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Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Auctioning a Devil Fruit

Mondi let out a sly chuckle and launched into the pitch. "You all know the score. Mermaids are perpetually rare, priceless in most markets. Even our top house only sees a handful in a year. I do not need to belabor how precious this lot is. The starting price is sixty million Beli, with minimum raises of three million."

"Sixty million Beli."

Gasps burst across the hall.

"So high. The opening bid alone is sixty million. I would go bankrupt before I took her home."

"Broke rats. Why come to an auction."

"If you have no money, go play where the gutter folk gather. This is not your place."

The fat cats lounged in their seats and mocked anyone who flinched at the number.

Veins stood out on foreheads. Knuckles whitened. The ones being jeered at could only swallow the insult.

A bookish middle aged man adjusted his glasses and swept the room with cool disdain. "Sixty three million."

A voice from a private box fired back at once. "You sneer at others, yet you are a country bumpkin yourself. Seventy million."

"Seventy five million."

The number lived only a heartbeat.

"Eighty million. Hahaha, that mermaid will be mine."

The price climbed like a hooked marlin. Mondi's grin nearly split his face, little stars dancing in his eyes.

In one corner, the Cannon Pirates stared, eyes blazing. If one mermaid sold for this much, then snatching mermaids was a gold mine.

Rakuya watched with an even gaze and sipped his tea, as if none of it concerned him.

"One hundred twenty million."

"One hundred fifty million."

"Two hundred million."

The voice boomed, rich and arrogant. The hall fell into sudden silence.

Mondi looked, then jolted as if stung. "C Celestial Dragon, my lord."

"What. The Celestial Dragon wants the mermaid too."

"It is over. No chance for us."

"When a Celestial Dragon bids, who dares to raise."

For everyone here except Rakuya, crossing a Celestial Dragon was unthinkable. Only a death wish would make you fight him for a prize.

A pirate who had been leaning forward with burning eyes wilted the moment he saw Saint Charmaque's paddle. He slumped back, defeated. Several wealthy bidders who had been itching to compete sank into their seats, fists clenched and lips shut.

"The Celestial Dragon has offered two hundred million. Any other bids."

Without that sacred bubble helmet throwing its weight around, Mondi knew the number might have gone higher and his cut with it. He forced a brilliant smile anyway.

No one spoke. Eyes dropped. Courage evaporated.

"Two hundred million, once. Two hundred million, twice. Two hundred million, sold."

Bang.

"Congratulations to our honored Celestial Dragon, who has secured ownership of the mermaid."

"Hahaha, good, very good." Saint Charmaque laughed, loud and ugly. Then he tossed a parting insult across the hall. "A pack of paupers. Why come to an auction if you cannot afford it. Garbage that offends the eyes."

The words were not loud, yet everyone heard them. The insult scraped across pride like a rusty blade. No one dared answer.

Lot after lot rolled out. None of it interested Rakuya enough to lift his paddle.

An hour later, the auction reached a rolling boil. Sensing the perfect moment, Mondi flashed a showman's smile and dropped the evening's depth charge.

"Next, we will present a Devil Fruit. Highest bidder takes it."

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