"One trillion Berries," Rosinante said slowly, raising a single finger.
For a moment, the entire auction hall fell into utter silence. Then, like a sudden detonation, shock rippled through the crowd.
Even Rayleigh and Zashika—men who had seen the rise and fall of countless powers—were struck speechless.
One trillion Berries.
That number was beyond comprehension.
On the stage, the auctioneer Kela was so stunned that his legs gave out, and he collapsed straight onto the floor.
"A-ah… ah!" He sat there, mouth wide open, unable to even form words for a long time.
Finally, trembling, he stammered, "Th-this… esteemed guest, I didn't mishear, did I? You just said… one trillion Berries?"
"That's right," Rosinante replied evenly. "I said one trillion."
Rayleigh's eyes glinted with sharp understanding. So this was what Rosinante intended to do.
Zashika, on the other hand, could only stare, dumbfounded. Even as a Celestial Dragon, the number one trillion was beyond imagination.
The World Government's entire annual budget didn't reach one trillion. Even the total "Heavenly Tribute" extorted from nations across the world each year couldn't touch that number.
It was an amount that could drive the whole world insane. An amount that could throw the New World into chaos.
Even the most infamous pirates with bounties over 800 million would lose their minds at the thought of such wealth.
"Are you absolutely certain?" Kela asked again, his voice shaking.
"I'm certain," Rosinante replied calmly. "One trillion Berries—if you have the courage to claim it."
"Sir… do you understand where you are?" Kela's tone turned cold as he slowly stood back up. "This is Auction House Number One—the most powerful human auction in the underground world! The kings of the underworld back us, and we do business directly with the Celestial Dragons. Prices called out here count. I advise you to think carefully before you speak."
If Kela hadn't realized by now that Rosinante had come to wreck the place, then his years on Sabaody Archipelago had been wasted.
Rosinante's expression didn't change. He stepped slowly onto the stage, pulling something from inside his coat—a shimmering golden banknote.
"This," he said, holding it up for all to see, "is an official World Government Treasury note. Redeemable at any authorized government bank for exactly one trillion Berries. I'll leave it right here. Go ahead—call your masters. Tell them to come take it. If they've got the guts."
The entire room gasped as he placed the golden note gently on the auction table.
"No way… he really brought a one trillion Berry note!"
"Is that even real?"
"It's real! I've seen one before—used for high-level government transactions!"
"No… that can't be true… can it?"
The crowd's exclamations grew louder.
Even the richest nations on the seas couldn't comprehend that sum.
But Rosinante had the means. He controlled twenty-four Sky Island nations and had seized all the gold of the ancient City of Gold, Shandora. Even so, one trillion Berries nearly exhausted all his accumulated wealth.
Originally, that fortune was meant for something else entirely—a dream project: the construction of a massive floating fortress, a mobile capital for the Grey Nation.
Because the Grey Nation had no land of its own, all its tributary nations had to rely on the living island, Pica, for diplomatic visits.
That was fine when they were in the sky. But after moving to the Blue Sea, such an arrangement became impossible. No ruler could expect ground nations to risk their lives traveling ten thousand meters upward for an audience.
For a few vassal states, Rosinante could personally arrange transport, but once his influence spread, that would be unsustainable.
So he decided—he would build a ship unlike any other. A colossal warship that would serve as both fortress and throne—a mobile kingdom.
A headquarters that could cross seas, weather storms, and never be cornered.
And to make it worthy of the Grey Nation, it had to be monumental. As vast as Moria's Thriller Bark, as magnificent as the Golden Emperor Tesoro's luxury ship, and powered by the combined genius of Sky Island technology and Blue Sea craftsmanship.
Rosinante intended to pour one trillion Berries into its creation—and if that wasn't enough, he'd spend more.
He already had the labor. The craftsmen of Sky Island would obey his word.
As for the Blue Sea's finest shipwrights—his eyes were set on Tom, the legendary builder of the Oro Jackson, Roger's ship.
But Tom was currently under government supervision. Convicted for aiding the Pirate King, he'd been spared execution after proposing the sea train project. Now, he was hard at work building it under a ten-year probation.
To hire Tom, Rosinante would need the World Government's permission. Force would be useless—Tom was loyal, not someone who built for tyrants.
Still, Rosinante wasn't worried. There was always a way.
Back on the stage, he ignored the crowd's growing hysteria. He simply turned toward Robin.
"Rosinante-nii…" Robin's voice trembled. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she looked up at him.
"Hang in there," he murmured, ruffling her hair gently.
"Mm," she nodded, her lips quivering.
Meanwhile, Kela's greed got the better of him. Trembling, he reached toward the golden note on the table.
And then—
CRACK!
A blinding bolt of lightning split the air, slamming into the stage inches from his hand.
Had he reached even a finger farther, his arm would've been fried to ash.
"You can't touch that note," Enel said with a smirk, his body crackling with electricity. "Tell your masters to come themselves."
Ryan stepped forward, his voice cold. "Our Majesty has spoken. Tell your so-called underworld kings to take it if they dare. If they can't, then they'd better crawl out of their holes and apologize to him—on their knees."
As Ryan's words echoed through the hall, Rosinante turned to the chained Robin. He reached for the iron collar around her neck.
"Wait!" Rayleigh called out sharply. "That collar's rigged with a bomb!"
The slave collars were deadly. For ordinary captives, they ensured obedience. For powerhouses like Rayleigh, they were little more than nuisances.
But Rayleigh worried—Rosinante might not know the danger. If that thing went off, the girl could die instantly.
Yet Rosinante didn't hesitate. His fingers brushed lightly against the metal—click.
The collar snapped apart.
Normally, the instant such a collar broke, the bomb inside would detonate.
But this one didn't.
Rosinante flicked his wrist, tossing the broken collar into the air—
BOOM!
It exploded midair, a fiery blast lighting up the stage.
Rayleigh's eyes narrowed, a rare spark of surprise flashing through them. "A Devil Fruit ability…?"
He stared at Rosinante for a long moment.
This man… was no ordinary former Celestial Dragon.