might miss out.
They had to buy!
After the tour, noon arrived.
Guests returned to the sales hall, now filled with tables covered in pristine white cloths and tableware, serving exquisite lunches and drinks.
The upscale atmosphere made even the Pirates nervous as they carefully wielded cutlery or chopsticks to savor the delicacies, afraid of embarrassing themselves.
Some hotheaded Pirates wanted to act out, but with so many big shots present, they had to restrain their impatience.
Fortunately, the wait wasn't long.
Gurd returned to the podium.
"Honored guests, today marks the auspicious launch of Fortuna Community . To celebrate, Groudon Company has prepared gifts—every property purchase enters you into a prize draw, plus a small activity."
Rows of golden eggs were brought out.
What property launch would be complete without a golden egg smashing event?
Lavish prizes were also displayed.
Among them were swords, firearms, and some highly valuable artworks, with the least impressive being appliances like washing machines.
The most eye-catching item was a treasured sword.
Gurd picked up the blade and unsheathed it. The sharp gleam was blinding, and the air itself seemed to grow colder.
"A fine blade!"
The Underworld Emperors couldn't help but exclaim.
Even from a distance, it was clear this was a sword capable of cutting through iron like mud!
"This blade is named Shimo Nagi. It was forged over three months by Wano Country's most skilled swordsmith. Its sharpness is unparalleled—wounds inflicted by it will even freeze over."
Gurd calmly introduced it before giving a casual swing.
A frigid chill swept through the hall!
A Meito with a special effect!
The crowd erupted in astonishment.
At least half of the pirates present were swordsmen, including renowned sword masters. Their desire for such a blade was beyond words.
A Meito with a special effect undoubtedly reached the legendary grade of one of the 21 Great Meito. Obtaining it would undoubtedly elevate one's strength significantly!
Gurd was pleased with the guests' reactions.
The blade in his hand was indeed of Great Meito quality, but to him, it was nothing extraordinary.
Wano Country had no shortage of master craftsmen capable of forging Meito. Shimo Nagi had been commissioned from Yasuie.
Precious, yet not that precious.
After all, the market price of a Great Meito was only around 10 million Berries . Even if sold in Sabaody, it wouldn't exceed 30 million Berries .
The Beasts had built their fortune on weapons, but with production and demand now at their peak, trade volume had little room for further growth.
Seizing this opportunity, Gurd wanted to promote Wano Country's high-quality swords, selling them in the residential district he had developed.
A luxury market strategy!
Great Meito were difficult to mass-produce, but those of the Skillful Grade could be, and their market price wasn't low either—around 1 million Berries .
If sales increased, the profits would be substantial.
"A blade this valuable naturally deserves a master worthy of it!"
"To add some excitement, I will now auction Villa No. 2. Whoever wins the bid will receive this sword as a gift!"
Gurd smirked and added,
"You might wonder why Villa No. 2 is being auctioned. That's because Villa No. 1 has already been gifted to Whitebeard."
Whitebeard?
The pirates gasped.
Living next to Whitebeard???
Gurd raised a finger.
"Starting bid—100 million Berries !"
"Hiss—!"
The pirates sucked in a sharp breath.
100 million Berries ? That's practically robbery!
Just as everyone thought the auction would flop, someone stood up.
"150 million Berries !"
It was the Dark King, "Hider" Kiberson.
Rumor had it that anything entrusted to him would remain absolutely secure—impossible to find.
"That price won't cut it!"
"Deep Current" Umit raised his hand.
"200 million Berries !"
"Bastard, don't steal it from me!"
"300 million Berries !"
"350 million Berries !"
The bids soared relentlessly.
The pirates watched, stunned.
It was just a villa—was such fierce competition really necessary?
"1 BILLION BERRIES!!!"
"..."
The room fell silent instantly. When they saw the man who had made the bid, their shock turned into understanding.
"Loan Shark King" Du Feld!
One of the wealthiest tycoons in the underworld.
His business empire extended not only to loan sharking but also to numerous financial ventures. His shadow loomed behind nearly every bankrupt nation in the New World, and he was also a renowned investor.
It was said even Vegapunk had received financial backing from Du Feld.
The only one who could rival him in wealth was likely the newly crowned emperor, the "Golden Emperor" Gild Tesoro.
"Ding!!!"
"Congratulations to Mr. Du Feld for winning the bid on Villa No. 2!"
Gurd forcefully struck the bell!
Heh heh heh, he truly adored these old fools who could cough up gold coins!