Chapter 223: Chapter 222: The Warring States Vomit Blood (Part 2)
"Truly insane."
On the largest human trafficking site on Island No. 1 of the Sabaody Archipelago, Daniel Davis managed to slip past the guards and witness a frenzied auction. The item up for bid was a beautiful human woman, who was reportedly a famous singer.
Although the pirate world lacks modern technology, it has unique Den Den Mushi technology, making the existence of celebrities unsurprising. One of Moriah's subordinates, a doctor, was known to be infatuated with a female star.
Faced with the rare opportunity to buy a beautiful female slave, the attendees, especially some men and elderly, were visibly excited, frequently raising their bids. Daniel Davis even overheard some discussing how they would "train" her once purchased.
It's peculiar; despite their lawlessness, even the Celestial Dragons must pay for slaves at auctions. Yet, they can freely capture people on the streets and make them slaves without paying a cent.
"I'd love to turn all these people into Philosopher's Stones," Daniel Davis thought as he looked at the crowded auction hall. However, this was just a fleeting, angry thought. He couldn't accomplish such a feat, as there was no way to quietly draw an alchemical circle big enough to transmute everyone here into Philosopher's Stones.
"Seven million Berries! Seven million Berries! Is there a higher bid? No? Congratulations to this gentleman for winning our beautiful singer, Sharon. Now, let's welcome the next item."
On stage, Disco, holding a microphone, announced loudly. This human trafficking site was under Doflamingo's control and the largest on Island No. 1. They held weekly auctions and larger ones during peak seasons, sometimes even attracting Celestial Dragons.
While the crowd eagerly awaited the next auction item, they collectively booed when an old man appeared, with some loudly demanding a change.
"Pluton Rayleigh, huh? Quite a playful guy," Daniel Davis muttered, recognizing the old man as Pluton Rayleigh, known for occasionally selling himself at auctions. Due to his age and lack of special skills, no one had ever bid on him.
In the Sabaody Archipelago, the average price for a human male is around one million Berries, depending on their status and abilities. Human females typically fetch higher prices due to their appearance, with significant variations in price. The most valuable slaves are mermaids from Fish-Man Island and giants, both starting at a minimum of fifty million Berries.
"Unsold, huh?" Rayleigh remained unsold as no one bid on him. Daniel Davis briefly considered bidding but decided against it.
"You guys are in for a treat today," Daniel Davis muttered with a smile as he saw another beautiful woman take the stage. He then quietly and quickly moved around the auction hall.
"Art is an explosion," he thought, pressing his right hand against a wall to plant a specially made timed bomb using earth alchemy.
As he moved, Daniel Davis planted more bombs on the surrounding walls and floors. After finishing this, he exited the auction hall and entered another, repeating the process. In no time, he had planted bombs in all the auction halls on Island No. 1.
"Kizaru, if you're here, then tough luck for you." With this thought, Daniel Davis opened the Gate of Secrets and returned to his secret base to retrieve the items he had previously ordered Red Queen to prepare.
"Disappeared." Upon receiving a report from the World Government's intelligence department, Admiral Kizaru frowned.
The navy had not infiltrated the Sabaody Archipelago much, following Sengoku's strategy of avoiding what they detested and couldn't change, effectively turning a blind eye.
However, this didn't mean that the World Government's intelligence network lacked operatives there. The World Government's steady rule isn't due to ignorance; their intelligence agencies have consistently infiltrated major factions on the sea, yielding excellent results.
Most of the major factions on the sea likely have World Government spies, differing only in the spies' ranks and positions. In Whitebeard's crew, for example, spies can easily blend in by posing as pirates and calling Whitebeard "pops," whom Whitebeard welcomes as family.
The Moa Moa Fruit user, who once caused significant trouble for the World Government, even daring to attack Celestial Dragons, was eventually subdued through a counter-intelligence operation involving spies.
"Admiral Kizaru, come out!" Kizaru's thoughts were interrupted by a loud voice calling him out.
Such blatant provocation made Kizaru frown. He turned into a golden light and disappeared from the room, reappearing outside, looking in the direction of the voice.
Kizaru was on Island No. 6 of the Sabaody Archipelago.
"That's Admiral Kizaru! What's he doing here?" The sudden appearance of Admiral Kizaru shocked the pirates on Island No. 6. They froze momentarily before scattering in all directions, turning the previously orderly island into chaos.
The name of an admiral is truly terrifying.
Kizaru ignored the chaos below, his focus elsewhere.
Bang.
Suddenly, a bullet made of Seastone shot towards Kizaru's head from behind, moving at an incredible speed.
As the bullet neared, Kizaru moved a meter to his right, dodging it.
"What a pity. I thought he'd take it head-on. Guess he's not a fool," thought Daniel Davis, who had attempted to snipe Kizaru with a Barrett sniper rifle through the Gate of Secrets. Unfortunately, he failed to land a hit.
Seastone bullets are tricky for the World Government to manufacture, but not for Daniel Davis. He had hoped to catch Kizaru off guard but didn't succeed.
