"Cover Story · Straw Hat Crew Arc 1: 'How nice would it be if you were by my side, Yasopp?'"
"The East Blue, Syrup Village, a torrential rain fell overnight, thunder and lightning struck. The humble village cottage was damp, the young woman with a long nose looked pale, staring at the baby she had just struggled so much to bring into the world, a smile of satisfaction appeared on her face before she finally fell into a deep, exhausted sleep."
"Meanwhile, in the Sabaody Archipelago, at Shakky's Rip-Off Bar, the old man with gray-white hair drunkenly slumped over the table. Three young companions proudly raised their glasses and sang, their laughter echoing far and wide…"
——————
Inside the large auction house.
For a moment, it was completely silent. There was no sound of a follow-up bid.
It wasn't because of the shocking bid of 200 million Berries.
—Although the price was high, there were many rich and powerful people in the VIP boxes on the second floor, and some could definitely afford it.
It was because the titles of "Strongest Warlord" and "Black Shark Tooke" were simply too notorious. His bounty of nearly 400 million Berries, his pirate fleet of over a thousand people, and his violent and cruel personality...
At this moment, he was determined to win, his face full of threats.
No one would dare to offend such a terrifying man over a few female slaves.
"..." Shanks hesitated for a moment, then also lowered his number plate, deciding not to continue bidding.
It wasn't that he was afraid of this guy. It was just as his two companions had said. He didn't have enough money, and the only way out was to fight and break out after the auction ended.
Continuing to pretend and bid here would only provoke the man, making it harder for their actions later. It was pointless.
"Very good, looks like there are still some smart people here..."
The five-meter-tall ferocious man's eyes scanned the crowd. He nodded in satisfaction and looked at the center of the stage, laughing loudly.
"Hey, what are you standing there for, you golden-haired sissy? Isn't it time to announce the result?"
"...Alright, alright, Mr. Tooke."
The golden-haired host was intimidated by his aura. He finally came to his senses and quickly forced a smile. He cleared his throat. "Mr. Tooke bids 200 million Berries! Is there anyone higher? 200 million Berries, going once!"
"200 million Berries, going twice!"
He went through the motions at the fastest speed of his career, raised the small gavel high in his hand, and put on a brilliant smile.
"It seems there are no further bids, so… 200 million Berries, goi—"
Just as the gavel was about to fall.
"I bid 1 Berry."
A low and calm voice suddenly came from a corner.
"Okay, the gentleman with number plate 702 is bidding, 1 Berry. Is there anyone else who..."
The golden-haired host's occupational habit kicked in, and he instinctively started to announce the bid, but he quickly came to his senses and his eyes widened. "Huh????"
Someone actually dared to bid against Black Shark Tooke??
Wait a minute!
What was the price he just heard... 1 Berry???
A sense of absurdity immediately flooded his mind. And he wasn't the only one who reacted like this. All the guests in the auction house looked at that figure in shock.
He was shrouded in a silver-white hooded robe, and his face was unidentifiable.
Who is this guy?
Does he even know what he's doing? Bidding against the Warlord is one thing, but bidding such a mocking price... Does he have a death wish?
Shanks and Yasopp also looked at each other. Only Rayleigh put down his flask, his eyebrows raised, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes behind his glasses.
"1 Berry..."
Black Shark Tooke's expression instantly became incredibly cold and sinister.
"It seems I spoke too soon..."
He narrowed his eyes and looked at the figure in the southeast corner. He suddenly grinned, his face hideous. "So there really is a blind fool who dares to mess with me. Since you want to die so badly..."
"Then I'll grant your wish!"
Swish!
The moment the words fell.
He suddenly stomped the ground and disappeared from his original spot.
With a flick of his wrist, he drew an extremely heavy black broadsword from somewhere. Amidst the howling wind, he swung it down toward the figure with a fierce strike!
Immediately, a panic-stricken scream erupted in the auction house. Guests along the path, fearing they would be caught in the attack, hurriedly retreated in a flurry.
"He's really attacking directly…"
"This guy doesn't even care about the auction house's rules."
Some guests who were farther away swallowed hard, beads of cold sweat appearing on their foreheads.
Black Shark Tooke was always known for his eccentric and brutal personality, and his reputation was widespread.
But seeing was believing. Today, seeing him brazenly attack without a second thought, they truly realized how ruthless this great pirate was.
That unlucky bastard brought this upon himself...
Many people who looked toward the southeast corner now had a hint of pity in their eyes, as if they could already see a scene of blood splattering and a corpse being split in two.
However.
Clang!
In the next moment, a dull metallic collision sounded.
In the midst of countless shocked gazes, the viciously falling black broad sword was suddenly caught in mid-air by the young man in a hooded robe, who casually extended two fingers to stop it.
And looking at Black Shark Tuck himself, he gritted his teeth, using all his strength, his face turning red from the exertion. Yet, he couldn't make the blade descend even the slightest bit further.
What... what's going on??
For a moment, countless people's eyes widened and their jaws dropped. And Black Shark Tooke himself was also full of disbelief at this moment—
How is this possible!
My attacks can easily cut through steel! How could it be stopped so easily...
At this moment, he suddenly felt the pressure on his hands ease. He saw those two fingers that had been gripping his blade release, then the young man quickly opened his right hand and firmly grasped the sword's edge.
Then, with a gentle push.
Crack…
Before Black Shark Tooke's astonished gaze, a large visible crack suddenly appeared along the blade.
Then, his enormous broadsword, which was at least four to five meters long, began to break apart, starting from the tip, crumbling inch by inch.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Within the span of a breath, only the rough hilt remained in his hand, while the entire blade shattered and disintegrated, turning into a pile of black iron fragments scattered on the ground...
"Sorry, I didn't control my strength..."
Black Shark Tooke's eyes went wide in shock, still in a daze, when he suddenly heard the young man below him lightly laugh and speak indifferently:
"I'm truly sorry, but I didn't expect that a Warlord of the Sea would spend hundreds of millions on slaves, yet the quality of his sword would be this bad."
"Go to hell!"
His beloved sword, which had accompanied him for many years, was destroyed, and on top of that, it was being belittled like this. Black Shark Tooke's limited sense of reason was immediately consumed by fury. He roared, and his clothes ripped apart in an instant as his muscles bulged violently.
"That was just a test attack, and you dare be so arrogant!"
In the blink of an eye, his height instantly grew to over eight meters, and he transformed into a ferocious half-man, half-shark monster.
At the same time, several thick black arms grew on his shoulders. From a distance, he looked as terrifying as a demon in the night.
"I was going to give you a quick death, but I've changed my mind… Kid!"
The Black Shark monster's gaze turned cold as he sneered, speaking in human language, "If I don't torture you slowly to death, make you kneel and beg for mercy, I won't be called Black Shark Tooke!"
Roar!
As he was about to use his six thick arms to clench his huge fists and smash them down, launching a storm of attacks fueled by his endless rage.
The young figure in the seat, however, completely ignored the commotion above his head. He just sighed softly and casually pushed his hood back.
Under the light, his true face was finally revealed to everyone in the auction house.
"Hey, is this for real…"
"Are you kidding me?"
"That guy…"
Including those in the VIP boxes on the second floor, countless audience members' expressions changed dramatically. They instinctively rose from their seats, gripping the armrests tightly.
"That guy!"
"That guy is Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Nao!!!"
Buzz!
It was like throwing a giant stone into a calm pond, and the entire auction house was immediately stirred into a frenzy, with an uproar echoing throughout!
Some were overwhelmed with excitement, their eyes filled with admiration as they gazed at his handsome, flawless face. Others turned pale, shocked into silence, unable to snap out of it for a long time.
And some smarter pirates suddenly realized something, shivered, and decisively turned to run while no one was paying attention.
"…"
The Black Shark monster, whose height was almost touching the ceiling, had his pupils instantly shrink into pinpricks the moment he saw the face below him.
