novelhk Chapter 226 Heading to the Auction, the World's Attention
Chapter 226 Heading to the Auction, the World's Attention
Chapter 226 Heading to the Auction, the World's Attention
In Marineford, in the office of Marshal Sengoku, the smoke from cigars mingled with the heavy atmosphere.
The encrypted Den Den Mushi, mimicking Fujitora's calm demeanor, had just finished its report.
"Bang!"
A radical general, his chest adorned with medals, slammed his fist on the table, making the teacups rattle.
"Marshal!! Why weren't we informed of this sooner?!"
"That bastard Lucci attacked the Holy Land, and the three Five Elders—" His voice was hoarse with anger.
Staff Officer He did not look up, his fingertips lightly tapping the top-secret document formed after cross-verification of intelligence from multiple sources.
The edges of the paper were slightly curled from her grip.
"The sources of information include our spies within CP, as well as fragmented information secretly passed on by several servants within the Holy Land."
"The World Government is trying its best to suppress this news, but what is certain is that the life papers of the three adults have indeed burned out."
Her voice was calm, yet carried immense weight.
"First it was that arrogant Hero King! Now it's this Angel of Death!"
"The Holy Land of Mary Geoise, the face of the World Government, is being trampled underfoot time and time again!" the general practically roared.
"Face?!" Sengoku finally raised his head, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, and his voice, though not loud, instantly drowned out all the noise.
"Discussing face now?! Can't you see that the world government has started deceiving itself and burying its head in the sand?!"
"We are now facing an extra-rule entity capable of easily taking the lives of the Five Elders!"
"This is a crisis that could cause the collapse of the entire naval system and the world order!"
Sengoku's tone grew increasingly angry; this was the first time he had lost his composure in front of so many of his subordinates.
"And all we have is a disobedient avenger locked in jail, and two scheming individuals! Do you understand?!"
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Fujitora's steady voice rang out again.
"Marshal, I do not mean to boost the enemy's morale. But according to my perception, that Angel of Death harbors a deep fear of Tescatlipoca. His retreat is not due to exhaustion, but rather a calculated move."
"They won't be coming to Water 7 again anytime soon. The Straw Hat crew's target is clear: Adam Wood. The next eye of the storm is at the auction."
Sengoku took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down: "Your specific suggestions."
"Maintain perimeter surveillance and avoid provocation. Concentrate resources on intelligence, especially regarding the auction. Meanwhile—"
Fujitora paused, his voice becoming even lower.
"I believe it is necessary to have an informal conversation with Fire Fist, Gol D. Roger, and Karna."
"A dialogue?! And with the ghost of that One Piece king?!"
"This is outrageous betrayal! A stain on the Navy's justice!"
Opposition erupted instantly.
Fujitora's voice remained steady, yet carried an undeniable authority: "It's not an alliance, but an exchange of information under dangerous circumstances."
"We possess intelligence that Lucci, the Angel of Death, and the World Government's high command may have that they do not have."
"And they are the forces that can directly confront and even deter those threats outside the rules."
"At least in stopping Lucci and the Angel of Death, our interests briefly overlap. This is a necessary evil for maintaining greater stability."
Zhan Guo closed his eyes and rubbed his temples hard with his fingers.
Only heavy breathing could be heard in the office.
After a long while, he opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over every general present, finally settling on the Den Den Mushi.
"—I authorize you. Under absolute confidentiality and under your sole responsibility, attempt one contact. This is limited to informational purposes only. Fujitora—"
The voice of the Warring States period carried a deep weariness.
"If that fails, I will then use those two less obedient final combatants. I will bear all the consequences."
The Den Den Mushi's simulated Fujitora lowered its head slightly: "Understood. I will go through fire and water!"
Somewhere on the Grand Line, inside the cabin of the Revolutionary Army's command ship.
Sabo slammed the encrypted letter on the table, his face ashen, but a flicker of lingering fear mixed with relief flashed in his eyes.
"Luffy—Ace—you two, it's good that you're alright—"
He murmured, then raised his voice.
"But two top-tier Heroic Spirits are locked in combat? The Angel of Death? Lucci's betrayal and attack on the Holy Land?! What kind of hellish scene has the Water Seven become?!"
Kerla grabbed the letter and quickly scanned it, her face growing paler with each reading.
"Sabo-kun! This is too dangerous! Luffy and his crew are like standing on the edge of a volcano!"
"Precisely because they are standing on the crater, we cannot just stand by and watch!" Sabo's eyes sharpened as he turned to Lindbergh, who was studying a nautical chart on the communicator.
"Lindbergh! How long will it take for that kind of communication technology in the East China Sea, which can evade the World Government's surveillance?"
""
On the other end of the screen, Lindbergh adjusted his goggles: "Captain Saab, we're working on it with all our might! But stability and encryption levels will still take time—"
"We don't have that much time!" Sabo interrupted him. "As fast as you can!"
Napoleon, who had been observing silently, lightly tapped the information about the auction at the end of the letter with his baton.
