"Is there anyone bidding higher than four hundred million?" the auctioneer shouted. "If not, I'm about to close the bid! Four hundred million once! Four hundred million twice…"
He knew that once a Celestial Dragon made an offer, no one else would dare to compete.
"Four hundred million three times! Sold!" The auctioneer struck the gavel, feeling a hint of regret but having no choice but to accept it. "Congratulations, Saint Sabi, for winning the Culinary Fruit!"
"Yay! I won!" Saint Sabi danced with joy, looking like the foolish son of a wealthy landlord.
Raiver sat in his seat, not participating in the bidding at all.
Xingmian nestled in his arms and whispered, "Your Majesty, aren't you going to bid? If we could win this Devil Fruit, we could eat the most delicious food in the world every day."
Xingwan nodded in agreement. "Yes, Your Majesty, this fruit seems quite interesting."
Raiver smiled faintly and said matter-of-factly, "Why should we buy something when we can just take it?"
As he spoke, his large hands rested on Xingmian and Xingwan's heads, gently stroking their beautiful hair. "Don't worry, whatever I set my eyes on, no one can take it away."
On the stage, the auctioneer announced, "Next is the final item of the auction, the highlight of today's event!"
As his words fell, the black cloth was lifted, revealing a massive iron cage containing three young girls—the Hancock sisters.
Though still a girl, Hancock already showed signs of becoming a great beauty.
Beside the cage was a separate crystal box holding a Devil Fruit shaped like a cherry.
"Three slave girls, plus one Devil Fruit!" the auctioneer declared loudly. "This Devil Fruit is—the Sweet Fruit! Whoever eats it can turn anyone who feels affection for them into stone! Moreover, one of the three slave girls is a budding beauty, making her highly valuable as a collector's item. So, the starting bid is—five hundred million Belly!"
This time, the auctioneer had learned his lesson and set an extremely high starting price. Even if a Celestial Dragon made an offer and no one else dared to compete, he would still make a hefty profit.
The audience immediately erupted in boos.
"What?! A starting bid of five hundred million right off the bat? Is it studded with diamonds?!"
"Exactly! And that Devil Fruit doesn't even sound that powerful! It only works if someone feels affection for you? What if you're ugly—wouldn't that make it useless?"
Pirates and bounty hunters alike voiced their complaints.
But some wealthy nobles thought differently.
They were just about to place their bids when—
"I bid seven hundred million Belly!"
The drooling, snot-nosed Celestial Dragon fool spoke up again.
The nobles gritted their teeth, furious but too afraid to speak out.
They had come to realize that they should never attend an auction with a Celestial Dragon again.
"Seven hundred million Belly! Is there anyone bidding higher?" the auctioneer shouted excitedly. "Seven hundred million once! Seven hundred million twice…"
Saint Sabi was already grinning foolishly, confident of his victory.
Just then—
"Wait."
A voice came from the corner, lazy yet clear enough for everyone to hear.
"Seven hundred million? I bid one billion."
The entire hall erupted in an uproar!
Everyone turned to look, only to see a young man sitting casually in his seat, with two women nestled in his arms.
These three people looked ordinary, yet gave off an inexplicable sense of strangeness.
This strangeness was because Raiver had used spatial means to disguise them.
But their aura was too strong; even with deliberate concealment, it couldn't be fully hidden.
"Who is this guy? He actually dared to bid against a Celestial Dragon?!"
"Is he crazy? Doesn't he fear being punished?!"
"Exactly! Even a king doesn't hold higher status than a Celestial Dragon!"
Nobles, pirates, and bounty hunters whispered among themselves.
No one favored anyone daring to oppose a Celestial Dragon.
They could almost foresee this man's fate—being reduced to a slave, enduring humiliation for life.
"A lowly commoner dares to compete with me for something?!" Saint Sabi was furious, even flinging out his snot.
Beside him, a CP0 agent dressed in a white suit respectfully asked, "Saint Robert, does Your Excellency require subordinates to deal with them?"
The middle-aged man named Saint Robert sneered coldly, looking toward Raiver's direction:
"No need. The opponent is merely a lowly commoner who thinks he has a bit of money.
Since he wants to bid against us, let's compete to the end and see whose wealth is greater.
Otherwise, if word spreads, others might think Celestial Dragons only bully others with power."
He raised his hand: "I bid twelve billion!"
"Twelve billion! Saint Robert bids twelve billion!" the auctioneer shouted excitedly, "Is there any higher bid?"
In the corner, Raiver lazily raised his right hand sideways:
"Add one hundred more, twelve billion and one hundred."
The entire venue erupted in commotion again!
"Twelve billion and one hundred? Is this guy deliberately doing this?!"
"Only adding one hundred Belly more? Is this humiliating the Celestial Dragon?!"
Saint Robert's face darkened.
He glared viciously at Raiver and raised his hand again:
"I bid fifteen billion!"
"Fifteen billion and one hundred." Raiver smiled and bid again.
"I bid thirty billion!" Saint Robert was furious and humiliated, "If you're bidding, bid higher!"
Now, his gaze toward Raiver was that of looking at a dead man.
After the auction ended, he would definitely make this man suffer a living death.
Moreover, he would pressure the auction organizers to settle at the initial seven billion Belly.
After all, spending thirty billion for three slave girls and a Devil Fruit—though he had plenty of money—he wasn't a fool.
His continued bidding now was solely to uphold the dignity of Celestial Dragons.
He couldn't let a lowly commoner trample over a Celestial Dragon!
Raiver looked at him, smiled, and raised his right hand again:
"Thirty billion... and one hundred."
The entire venue fell into deathly silence.
Everyone could see that this man was deliberately mocking the Celestial Dragon.
The auctioneer's face turned grim; he knew he had to take a stand.
He looked at Raiver and said sternly:
"This guest, are you here to cause trouble? Whatever Saint Robert bids, you only add one hundred Belly more.
This makes things very difficult for us."
Raiver looked at him, the smile on his lips slowly fading.
He stood up.
Xingmian and Xingwan also stood up, flanking him on either side.
Raiver looked at the auctioneer and slowly spoke:
"Difficult? Then don't handle it."
As soon as the words fell, he flipped over the table before him with one hand!
A wave of Conqueror's Haki swept through the entire venue!
Everyone felt a sudden chill in their hearts, sweating profusely, but none collapsed.
All eyes in the venue turned toward that man.
Now, Raiver had shed his spatial disguise.
"He... he is..."
Someone trembled as they spoke, their voice shaking:
"The world's strongest man... Raiver!!"
The entire arena fell deathly silent.
The two Celestial Dragons sat in the VIP seats, their faces pale as paper.
Saint Robert's hands trembled, his lips quivering.
Saint Sabi, with snot and drool running down his face, was so terrified he wet his pants, a puddle of yellow liquid flowing from his seat and dripping onto the floor.