House Search

As everyone knew, the World Government didn't allow human trafficking.

And as the World Government's instrument of force, the Marines naturally couldn't turn a blind eye to it, either.

That was why most auction houses on the Sabaody Archipelago operated under the name of an Employment Agency.

That way, the Marines at Base 66 could pretend not to see them.

"Darkness. Utter darkness." Buggy shook his head, putting on a deeply pained expression.

He thought he was getting into the role pretty well. If he was playing a Marine, he had to act like one.

So he gently pushed open the doors of what was called an Employment Agency but was actually a Human Auction House.

Before the two burly suit-clad thugs could stop him, he spoke first:

"Hello. House Search."

Is this guy crazy?

The suit-clad thugs froze for a long moment, unable to imagine what kind of person would dare come to the Lawless Zone and say something like that to an auction house with obviously powerful backing.

But when one of them noticed the visitor's white uniform, his expression brightened.

The person they'd been told to expect had arrived!

Before he could pass the message inside, however,

a squad of Marines filed in.

Sergeant Jacques led the way, wearing an indescribably righteous expression.

The Marines' new appointment had come through. The esteemed Major Arrow was now the Marine Major at Base 66 on the Sabaody Archipelago.

Naturally, that made Jacques a member of Base 66, too.

So when Major Arrow came to uphold justice, his lackey had to be first in line.

The two doormen, along with more than a dozen thugs who hurried over afterward, saw the white uniforms and promptly crouched down with their hands over their heads.

They weren't pirates. Why would they risk their lives fighting the Marines?

Then a Mustached Suit Man, clearly the leader of the suit-clad thugs, came out with heavy footsteps.

He shouted repeatedly:

"What are you doing here!"

"Do you know who owns this place?"

"Who's your commanding officer? We want to see him!"

"Right here!" Buggy obediently raised one hand.

This guy?

The mustached man's expression changed at once. He turned to run.

But he'd barely taken two steps before a rifle blocked his way.

Its black muzzle pressed against his forehead.

Jacques didn't know how to describe how impressive he felt at that moment.

He'd clearly abandoned the light for the dark. He'd even prepared himself to commit crimes. And yet here he was, actually carrying out justice.

The world was a strange place.

"Right, point it here. Get a close-up. This is an exclusive scoop!"

Buggy pointed, telling Arne to shove the camera in the mustached man's face and take a few close-ups.

"What are you trying to do?"

The mustached man clearly recognized him. He clenched his jaw and asked.

"What am I trying to do? Look at the uniform I'm wearing. See those two words on the back?"

As Buggy said this, he could barely keep a straight face.

The Joker had put on Justice.

If his old friends in Gotham City saw him, they probably wouldn't believe it.

But that wasn't the extent of his "just" deeds.

With a bang,

the auction hall's only entrance was kicked open.

Disco, who had been working hard beneath the spotlights to build up the atmosphere, froze.

The glorious future he'd hoped for had finally arrived.

Just not in the way he'd hoped.

The newcomer wore a bright Marine Uniform and a Justice Coat.

His smile was radiant and sunny.

"We all believe chaos can bring fairness, don't we?"

Buggy muttered under his breath.

That was another thing he'd found the Three Clowns had in common.

"Now then." He stood straight and performed a clumsy Noble Etiquette. "Ladies and gentlemen, congratulations."

"You've been arrested for participating in the Slave Trade."

The buyers in the audience stared in shock. Why had the Marines who protected them, the Marines who took their money, come to raid the place?

Did anyone really believe the World Government's empty promises?

Come on. There were several World Government officials in the front row!

"Outrageous!"

"What Marine unit are you with? I'm going to report you!"

A well-dressed man sprang up from a VIP Seat in the second row and pointed at Buggy's nose as he shouted.

If pirates had been the ones to arrive, he would've ducked under his chair at once, maybe even tried to sink his enormous body into the floor.

But these were Marines.

So he dared to point at Buggy and curse him by name.

But he'd overlooked one thing.

Some Marines were criminals wearing nothing but a Marine's skin.

Three sharp gunshots answered him.

The Tax Official's attendant stood there, dumbfounded.

But the Marine before him still seemed dissatisfied. One hand covered his ears as if he feared the gunshots' deafening report, while the other held a Shigan and fired again and again into the Tax Official's fallen body.

The smell of blood, the smell of Gunpowder Smoke, and the smell of urine from somewhere—

The pampered officials turned pale with fright at the sight.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, did you hear what I said?"

Buggy casually tossed aside the hot Shigan.

In truth, he'd taken it from the mustached man.

"For such a huge auction house, you'd think there'd be some security."

Buggy muttered, a little disappointed.

He thought the pirates of this world were too conservative. With so much obvious wealth sitting right here, not one of them seemed tempted.

"Men to the left, women to the right. Let our dear reporter get a nice, clear close-up of you. And you slaves over there, stop wiping the blood off your faces. Could you look a little more miserable?"

The slaves in the iron cages wore thin gray clothes riddled with scattered holes.

Snow-white skin peeked out from beneath the gray cloth, only to be cruelly marked with several wounds.

Their kneeling posture left their long black hair spread across the floor.

Their sky-blue eyes, just now misted over, had helped whip the auction into a fever pitch.

They were female slaves with a tragic, haunting beauty.

After taking a few photos, Arne felt a little disappointed.

Disco, who had been so dazzling just moments ago, looked terrified. He cowered in a corner, trembling as he called someone on his Den Den Mushi.

"Are you done yet?" Buggy came over to his side and asked warmly.

Just then, someone picked up the Den Den Mushi in Disco's hand.

"Hello? What is it?!" The Den Den Mushi's face looked thoroughly annoyed.

"Good morning," Buggy greeted him gently.

On the other end of the call,

Doflamingo glanced at the clearly yellowing sunlight, looking perplexed.

Still, he recognized that the voice didn't belong to one of his subordinates.

"Where's Disco?"

"He, uh... seems fine." Buggy took the Den Den Mushi from the dumbfounded Disco.

A gun muzzle pressed coldly against Disco's forehead.

"By the way, the Employment Agency in Area 1—the place you call the Human Auction House—

has just been raided by me, Colonel Arrow Lux."