He Brought Down the Hammer

With a deafening crash, the hammer in his hand slammed heavily onto the table, the force so great it seemed capable of shattering it. Then, his eyes widened in fury, and he let out a low, angry roar, "C..."

Just then, Jack, who had been sitting in his seat, suddenly sprang to his feet like a spring. Tall and imposing, he exuded an invisible pressure as soon as he stood up. His face was ashen as he coldly stared at the surrounding crowd, then he announced in a deep, authoritative voice, "Five hundred and fifty million Beli..."

After announcing the price, Jack didn't sit down immediately. Instead, he slowly turned around, scanning the entire room with his murderous gaze. His eyes were like two sharp daggers, piercing straight into everyone who met his eyes. Those who had been eager to bid on the item, sensing the undisguised killing intent in Jack's eyes, instantly wilted like frostbitten eggplants, daring not to make a single move.

Upon seeing this, the auctioneer on the stage frowned slightly. He thought to himself: Jack's actions have broken the rules. Normally, if others choose not to bid after a bidder places a bid because they are afraid of him, the auction organizers will not say anything. But for Jack to openly stand up and threaten everyone not to bid is really going too far.

However, just as the situation reached a stalemate, a loud voice broke the silence. "Six hundred million!" Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and discovered that the bidder was none other than Moke. Instantly, the entire hall erupted in an uproar, and all eyes turned to where Moke was.

When they saw that the bidder was Moke, many people were first stunned, then their faces showed surprise. Jack, in particular, stared wide-eyed at Moke in disbelief. In his mind, Moke was just a nobody, not worth mentioning. If it weren't for the fact that the Devil Fruit wasn't very useful to him, he would have already tried to snatch it from Moke. He never expected that this guy, whom he considered trash, would dare to jump out and challenge him at such a crucial moment. This truly surprised Jack.

Therefore, when Moke suddenly announced the price, he was completely unprepared for this situation. In an instant, his eyes narrowed slightly, revealing his murderous intent without reservation. At that moment, Page One also suddenly stood up, staring intently at Moke with an extremely arrogant and domineering attitude, and shouted loudly, "Hey... do you really want to make enemies of our mighty Beast Pirates?" Hearing this, the corners of Moke's mouth slightly turned up, forming a slightly mocking smile, and he replied, "This is an auction house, and the highest bidder always wins the items. If you don't have enough Beli, then please leave here obediently... don't spout nonsense like an ignorant clown." "Hey..." "You brat, do you even know what nonsense you're spouting?" Ulti, quick-tempered and easily angered, suddenly widened her eyes, her face contorted with rage, as if she would immediately launch into a fierce fight at the slightest provocation. However, facing such a threat, Moke remained calm and composed. He turned his gaze to the auctioneer on the stage and slowly said, "Does your auction house not follow the basic principle of 'highest bidder wins'? If that's the case... then I could save a considerable amount of Beli." As soon as he finished speaking, Moke straightened up, radiating an invisible aura. Carina, standing beside Moke, was already trembling uncontrollably, inwardly groaning. Good heavens! Who are these people before me?!

"You're asking for death..." Page One was furious, his eyes wide open, veins bulging on his forehead, and he exuded a fierce aura, as if he was about to kill the person in front of him at any moment. However, just as he was about to make his move, a thick and powerful arm blocked his way.

It turned out that Jack had intervened. Jack's face was ashen as he slowly said, "Don't get agitated... This is an auction house, let's follow the rules. The highest bidder wins... In that case, let the highest bidder win." With that, he sat back down in his seat.

Ulti and Page One were momentarily confused, but they exchanged a glance, both looking puzzled. Then, they both turned their gaze to Jack, waiting for his further explanation.

Seeing this, Jack smirked and said, "Think about it, someone is willing to bid for this Devil Fruit for us. What does that mean? It means we can get it without spending a single penny! Once we leave the auction house, we can just snatch it from that person, right? That way, we not only save a full 550 million Beli, but we also get what we want without any problem. Why not?"

