The bearded man's eyes lit up —
there was hope!
Without a second thought, he hurriedly pulled out a rolled-up map and handed it respectfully to Arthur.
Unfolding it, Arthur scanned the parchment.
It depicted islands and coastlines — hills, rivers, and mountain ridges — and right in the middle, a big red "X".
Unfortunately, it was too vague to tell where exactly the marked spot was.
His brows furrowed.
"This isn't fake, is it?"
The bearded man almost panicked, waving his hands frantically.
"No, no! I swear it's genuine! It came straight from a Marine Vice Admiral's hands — I risked my life getting it! I was supposed to turn it in to the Navy, but… well, here we are!"
Arthur studied his face.
The man's fear was written all over him —
he clearly didn't have the guts to lie.
Arthur gave a faint nod.
His eyes shifted slightly.
"Nice pistols."
The man's face froze for half a heartbeat.
Then, forcing a smile, he quickly drew the twin, silver-inlaid revolvers at his waist and offered them up with both hands.
"If they please you, my lord, then they're yours!"
His heart bled even as he said it — those guns were family heirlooms.
But heirlooms meant nothing if you were dead.
Arthur took them, testing their weight, and smiled faintly.
"Not bad."
Perfect gift for Waldo, he thought.
That guy's been throwing rocks in battle —
time he had something proper to show off with.
He waved his hand casually.
"You can go."
The terrified underlings didn't hesitate.
They practically fell over themselves thanking him, then sprinted off like their lives depended on it.
The bearded man, however, stayed frozen.
Wait… what about me?
Arthur's gaze turned cold, reading his thoughts before he could speak.
"Those gifts bought your men's lives.
As for you—"
His tone dropped, and a sharp flash of killing intent cut through the air.
"Anyone who dares raise a hand against me only has one ending."
Swoosh!
A silver arc flickered in the air.
Thunder cracked faintly.
When the sound faded, Arthur and Redfield were gone —
only the bearded man's bisected corpse remained, his expression frozen in disbelief.
Pocketing the treasure map and the pistols, Arthur and Redfield's moods were completely unaffected.
They continued their stroll through the various islands of the Sabaody Archipelago, browsing stalls, observing curiosities, and enjoying the local color.
Two more days of quiet leisure passed before dawn broke on the third day.
After watching the sunrise with Carmen, Arthur gathered the team.
Today would be eventful.
The plan:
Get the money, rob a Celestial Dragon, rescue Waldo, repay their debts, collect the ship, and leave the Archipelago before the Marines arrived.
Simple, efficient, and foolproof — in theory.
Once everyone understood their roles, the four of them set out.
They headed straight for the back entrance of the auction house.
"So? Did you prepare my payment, sweetheart?"
Carmen had slipped easily into her role this time —
the second visit always went smoother than the first.
The manager inside, the same slick man from before, still harbored dark thoughts about double-crossing them.
But he didn't dare.
Not after seeing what these people were capable of.
Even Warlords of the Sea couldn't guarantee protection if things went south this close to the lawless zones.
One wrong move, and he'd be a smear on the floor before anyone came to help.
He forced a laugh, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"O-of course! Bring it out!"
Creak—
The newly replaced door, the same one Arthur had blown apart earlier, swung open.
A dozen burly workers strained under the weight of six enormous chests, their faces red and veins bulging.
Each chest hit the ground with a heavy thud.
"Set them down!"
Carmen strode forward and popped them open one by one.
Clack! Clack! Clack!
Blinding golden light flooded the room.
Mountains of Beli coins and gleaming jewels stacked inside — enough to make her dizzy.
"So… much… money…"
Her eyes went wide.
She'd never seen this much in her entire life.
For a moment, she wanted to throw herself into Arthur's arms and scream with joy.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay composed.
"Hmm. You've done well," she said coolly, trying (and failing) to hide her excitement.
"Let's go, boys. A-One, A-Two, A-Three—move out."
"Yes, ma'am!"
The three men stepped forward, each grabbing two chests with one hand as if they were carrying grocery bags.
The manager's jaw nearly hit the floor.
Wait—those took three of my men apiece to lift!
He watched in horror as they effortlessly hoisted all six chests and walked away as if nothing weighed more than a bag of feathers.
Monsters… actual monsters!
Back at their hideout, they opened the chests again just to admire them.
Even the usually stoic Redfield allowed himself a small smile.
Carmen was practically glowing, spinning around the room with joy.
She'd almost kissed Arthur on the spot.
After a short celebration, Arthur laid out the next steps.
"Crocodile, Carmen — take the money and the supplies to Island 13.
Repay what we owe and prepare the ship.
Redfield and I will handle the rescue — and the Celestial Dragon."
After lunch, they split up.
By two in the afternoon, Arthur and Redfield had arrived at the Sabaody Auction House, where the crowd was already overflowing.
The hall was packed — nobles, pirates, merchants, and bounty hunters shoulder to shoulder, buzzing with anticipation.
The two didn't bother looking for seats.
They stood quietly in the corner, scanning the crowd.
Arthur unfolded the auction catalog handed out at the entrance.
He flipped through a few pages, expression flat.
Nothing caught his eye — except the final listing.
Lot 47: "Waldo" – Former Marine, Escaped Convict, Living Weapon.
Of course.
That was what everyone had come for.
The chatter around them confirmed it:
"It's true! They're selling that pirate!"
"Good thing I got word in time—would've missed it otherwise!"
"Word? Hah! You think you've got more money than me?"
"Heh, we'll see who bids last…"
"You two just shut up—this one's mine!"
The bickering continued, filling the hall with arrogance and greed.
Then—
BANG!
The massive doors burst open.
The room fell silent.
Two men walked in, both wearing those grotesque transparent helmets that shimmered under the light.
One was old, one was young — clearly father and son.
"Celestial Dragons…"
Someone whispered the words, and panic rippled through the crowd.
Several guests immediately averted their eyes, trembling.
"Oh no… we're done for."
"Why are they here?!"
The pair strutted down the aisle like they owned the world, taking the special seats reserved at the very center.
Heads bowed all around them.
Their faces were twisted with smugness,
their posture oozed superiority —
as if every soul in the room existed solely for their amusement.
Arthur felt his stomach churn.
So this is the so-called 'noble bloodline'?
He grimaced, barely holding back a gag.
I swear, just looking at them makes me want to vomit.
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