"Admiral Kizaru, did Sengoku send you here to recapture the slaves I released from the World Government?" As Kizaru looked towards the source of the bullet, the voice echoed again.
Kizaru immediately turned into a golden light, disappearing and reappearing on Island No. 1, standing in front of a Den Den Mushi amplifier on a rooftop.
"Quite fast, as expected of Kizaru," thought Daniel Davis, who had hidden nearby. Seeing Kizaru's sudden appearance startled him; the real Kizaru's speed was even more terrifying than he'd imagined.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Kizaru asked, staring at the Den Den Mushi amplifier.
"Haha, Admiral Kizaru, are you pretending not to know? Isn't it obvious? I'm here to expose the truth about the navy, to let people see the true face of you so-called 'just' marines."
Kizaru's sudden appearance on Island No. 1 startled many, causing them to pause in their escape. However, the voice from the air caught their attention. They, too, were curious about the so-called true face of the navy.
"Just a pirate playing tricks," Kizaru said, casually pointing his left index finger, sending a beam of golden light through the amplifier.
"Haha, Admiral Kizaru, are you so afraid of me exposing the truth about the navy that you're in such a hurry to destroy evidence?"
The voice echoed from another direction. Kizaru quickly found another amplifier on a different rooftop and destroyed it along with the Den Den Mushi.
"Truly a dedicated lapdog of the Celestial Dragons," the voice continued. Just as Kizaru was about to search for this amplifier, the roof beneath him exploded. The massive explosion reverberated across Island No. 1.
The shockwave engulfed Kizaru, and the powerful blast destroyed the building. Moments later, Kizaru reformed in the air, his body pristine and untouched.
"Logia Devil Fruits are truly annoying," Daniel Davis muttered, watching Kizaru emerge unscathed. The Glint-Glint Fruit's light element made it impossible to kill Kizaru with explosions. Even among Logia fruits, there are differences in power; the Sand-Sand Fruit pales compared to the Glint-Glint Fruit and the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
Kizaru pointed his left index finger in a direction, firing a beam of golden light that pierced several buildings, destroying another amplifier.
"Time to create some chaos," Daniel Davis thought, activating the bombs he had planted in the human trafficking sites.
Despite the commotion outside, the auction halls continued their business, oblivious to the outside world. Their soundproofing was that good.
Boom, boom, boom.
As Daniel Davis pressed the detonator, a series of massive explosions rocked the largest auction site on Island No. 1. The collapsing building filled the air with cries and screams for help.
Daniel Davis hadn't planted the bombs to kill everyone inside but to destroy the surrounding walls and ceiling, crushing those inside.
Boom.
The collapsed auction house was blasted open, and a large, burly man with a grim expression emerged. Initially, he looked around arrogantly, as if seeking someone to blame, but his expression changed upon seeing Kizaru in the air. He quickly fled.
"So it's him," Daniel Davis thought, recognizing the man as one of this year's supernovas.
"Admiral Kizaru, your navy's clients are injured. Are you just going to stand by? These people came to support your navy's employment agency. If they die, the agency will lose a lot of clients." The voice continued, as Kizaru prepared to search for the source. A golden beam shot out, destroying a room.
Kizaru's expression darkened, especially when he saw the destroyed auction house and the people emerging from it, calling for the navy's help.
"The slaves are escaping, Admiral Kizaru. Aren't you going to catch them quickly? Otherwise, Sengoku might dock your pay. These slaves were captured with
great effort to be sold."
As the voice continued, a large number of slaves escaped from the destroyed auction house. Some, upon recognizing Kizaru, initially sought his help, but the voice's words filled them with fear. They turned and fled.
This sight made Kizaru clench his right hand. He had never encountered such a difficult opponent, one who remained undetectable even with his Observation Haki fully activated.
"The navy is the mastermind behind the human trafficking rings, yet they dare call themselves just. The word 'justice' behind you is weeping."
"Do you know what you're doing?" Kizaru did not destroy the amplifier this time.
"Of course. I'm letting the public know the truth about the navy, the World Government, and the Celestial Dragons. The so-called descendants of the Creator are a joke. Oh, I prepared a grand welcoming ceremony for you, Admiral Kizaru. I hope you enjoy it."
As the voice faded, a terrifying chain of explosions erupted across Island No. 1, obliterating all the human trafficking sites.
"To all the captured slaves, this is your chance to escape. Remember, don't let the navy or the World Government catch you. The ones who captured you were the navy."
"Do you know you're courting death?"
"It might not be me who dies. Look up." Hearing these words, Kizaru immediately looked up to see a shower of papers falling from the sky, covering the entire Sabaody Archipelago.
"Admiral Kizaru, see you again. Oh, and one last piece of advice before I go: leave the navy as soon as possible. Otherwise, when we act, you won't even have a chance to regret it."
"Damn it." Watching the escaping slaves and the wealthy nobles calling for his help, Kizaru felt a strong urge to unleash his Eight Span Mirror attack to flush out Daniel Davis.
But Kizaru ultimately chose reason over anger and refrained from using his ultimate attack.
___________________
Read Ahead
P@treon.com/Mutter
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone