Capítulo 222: Chapter 222: The Auction of the Millennial Dragon Bones
"Forget it. Just let him have it," Li Yuan decided, watching Shiki's frenzied bidding. He didn't want a confrontation on his own turf that would disrupt the auction. Ultimately, Shiki secured the Great Grade sword, Sea Splitter, for 800 million Beli.
"The second item is the Paramecia-type Wave Wave Fruit, starting at one billion Beli!"
Unlike the previous forty Devil Fruits, the featured fruits in this round were all high-caliber, with powerful abilities. The Wave Wave Fruit, a lesser version of the Tremor Tremor Fruit, had similar destructive potential.
"Three billion!" Whitebeard immediately jumped in. Eager to strengthen his crew, he saw Devil Fruits as perfect enhancers. With his guidance, he believed this fruit would develop into a force to be reckoned with.
"3.5 billion!"
"Four billion!"
"…6.5 billion!"
The final bid of 6.5 billion won Whitebeard the Wave Wave Fruit.
"The third item up for auction is the Logia-type Cloud Cloud Fruit, starting at one billion Beli!"
Right after the previous transaction, the auction house staff handed Whitebeard his newly acquired fruit while Ginter Post began bidding for the next item.
"Ten billion!" Li Yuan was the first to bid, instantly raising the price tenfold. The Cloud Cloud Fruit, a Logia fruit, was a strategic asset he had in mind—not for battle, but for expanding the Infinite Pirates' infrastructure. With it, he could create floating cloud islands akin to Skypiea, securing important bases in the sky beyond reach.
"Fifteen billion!" Despite Li Yuan's opening, some were reluctant to give up on such a valuable Logia fruit.
"Twenty billion!" Li Yuan, unfazed, raised his bid. Wealth-wise, he was unmatched among the attendees.
Seeing his determination, the other bidders reluctantly backed off. The Infinite Pirates secured the Cloud Cloud Fruit for twenty billion.
Next, Shiki acquired an Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit, the Boar Crocodile, and other factions obtained several powerful Paramecia-type fruits.
"Damn it! If only the Navy had access to this many resources, we could swiftly build our forces and quell the seas!" Sengoku muttered. Watching from afar, he and other Navy officials felt a pang of frustration each time a valuable asset was claimed by pirates. Each purchase meant new potential threats to the Navy.
"Now, for our final auction item. Per the seller's instructions, the Millennial Dragon will be auctioned in five parts: the wings, head and neck, torso, and tail, each in separate lots!"
"The bidding for the head and neck starts at ten billion Beli!" Ginter Post declared, as handlers wheeled in the still-living Millennial Dragon. Markings delineated its body parts, and upon each sale, the designated section would be cut from the dragon.
"Twenty billion!"
"Thirty billion!"
"Forty billion!"
The price surged with each bid, shocking the onlookers as numbers skyrocketed.
"Three hundred ninety billion!"
The bidding concluded at a staggering 390 billion Beli, claimed by a buyer from one of the underground syndicates, rather than one of the private rooms. Many spectators eyed the high bidder, already planning their next moves.
As the dragon's head and neck were severed and delivered to the winning bidder, several pirates slipped out, positioning themselves to ambush the carrier once outside Infinite Pirates' territory.
Li Yuan, aware that the winning faction was aligned with the World Government, had no plans to intervene—unless it meant seizing it for himself. However, as host, he refrained from taking action to preserve the reputation of Infinite Pirates and ensure trust for future events.
"The second portion is the torso—the most valuable section with the highest concentration of dragon bones, starting at ten billion!"
"450 billion!" Li Yuan opened the bid, immediately surpassing the previous winning price by sixty billion.
Gasps filled the hall. The Infinite Pirates' wealth seemed boundless.
"480 billion!"
Just as the crowd thought Li Yuan had secured the bid, another number flashed on the screen, revealing an even higher bid. Many wondered who dared to challenge him on his home turf.
Li Yuan recognized the bidder as another World Government affiliate, undeterred by their recent acquisition.
"Five hundred billion!"
He raised his offer, and with no further bids, secured the dragon torso.
"Next is a single wing, starting at ten billion!" Ginter Post announced, swiftly moving on.
"Gahahaha! 400 billion!" Shiki laughed as he bid. Although still in his prime, he knew better than to disregard the future. If he wanted to avoid Rocks' fate—whose power had plateaued in old age—he'd need an edge to retain control of his crew.
After a few rounds, Shiki won the wing for 470 billion Beli, a considerable portion of his fortune.
As Shiki and Li Yuan led the bidding, other powerful pirates, like John, Wang Zhi, and Silver Axe, aimed to secure a wing as well. These elder pirates, many in their fifties, saw the dragon bones as key to preserving their strength. Together, they pooled their resources and purchased the second wing for 500 billion Beli.
Finally, the dragon's tail—the section with the least bone—fetched a record 530 billion.
In total, the Millennial Dragon auction concluded with a total of 2.39 trillion Beli, an astronomical sum.
"The buyer for the last portion remains unidentified!" Li Yuan had instructed Shakky to investigate, but the details came up blank.
"The Expo auction has concluded!" Ginter Post announced, bowing deeply before departing. The sheer size of the transactions had him eager to leave.
The auction had grossed over five trillion Beli—an astonishing amount far surpassing his lifetime sales.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for participating in the Infinite Pirates' Expo!" As the guests prepared to leave, Li Yuan stepped forward, a spotlight focusing on him.
To everyone's surprise, their host reappeared. The crowd waited, unsure if there was more to come.
"Starting tomorrow, registration opens for the Swordsmanship Tournament. You can sign up at the four main entrances to the Combat Pyramid," he announced. "This tournament will feature the world's greatest swordsmen, including myself, Shiki, Ledfield, Wang Zhi, Silver Axe, John, Roger, Rayleigh, and more. We invite swordsmen from all over the world to join us!"
With his announcement, Li Yuan exited the stage, leaving an astonished audience.
"Amazing! So many legendary pirates joining the tournament!"
"Hahaha! With that lineup, this is bound to be the greatest swordsmanship tournament ever!"
"Li Yuan, hailed as the world's greatest swordsman—if he doesn't claim victory here, his title could be up for grabs!"
Li Yuan's declaration thrilled swordsmen everywhere, including those watching the live broadcast. Such a lineup represented the pinnacle of swordsmanship.
As the crowd dispersed, the real action awaited outside the venue. The treasures purchased at the auction were safe on Venetian Island, but once outside the Infinite Pirates' territory, things would get dangerous.
Meanwhile, pirates like Shiki, unconcerned with potential attackers, remained seated and continued drinking openly.
Li Yuan gathered Shiki and the other major buyers of the dragon bones together. Those like Roger and Whitebeard, who hadn't acquired any, were kept apart from the group.
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