"You actually work seriously sometimes?"
Seeing Aus like this, not just Little Sand—even Little Hawk looked stunned.
After following this guy for years, when had they ever seen him work seriously?
Was the sun rising from the west?
But watching Aus walk through streets and alleys, moving between various businesses, Mihawk started doubting his own assumptions.
Maybe he'd really misjudged this guy...
Crocodile hadn't witnessed Aus's extravagant lifestyle, so her reaction wasn't as dramatic. She figured Aus just slacked off on the ship.
When doing actual work, he seemed pretty reliable...
Following Aus's steps, the group soon arrived outside an auction house.
Decent size. Looked legit. You even needed asset verification to enter.
The guys guarding the entrance looked fairly capable. Of course, "capable" only compared to normal people.
Without even Haki, they could only guard doors. But at least they could stop small fry with bounties under a few million Belly.
Aus's group wore sunglasses, standing in line with the crowd. Experiencing the full customer service flow would help him better direct his people.
Queue, verification—Aus's turn came quick. He handed over a piece of paper.
"What's this? Property deed? Bank statement?"
Without checking his face carefully, the guard took the paper and opened it.
A wanted poster.
"This..."
The guard looked up and saw a face—specifically the lower half—that anyone in underground business knew by heart. His eyes bulged. Mouth dropped open.
Aus just smiled, making a zipping motion at his lips.
The two guards' mouths immediately sealed shut.
Physically.
Only after Aus entered could they finally open their mouths again. Sweat poured down their faces.
"What do we do? Report to Lord Doflamingo!?"
The other guard punched his head, raising an instant steaming lump.
"You idiot! Lord Aus doesn't want attention—you gonna disobey orders?
Who's bigger, Lord Doflamingo or Lord Aus? Can't you tell!?"
"O...okay."
Inside the venue, after a bit, sharp-eyed staff recognized Aus's group sitting in back.
Not everyone was dense, after all.
They quickly arranged first-row premium seats for Aus. He waved it off. The three found random seats.
Aus crossed his legs, sitting relaxed.
Getting recognized right before the auction started was fine. These guys didn't have time for PR stunts anyway.
Besides, this was his first auction.
Legs crossed, enjoying staff bringing fruit and offering massages, plenty of nearby people kept glancing over.
"Who are these people? They get extra services?"
"I'm a pirate with a fifty million bounty—the auction house doesn't give me massage girls? Blind bastards!"
"Maybe they really are big shots. They look familiar."
"What big shots? I'm a noble heir from a World Government member nation!"
Other attendees were curious about their identities.
But sitting in the dim back area, they couldn't see clearly. Eventually gave up.
Right then—
Several figures surrounded by guards swaggered into the auction house, dressed like astronauts, riding tall slaves.
The venue went dead silent.
"Tch, lowborn trash..."
Seeing the instant quiet, the two Celestial Dragons looked satisfied. They swept contemptuous eyes across the room, swaggering toward the first row.
"Arrogant bastards..." Aus smiled, lips curling up.
"Want me to deal with them?" Little Sand and Little Hawk spoke at the same time, surprising even themselves.
"Nah. There'll be something fun to mess with them soon."
Aus grinned.
He wasn't scared of killing Celestial Dragons. His predecessors had slaughtered plenty at God Valley.
But no point. His relationship with the World Government was solid now. He could throw them a bone.
"Saint Grim, the Holy Land's demanding we return immediately. We're banned from Sabaody Archipelago after this..."
A guy in a black suit, looking like a secret agent, followed one Celestial Dragon, carefully warning him.
"What!?"
Hearing that, the Celestial Dragon named Grim exploded with rage.
Under the CP member's horrified stare—
Bang!
Smoke curled up. The black-suited figure collapsed hard.
Nobody cared. Nobody dared care.
Even auction staff only silently dragged the corpse away after the Celestial Dragon passed.
Just a servant killed by a Celestial Dragon—died for nothing.
"The Holy Land's order said leave in ten days!
You lowborn mongrel dared contradict the great Celestial Dragons!"
Obviously, in Grim's mind, his subordinate's suggestion made him lose face in front of his buddy.
The two rode their slaves to the first row. Shortly after sitting, the auction began.
Early items were treasures and antiques. The Celestial Dragons weren't interested—only some noble merchants bid.
"Three million Belly once!"
"Three million Belly twice!"
Just before closing, a voice rang from the back.
"Ten million!"
"What? That treasure's worth four million tops. Ten million??"
Aus ignored the chatter. He was just attending for the first time and had way too much money lying around.
Naturally, he won the treasure—a gemstone ring.
Normally, auctioned items got delivered after final payment.
But Aus's status was different. Staff immediately brought the ring over.
"Don't bring the next stuff. Give it all to me when I leave."
"Yes, Lord Aus."
Aus took the ring and casually gave it to Little Sand—women's style, and she wore rings anyway.
"Hey! I don't want this crap!"
Little Sand spoke coldly, but the ring had already appeared on her right pinky.
"Don't be like that. It's the first thing I've ever bought at auction."
Though technically this whole auction house belonged to him too...
"Tch..."
But that was just the warm-up. In the auction that followed, Aus truly showed what it meant to—
Throw money around like it was nothing!
...
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