After hearing Jack's words, Ulti and Page One were slightly taken aback at first, then Satori meant, and smiles involuntarily appeared on their faces. Yes! How could they not have thought of that? Saving such a large sum of money for nothing was like a windfall!

Meanwhile, Moke, with a smug look on his face, turned to the auctioneer and shouted again, "I think no one here will bid higher than me, right? So, shouldn't this incomparably precious Devil Fruit rightfully belong to me?"

Upon hearing the bid, the auctioneer took a deep breath to calm his excitement. He cleared his throat and shouted, "Six hundred million Beli once..." His voice echoed in the spacious auction hall. After a brief silence, no other bidders placed any more bids. So, the auctioneer immediately called out, "Six hundred million Beli twice..." The entire hall remained silent, everyone holding their breath as they awaited the final result.

When the auctioneer called out "Six hundred million Beli, three times...", time seemed to freeze. Finally, with a crisp sound—"Bang..."—the auctioneer decisively struck down his gavel and loudly announced, "Sold!" This final blow meant that this precious item had a new owner.

However, the matter did not end there. The auctioneer paused briefly, then spoke again, "Dear guest, as this is your first time participating in an auction here, according to the rules, you must deliver the full amount of 600 million Beli within one day. Failure to do so will have very serious consequences, so please take this very seriously..."

Upon hearing this, Moke, who was standing to the side, simply chuckled and replied nonchalantly, "Don't worry, this little bit of money is nothing to me. I can hand it over to you now..." With that, Moke turned to look at Carina beside him, his gaze falling on a piece of gold jewelry she was wearing.

Moke swiftly reached out and removed the gold ornament from Carina's body. The instant he touched the ornament, something strange happened. Moke suddenly displayed his Devil Fruit Ability, instantly transforming into a user of the Gold-Gold Devil Fruit User of manipulating metal!

With a thought, Moke shouted, "Gold Manipulation!" and then stretched his hand forward. In an instant, under the horrified gazes of everyone around, a powerful attraction burst forth from Moke's palm.

The gold elements floating in the air, the gold particles hidden on the ground and underground, even the various gold items in the auction house, and the gold ornaments worn by everyone present, all seemed to be summoned by some mysterious force, transforming into streams of golden light and rapidly converging towards Moke's hand. In the blink of an eye, these gold elements, which were originally scattered in various places, gathered in Moke's palm like rivers flowing into the sea, forming a dazzling and enormous golden sphere.

In the blink of an eye, a golden sphere Shine with dazzling light suddenly appeared in mid-air. Even more astonishingly, this golden sphere began to expand rapidly at an unimaginable speed! Its growth was so rapid that it was simply astonishing.

The area controlled by Moke, who unleashed this move, was vast and boundless, covering a radius of a thousand meters. At that moment, within this thousand-meter radius, an extremely bizarre and breathtaking spectacle quietly unfolded. All the gold items seemed to be drawn by some mysterious force, melting into tiny gold dust particles, which continuously converged in the same direction. These gold dust particles intertwined and swirled in the air, gradually condensing into an enormous golden cloud, like a surging golden river, powerfully rushing towards the auction house.

"Gild Tesoro?" Upon seeing this scene, the faces of everyone present instantly darkened, their anger overflowing. However, despite their rage, they could only grit their teeth and dare not speak out. After all, compared to the precious gold, their own safety was undoubtedly more important.

This is, after all, the world's most bustling and vibrant entertainment city, and this place is the most prosperous and thriving core area within it. It's no exaggeration to say that almost every wealthy and powerful person in the entire entertainment city is gathered here. Therefore, the amount of gold here is naturally immeasurable. Sure enough, not long after, an enormous golden sphere appeared before everyone's eyes. This sphere was so large, its diameter was as wide as a tabletop, and it radiated a dazzling golden light, like a golden sun hanging high in the sky, leaving everyone in awe.

