Others Spend Money, I Rob Them

"10 billion!"

Ross stated the price casually, ignoring the stunned onlookers completely.

Today's auction was something he'd forced the slave market to hold.

No matter how high he bid today, he wouldn't pay a single Beli.

What's wrong with a Celestial Dragon pulling a little black-market hustle?

"11 billion!!! Saint Ross, don't be so arrogant!"

Saint Rosward shouted in fury, but his bidding slowed down.

He was paying with real gold and silver—if he had the money and still resorted to robbery, wouldn't that tarnish a Celestial Dragon's image?

More importantly, if word got out, his peers would call him a broke pauper.

"15 billion!"

Ross didn't even glance at Saint Rosward. Talking too much with an idiot just risks getting turned into one.

"Fine, fine, Saint Ross. I'll let you have this piece of junk toy."

Saint Rosward sat down in frustration, no longer competing.

His total assets were only 50 billion Beli. If he fought Ross tooth and nail from the start, he'd be stuck watching for the rest of the auction.

"15 billion... sold!"

The auctioneer shouted with a beaming face, igniting the atmosphere to its peak.

B-rank Defeat completed!

Strength +100,000

Special Reward: Conqueror's Haki (B-rank)

That counts as a defeat?

Host: Ross

Strength: 110,163/300,000 (C-, Rear Admiral level)

Overall Rating: A (All thanks to status outside)

Skills: Gun Technique (E), Physical Technique (C), Conqueror's Haki (B)

Clenching his fists, feeling the surging power within, Ross was incredibly excited.

This was way too easy.

He didn't even need to physically defeat someone—the room for manipulation was huge.

And more than that.

Especially sensing that small but overwhelmingly domineering force inside him, Ross felt his heart race.

If the timing weren't so off, he'd want to unleash it and feel the Conqueror's Haki's power firsthand.

Composing himself, Ross smiled at Zephyr:

"Admiral Zephyr, consider this my first gift. In exchange, you act against your morals for me once. How's that deal?"

"You know I recognize him?" Zephyr frowned slightly.

"Admiral Zephyr, you strong fighters never hide your emotions. Your killing intent is practically written on your face." Ross said with a grin.

"Fine! I agree!"

Zephyr's expression softened, and he agreed readily.

Ross already had the authority to command him—it was part of his future job anyway.

Acting against his morals once gave him an excuse.

All Celestial Dragons had a dark side, and Zephyr was curious what darkness lay in Ross's heart.

Zephyr no longer cared about such evil. If it meant killing all pirates, even sacrificing an equal number of civilians, he'd do it.

Ever since his wife and children died, ever since the Great Pirate Era began delivering daily death lists of his former students, he was no longer a hero.

In this messed-up world, he couldn't be anyone's hero.

After Ross's first move, he stuck his hand into almost every subsequent pirate auction.

Not to cash in on Zephyr's favor, but just to make Saint Rosward pay more.

He couldn't steal money from Saint Rosward directly, but he could rob the auction house.

"2 billion!"

"4 billion!!! Saint Ross, are you out of money?! Go on, keep it up! Hahahaha!"

Saint Rosward's mocking laughter rang through the hall, but Ross ignored him entirely, a smile spreading across his face instead.

This was his 10th bid, and Saint Rosward had followed him 10 times.

Each time, Saint Rosward doubled his bid, buying slaves for at least 4 or 5 billion.

Originally, these slaves were probably worth around 100 million or so.

The auction host and manager already had smiles plastered across their faces.

"Sure enough, it's really nice that the fish-men are all idiots..."

Ross chuckled softly, looking at Rozward like he was a money-delivery boy.

He hadn't expected that coming out to this auction would not only solve Zephyr's problem but also net him a nice chunk of extra cash.

This world really had plenty of good people.

"Next, please welcome our final lot!"

With the host's announcement, a line of women of varying ages was pushed out.

Most of them had decent features, and it was clear they hadn't done any dirty or heavy labor—their living conditions before must have been fairly good.

"Allow me to introduce this lot. These are all the wives and daughters of Navy Field Officers and two Navy Rear Admirals!"

At these words, the entire venue erupted.

Zephyr's face twisted with rage as he stood up, ready to strike the host.

"Of course, we wouldn't dare sell the families of legitimate Navy Field Officers, and those noble ladies couldn't be sold as slaves. Those officers and admirals were Navy traitors, and their families were implicated, stripped of their status and reduced to slaves—that's why this auction is happening."

The host quickly explained. Though this wasn't the first time they'd sold slaves of similar status, if he didn't clarify properly, the auction house would be in serious trouble.

"Navy traitors?"

Zephyr furrowed his brow, racking his brain for any recent Rear Admiral-level defectors.

In the Great Pirate Era, quite a few Marines had chosen to desert due to dissatisfaction with the Navy's treatment, but Rear Admiral-level defectors were extremely rare, let alone two of them.

"Give us the details on the defection!"

Ross spoke with a smile, his voice cutting through the crowd's chatter.

When he'd learned there was a batch of Navy family slaves here, he'd been pleasantly surprised.

With Rozward backing Ross's identity as a Celestial Dragon, even though most people didn't want to listen, no one dared say a word, and silence fell.

The host didn't dare refuse, but he didn't know much about the inside story, so he shot a pleading look at the manager on the sidelines.

"I'll explain this matter." The manager stepped onto the stage. "Not long ago, Navy Vice Admiral Jaguar D. Saul defected. During his escape, many Marines helped him out of old ties, which slowed down the Navy's pursuit of the traitor."

"Those Marines' actions were uncovered by the CP Organization. They were all sentenced to death, and their families lost the Navy's protection. We were fortunate enough to acquire them."

After hearing the manager's account, Zephyr's expression shifted unpredictably.

He wanted to protect these people, but he couldn't think of a reason to do so.

Their husbands or fathers had defected from the Navy—that was fact. Helping a Navy traitor was also fact. What negative consequences had resulted from it, he didn't yet know.

But watching the families of former comrades being sold as slaves—Zephyr simply couldn't bear it.

His own wife and child had died at the hands of pirates, which made him feel the pain of a family's tragedy all the more keenly.

"Saint Ross..."

Zephyr's voice was hoarse, his eyes bloodshot as he looked at Ross.

He rarely begged anyone, but for these strangers, he was willing to plead with the Celestial Dragon before him.

"As it happens, I need some servants to clean the palace."

Ross said lightly, meeting Zephyr's relieved, grateful gaze, and called out loudly:

"15 billion!"

At those words, the entire venue fell into dead silence.

The Celestial Dragon had bid. Even if some had other ideas in their heads, they had to give up now.

Besides, spending 15 billion on twenty or so slaves who weren't even stunning beauties—it was completely not worth it.

"Hmph!"

Rozward snorted coldly, crossing his arms and turning his head away.

He only had 900 million Belly left—he couldn't compete.

But as long as he put on a dismissive air, no one would know he was broke. At most, they'd think he just wasn't interested.

Rozward, you're a real genius!