บท 43: Chapter 43
Title: Human Auction Sells Akainu
The expansion of the army was a matter that Xilan had no inclination to get involved in, and it held no financial allure for him. His thoughts were centered on his growing wealth and family assets.
Having earned an additional 30 billion from Whitebeard, his personal wealth had soared to 280 billion berries. And once Akainu recovered from his injuries and was sold, he anticipated earning several billion berries more. Big Mom was expected to be the eventual purchaser of Akainu, as she had a penchant for spending lavishly on men.
Furthermore, the Roswald family, which had been captured in the Sabaody Archipelago, was sold to Gild Tesoro, also known as the "Casino King". This was due to his girlfriend's tragic fate at the hands of Celestial Dragons in her early years, which had fueled his desire to purchase these vile nobles.
But these gains were but mosquito legs compared to what he could get by providing to Kaido's big order—Vegapunk's secrets.
"That's 200 billion Berries," Xilan mused as he reclined on his office sofa, contemplating. He considered this an opportunity of a lifetime, one that was unburdened by Akainu's presence.
Standing up and gazing into the distance, Xilan spotted a heavily guarded silver building on the southeast side of Naval Headquarters, all the people standing outside of it were pacifists. It was the Marine Technology Department, where Vegapunk worked, and Kizaru's office was nearby.
To reach Vegapunk, he needed to find a way to get to Kizaru first. Xilan paced back and forth, realizing that a direct attack, even in his black dragon form, was not a viable option. Aokiji and Sengoku posed formidable obstacles. A joint assault would almost certainly lead to dire situations.
"Yes!" Xilan exclaimed as a plan began to form in his mind.
....
Three days later, on Potterland Island in the New World, which Doflamingo had chosen as his new residence, the world was shaken by the announcement that Marine Admiral Akainu would be sold at a Human Auction in three days.
This news caused a sensation worldwide, and Marine's humiliation and fury knew no bounds. The previous auction of Marine Vice Admiral Ghost Spider had already made Marine a laughingstock. Now, with an Admiral being auctioned imagine what people would think.
In the Marshall's Office, "Damn Doflamingo, I'll tear him apart!" Sengoku fumed, his face reddened with anger.
"This stupid incident must be prevented from happening. If Akainu is sold, the Marines will never be able to hold their heads high in the seas again," Aokiji declared, his resolve unwavering.
At first glance, Aokiji may have appeared lazy, but he deeply cared about the Marine's well-being. Despite his differences with Akainu, he couldn't allow such an affront to Marine's dignity to go unchallenged.
"Everyone, there's a black dragon standing behind Doflamingo. If we want to disrupt this auction, we must confront the black dragon," Xilan declared solemnly. "This individual has been in conflict with our Marine for decades, and this time, we must do everything in our power to eliminate him. Our top-tier combat forces will be dispatched immediately to utterly defeat him."
"I concur," Sengoku nodded slowly. After contemplating for a moment, a fierce determination gleamed in his eyes. "I will personally lead the charge."
"What!?" The surprising statement left everyone in disbelief, including Xilan. His plan had originally involved Kizaru and Aokiji facing off against the black dragon while Sengoku remained at Naval Headquarters.
"That's correct. This time, I will take Kuzan and Borsalino to confront the black dragon. I want to see if he truly is as formidable as they say," Sengoku sneered.
"But what about me?" Xilan scratched his head awkwardly, uncertain of his role in this revised plan.
"Xilan, you and Garp are getting up in years. Both of you should remain at headquarters," Sengoku replied lightly. In truth, he no longer trusted these two old comrades and had decided to exclude them from his plans.
"It's not right, Sengoku. I can still fight for the Marines for another three years," Xilan protested, wearing a stern expression but secretly delighted at the prospect.
In reality, there was no need for Kaido to make an appearance; Xilan could simply seize Vegapunk quietly.
"That's it, I've made uo my mind," Sengoku declared firmly. "Kuzan and Borsalino, return and make your preparations. We'll set off for the New World this evening."
With the combat mission issued, the Naval Headquarters sprang into action once more. This time, Sengoku was determined to eliminate the black dragon. Thanks to this troublemaker, his family's ancestral graves were on the verge of being desecrated by the Five Elders.
Time passed swiftly, and evening arrived. Capitalizing on the dwindling daylight, Sengoku departed with Kizaru and Aokiji, accompanied by numerous Vice Admirals.
The Naval Headquarters now stood as a hollow fortress, and if Kaido made his move at this moment, it would surely create a historic disaster.
As Xilan stood before the window, gazing at the Ministry of Science and Technology building, a mysterious smile played upon his lips.
Tonight, he would get easily 200 billion Berries.
....
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