A few minutes later.
"Borororo, this is truly luxurious. As expected of the most extravagant entertainment venue—it's practically a paradise on earth."
Shiki lay reclining in the warm bath, with two delicate beauties standing behind him, diligently massaging his shoulders.
In the pool beside him, a total of eight girls of various appearances and postures attended to him, each exceptionally beautiful.
There was a Long-Limb Tribe girl with multiple joints in her arms, a Long-Leg Tribe girl with slender legs, a Three-Eyed Tribe girl with a third eye on her forehead, a Butterfly Tribe girl with transparent wings on her back, and even a girl from Skypiea with a pair of white wings, looking like a pure and ethereal angel.
Surprisingly, there was even a mermaid with a pink fishtail below her waist!
Tesoro hadn't been exaggerating—these girls were all highly trained.
Even when they noticed Shiki's slender legs, they showed no trace of surprise or odd expressions, maintaining instead charming, innocent, or refreshing smiles.
"Nonsense! If I'm not mistaken, this place is probably reserved exclusively for entertaining the Celestial Dragons. If Tesoro weren't so terrified of us, he'd never have brought us to this room."
Caesar lay reclining directly across from Shiki, similarly surrounded by ten beauties of various types.
When he opened his mouth, a mermaid girl with a touch of charming shyness swam over, her fishtail stirring the water.
She rested her snow-white arms on Caesar's broad chest, closed her eyes slightly with trembling long eyelashes, and offered a crystal grape held between her red lips.
Beside Shiki, the angelic girl with white wings gently held a cigar between her pearly teeth and red lips, lit it with elegant movements, took a puff herself, then leaned over and, to Shiki's astonishment, blew the smoke into his mouth.
Shiki's face instantly flushed bright red, steam almost rising from his head.
In his life, the two things he loved most were fighting and cigars.
But smoking a cigar like this? It was a first for him.
Caesar looked at Shiki's awkward expression and couldn't help but laugh mockingly.
"Shiki, look at your virgin-like demeanor. Don't tell me you're still an old virgin?"
"Bu...bullshit! I'm fucking not!"
Shiki immediately stiffened his neck and shouted.
"Borororo, doesn't matter. After today, you won't be one anymore."
Caesar threw his head back with booming laughter that echoed through the massive auction house like muffled thunder, causing the other guests waiting for the auction to begin to pale.
Someone wanted to shout insults but was urgently restrained by those beside them.
Whether they knew each other or not, whenever someone's lips twitched with the intent to curse, they would immediately be stopped by others.
"Shh! Are you trying to get yourself killed? Didn't you hear which room that voice came from!"
"Exactly! If you want to die, don't drag us down with you! That room is specially reserved for the World Nobles!"
"Ce...Celestial Dragons...?"
Compared to the blond Shiki, the taller and more imposing Caesar with horns on his head aroused even greater curiosity among the girls.
They had all been captured by slave ships and sold to the Golden Ship.
After undergoing strict training and instruction, they had mastered many useful and not-so-useful professional skills.
They knew how to read people and were even familiar with the appearances and backgrounds of members from major factions.
The girls surrounding Caesar had vaguely guessed his identity.
His steel-cast physique, the black long horns on his head, the iconic fangs, and that domineering, majestic, extremely masculine face—all revealed this man's identity!
Barbarossa Caesar!
The World's Strongest Man, Captain of the Beast God Pirates, Chairman of the Pirate Council!
With a bounty of 5.233 billion Berries, second only to the Pirate King Roger, ranking second in history.
This made the girls serve Caesar with even more trepidation and fear.
They were terrified of angering this man who dared to openly declare war on Marine Headquarters, even giving them ten days to prepare—the epitome of arrogance!
The two lay in the fragrant bath filled with petals and the scent of beautiful women, indulging in delicacies, fruits, and massages.
Caesar was getting heated by these diverse young girls, but with that old bastard Shiki still around, even he felt too embarrassed to force the situation despite his thick skin.
Opening his eyes that had been closed in enjoyment, he immediately saw the equally frustrated Shiki across from him...
"Tesoro!! How long are you going to make me wait? Hurry up and bring out those Devil Fruits! I don't have time to play games with you here!"
Caesar suddenly roared, startling the Skypiean girl and mermaid girl lying on his broad chest.
Their eyes filled with panic, they nearly burst into tears.
Caesar's roar echoed through the vast venue like thunder, seemingly shaking the entire golden structure.
His tremendous voice left all the guests in awe.
"Gasp... such a powerful voice! My ears are almost deafened!"
"This... this can't be a World Noble, right?"
"So what? Since they can sit in that room to participate in the auction, even if they're not Celestial Dragons, how low could their status be?"
The guests began whispering among themselves, secretly speculating about Caesar's identity.
Backstage at the auction house, the host who was preparing for the auction was startled by the sudden roar, causing him to knock over the table and chairs in front of him with a loud crash as he fell to the ground.
"Which bastard dares to make a racket on the Gran Tesoro? Don't you know the auctions here always start on time? There's still over half an hour until the official start, and you're already screaming like a ghost with such a loud voice? Looking to die?"
The host cursed as he climbed up from the ground, his face full of anger.
Before he could storm out to demand an explanation, Tesoro walked in through the door with a gloomy expression.
Behind him was the curvaceous and beautiful Carina.
"Lord Tesoro!"
The host immediately bowed respectfully to Tesoro.
Tesoro waved his hand: "You, get out. Carina, you'll be hosting the auction."
"No problem, after all, you're paying me," Carina said with a sweet smile, directly taking the microphone from the host's hand and the documents that had fallen on the ground before walking straight to the front stage.
The host was stunned and said in surprise.
"Lord Tesoro, the auction hasn't started yet..."
Before he could finish, Tesoro extended his right hand, the gold ring on his thumb slipping off and unfolding like silk, transforming into a ribbon that instantly swept past the host's neck.
Swish.
A thin red line gradually appeared on the host's neck.
Only then did the host react, making a hoarse sound in his throat as he tremblingly raised both hands, trying to support his head.
Thud.
But the next second, his head flew high into the air, propelled by the high-pressure blood from his neck, landing several meters away.
Tesoro's face was full of rage.
"Annoying! Don't you know I'm really pissed off right now?"
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