You Tell Me, Do Gods Bleed Too?

When he finished speaking, everyone present stared at Ivan in astonishment. They couldn't understand where he had gotten so much money, or how he dared compete with a Celestial Dragon.

Saint Rosward raised an eyebrow, mildly annoyed. But as a descendant of the gods, he had no intention of lowering himself to quarrel with an inferior. Besides, it was only some Beli.

So he raised the bid by one billion Beli. "I bid eight billion Beli!"

Saint Rosward looked unconcerned. Surely that inferior with his modest wealth couldn't afford to bid any higher now?

But to his surprise, Ivan raised the bid without hesitation. "Eight billion one hundred million Beli!"

"Nine billion Beli!"

"Nine billion one hundred million Beli!"

"Ten billion Beli!"

"Ten billion one hundred million Beli!"

As the two sides kept raising their bids, the expressions of the people at the auction gradually grew strange.

By now, how could they not realize that the man bidding against Saint Rosward had no real interest in bidding for the Mythical Zoan? He was simply here to cause trouble!

What nerve this guy had, daring to toy with a Celestial Dragon! He really was courting death!

On the auction stage, cold sweat poured down Baccarat's forehead.

Damn it, where did this guy come from? If he wants to get himself killed, he shouldn't drag anyone else into it!

Seeing Saint Rosward's face turn red as he was about to erupt, Baccarat hurriedly stood up and asked with a polite smile:

"Sir, you've bid ten billion one hundred million Beli. May I ask whether you have sufficient funds to pay?"

Before the auction began, Baccarat had briefly looked over the guests' information, paying particular attention to those with substantial funds.

But this guy wasn't among them!

Baccarat decided that if this guy didn't have enough money, she would sink him into the sea afterward and bury him for good!

Ivan heard Baccarat's question and noticed the many people watching him, eager for a spectacle. In particular, he noticed the lofty gaze of the Celestial Dragon, as though an ant had dared challenge him.

Under all those gazes, the guests around Ivan felt a terrifying pressure and immediately moved away from him.

The people watching were all far beyond anyone they could afford to offend!

But Ivan remained comfortably seated, his legs crossed, without a trace of nervousness. As though it were only natural, he said, "Hmhm, since when did the Golden King's auction start requiring proof of funds?"

That's because no one before you was foolish enough to try something like this! Baccarat cursed inwardly, though she maintained her ladylike elegance on the surface. "My apologies, sir. This rule was amended recently, so please cooperate with the verification."

Ivan nodded in understanding, then said without hesitation, "No need for that. I certainly don't have ten billion Beli in assets!"

"Thank you for your cooperation... Wait, what did you say?" Baccarat had assumed Ivan was going to cooperate, but to her surprise, he had outright admitted that he lacked the assets to cover his bid.

In that case, wasn't this guy deliberately provoking the Golden King's auction, and a Celestial Dragon on top of that?

At Ivan's words, the others' expressions grew even stranger. They hadn't seen such a brazen fool in a long time.

Saint Rosward was enraged. He sprang to his feet, drew an ornate pistol, and pointed it at Ivan as he shouted:

"Damn you! Guards, seize him! I'll make him my slave and torture him properly!"

"Yes, sir!"

Two tall CP0 agents charged at Ivan, intending to grab and detain him.

But just as they reached out for Ivan, they suddenly vanished amid a clap of thunder.

The next moment, two tremendous crashes rang out. The two CP0 agents had slammed into the auction hall wall, smashing two craters into it.

"Ahhh! What happened?" a noble shouted in terror.

Too weak to see what had just happened, he could only assume Ivan had sent the two CP0 agents flying by some unknown means.

However, several powerful figures were also present, and they had all seen Ivan send the two CP0 agents flying in an instant.

The sight made their expressions turn serious. That single blow showed that Ivan's strength was not to be underestimated!

In the auction's most luxurious seat, Saint Rosward stared at Ivan in disbelief. He hadn't expected this inferior to dare fight back!

His fat face instantly twisted as he fired wildly at Ivan, but Ivan easily dodged every shot.

That made him even angrier. "Damn inferior, how dare you resist! CP0, Marines, seize him! I want him dead!"

"Yes, sir!"

At Saint Rosward's fury, the auction hall instantly descended into chaos. Several CP0 officers and two Marine Vice Admirals rose to their feet and surrounded Ivan.

Among them, Ivan spotted his superior, Vice Admiral Comil.

Vice Admiral Vergo, his entire body enveloped in jet-black Armament Haki, watched Ivan and said in a deep voice, "What astonishing courage. But, stranger, do you know that courage becomes recklessness when you lack the strength to back it up?"

Ivan tilted his head and asked, "How do you know I lack strength?"

Vice Admiral Vergo snorted. "Arrogant fool. You think a little strength gives you the right to provoke the great Celestial Dragons? You're courting death. Die! Shigan!"

Ivan stood his ground, ready to meet Vergo head-on.

The next moment, under the crowd's astonished gazes, his body was likewise shrouded in black. But unlike Verte's Armament Haki, what Ivan used was Earth Release: Earth Spear, an Earth Release Ninjutsu that could increase defense.

Vergo appeared before Ivan in an instant, his index finger stabbing toward him like a spear.

But at that moment, Ivan shouted, "Fist Bone: Impact!"

"What?!" The familiar name of the move made Vergo pause, but when he collided with Ivan's fist, he realized that only the name was the same. This wasn't Vice Admiral Garp's move at all!

Even so, though it wasn't Vice Admiral Garp's move, Vergo still felt an immense force collide with his finger.

His Shigan, which could easily pierce steel, struck Ivan's fist. Not only did it fail to pierce it, but a sharp pain shot through his finger.

Vergo no longer dared fight with a single finger and hurriedly clenched his hand into a fist, but it was too late to change moves. Ivan sent him flying with a punch, smashing him through the golden wall and into the river outside.

The sight shocked Vice Admiral Comil. Vergo was even slightly stronger than he was, yet even so, Vergo had gotten the worst of his clash with this guy.

He tightened his grip on his sword and stood protectively in front of Saint Rosward, somewhat nervous as he watched Ivan warily:

"Who are you, and what is your objective?"

Faced with Vice Admiral Comil's questioning, Ivan released the Transformation Technique, no longer intending to conceal himself.

A cloud of smoke suddenly appeared, and a figure in a black cloak and fox mask stepped out of it.

As he walked toward Vice Admiral Comil, Ivan spoke solemnly, proclaiming to the world:

"I am Shadow Garden, a killer in the dark, one who lurks in the shadows and hunts in the shadows.

You tell me, do gods bleed too?"