Luo's words were no accident. He knew the Straw Hat Pirates would be interested in a new Devil Fruit, and if they weren't before, then Carl's appearance had definitely piqued their curiosity. After all, Devil Fruits had played a huge role in their journey so far.
Of course, Luo wasn't lying. He had indeed found out that there was a Devil Fruit up for auction, but it was nothing special—just a weak, useless one. A truly valuable fruit would never be put up for public auction by a man like Doflamingo.
As for why he had to bring Luffy along, it was a simple matter of having a Five Emperors on his side for a little extra security. Based on his understanding of Luffy's character, Luo knew that once the Straw Hat captain found out the nature of the auction house, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from causing a scene. Luo was well aware that Doflamingo was still a Warlord, and he wanted to give him a little reminder: he planned on destroying his business here.
"A Devil Fruit? They're auctioning a Devil Fruit?" Luffy's eyes lit up. "In that case, we have to go see what kind it is!"
With that, he walked right into the auction house. Luo and the others naturally followed, finding an empty row of seats to settle into. The auction house staff wiped sweat from their brows as the Straw Hats entered, and the other people in the room—nobles, pirates, and everyone in between—stared at them in shock.
Only one person seemed unfazed: the man sitting in the front row with a bubble over his head, which looked like a spacesuit helmet. It was a Celestial Dragon, Saint Charlos. Luo saw his back and was only slightly surprised. He didn't think much of it. A Celestial Dragon was nothing to him. Others might fear these so-called "creators of the world," but Luo certainly didn't, and he knew the Straw Hat captain had even less reason to be afraid. After all, they were just a bunch of pampered, wasteful pigs.
"Ahem, next up, we have our human auction!" the auctioneer announced. "Our next item is a pirate captain! Everyone, please take a look at this strong man who was once a fearsome captain. Look at his tall, powerful build and his strong muscles. He's a high-quality slave! The starting price is 200,000 Berries. Let the bidding begin!"
"I bid 500,000!"
"800,000!"
"One million!"
After the auctioneer's introduction, many people raised their bidding paddles. Everyone was very excited, and some seemed to have completely forgotten that a Five Emperors was in the room.
Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper's faces all turned grim. They watched the pirate captain stand on the stage, a miserable look on his face, for people to buy. He didn't even dare to resist. The whole scene was disgusting to them. But the people at the tables acted like this was completely normal, and the bidders were even more at ease. They were treating people like objects! No matter how you looked at it, this was wrong.
"Hey, Law," Luffy said, his voice low and serious. "What's going on here?"
"Human trafficking is a common sight across the seas," Luo explained softly. "And here, it's considered a perfectly normal business. This is Doflamingo's industry. Many nobles love these auctions, and even Celestial Dragons have participated, so the Marines don't get involved."
"Human trafficking... Doflamingo... Celestial Dragons..." Luffy said in a flat tone, his words more of a statement than a question. He instinctively pulled the brim of his straw hat down. Everyone in the room could feel his mood souring. He radiated pure disgust.
"Why didn't that guy fight back?" Usopp asked. "He was a pirate captain, wasn't he?"
"There's a special collar around his neck," Luo explained patiently. "If he disobeys, the collar will explode and blow his head off."
Usopp and Chopper shrank back, clearly terrified.
In the end, the pirate captain was bought by an old woman. Next, a young girl was brought to the stage, with a starting price of 100 million Berries. The annoying sound of bidding filled the room again.
"Hey, Law, do you have a problem with Doflamingo?" Luffy asked quietly.
"Yes," Luo replied, his tone firm. "He killed my benefactor. I'll definitely get my revenge."
"You're our partner now, so your enemy is our enemy," Luffy declared. "I hate this guy, Doflamingo, so I don't mind smashing his place to pieces!"
Luffy stood up, and soon, he was joined by Zoro and Usopp. Luo smiled and stood up as well. It was clear Luo was using Luffy to his advantage, but Luo also knew that Luffy, despite his simple-minded appearance, wasn't a fool. Luffy was willing to be used now, and Luo was happy to be the Straw Hats' partner. Luffy wasn't just acting on a whim; he was also protecting his new ally.
The Straw Hat crew slowly began to walk toward the auction stage. The auctioneer immediately became nervous. The staff and guests looked on in shock, a shiver running down their spines. They all knew this newly crowned Five Emperors was about to make a scene.
"Uh... Captain Straw Hat, is there something I can do for you?" the auctioneer asked, his voice trembling.
"Yeah, there is!" Luffy said loudly. "I'm declaring that from today on, this auction house will no longer exist!"
He reached out and grabbed the collar around the girl's neck. A beeping sound started, and the girl began to struggle in fear. But in the next second, with a sudden whoosh, Luffy ripped the collar off and threw it aside. The collar exploded, thoroughly disrupting the auction. Guests screamed and frantically ran for the exit, terrified of getting in the Five Emperors' way. Luffy didn't pay them any mind, simply knocking the auctioneer to the ground with one punch.
Soon, only the staff, the Straw Hat crew, Saint Charlos, and his bodyguards were left in the entire building. The auction house owner led his staff in a face-off against the Straw Hats, but cold sweat dripped from his face. He knew that neither Kaido nor the Warlords could help him now. The newly crowned Five Emperors was angry, and no one could stop him.
"Hey! You lowlifes, how dare you interrupt my fun?! You're all dead!" Saint Charlos yelled, pointing at Luffy with a snotty nose. His bodyguards broke out in a cold sweat. Luffy just shot him a cold glance without saying a word.
Saint Charlos had no idea who he was facing. He showed no fear, and when he saw Chopper and Bepo, his eyes lit up. "Hey! Bring that raccoon dog and that white bear over here! They'll be my new toys. I'll forgive you for interrupting me just now, but if you don't obey, I'll make you pay!"
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