One Piece - Heaven Defying Comprehension!

The human trafficking auction house, where those about to be sold are imprisoned.

'Click-click!'

In the darkness, the crisp sound of dice colliding echoed through the room.

"Another low roll," Rayleigh remarked as he glanced at the numbers on the dice, a mix of helplessness and amusement crossing his face.

"My luck at gambling has always been bad," he added, his tone light. But then, he looked at the man sitting across from him.

The man was blind, holding a cane, with the demeanor of a seasoned warrior—a wandering swordsman, perhaps.

"Now it's my turn," the blind man said softly, rolling the dice in his hand.

'Click-click!'

The dice landed, revealing the same low number as Rayleigh's.

"A tie again. That's a first," Rayleigh chuckled, eyeing the blind swordsman. "Looks like we're equally unlucky."

"Unlucky?" The blind man's eyes opened, revealing only the whites. "I wouldn't say that. In fact, today might just be the luckiest day I've ever had," he added, a sly smile crossing his lips.

"Oh? A lucky day, is it?" Rayleigh's smile faded, his gaze sharpening as he sized up the stranger. "I didn't expect to meet such a powerful yet unknown figure on these seas. What brings you here?" His tone grew more serious. Whoever this man was, he possessed strength on par with an Admiral.

The blind man smirked. "Reputation? What does that matter?" he shrugged. "And what of you? Why are you here?"

Rayleigh chuckled. "Me? I'm just an old man looking to win some money for drinks. I follow my luck, and today, it brought me here."

The blind man pointed to the dice before him. "As for me, I follow my fortune. It led me here today."

Rayleigh narrowed his eyes. "Your Observation Haki is strong, but even you can't 'see' the distant future. So, what makes you so certain?"

The blind man smiled calmly. "I don't need to see everything. The world is full of ugly truths—things better left unseen. Like this filthy auction house, serving the Celestial Dragons. Human trafficking thrives here, protected by their power, while people bow and scrape in fear."

Rayleigh studied him, intrigued by his words. The blind man stared ahead with his sightless eyes. "Sometimes, not seeing is a blessing."

Rayleigh's eyes brightened, and then he burst into laughter.

"I'm starting to like you! Hahaha! What's your name?" Rayleigh asked as the blind man was called by the auctioneer and stood up to be taken to the auction hall.

"Just call me 'Issho,' though I'm just a nobody," the blind man replied casually, before walking toward the auction house.

"Issho, huh?" Rayleigh murmured, but his expression suddenly turned serious.

---

At the Human Trafficking Auction House.

"Dear guests, our auction continues! Let us once again extend our deepest respect and gratitude to the esteemed Celestial Dragons for their presence," the auctioneer, Disco, announced on stage, his voice dripping with sycophancy.

Three figures sat at the front of the auction room, their very presence causing the rest of the attendees to hold their breath.

They were the Celestial Dragons, the self-proclaimed descendants of the creators of the world. Each wore a distinctive white suit resembling a space outfit, with a bubble hood over their heads. Their hair stood up, curling at the ends.

One of them, a man with a lecherous expression, casually blew bubbles from his nose as he slowly pulled out a gun. 

"This is so boring. Maybe I should just shoot him," the man, Saint Charlos, said, pointing the gun toward the auctioneer.

"Charlos, if you kill him, who's going to run the auction? I still want to buy a strong slave before you ruin it," an older Celestial Dragon, Saint Rosward, muttered with clear irritation.

"The slaves I bought last time were all worthless. They couldn't even run for five days straight—they just dropped dead, coughing up blood. What a waste," a female Celestial Dragon, Saint Sharlia, said, frowning.

"Just buy more this time," Saint Rosward replied dismissively.

"Then let's continue the auction!" Disco stammered nervously, hearing Charlos' threat. Celestial Dragons were known for killing on a whim, and Disco feared that not even his connection to Doflamingo would save him if they decided to end his life.

"Bring out something good!" Disco hissed backstage, anxious to appease the Celestial Dragons.

"Look at that, Saint Rosward, Saint Charlos, Saint Sharlia!" one of the Celestial Dragons' servants exclaimed with enthusiasm, presenting a new auction item.

The three nobles' attention was immediately captured by what they saw.

"It's a mermaid!" Charlos grinned foolishly, his eyes lighting up with excitement as he stood to get a better look.

"A mermaid? Ever since the Whitebeard Pirates declared Fish-Man Island part of their territory, mermaids have become a rarity at auctions," someone murmured in the crowd, sparking quiet discussions.

"Yes, esteemed guests, behold this rare specimen!" Disco announced theatrically as a large water tank was wheeled onto the stage, revealing a frightened mermaid inside.

The mermaid shrank away from the leering eyes of the crowd, her expression filled with panic as her fate seemed sealed.

