Hernandez Solan had once been a world-renowned great pirate.
That was before Silas severed his leg."
Hernandez had become a pirate around the same time as Silas, though Silas became a pirate in his thirties while he was in his twenties.
At age forty, having built his underground network solid as an iron barrel, Hernandez encountered Silas.
Then his organization was completely uprooted.
With a bounty of 200 million Belly at the time, facing Silas, who also exceeded 200 million, he had thought this would be an evenly matched battle. But he could not even last ten rounds before being defeated by Silas in his prime, losing a leg in the process.
If they had not fought on Sabaody Archipelago with an Admiral arriving immediately, Silas would not have taken just one leg.
He would have taken his life!
Later captured by a Marine Admiral, he had thought his story was over, spending the rest of his life in Impel Down's sunless depths.
Who knew fate was not done with him? The money he had previously paid to the World Government to ensure smooth auctions actually worked.
He was pulled back out!
The price was just a new identity, never again using the name Hernandez Solan, plus needing a cane.
But being able to go legitimate with World Government backing seemed like a blessing in disguise to Hernandez.
By comparison, no matter how successful, the White Wolf Pirates were still pirates, forced to run around like sewer rats, chased by the World Government and Marines.
Hernandez had even mentally mocked Silas for this.
Until two years ago, when Silas led the White Wolf Pirates at Sphinx against two Marine Admirals in a terrifying one-for-zero exchange, then faced three top Marine fighters at Elbaf and escaped unharmed.
White Wolf Silas became White King Silas.
While he remained a one-legged auction manager.
Time passed.
His once-robust physique had become bloated and unwieldy. Under his black tailcoat was a round belly. He looked less like a gentleman and more like a comical fat penguin.
His strength had declined to less than ten percent of his peak.
Forget current Silas; even past Silas could eliminate him in one move.
But so what?
He was no longer that pirate who had to fight for everything with his own hands.
He had backing now, connections!
"White Wolf Silas, what are you doing here?"
Hernandez puffed out his round belly, shouting vigorously. "And I do not know any Hernandez. My name is Nicholas, manager of this auction house! I warn you, there is a noble Celestial Dragon inside! If you dare act, you will definitely summon a Marine Admiral!"
That was right. There was a Celestial Dragon in the auction house!
The Celestial Dragon definitely would not want to stay with a vicious pirate like Silas, right? Maybe upon seeing Silas, they had already contacted Marines requesting Admiral protection!
No matter how audacious Silas was, he would not dare attack a Celestial Dragon, right?
Hmph, even if you are White Wolf Silas...
"Hmm?"
Though Silas did not even use Haki, just making a questioning sound, Hernandez's leg went weak. In front of everyone, he uncontrollably knelt on the ground.
But then again, even if Silas did not dare kill Celestial Dragons, killing him would be like crushing a roadside dog, would it not?
Would Marines specifically hunt Silas for his sake?
Having long lost past ambitions, what use was dignity? Living was most important. Seeing Silas's displeasure, Hernandez immediately knelt without backbone, as if not seeing the surrounding people's contemptuous looks.
He only had one leg left. Was not weak legs normal?
Hernandez changed his tune.
"No fighting in auction venues is the rule. I believe Captain Silas definitely will not trouble a small fry like me. As for entering the venue, that is definitely no problem. I will take you in immediately!"
Hernandez clasped his hands with a face full of smiles.
As for later punishment by Celestial Dragons, what did that have to do with him?
After getting through this, he would run immediately!
He had made enough money these years anyway, enough for a peaceful old age.
"Mister Silas?"
Hearing Hernandez use his usual address for Silas, Kozuki Toki frowned displeasedly, instinctively switching terms.
"Hehe, Toki, do not bother with him. Just a loser who has lost his ideals. Do not pity him either. For what he has done before, hanging him ten times would not be enough."
Forcing good people into prostitution and human trafficking were just basics.