Under the shocked and incredulous gazes of the crowd around him, Moke's lips curled into a faint smile. He glanced at the auctioneer and said calmly, "I think this should be enough to pay."

Upon hearing this, the auctioneer froze, his mouth agape, wide enough to fit an egg. He stared at Moke with wide eyes, utterly astonished, inwardly groaning. This guy was blatantly using stolen Beli to pay the bill—a blatant violation and provocation of the auction rules! Such behavior was utterly arrogant and domineering!

Logically speaking, in such a situation, one should have taken action without hesitation to capture them! After all, this is not a place where one can run wild. However... the auctioneer subconsciously glanced at Jack the Drought, Ulti, and Page One standing to the side.

Just then, he suddenly remembered what his boss, Gild Tesoro, had told him. The price of this Devil Fruit wasn't important. The key was to find a way to incite conflict between Moke, Jack, Ulti, and Page One, making them fight. Thinking of this, the auctioneer's tense nerves relaxed slightly, but his heart was still filled with contradictions and anxieties.

Just then, he lightly waved his arm, a seemingly casual movement that carried an undeniable air of authority. With this wave, the person standing behind him, who had been carefully holding the Devil Fruit, immediately understood and quickly stepped forward, respectfully handing the invaluable Devil Fruit to Moke.

With a smile, Moke calmly reached out and accepted the Devil Fruit. The moment the fruit landed in his palm, a mysterious power seemed to emanate from it. He narrowed his eyes slightly, sensing this power, then a faint smile appeared on his lips, as if he were filled with anticipation and confidence regarding the Devil Fruit.

Immediately afterward, Moke raised his head, his gaze sweeping over Jack the Drought, Ulti, and Page One Van in turn. His eyes were clear and bright, revealing a hint of cunning that was barely perceptible. Finally, he slowly spoke, "Thank you for your consideration, all three of you!" His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

As soon as he finished speaking, Moke said no more and turned to walk towards the door. At the same time, he firmly embraced Carina, whose legs were trembling with fear and nervousness. Carina nestled tightly in Moke's arms, her body still trembling slightly.

Jack the Drought, Ulti, and Page One exchanged bewildered glances, clearly stunned by what they had just witnessed. They were especially shocked to see Moke so easily receive the Devil Fruit and display such an aura of absolute control.

"This guy... he can actually manipulate gold? Isn't that Gild Tesoro's signature move?" Jack the Drought muttered to himself, his face filled with disbelief.

"Tsk... I really didn't expect this!" Ulti gritted her teeth and said resentfully.

Page One, standing to the side, also frowned and remained silent.

After a brief moment of shock, the three of them stood up simultaneously and quickly followed Moke's departing figure. As they walked, they exchanged glances, their eyes revealing malicious smiles. Jack the Drought, in particular, lowered his voice and warned Ulti and Page One, "When you make your move, be careful. Don't accidentally kill this guy... We still need to interrogate him thoroughly!"

Ulti and Page One exchanged a glance and nodded, their eyes gleaming with barely concealed excitement. The sheer power they had just displayed was astonishing! If they could successfully capture that person and hand him over to the renowned Beast Pirates, the entire crew would usher in unprecedented prosperity! Wealth would flow in, and they would no longer have to worry about lacking Beli as currency! As for the true schemes and plots these people harbored, everyone present was perfectly aware of them.

Behold, Moke, like a guardian angel, carefully supported the delicate Carina, step by step, slowly making his way towards the luxurious casino entrance across the street. Each step seemed to carry endless caution and concern. Finally, seeing Carina arrive safely at her destination, Moke breathed a sigh of relief as if he had completed a difficult task. However, the next second, he abruptly turned around, his eyes instantly becoming incredibly sharp, like burning torches, staring directly at the three formidable enemies not far away: Drought Jack the Drought, Ulti, and Page One.