After the Whitebeard Pirates declared Fish-Man Island part of their territory, it became increasingly difficult to capture mermaids.

"This young and beautiful mermaid is truly one of a kind!" Disco exclaimed, his eyes gleaming as he gazed at the captive.

To Disco, she wasn't just a mermaid—she was pure profit.

"Alright then! For this female mermaid, the starting bid is 500 million Beli!" he shouted enthusiastically.

With Whitebeard's protection, fewer mermaids had been caught, making them a rare commodity. Prices had skyrocketed, yet there were still those bold enough to risk angering the Whitebeard Pirates by poaching on Fish-Man Island.

"600 million Beli!"

"650 million Beli!"

The moment Disco finished his announcement, the auction room erupted into a frenzy of bids. Since Fish-Man Island was under Whitebeard's protection, mermaids had become even rarer, especially ones as young and beautiful as the one before them.

Though the bidding soared, by the time it hit 800 million Beli, the energy in the room began to wane. That price was already astronomical. Many of the wealthier bidders, who had hoped to enjoy the unique allure of a mermaid, began to reconsider.

"800 million Beli! Any other offers?" Disco urged, trying to ignite more enthusiasm. "This is a rare opportunity! A young, beautiful female mermaid—protected by Whitebeard's crew, with few ever making it to the market!"

Yet the room remained mostly quiet, whispers rippling through the crowd.

"800 million is too much."

"Even with Whitebeard's protection, mermaids will still occasionally be captured. Maybe we'll wait for the next one."

The murmurs of uncertainty grew louder. Disco, sensing that no one else would bid, was preparing to lower the hammer in disappointment when suddenly—

"One billion Beli!"

A shrill, almost foolish voice cut through the silence.

"Saint Charlos! The great Saint Charlos has bid one billion Beli!" Disco's demeanor instantly shifted to one of extreme flattery, his voice brimming with praise for the Celestial Dragon.

"Charlos, do you really want to buy a fish?" Rosward asked his son, casting a bored glance at the mermaid. "By the looks of her, she's not far from turning thirty. You know that once a female mermaid reaches that age, her tail splits, and she can bear children with humans."

"No, Father," Charlos replied, bubbles escaping from his nose as he stared vacantly at the mermaid. "I want to see if she can swim in boiling water—100 degrees Celsius."

"Swim in boiling water?" Rosward chuckled. "Hahaha, that does sound amusing. We could even invite the other families to watch."

Beside him, Sharlia also smiled, entertained by the thought.

To the other attendees, the Celestial Dragons' cruelty was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. Spending a billion Beli just to see if a mermaid could swim in boiling water was absurd—but then again, these were the Celestial Dragons, the true nobles of the world.

The mermaid's fate seemed clear: she would be boiled alive.

Around the auction house, murmurs of disgust and excitement could be heard.

"It's filthy. Truly filthy," someone whispered.

Backstage, Issho's hand gripped his cane tighter, veins bulging as his anger grew. The Celestial Dragons—the so-called rulers of the world, the ones who claimed to represent justice—were anything but noble.

Issho recalled everything he had 'seen' since arriving at Sabaody Archipelago. He had hoped that by joining the Marines, he could protect civilians. But now, witnessing this filth, he was beginning to doubt everything.

"One billion Beli! Sold! Congratulations, Saint Charlos!" Disco declared, wasting no time as he finalized the sale.

For Disco, the Celestial Dragons' word was law. He wouldn't dare question them, not after what Charlos had said.

"A billion is a bit steep," Charlos mused, pausing. "Let's make it 500 million instead."

Disco blinked in confusion, stunned by the sudden shift. 

"But, but, Saint Charlos, you—"

"Do you want to die?" Charlos' eyes flashed with menace.

"No! No, of course not! Five hundred million Beli it is!" Disco stammered, his fear palpable.

No one in the auction house dared to oppose the Celestial Dragons. After all, to them, the entire world was their playground, and rules simply didn't apply.

Satisfied, Charlos grinned broadly. 

"Hahaha!"

Rosward chuckled as well, stroking his beard.

"Should we even pay them?" Sharlia interjected, her lips curling into a smirk.

The room fell deathly silent at her words. No one dared breathe.

"Alright, you filthy mermaid," Charlos sneered as he climbed onto the auction stage, reaching out to grab her. "Come with me. And remember—walk home using your tail."

"No! Please, no!" the mermaid cried, her terror overwhelming.

"You despicable creatures..." Issho muttered backstage, his face twitching with barely controlled rage. Even though he couldn't see with his eyes, he didn't need to—he could sense the evil all around him.

His hand, now throbbing with fury, slowly tightened around his cane, his entire body seething with righteous anger.

Suddenly—

'Boom!'

A deafening roar shook the entire venue as the ceiling exploded, debris raining down on the auction house.