Hernandez had even destroyed entire countries for money, just to turn their queens into someone's slaves.
World Government member nation? So what?
Once the country was destroyed and could not pay Heavenly Tribute, would it not become a non-member again?
Human trafficking was illegal.
But this illegality only applied to World Government member nations.
Non-member civilians had no human rights.
Neither did pirates.
But even in member nations, there were plenty of ways to enslave people, just slightly more troublesome.
Silas completely ignored Hernandez.
If he knew what Silas was about to do, Hernandez would desperately try to prevent him from entering, even at the cost of his life. Unfortunately, there were no ifs in this world.
Silas's entry was not too high-profile.
Though auction doors closed after starting, amid the lively atmosphere, not many people noticed Silas's late arrival.
Even those who saw pretended not to.
Like several black-suited CP organization members currently guarding the Celestial Dragon.
White King Silas!?
Why would such an existence appear here?
Quick, we must immediately notify Marine Headquarters for Admiral support!
Several CP organization members' pupils shrank dramatically.
As CP organization members, though not the elite CP0, they had basic intelligence agent qualities.
White King Silas, 600 million Belly bounty, this era's only pirate crowned with "King." Though not "Pirate King," it was enough to show Silas's strength.
If Silas wanted to do something, their strength could accomplish nothing.
Let alone protect their master.
Before them sat a young man in a comfortable luxury reclining chair wearing a glass helmet, the Celestial Dragon attending this auction.
Saint Rosward!
In Celestial Dragon naming, all World Nobles bore the title 'Saint' regardless of gender.
Though world nobility, Saint Rosward had no real strength.
Even though his bodyguards had noticed Silas, as a Celestial Dragon, Rosward remained oblivious.
"Bunch of trash. Is there not any good merchandise?"
The blonde young Celestial Dragon pulled a slave girl to his side with chains, casually groping her graceful body.
Though Saint Rosward's force caused pain, the girl made no sound, instead showing a pleasing smile, terrified of being shot like her sister for displeasing the young man.
"This auction seems lacking in good items."
Feeling pressure from Silas, a sweating CP organization member could not help suggesting, "Perhaps we should come another time..."
Bang!
Before finishing, his head sprouted a hole.
"Hmph."
Drawing his pistol to kill his subordinate, Saint Rosward looked like he had crushed a bug, showing displeasure.
"Do mere humans dare command me? Whether this auction has good items is my decision, not yours!"
Hearing Saint Rosward's words, other CP members immediately fell silent. Even knowing they might face Silas next, none dared say another word.
Inform Saint Rosward that Silas was here?
That would be suicide.
With his volatile personality, Saint Rosward would infuriate Silas immediately.
They all knew a ruthless criminal like Silas offered no mercy.
In the auction's VIP section, holding bubble wine, Silas calmly watched as slaves with shackles were brought on stage by the auctioneer, sold like merchandise.
The Celestial Dragon had no bidding intentions.
Naturally, neither did Silas.
He had come to Sabaody Archipelago to liberate all people enslaved by Celestial Dragons, including current Sabaody slaves.
Naturally, he had no interest in bidding.
Upon arriving, Silas had contacted Rona.
He would handle restraining Marine Headquarters' forces.
Rona would create chaos in the Holy Land, releasing slaves enslaved by Celestial Dragons.
Silas would not immediately go to the Holy Land of Mariejois.
Without eliminating Marine Headquarters forces, going to Mariejois might result in World Government encirclement.
Even counting Rona, they had two Admiral-level fighters.
But World Government powerhouses definitely exceeded their imagination.
Only by attracting Marine attention could Rona better implement her plan.
Silas believed that after so many years in Marines, Rona must have cultivated loyalists. Even if only a few were willing to defect with her, this force would be enough to shake the entire Marines.
A future retired Marine Admiral had done something similar.
His journey was somewhat traceable.
But Rona was different.
Having lost life goals, Rona simply thought of doing something.
Then she did it.
