Silas's idea was simple: recruit Tsuru and cultivate her as the White Wolf Pirates' brain.
Saint Rosward's idea was even simpler.
Woman, beautiful!
Take home, make wife!
As a Celestial Dragon, Saint Rosward had always looked down on ordinary civilians, not even considering himself human but a separate species: "Celestial Dragons."
But his aesthetic sense was normal.
Though humans were not as noble as them, beautiful humans could be bought home as toys to be wives.
Tsuru was beautiful.
Only seventeen-year-old Tsuru had joined the Marines last year, staying at the Marine academy for just half a year before accepting a mission from Marine higher-ups to enter Marine intelligence for special training.
Some Marine higher-ups who favored Tsuru even believed if Tsuru grew steadily without dying young, she might replace Rona as the Marines' most popular female soldier.
After all, Rona was getting old. In a few years she would be past her prime.
While Tsuru was still young.
However, the White Wolf Pirates threat ultimately made Marine leadership decide to have Tsuru infiltrate them undercover.
Her identity was naturally a fledgling female pirate.
"Our No. 9 merchandise has a starting price of 500,000 Belly. Look at those determined eyes, that pretty face, that curvaceous figure. Once you buy her home, whether day or night, whatever you want to do to her is allowed."
"Moreover, we specially had female inspectors verify that poor Miss Tsuru is still a virgin. We guarantee no inappropriate actions occurred during her capture."
"Gentlemen, what are you waiting for?"
"Quickly raise your bidding paddles and start your bids!"
The auctioneer's naked words not only made male customers' breathing heavy but also made Tsuru grit her teeth.
When had she ever suffered such humiliation in her life?
The Marines had at least considered her feelings.
So participating in this auction, until now, no one at the auction house had laid hands on her.
Even so, when she was displayed like merchandise at the auction center for bidding customers to observe, Tsuru's heart could not help panicking.
She was only a seventeen-year-old girl after all.
Though determined to become an excellent Marine and eliminate pirates plaguing regions, reality was completely different from her imagination.
Even knowing she was disguised as a slave to eliminate the vicious White Wolf Pirates organization, at this moment, she actually felt hopeful.
She looked around, wanting to find that man named Silas.
Only he could save her!
Ten minutes earlier, in the human auction house preparation room, originally hearing Celestial Dragons had entered, the Marine intelligence agent was already preparing to leave with Tsuru. Their operational budget did not allow competing financially with Celestial Dragons, much less forcibly retrieving Tsuru after a Celestial Dragon purchased her.
Tsuru being noticed by Celestial Dragons was just a possibility, but having worked long at human auction houses, the Marine intelligence agent believed this possibility was nearly 100%.
Who did not know that on Sabaody Archipelago, pretty girls had to disguise themselves when going out?
First, fear of being kidnapped by human traffickers.
Second, naturally fear of being noticed by Celestial Dragons.
Being kidnapped by traffickers still offered rescue possibilities, but if noticed by Celestial Dragons, even Marine Admirals could not retrieve someone.
On Sabaody Archipelago, Celestial Dragons were veritable local tyrants!
Tsuru was still confused.
"Are Celestial Dragons not world nobility? Why would world nobility participate in such auctions?"
"You will understand such things later. The urgent matter is leaving quickly. There are plenty of auction opportunities."
Tsuru was carefully selected from many Marine newcomers to infiltrate the White Wolf Pirates. If she fell into Celestial Dragon hands, their previous preparations would be wasted.
The Marine intelligence agent was already prepared when sudden news stunned not only him but Tsuru too.
"White King Silas has appeared at the auction center!"
"No, we must leave!"
The Marine intelligence agent looked panicked, unlocking his shackles while saying, "White King Silas appearing here must have ulterior motives. If he conflicts with Celestial Dragons, our entire plan is ruined."
With Silas's strength, destroying all of Sabaody Archipelago would not take an hour. Could Admirals arrive within an hour?
"No, wait."
Though a newcomer, Tsuru calmed down faster than her senior.
"This might be an opportunity!"
"Opportunity?"
"Exactly."
Tsuru calmly explained her thoughts.
"Did you not say before that the White Wolf Pirates oppose human traffickers? Since White King Silas appeared at the auction center, he absolutely will not let the auction proceed normally."
"If during this period I am rescued by White King Silas as a slave, then I have sufficient reason to join the White Wolf Pirates."
"Because White King Silas would be my benefactor!"
A gleam flashed in Tsuru's eyes. Simply joining the White Wolf Pirates as a slave still risked suspicion.
But if she was a slave saved by Silas?
Wanting to join the White Wolf Pirates to repay Silas would be reasonable, right?
Thus, ten minutes later, Tsuru appeared at the auction center following the original plan, as "merchandise" awaiting auction.
But Tsuru had overestimated her stress tolerance.
When those desire-filled male gazes began bidding on her, Tsuru's heart still panicked.
Anxiety about the future.
She did not know if her plan could proceed smoothly.
What if Celestial Dragons bid?
What if Silas did not plan to oppose Celestial Dragons?
"600,000 Belly!"
"700,000!"
"I bid one million!"
The auction atmosphere was heated. If Tsuru were just a delicate girl, even being beautiful would not cause such a response.
But her initial defiant expression and current hint of panic greatly stimulated men's desires.
"Two million Belly!"
In the auction seats, another Marine intelligence agent, Minos Trading Company's first mate, raised his hand to bid, his back already drenched in sweat.