At that moment, time seemed to be magically frozen. Everyone around, whether they were the noisy gamblers in the casino or the hurried pedestrians on the street, all stared wide-eyed and gaped, their faces filled with disbelief. No one could have predicted that such a breathtaking and unimaginable scene would unfold before their eyes without warning.

A terrifying and awe-inspiring power erupted from Moke's seemingly ordinary and unremarkable body, like a long-dormant beast suddenly Awakening or a volcano bursting forth after being suppressed for a long time! This power was like a surging, boundless torrent, or a colossal, indestructible wave, carrying a world-destroying momentum, sweeping in from all directions like a storm with overwhelming force.

In an instant, the once bustling street, teeming with traffic and people, fell into complete silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The crowds, who had been so noisy and bustling just moments before, now seemed to have been bewitched, collapsing one after another without warning, limp and lifeless on the ground, as if they had suddenly lost all their vitality and become lifeless shells.

However, those with some strength were not easily defeated by this terrifying power like ordinary people. Their faces were filled with terror, as if they had seen a demon from the depths of hell. Everyone turned their heads at the same time, casting their gazes in the direction where Moke was.

At this moment, everyone's heart was filled with deep shock and endless fear, their minds blank, completely unaware of the unimaginable and terrifying power that this mysterious figure before them possessed.

Meanwhile, inside the casino, Weevil, Brook, Perona, Gizzas Jesus Burgess, Baboon King Burns, and Ata, among others, also noticed the unusual commotion outside. They exchanged bewildered glances, their faces showing simultaneous confusion, wondering to themselves, "What's going on? Has another powerful enemy attacked...?"

His smile was as radiant as a flower blooming in spring, the corners of his mouth gently curving upwards into a beautiful and captivating arc. At the same time, his thick, ink-black eyebrows twitched slightly, as if telling the world a secret, revealing an elusive and indescribable expression. This expression was neither a smile nor a joy, leaving endless room for imagination.

Then, he opened his lips and said in a deep yet magnetic voice, "It looks like this place is about to be thrown into turmoil!" His words were filled with excitement and anticipation, as if he had already foreseen a series of thrilling events to come.

Just then, the burly, imposing Baboon King — Burns —slowly rose from his seat like a small hill. His physique was tall and imposing, his muscles clearly defined, each muscle brimming with immense power. His eyes, sharp as a hawk's, swept over the surrounding crowd, as if able to see into the deepest thoughts of each person. Then, he opened his broad, thick mouth and declared in a booming voice, "In that case, I'll go out and check it out. Perhaps it's our ever-mysterious captain who has arrived!"

Almost the instant Burns finished speaking, the man who had been standing to the side with a nonchalant smile suddenly seemed to have a fire ignited within him. His usually calm face was instantly filled with curiosity and anticipation. His eyes widened, gleaming with intense light, fixed intently on the direction of the doorway, as if he couldn't wait to know what was happening outside. Without the slightest hesitation, almost instinctively, he stood up, his eyes sparkling with excitement, and loudly replied, "Oh? How interesting! Then I'll naturally go and find out for myself, to see what secrets are hidden here!"

Meanwhile, not far away, Weevil, Brook, Perona, Gizas Jesus Burgess, and Ata, upon hearing these words, were instantly aroused like a powder keg. They shot off like arrows, their figures flashing rapidly as they raced towards the casino's entrance at an astonishing speed.

In the blink of an eye, the group arrived at the scene with lightning speed. However, the sight before them made them gasp – Moke stood there all alone, facing the three menacing enemies, Jack the Drought, Ulti, and Page One, with an intense tension permeating the air between them.

At this moment, the entire scene was as silent as if it were Ice Seal, but behind this silence lay immense pressure, like a storm brewing. Everyone's nerves were stretched to the limit, as if the slightest disturbance could trigger a dramatic and intense conflict that would erupt at any moment.