Without warning, even current Fleet Admiral Elephant Yama would not expect Rona to immediately pull such a major move.
"Now Marine Admirals should be rushing here, right?"
Silas looked comfortable.
Honestly, previously he had always fought Marine and World Government powerhouses alone.
When had he ever fought such a well-supplied battle?
Rocks and others had grown up. Though unable to participate in Admiral-level battles, they would not be instantly killed by battle aftershocks.
One of the three Marine Admirals, Crimson Snake, was a double agent.
Nothing else; having her fight Kong, they would not determine victory for days.
Plus the two Giant Warrior Pirates captains.
Together, they could definitely restrain one ordinary Admiral-level fighter.
Add that former Admiral Sebastian was dead.
If he could restrain two Marine Admirals, the addition and subtraction meant Marine Admiral-level fighters were completely divided among them.
Among current Marine Vice Admirals, which could crush Rocks and others?
None.
After Rona and Kong became Admirals, Marine Admiral candidate positions remained vacant, not from unwillingness to select, but from inability.
Admiral candidates required strength equivalent to 200-million-level great pirates. The only qualified elite Vice Admiral had unfortunately died in the Elbaf campaign.
This was Marines' most devastating loss from the Elbaf battle.
So current Marines were in transition.
Of course, this did not matter much.
Because soon, a batch of spirited new Marines would join, including future Fleet Admirals, Marine Heroes, and Chief of Staff.
Though their growth would take time, given Kong and Rona's ages, they had at least twenty years before retirement.
So no need to worry.
"Next is No. 9. Please welcome our next merchandise: from the Melvin Pirates, female pirate, young and unknown newcomer whose crew was destroyed upon setting sail, poor wretch... Tsuru!"
Pfft!
Seeing the girl who appeared center stage after item 8 was auctioned, Silas spat out his drink.
Staring dumbfounded at the center stage girl with shackles on her neck and hands, dark blue ponytail, a curvaceous figure, and a delicate face showing hatred and defiance.
Dude, what were the Marines playing at?
Why would the Marines' future Chief of Staff become a pirate?
And become a slave?
Could this be butterfly effects from his transmigration?
It was not impossible.
If previous Silas had only caused minor disturbances, the battles at Sphinx and Elbaf had completely pushed him opposite the World Government.
He had been transmigrated for over seventy years now.
Many people's future trajectories had been changed by him. Adding one more Tsuru was not strange, right?
But why did he feel something was off?
Sea Circle Calendar 1463: You encountered the newly appointed Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Tsuru at Sabaody Archipelago. Tsuru's mature, alluring body deeply attracted your gaze.
You swear you must obtain her!
System, bullshit!
Silas admitted that seeing Tsuru, he had immediately thought of recruiting her.
But that had nothing to do with maturity.
This was the Marines' future Chief of Staff, their future intellectual core.
What did their White Wolf Pirates most lack now?
Combat power?
No brains!
With proper cultivation of Tsuru, he would not need to rack his brains before each battle, at least having someone to discuss tactics with.
Of course, Silas suspected this might be a Marine conspiracy.
But so what?
Even if Tsuru did not utilize her strengths, strength-wise, at seventy-plus she could casually handle Shichibukai Doflamingo. Tsuru's prime strength was at least quasi-Admiral level.
Even if Tsuru was a Marine spy, hehe, given Tsuru's age, how long had she been in the Marines?
What Marines could offer, he could too.
And more, better.
Including young people's dreams like Tsuru's, he could accommodate them too.
Like liberating slaves.
He could do it and dared to do it. Did Marines dare?
Things Marines dared to do, he dared too. Things Marines did not dare, he dared even more.
Do not ask; ask because he was a pirate.
He was free!
As for how to recruit Tsuru, that required finesse.
But Silas did not need much thought. Someone had already provided the answer.
"Ten million Belly!"
Saint Rosward's vigorous voice rang through the auction house.
"I want this woman!"