## Chapter 255: Reunion
If one were to speak of the ultimate victors of this Era, they could only emerge from the Flying Pirates and the Roger Pirates.
In terms of Potential, the Roger Pirates would have three Top Tier Combatants in the Future: Roger, Rayleigh, and Gaban, the Three Giants of gold, silver, and bronze.
Their other members were also all Elite, and there were quite a few Strongmen approaching Top Tier Combatant Strength.
As for Shiki "The Golden Lion", he possessed the most massive Faction, with a large number of Pirates pledging allegiance to his Subordinates.
Furthermore, his Right-hand man had already begun to grow.
Just one year after the dissolution of the Rocks Pirates, Shiki had gained a young Monster, a Mythical Zoan Titan Fruit Ability User named Atlas.
This meant that the Flying Pirates would also have three Top Tier Combatants in the Future.
This configuration alone surpassed other Pirate Crews.
Whitebeard's ability to stand alongside Roger and Shiki as a Legendary Pirate later on relied solely on his own formidable Strength, completely unlike his Children.
"Gurararara! Hades, it's been quite lively recently, hasn't it?"
From afar, Shiki flew directly over, leaving his Subordinates behind and flying straight into the Palace before Hades.
His massive Island Ship was docked overhead along the Coast of Sicily Island, completely supported by Shiki's Float-Float Fruit Ability.
Members of the Flying Pirates walked down from the Island Ship, carrying things big and small as they stepped onto Sicily Island, preparing to exchange these things, useless to them, for Money.
The larger the Scale, the more Money the Flying Pirates needed to spend.
Besides the Protection Fee from the various Factions within their Territory, the Flying Pirates also needed other sources of income.
The expanding Pirate Crew, the construction of the Sky Kingdom, not to mention Reinhardt's desire to help the Flying Pirates establish an Intelligence Force that belonged entirely to them.
He had been working on this matter, but Development was relatively slow and required a significant Investment of Funds.
Soon, Hades and Shiki began drinking sake, one cup after another.
A small boat gradually approached the shore.
The Skull on its Pirate Flag bore a mustache like a crescent moon; this symbol was known to everyone in the New World.
"Whitebeard" Edward Newgate.
The Whitebeard Pirates had arrived.
The Future Moby Dick was currently nowhere to be seen.
Newgate was seen stepping onto Sicily Island with several of his sons, moving through the Exhibition Area.
Marco and the others were still very young and were very excited by the sight, running around everywhere.
Soon, seemingly sensing a familiar Aura, Newgate, holding Murakumogiri, strode towards the Palace in the core of the Island.
Along the way, no one blocked him at all.
"Gurararara! Shiki, Hades, long time no see!"
Before seeing the person, his voice was heard first.
Newgate laughed heartily, spotting Hades and Shiki sitting opposite each other at a glance.
Coming before the two, he stretched out his hand, picked up a barrel of sake, raised his head, and drank heartily in big gulps.
"Hah!" Newgate drank it all in one go, putting down the sake barrel.
"It's truly delicious. Is this another new Hero's Sake?"
"Yes. When you leave, I'll give you a few barrels, Newgate."
To Newgate's question, Hades poured Newgate another large bowl and replied with a smile.
The World Expo was also a press conference, containing quite a bit of advertising.
The Kronos Kingdom's Hero's Sake was one of them, leveraging the World Expo platform to promote itself to the World and to Pirates.
Besides Hero's Sake, there were various other Fine Wines.
For Pirates, how could life be without sake?
Every day, hundreds of Transport Ships filled with sake arrived at Sicily Island.
The money from selling sake alone was enough to make up for the expenses of this World Expo.
Taking tobacco and alcohol as examples, countless Wealth would Pour Into the Kronos Kingdom next.
The Kronos Kingdom would also release Soda next.
Unlike sake, Soda could be drunk by people of all ages, and its unique taste was sure to stir up a wave.
"Tsk, it seems your harvest this past year wasn't small. You've already found your Family."
Hades "glanced" at the several figures running around everywhere, especially that small pineapple head.
He felt some emotion inside; familiar people were increasing.
"Gurararara!" Hearing Hades' words, Newgate laughed heartily once again.
"This is just the beginning. My Family will keep growing."
Hades could clearly feel the joy in Newgate's heart.
In comparison, Shiki on the side drank alone.
Although he disdained Newgate's dream, he wouldn't openly mock it in this kind of setting.
It was hard to meet, and moreover, he had to show respect to Hades.
Besides, mocking others' dreams was not the style of a man.
Newgate was still a strong enemy he recognized.
Among the Strongmen who arrived at the entire World Expo, only Newgate and Shiki were qualified for Hades to receive.
It was better if there were fewer Monsters; it could also avoid Conflict.
Everyone knew that with the dissolution of the Rocks Pirates, all of them were competitors.
Soon, it was night.
Although the Exhibition Area was still very lively, the daytime noise was louder, and the people walking in the Exhibition Area had also decreased significantly.
Because the Auction was about to start, the Pirates qualified to participate in the Auction had all arrived early at the huge Palace in the center of the World Expo, the Auction Area.
Only Factions with reputation could participate.
If they didn't have reputation, they must at least have one hundred million Beli in Funds.
One hundred million Beli in Funds, this was the most basic requirement.
Moreover, the Palace's size was limited and could not accommodate all the Pirates.
After all, the entire World Expo had over three hundred thousand Pirates.
This filtered out many lone Pirates.
Although they weren't qualified and couldn't enter the venue, it didn't mean they couldn't watch the Auction.
In several open spaces in the Exhibition Area, large screens were placed, live streaming the Auction venue.
Some also directly took out Visual Den Den Mushi to watch.
Even if they couldn't participate, watching the excitement was also good.
This kind of Auction would definitely feature many good things, increasing their knowledge.
Besides this, they could also see those true Great Pirates.
Although quite a few Strongmen appeared during the day, and there were also exhibition areas for large Pirate Crews, those there were only the Subordinate Pirates; the important Cadre did not appear in the Exhibition Area.
These important figures, Strongmen, and Cadre from the major Factions basically all stayed in the small palaces surrounding the huge Palace in the central Auction Area.
Looking from above, it looked like a palace complex.
This was also specifically prepared as resting places for these major Factions.
In the Auction Area, the central magnificent huge Palace was very densely packed with people.
Compared to the massive Scale of the World Expo, the number of Pirates who came to the venue was still astonishingly large.
The seats allocated to the various major Factions were already full long ago.
Naturally, there was also some competition among them, after all, there were only so many seats, but they didn't actually start fighting.
The remaining well-known Pirates could only stand.
Whenever the camera turned to some Pirates, it would cause a wave of exclamations.
Some Children all took out their treasured thick stacks of Cards, laid them out on the ground, corresponding them one by one to the figures on the live stream screen.
For them, these were legendary figures; this was the first time they had seen them.
Some people with collecting habits would also collect some Newspapers about their deeds.
The psychology of idolizing Pirates, this Situation, greatly increased the number of people going to Sea to become Pirates on The Great Sea.
Some Factions from the Underworld, the King of the Underworld, were also among them, sitting in their seats early, waiting for the Auction to start.
They naturally had this qualification.
Being able to become a King of the Underworld in the New World, or occupy a place in the fiercely competitive Underworld, naturally meant they possessed considerable Strength.
The members of the Pluto Pirates, various powerful Cadre, were all present to prevent any possible accidents.
Hades was even sitting early in the Head Seat, quietly watching below.
By his side were seated Newgate and Shiki.
The Auction was about to begin.
(end of chapter)