Under such circumstances, it has led to the tangled web of competing powers here on the Sabaody Archipelago.
This underground auction house once received funding from the Donquixote Family.
Even after Doflamingo severed ties with the establishment, the saying goes "business may end, but friendship remains."
Having shared connections in the past still made a difference—they could still speak on familiar terms.
El clearly had his eye on the influence that once belonged to the Donquixote Family.
Claiming a brand-new territory on Sabaody was no easy feat, but taking over an existing one and ruling it himself was far more feasible. And that was exactly what El intended to do.
Any business that manages to operate on Sabaody must have powerful backing. Behind these grand markets and auction houses stand formidable forces.
Just look at this auction house now running into trouble—through twists and turns, they eventually ended up reaching out to El.
"Lord El, you mean you're going to handle a minor problem?" Hancock spoke up readily.
"Let me go and take care of it for you. It's just a bunch of thugs and troublemakers who came looking for trouble anyway… It would be far too much of an honor for them if you were to step in personally."
"Hmm…" El nodded lightly but said nothing more. In fact, bringing Hancock along this time was part of his plan. He couldn't possibly do everything with his own two hands; after all, he was a captain now.
"Let's talk more about this later," El said. "First, let's head over and see exactly what's going on there."
This auction house also dabbled in the shady slave trade. Of course, slavery is banned in most—if not nearly all—countries in the world.
Yet right here on Sabaody Archipelago, practically under the nose of Marine Headquarters, the slave trade flourishes openly.
The reason is simple enough: it answers the demands of powerful figures high up in the hierarchy. The fact that Celestial Dragons keep slaves is hardly news.
Years ago, the Fish‑Man hero Fisher Tiger famously climbed the Red Line with his bare hands to free countless slaves held by the Celestial Dragons—and his deed is still celebrated to this day.
These self‑proclaimed "World Nobles" see themselves as above all others, as if they belong to a different species entirely.
Even when moving around Sabaody within sight of the Marines, they wander about fully kitted out in special oxygen tanks, seemingly unwilling to breathe the same air as ordinary people.
The Celestial Dragons are the biggest buyers in the slave trade. Possessing unlimited privileges and unimaginable wealth, they spend fortunes without a second thought, purchasing slaves lavishly.
No matter how rare or expensive a slave may be, it is nothing more than a trivial number to them—they can have any amount of money arranged with a mere word.
Just how deep the slave trade runs is something even El, who has already brought the Donquixote Family under his control, could not fully explain in a short time.
And what exactly the Celestial Dragons need these slaves for remains a closely guarded secret that no one has ever been able to uncover.
El shared everything he knew with Hancock.
After hearing El's words, Hancock fell silent for a long while. She herself had once been a slave of the Celestial Dragons, branded on her back with their mark of ownership—the Hoof of the Flying Dragon.
How could she not feel the pang of shared fate when El brought up the slave auction house?
Even after becoming one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, she had rarely set foot upon the Red Line.
She could not stand the arrogant airs of the Celestial Dragons, nor could she bear to relive the misery of her days in bondage—lest she lose control and kill them all on the spot.
Though the Celestial Dragons enjoy the highest status and immense wealth, very few among them possess any real combat strength.
Perhaps these privileged nobles never need to fight for themselves anyway.
But let anything happen involving a Celestial Dragon—let any harm come to one—and Marine Headquarters will respond with the utmost priority.
At the very least, an Admiral will be dispatched to resolve the matter. In other words, the moment you raise a hand against a Celestial Dragon, a Marine Admiral will arrive instantly to stand against you.
Especially here on Sabaody Archipelago, which lies not far from Marine Headquarters. An Admiral could reach the island in almost no time.
Thus, the Celestial Dragons roam freely, buying goods and slaves alike, with virtually no risk to their safety.
Hancock gritted her teeth, struggling fiercely to hold back the raging fire of revenge burning within her. If a Celestial Dragon were to appear before her right now… it was doubtful whether she could stop herself from striking them down.
"We need not concern ourselves with the Celestial Dragons for now," El said, clearly sensing the conflict in her heart. He was well aware of what Hancock had endured in the past.
"Those bastards will get what they deserve eventually. That much I can promise you."
"Understood…" Hancock nodded heavily, her jaw still clenched tight.
"This is just a reckless auction house looking for trouble. All we have to do is chase them off."
El's assessment was accurate; the information he had received said exactly that.
This was why he'd told her earlier that coming to Sabaody was partly business and partly leisure. After finishing what needed to be done, he planned to stay a little while longer.
But could a problem serious enough to make the auction house seek out the El Pirates really be as simple as it sounded?
While they spoke, El and Hancock arrived at their destination. It was a large, opulently decorated auction house.
Its imposing exterior alone made it clear that it must have considerable power behind it.
And indeed it did. In the past, the establishment had been secretly funded by the Donquixote Family.
The Donquixote Pirates were a formidable force, and Doflamingo maintained deep ties with the Marines and even higher authorities.
Naturally, such connections allowed them to hold such a prime piece of territory.
Now, however, the Donquixote Family had effectively merged into the El Pirates—and their combined strength was greater than ever.
Under these new circumstances, the auction house became even more untouchable. Yet this very establishment, which no one dared to challenge, now found itself in deep trouble.
"Tell me exactly what has happened… in detail."
El had already stepped inside with Hancock. On the surface, the house auctioned off rare and valuable goods—most of which, of course, were stolen property.
Remember, this is Sabaody Archipelago, a crossroads for many of the famous rookie pirates sailing the first half of the Grand Line.
They often needed a place to sell the treasures they'd plundered along their voyages.
And aside from these ill‑gotten gains, the auction house also offered many other shady, forbidden items from the underworld to satisfy its wealthy clientele.
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