"Master, crisis can also be an opportunity. This auction is a melting pot of all sorts of people, a perfect place for intelligence to converge, and an excellent stage to expand our influence."
He looked at Kerla.
"I suggest that Miss Koala's team change their mission objective and not directly intervene in the Straw Hat Brothers' battle, as that might backfire."
"Instead, he infiltrated the auction as a wealthy businessman and acted according to the circumstances."
"The primary task is to ensure the safety of Luffy and Ace. In critical moments, their identity as Revolutionary Army members may provide an unexpected layer of protection."
"Secondly, gather as much intelligence as possible about the Angel of Death, Lucci, and the internal movements of the World Government after this incident."
Sabo took a deep breath, suppressing his anxiety, and nodded vigorously: "Okay! That's settled! Kerla, immediately select a team of the most clever and capable people, disguise them, and their target—the Treasure Tree Adam Auction!"
Kerla stood at attention, his expression serious: "Understood! Mission accomplished!"
Deep within the underwater prison. Inside the pirate castle that the Blackbeard Pirates had transformed.
Blackbeard Teach waved the latest World Economic News, laughing so hard he could barely breathe, his entire body trembling with fat.
"Hahaha!! Three are dead! The last three Five Elders are left!! Where are they going to find five old men now?! Hahahaha!"
"That Lucci guy, I really underestimated him before! He's ruthless! Powerful! And this Angel of Death—"
Sounds almost as good as my earldom! Hahaha!
He handed the newspaper to the count, who sat serenely in the shadows: "Count, look! Those old bastards in the World Government have been thoroughly humiliated! The world is in chaos now!"
The count's deep laughter echoed between the stone walls, carrying a hint of amusement and coldness.
"Chaos is the best ladder for the ambitious, Marshall. But climbing it takes patience and strength."
"Let the World Government and these self-proclaimed gods tear each other apart first. Our base is not yet secure, and those unruly beasts in Level 6 will need some time to be tamed."
His gaze swept over the small section of the newspaper about the auction: "However, we might as well send someone to watch this upcoming farce. Lafitte."
Like a ghost, Lafitte, wearing a top hat, appeared silently and bowed elegantly: "Your Excellency, Captain, what are your orders?"
The man with the black beard grinned, revealing a toothless smile.
"You, take John and Ganzi, go! Go see what's going on, and see if there's anything—something worth stealing! Hahaha!"
Lafitte adjusted his top hat and flapped his wings slightly: "With pleasure, Captain. I look forward to this grand event."
In the dawn light of the Water City, an invisible tension still lingered in the sea-salty air. The shadowy silhouettes of naval warships cruised the distant sea, and many unfamiliar faces appeared seemingly idle on the street corners.
Frankie's House.
Nami slammed a bulging money bag on the table, her smile a mixture of weariness and pride.
"All done! With the gold we brought down from the Sky Island and the interest-free loan generously provided by Mr. Iceberg, we have enough funds!"
Sanji, standing nearby, blew a smoke ring and chuckled, "As expected of Nami!"
"However, Miss Nami, what did you get besides money from your secret meeting with Mayor Iceberg?"
'
Nami's eyes sharpened: "Hmm, Mr. Iceberg reminded us that the auction organizers have a complicated background, and several underworld giants will be present, so we must be careful."
"Especially the people of Dufeld, the king of loan sharks, they might maliciously inflate prices."
Franky excitedly unfurled a huge roll of blueprints: "Super—!! Everyone! Look! This is our new ship, the Thousand Sunny!"
"With Adam Wood as its core, combined with my super technology and Coca-Cola power! It will be the dream ship that carries us to the ends of the earth!"
Usopp leaned closer, touching the blueprints in amazement: "Wow! This—this is so cool! Franky, you're a genius!"
Luffy's eyes lit up, and he stretched out his rubber arms to hug the blueprint: "Oh my god!! This is amazing! I want to be the first one up!!"
Zoro was wiping his Wado Ichimonji in the corner, and without looking up, he spoke to Ace as he walked over.
"Hey, Fire Fist, you seem to be having a good talk with that old man?"
Ace pulled down the brim of his hat, the flame flickered on his fingertips and then went out, his smile more composed than ever before.
"Ah, I guess I've sorted out some of my inner conflicts. Now, the most important thing is to protect my silly little brother."
Robin sat by the window, recalling Tescatlipoca's words, and murmured.
"The Angel of Death—though it's from another world's mythology—I do remember that title."
"Aside from this name, the records are almost blank, but the concepts of the Underworld and the River Styx are mentioned in many lost civilizations—perhaps Mr. Brooke knows something about it?"
She looked towards the doorway, where Brooke remained, standing guard like a statue.
Upon returning to the group, Usopp silently slipped several bullets with strange symbols drawn on them into Brook's teacup: "Hey, Bone—these are specially made bullets. Take them; maybe—they'll come in handy?"
On a rooftop not far away, Crocodile, cigar in mouth, looked down at the noisy Straw Hat crew and sneered.
"You're so full of energy! After all that talk, aren't we going to get down to business?"
