The moment Gilbert announced his alliance with the World Government and the support of a Celestial Dragon, panic swept through the nobles and merchants attending the banquet. Like a flurry of well-placed blows, the news shattered their hesitation. One after another, the wavering aristocrats, influential elites, and wealthy traders all pledged themselves to Gilbert's side.
Only a handful of people with truly powerful backers remained silent.
Although their lack of reaction irked Gilbert, the outcome was exactly what he had hoped for. With a self-satisfied smile, he raised his cup and downed the fine wine as those around him toasted to his "success."
"Now then," Gilbert said, his tone brimming with excitement, "to celebrate the World Government's recognition, the support of the noble Celestial Dragon, and the friendship of everyone here tonight, I've prepared something special. I guarantee it will capture everyone's attention."
After finishing his drink, he gestured for his subordinates to bring out the "surprise."
Moments later, a massive object draped in a black cloth was wheeled into the hall on a large cart, pushed by several armored guards. The guests craned their necks, curiosity sparking across their faces.
"Aaron," Williams whispered, noticing his companion's expression darken. "What is that thing?"
Aaron's lips tightened. Without speaking aloud, he silently mouthed two words.
Slave.
Williams read the words instantly, and his heart sank. His fist, hidden under the table, clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
For both of them, that word: slave was a wound that would never fully heal. The mere mention of it reignited a burning rage deep within their souls. When Williams realized Gilbert's "special show" involved enslaved people, his fury almost overwhelmed him.
"Hahaha! Feast your eyes, everyone! You're about to see something truly extraordinary. I can guarantee that no one else in the entire Drum Kingdom owns a treasure like this one! I bought it myself from the Sabaody Archipelago for a staggering two billion Berries!
"Behold, a mermaid from Fish-Man Island! And not just any mermaid… but a top-grade beauty!"
As Gilbert tore off the black cloth, the hall fell silent. Beneath it was a massive glass tank inside which floated a mermaid with crimson wavy hair, trembling in fear.
She was breathtaking. Her skin gleamed like fresh snow, her figure was graceful, and her pink-scaled tail shimmered under the lights as she shifted nervously in the water. The fragile, terrified look on her face only intensified her beauty and the nobles' twisted fascination.
Gasps and murmurs filled the hall as nobles pressed closer to the stage.
"How exquisite…"
"A true treasure from the Grand Line!"
"Magnificent! Gilbert, you must introduce me to your supplier, I'd pay anything for one!"
Many of them, especially the older nobles steeped in the Celestial Dragons' culture were ecstatic. They begged Gilbert to help them acquire mermaid slaves of their own, offering vast sums of money.
The atmosphere in the hall reached a fever pitch. Dozens crowded around the tank, gawking, their faces warped with perverse smiles.
Seeing their envy, Gilbert's vanity soared. For a moment, he fancied himself one of the Celestial Dragons above humanity, adored and feared. His round face split into a grotesque grin.
A mermaid.
Such a sight was almost unheard of in the Drum Kingdom. It was entirely possible that the one in Gilbert's possession was the only mermaid in the entire nation.
Most nobles had only heard rumors of them. They all knew how impossibly expensive mermaid slaves were, starting at one hundred million Berries and often selling for much, much more. Since Fish-Man Island came under Whitebeard's protection, the trade had nearly vanished, making them rarer than ever.
Even among the Celestial Dragons, owning a mermaid slave had become a mark of supreme prestige.
In Mary Geoise, whoever possessed a mermaid was seen as someone truly favored by the gods.
Gilbert had exploited this perfectly, spending a fortune to buy three stunning mermaids from slave traders on the Sabaody Archipelago. The two most beautiful, he gifted to Saint Charlos, earning the Celestial Dragon's patronage.
That favor, in turn, had brought him both World Government recognition and CP7's support.
Of course, the mermaids were only a small part of the price. The true cost was the Drum Kingdom's sovereignty bartered away for Gilbert's personal ambition.
Inside the tank, the mermaid trembled under the weight of countless leering eyes. She wanted to hide, but there was nowhere to go, the transparent walls left her completely exposed. Desperate and humiliated, she could only lower her head as tears welled in her eyes.
"Damn it… those bastards… how could they..."
Williams bit back his words, lowering his head to conceal the fury twisting his expression. Watching the nobles laugh and gawk at the captive mermaid stirred a deep, bitter rage within him, a shared pain he could not ignore.
Aaron, too, was seething. His blood boiled with murderous intent. But he forced himself to stay calm, placing a steadying hand on Williams's shoulder before glancing coldly at the nobles around them, each one grinning with the same depraved delight as the Celestial Dragons themselves.
"They're all trash," Aaron muttered under his breath. "Trash that needs to be wiped out."
Then he sensed it; eyes on him. His Observation Haki flared, a flicker of red light flashing in his gaze as he identified the source. The Celestial Dragons' watchdogs: CP7.
Their instincts were sharp. They had noticed the shift in his and Williams's aura, their suspicion rising.
Aaron met the stare of one agent in particular, the one with the red tear-shaped markings who stood near Gilbert.
The agent froze. He hadn't expected Aaron to detect his secret watch. Startled, he quickly looked away, pretending to lose interest, but from the corner of his eye, he continued to monitor the two men.
Then he realized, Aaron wasn't looking away. He was staring right back at him. Coldly. With the kind of gaze reserved for corpses.
A chill ran down the agent's spine. He understood immediately, he'd just locked eyes with a killer. If he pushed any further, it would be a fight to the death. Reluctantly, he ended his surveillance, but his mind was already made up.
He would investigate those two later.
What he didn't know was that Aaron had already marked him and the rest of CP7 as targets to be eliminated before the night was over.
"Hahahaha! Well then, I think everyone's enjoyed the view," Gilbert announced cheerfully, clapping his hands. "Now for the main attraction! Let's hear this lovely mermaid sing for us!"
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small remote and grinned wickedly at the mermaid inside the tank.
Her eyes widened in terror. She began to tremble violently.
"Come now, my little treasure," Gilbert crooned mockingly, waving the remote in front of her. "Sing us your sweetest song, or I'll have to punish you again. Heh-heh-heh~."
Terrified, the mermaid hesitated, but knowing what awaited her if she disobeyed, she began to sing. Her voice quivered, the melody broken and uneven, stripped of its usual grace.
Gilbert frowned, displeased. "How dare you embarrass me in front of my guests?"
He pressed the button.
A sharp crack of electricity filled the hall. The collar around the mermaid's neck lit up, sending a brutal shock through her body. She screamed in agony.
"Ha-ha-ha-ha!"
The nobles roared with laughter. To them, her suffering was entertainment.
And then
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunshots shattered the laughter, ripping through the air.
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