"A dragon?!"
Everyone aboard the merchant ship was struck with terror. Dragon-type creatures were extremely rare, and this one was over twenty meters long, with fangs bared and claws outstretched. The moment it entered the sea, it sent towering waves crashing in every direction.
"Don't panic! It's just a Sea King!"
The rotund captain bellowed at the top of his lungs. "Aim the cannons and fire!"
Almost immediately, the crew responded. With a deafening boom, a solid cannonball launched straight toward Yato.
In this era, even naval cannons didn't have grapeshot, just solid shot. And to Yato, one cannonball was nothing more than a light itch.
He casually swatted it aside with one massive claw.
"If you had fired a full volley, maybe you'd have scratched me. But this? You're just playing games."
Flexing his talons, Yato locked eyes with the crew, dragon eyes glowing ominously from dozens of meters away.
"It can talk?!"
Now the panic really set in. While dragon-shaped beasts weren't unheard of, a talking Sea Dragon? That was something else entirely.
"C-Captain?" The sailors all turned to their leader.
But the captain himself looked utterly lost. It was his first time facing a pirate crew bold enough to raid a Heavenly Tribute ship, and his first time seeing a dragon that could speak.
Seeing their stunned expressions, Yato sighed with boredom.
"So not even one combatant on board, huh? Makes sense, I guess. Who in their right mind would dare rob the Heavenly Tribute... Only someone as mad as Hancock."
He paused, then asked silently in his mind, "Phantom, scan the ship, any signs of mysterious energy?"
A blink later, the Dream Gene answered: "Scan complete. None found."
"No one? In that case, I won't hold back."
With a powerful roar, Yato sprang into action.
His massive tail, hidden just beneath the waves, whipped into motion. In a flash, he launched his entire body forward like a blade, slicing through the ocean.
Even the twin sea serpents that pulled the Kuja ship were known for their speed, yet in terms of raw burst power, Yato as a Sea Dragon was superior.
Whoosh!
His gigantic frame plowed through the sea, and with one crashing motion, his dragon head rammed directly into the merchant ship's hull.
Boom!!
The impact rocked the vessel violently. The whole ship nearly capsized. Several sailors on the railings were flung into the sea by the shockwave.
"C-Captain! We're taking on water!" someone shrieked in panic.
"She's gonna sink!"
"Monster!!"
Chaos broke out on deck.
Yato, however, paid them no mind. His head had already crashed into the storage hold, and several ornate chests immediately caught his eye.
With one swipe of his claws, the iron locks on the boxes snapped open. Inside, mounds of gold, silver, gemstones, and priceless treasures.
"Jackpot."
Yato's eyes lit up. Without hesitation, he opened his jaws and bit down on one treasure chest, while his claws grabbed two more, one on each side.
In the next instant, he twisted his body and burst through the ship's hull, diving back into the sea.
"Guardian Deity!" Amanda cried out in alarm.
Hancock, standing beside her, frowned slightly. Something didn't feel right.
And in the very next second, her instincts were proven correct.
They watched as the Sea Dragon turned tail and bolted, swimming away at lightning speed without a single glance back.
"Little Empress, this dragon won't be playing with you anymore. I'm taking the loot and heading out. Farewell! Until we meet again, hahaha!"
His laughter echoed across the sea as the Sea Dragon sped away.
"Guardian Deity!" a dozen stunned Kuja warriors called out in unison.
"I was never your Guardian Deity. Thanks for everything these past few days, bye-bye now."
The voice faded rapidly. Within a few blinks, even his shadow had disappeared.
Everyone, including the stunned survivors on the merchant ship, was completely dumbfounded.
Only Hancock's face shifted rapidly from pale to flushed, before finally twisting into a rage-fueled fury.
"You bastard! I won't forgive you! I'll hunt you to the ends of the earth, rip out your dragon sinew and peel off your dragon hide!"
,
Yato, meanwhile, was in high spirits.
He had just robbed a Heavenly Tribute ship, and Hancock was left holding the bag. Even if trouble came, it'd fall on her head. Not that he was afraid of trouble.
By nightfall, Yato came ashore, lugging a massive sack full of gold and jewels.
His destination? Sabaody Archipelago.
A place full of pirates, crooks, and underground syndicates. No one would ever expect that someone who'd just robbed a Celestial Dragon ship would waltz straight into the World Nobles' backyard to fence the goods.
He entered a private VIP room in an underground auction house.
An old appraiser with glasses studied the gems on the table intently.
"This… This is the legendary Super Emerald from the coronation crown of the Thirteenth King of the Kingdom of Aisanel in the North Blue?! Its value is no less than 80 million Berries!"
Beside him, a man in a sleek suit had stars in his eyes.
"What about this dagger?"
"That's a golden blade forged by a national-level smith from the Kingdom of Elitya in the South Blue. There are only ten in the entire world, worth at least 50 million."
"And this?"
The suited man pointed to another item.
The old appraiser's eyes narrowed in suspicion before they suddenly widened in excitement.
"Is this… Ice Silk from the famous Ice Island? Legend says clothing made from this material keeps you cool even in the hottest summer. This bundle alone, ten years' worth of supply!"
He paused, then turned to glance at the cloaked man sipping tea across from him.
"These are all exclusive to Celestial Dragons. Sir… where did you acquire these?"
"Not your business. What I want to know is, how much?"
Yato's voice was calm. "Don't tell me you people have items you're too scared to sell."
Before the appraiser could speak, the suited man quickly stepped in.
"Of course not, sir! We never ask where the merchandise comes from. If it enters this house, it's just product."
"I like your attitude." Yato smirked. "I'm selling everything here. Total it up."
"Right away!"
The suited man grinned and began tallying the values.
The bag Yato brought was overflowing with treasure. Each item worth at least several million, some easily over 100 million.
And this was only half of what he had taken. The rest he'd kept hidden, not intending to sell just yet.
It took nearly half an hour to finish the appraisal.
"Sir," the suited man said respectfully, "you've presented 29 items in total. Estimated market value: 595 million Berries. We'll round it up for you, 6 million."
"Six hundred million?!"
Even Yato, mentally prepared, was a little stunned.
Just one raid, and he walked away with 600 million?
Heavenly Tribute ships were obscenely rich!
And this was only half the haul. If he sold it all, he'd probably clear a billion.
But that also gave him a headache. Carrying that much cash, even in bills, would take six crates. Way too conspicuous.
"Give me a bank note. One hundred million in cash, five hundred million in credit."
"Understood. Please wait a moment."
A few minutes later, Yato was handed the funds. The suited man also presented a gold membership card.
"This is our auction house's VIP card. With this, you'll enjoy a 5% discount on all purchases."
Yato flipped it in his hand. The surface was plated in gold.
The man continued, "Actually, tomorrow we're hosting a major auction. You're welcome to attend."
"What's being auctioned?" Yato's eyes flickered slightly as he asked casually. "Any Devil Fruits?"
"Devil Fruits?" The man blinked. "Yes. Just one. But as a VIP, I can tell you directly, the reserve price is one hundred million."
"One hundred million, huh?"
Yato nodded thoughtfully, then chuckled.
"Got it. I'll be there tomorrow. See you then."
With six hundred million now in his pocket, Yato was feeling quite pleased.
If he could snag that Devil Fruit tomorrow, he'd finally unlock his third transformation.
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200 P.S = 1 Extra Chapters