"What is that bastard Garrett doing? Does he not know Celestial Dragons are here? Two million Belly is my limit as first mate. If prices go higher, we will have to steal."
"But what if Celestial Dragons enter?"
"Am I supposed to steal from Celestial Dragons?"
O'Brien mentally cursed his fellow Marine intelligence agent. He would never imagine the plan could continue, not due to his colleague's thinking, but entirely due to Tsuru's own suggestion.
"2.5 million Belly!"
Soon O'Brien's bid was exceeded. Just as he consoled himself that at least bidders were not Celestial Dragons...
"Ten million Belly!"
A duck-like voice rang through the auction center.
"I want this woman!"
Before a group of wealthy auction customers, Saint Rosward raised his head like a proud peacock, looking down on them disdainfully.
After his bid, the entire auction center fell silent.
Indeed, among auction customers were princes and nobles from World Government member nations.
But anyone with self-awareness knew that member nation nobility was nothing before true world nobility!
Seeing no response around him, Saint Rosward's face under the glass helmet showed satisfaction.
"Do mere humans think they can compete with me?"
Celestial Dragons generally lived in the Holy Land of Mariejois, rarely appearing in lower realms because many Celestial Dragons considered everywhere outside Mariejois to have polluted air.
This was why Saint Rosward wore a glass helmet.
Saint Rosward appeared on Sabaody Archipelago because Mariejois was full of Celestial Dragons. Everyone was a Celestial Dragon, so who was more noble? Staying there constantly became boring.
Sabaody Archipelago was different.
Except for him, everyone else was lowly humans.
Just walking the streets, these lowly humans had to kneel and salute him.
Like now.
Just by bidding, the entire auction fell silent. Even previously competing male nobles now kept quiet like defeated roosters.
But the auctioneer did not care about this.
This was ten million Belly!
Originally thinking two or three million was the limit, since though Tsuru was beautiful, her strength was just that of a fledgling pirate, impossible to sell for high prices.
Celestial Dragons were different.
Having hosted auctions for years, the auctioneer's only impression of Celestial Dragons was stupid and rich!
Of course, though not expecting further bids, proper procedures had to be followed.
"Anyone else continuing to bid?"
"If not, this merchandise belongs to the noble Celestial Dragon Saint Rosward!"
As the auctioneer finished, Tsuru's mood hit rock bottom.
Celestial Dragons had bid.
Where was Silas?
What would he do?
"Ten million Belly once!"
The auctioneer's gavel fell heavily, like striking Tsuru's heart.
"Ten million Belly twice!"
Tsuru could not help wavering. When Saint Rosward bid, she also saw him and the scantily clad female slave with a collar beside him.
The female slave's eyes held no light, her body covered in abuse marks.
Was this her future?
"Ten million Belly thr..."
The auctioneer's "three" was about to fall impatiently.
But at this crucial moment, light laughter broke the auction's silence.
"Twenty million Belly!"
Everyone fell silent; even the auctioneer's smile froze.
Someone was bidding!?
How could anyone bid? Did they not know the previous bidder was a Celestial Dragon?
"Who?"
Saint Rosward stood up, releasing an angry roar.
"Who dares compete with me for women? This is my seventeenth wife!"
"Puhahaha."
Mature laughter rang through the auction house. Silas leaned against the outermost railing, looking down at everyone. Even so-called Celestial Dragons were objects of his gaze.
"Is this not an auction? I thought money could buy anything here. Could it be that the noble Celestial Dragon cannot afford twenty million Belly?"
"Who are you?"
Saint Rosward shouted angrily. He did not remember any such Celestial Dragon, so if not a Celestial Dragon like him, then a lowly commoner. Did mere commoners think they could bid against him?
"Go die!"
Saint Rosward raised his gun, but Silas, holding a wine glass in one hand, simply raised his other.
A round bullet appeared in Silas's hand.
"Hmm?"
Silas looked at Saint Rosward with a grin.
"Are you trying to attack me?"
Crash!
Glass shattering echoed through the auction house.
Everyone saw Silas lightly flick the bullet, shattering Saint Rosward's glass helmet and leaving a bloody scratch on his face.
After a few seconds, Saint Rosward's sluggish body seemed to register the wound's pain, clutching his face and releasing pig-like screams.
"Ahhhhh, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!"
Saint Rosward rolled on the ground in pain, while his bodyguards' faces were ashen.
Silas had actually acted!
Facing a Celestial Dragon, he struck without hesitation.
Yet they had no way to deal with Silas.
Silas was a 600 million Belly monster. Except for Marine Admirals, ordinary CP members were just delivering themselves.
But death-knell voices still rang behind them.
"What are you doing!?"
Saint Rosward looked at his motionless bodyguards, furious.
"Quickly capture him! I will make this damned commoner a slave! I will torture him severely! I will..."
Speaking, Saint Rosward suddenly saw Kozuki Toki beside Silas, his voice becoming even louder.
"Right! I will do it in front of him to his woman..."
Saint Rosward's final words never fell as a head flew skyward.
Splash!
Silas held his sword with one hand, picking his ear with the other.
"What were you saying you would do?"
Instantly, the entire auction house exploded.
"A Celestial Dragon is dead?"
"Someone killed a Celestial Dragon?"
"We are all doomed!"
At the auction center, Tsuru stared dumbly at the scene.
She had thought of using Silas to escape slave status.
Thought of using Silas to counter Celestial Dragons.
But never imagined Silas would kill a Celestial Dragon over a disagreement.
At this moment, Tsuru witnessed what it truly meant to be the world's most heinous criminal!