Nami nodded, her finger emphatically tapping on the unfolded sea chart, where the location of the auction was marked.
"We must obtain the Adam Tree. This is not only for the new ship, but also to leave this place of trouble as soon as possible. Water City has become the eye of the storm."
Usopp clutched his small bag, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly.
"I agree we have to go! But—do you remember the look in Lucci's eyes? And that Angel of Death, when it looked at us, I felt like my soul was frozen!"
"What if most of us leave and they come back? Franky, Mr. Iceberg, and our ship—"
His gaze involuntarily drifted towards the dilapidated sheep-head boat outside the window.
Zoro crossed his arms, his three swords gleaming with a subtle, menacing aura. "Splitting up. One group goes to steal wood, the other guards the base. Simple."
His words were concise, yet carried a sharp, decisive edge.
Sanji lit a cigarette, the orange-red flame flickering in the dim light.
"Everyone understands the logic, Green Moss Head. The difficulty lies in manpower allocation. The auction is a mixed bag, with the World Government, various pirates, underground giants, and possibly even the eyes and ears of that Death Angel. Insufficient combat power is tantamount to suicide."
"
"Staying here means facing a potentially fatal blow from the shadows. Our defenses are too weak; the consequences could be disastrous."
The smoke he exhaled rose in swirling motions, much like the somber atmosphere of the situation.
All the light from everyone's eyes ultimately focused on Luffy.
He kept his head down, the shadow of his straw hat obscuring his expression, only his tightly pursed lips revealing his deep thought.
He was no longer the impulsive young captain; the safety of his companions and the voyage of their dreams rested on his shoulders.
After a moment of silence, Luffy raised his head, his eyes clear and firm, and scanned his companions and the figures with different auras one by one.
"I'm going to the auction!" His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.
"Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Chopper, Brook, and Hassan, you guys come with me."
This arrangement made Ace stand up immediately, flames flickering uneasily in his hair: "Luffy! Let me go with you! Your safety—"
"No, Ace!" Luffy interrupted him, his tone unusually stern and unyielding.
"That bastard's target is you! Staying in Water Seven is more dangerous for you than coming with me! And besides..."
His voice softened, revealing his trust in his brother.
"We need you here, we need your flame to light up the darkness, to protect everyone and my new ship!"
Then, he looked at Roger, who had been watching with his arms crossed and a hearty smile on his face. "Uncle Roger!"
"Hmm?" Roger raised an eyebrow, waiting with interest for what would follow.
"You stay here! Hold the fort!" Luffy shouted, his eyes burning.
"You've weathered countless storms; with you here watching over me, I can confidently venture forward!"
Roger was taken aback for a moment, then burst into a loud laugh that seemed to dispel all gloom.
"Good! Well said! Kid, your courage is no less than mine back in the day!"
He slapped Luffy hard on the shoulder, so hard that Luffy swayed.
"Go in peace! The future of this sea belongs to you! I, a remnant of the old era, will safeguard this foundation leading to the future for you!"
"Perfect timing! I want to see with my own eyes what kind of world-shaking ship that old Tom's apprentice can build!"
Luffy grinned gratefully, then looked at the figure that burned silently like the sun. "Little Sun!"
Karna's golden eyes calmly turned to him.
"Ace, and everyone else, I'm counting on you!"
Karna nodded slightly, his voice steady yet powerful: "No need to worry, Master's safety is my duty."
"As long as I stand here, no one can violate this place."
His words were not exaggerated in the slightest; they were simply stating a fact that was bound to happen.
He walked over to Ace, and the two stood together, like two flames of different natures but equally intense.
Ace is a raging, unrestrained fire, while Karna is a restrained and eternal divine flame.
Karna's very existence was like a silent guide, causing Ace's flames, which were agitated by worry, to strangely subside.
Luffy then looked at Robin and Usopp: "Robin! Usopp!"
Robin nodded gracefully, her gaze sweeping over Crocodile and Tescatlipoca, who were watching coldly from the side, and smiled.
"Understood. I will ensure stability at home." Her words were loaded with meaning.
Usopp took a deep breath and straightened his back as much as possible: "Don't worry! With me here, I guarantee I'll turn this place into an impregnable fortress! Those who dare to launch a sneak attack will never return!"
Finally, Luffy's gaze fell once more on Brook, and on the shadow behind him that seemed to exist independently of space.
"Brook—and the old man."
Brook's empty eye sockets turned to Luffy, his jaw opening and closing, his elegant voice carrying a hint of complexity: "Mr. Luffy—"
Behind him, the first Elder of the Mountains, Wang Hassan, remained silent.
In his deep-set eyes, a faint blue flame flickered, as if piercing through the present world and gazing at something far more profound.
Perhaps it was fate, or perhaps it was death itself.
He didn't speak, but his silent gaze carried more weight than any vow.
He acknowledged Brook, the Master who held the concept of death, whose very existence was the greatest deterrent to all living beings, especially to beings like the Angel of Death who manipulated the rules of life and death.
His silence was more intimidating than his roar.