Then, like a sudden brake, he used all his strength to control his six arms to stop mid-air.
Under Nao's half-smiling gaze, cold sweat dripped from his forehead. He couldn't advance or retreat and was frozen in mid-air like a statue.
"Weren't you planning to torture me until I begged for mercy…?" Noa glanced at the dark, thick arms and casually asked, "What, not going to continue?"
"You, you must be joking... Vice Admiral Nao."
The Black Shark monster felt a chill rush up his spine, his throat dry as he swallowed hard. He forced an awkward smile on his terrifying face, looking far worse than if he were crying.
"It's a misunderstanding, this… this is all just a misunderstanding!"
If he could travel through time and space, Black Shark Tooke would have wanted nothing more than to strangle the version of himself from two minutes ago.
—Dammit, why didn't I look at the guy's face before I attacked?
Now look what happened. I've offended this disaster…
As they say, a person's name is like the shadow of a tree.
Since two years ago, when Nao killed William as a new recruit, he had been a notorious figure among the Warlords.
In front of other Vice Admirals, or even Marine Admirals, Black Shark Tooke would dare to put on airs and act tough, as the Warlord alliance treaty was there to protect him.
But this person in front of him was different. To him, the treaty was just a fart, no different from a piece of scrap paper.
If he really pissed him off, he might just follow in the footsteps of His Highness William right here and now.
Not to mention, just two months ago...
He was passing through the Red Line, ambitiously taking his crew from the Paradise, intending to enter the New World to compete with Whitebeard's crew and build a more renowned reputation.
But after only a few days, he happened to run into that epic battle at the G-1 Branch.
Even from dozens of kilometers away, Nao's show of power, his battle against two Sea Emperors, and the astonishing commotion that almost changed the color of the sky and the earth with a single sword slash were clearly visible…
He watched, shivering all over, and even developed a fear from it. He found an excuse, brought his subordinates with him, and scurried back to Sabaody from the New World.
390 million Berries?
The so-called strongest Seven Warlord?
In front of this real monster, his own achievements… were nothing!
"Step aside."
Suddenly, Noa's calm voice reached his ears.
"Eh?"
Black Shark Tooke, overwhelmed with fear and regret, froze in place, unable to react. Stammering, he asked, "W-What did you say?"
"What, do I have to repeat myself?"
Nao frowned slightly, seeming a bit displeased.
He's not going to hold a grudge against me?
"Okay!"
Black Shark Tooke was overjoyed. He immediately reverted to his original form as if he had been granted a great pardon, and then obediently stepped aside from the corridor.
This scene, observed by many, had a stark contrast that was almost comical.
But no one paid attention to the terrifying Warlord anymore. All eyes were now on Nao, watching him get up and walk to the corridor, stepping onto the stage one step at a time.
Are we going to be saved?
Inside the dozen or so cages, the slaves of various races were all watching him approach them. The original numbness and despair faded, and their eyes were filled with joy and surprise.
And in the corner, Emily also looked up, staring blankly at this face that Shiryu had mentioned countless times.
"Vice Admiral Nao..."
The golden-haired host trembled. He was so nervous he didn't know what to say, but Nao just brushed past him without even a glance.
He immediately sighed in relief and, gathering some courage, turned to look.
He saw Nao glance at the cages, and without any visible movement, a cold glint flashed on the stage. All the cage locks "clanged" and fell to the ground.
The cages opened wide. Nao and the bruised and battered Emily met each other's eyes. He smiled slightly, giving her a reassuring look before he sheathed his sword and slowly turned around.
"Trafficking humans, auctioning slaves, and you even dared to touch a Marine Ensign…"
The entire auction house fell silent. Noa's expression remained indifferent as his gaze swept across the motionless guards and the luxurious VIP boxes on the second floor:
"You people at this auction house have some guts..."
Boom!
He slammed his foot down hard, and the immense force spread along the edge of the stage, shattering several of the VIP railing sections on the right side of the second floor.
"Where's the person in charge of the Babu Family? Get out here!"