Chapter 310: The Potion
The auctioneer's face turned bright red with excitement as he held up his gavel, practically dancing with joy.
This was, without a doubt, the highest final price in his entire auction career.
"Ten billion, sold!"
The gavel came down.
"Once again, congratulations to our honored guest in Box No. 4!"
Applause followed.
Charlotte calmly sipped the tea that Toki had brewed for him, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly in satisfaction.
Outside the auction hall, Sergei had been waiting. Upon hearing the announcement, he was overcome with emotion.
He had latched onto a true powerhouse—this kind of astronomical sum guaranteed him no small cut.
As the auction neared its end, only the most valuable final items remained.
Among them was the potion Charlotte had submitted earlier.
Sure enough—
The next item presented was a set of bottles.
Ten potions were brought onstage.
The crowd erupted in chatter, speculating on what it could be.
Before they could argue further, the host began explaining the effects of the item.
Upon hearing the description, many people instantly tensed up.
Several noblewomen and white-haired elders could no longer stay calm.
But none of them made the first move.
"Extending life? Is that for real? This better not be a scam!"
Doubt spread through the room.
In the VIP box, Charlotte twitched at the corners of his mouth.
These planted "doubters" were acting too over-the-top.
"Haha! Distinguished guests, whether it's real or fake, you'll know once you try it! If it doesn't work, we'll refund you tenfold!" the auctioneer loudly guaranteed, patting his chest.
Seeing that, the crowd suppressed their suspicions, deciding to bid and find out for themselves.
"The starting price for the first potion: 10 million Beli. Raise as you wish!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a voice shouted—
"Thirty million! Don't compete with me—let me test it for everyone!"
An old man raised his paddle and called out.
Seeing the old man's eagerness, the others suppressed their own urges, waiting to see if the potion really worked.
The auctioneer's smile turned a bit stiff—thirty million was... stingy.
Still, the old man walked onstage and snatched a bottle of potion, drinking it without hesitation.
One could tell just how desperate he was for life. Even a sliver of hope was worth grabbing.
After drinking it, the old man smacked his lips.
It tasted a bit sweet—no other reaction.
He frowned slightly.
But in the next moment, the spectators gasped.
The old man's wrinkled, pale skin began to glow with a healthy flush. His once snow-white hair gradually darkened with streaks of brown.
It all happened in the blink of an eye.
Whether noble, merchant, or ordinary buyer, everyone stared wide-eyed at the transformation.
"He… he just got ten years younger!"
The old man looked at himself in the mirror, stroking his face in awe.
The auctioneer was overjoyed. Even though they earned less than expected, the shocking result made it a brilliant advertisement.
Even the five heads of the island's major mafia families, who had been watching the auction through surveillance, narrowed their eyes at the spectacle.
When they first received Charlotte's consignment, they'd assumed it was just some supplement and accepted it out of courtesy.
They never imagined it would work so well.
"You said the effect was only minor?" the leader of the Ferdo family growled, grabbing the appraiser beside him.
"I-I… I didn't know either!" the scholarly appraiser stammered, stunned by the results.
"Damn it! Once it's on the auction block, we can't take it back! Our credibility would be ruined!"
Even Luciano, usually hostile toward Ferdo, put aside his animosity for now.
He gestured silently to his aide.
It was clear they planned to bid aggressively.
Ferdo also gave orders to his people.
"Luciano, even someone as young as you is going to compete with us old men?" Ferdo sneered.
"Heh. Everyone grows old someday, right?"
Luciano responded without missing a beat.
Ferdo just laughed coldly and said nothing more—but the murderous intent in his eyes grew stronger.
With the potion's effects confirmed, the bidding soared.
"One hundred fifty million Beli!"
"One hundred eighty million!"
"One hundred ninety-nine million!"
As the bids climbed, Ferdo frowned.
He could tell Luciano's men were driving up the price.
In the end, Ferdo secured the potion for 250 million Beli.
And there were still eight bottles left!
The remaining potions didn't spark quite as heated a bidding war, settling between 160 to 220 million Beli each.
In total, the ten potions brought Charlotte a staggering 1.5 billion Beli in revenue.
All the money he'd spent at the auction had instantly been recouped.
"Heh."
Charlotte raised his teacup again and took another sip.
"Neichin, from now on you're the Rockefeller Pirates' Chief Medical Officer. You'll also manage our pharmaceuticals. I'm giving you the rank of an officer."
Neichin's eyes lit up. She immediately bowed in gratitude.
When she bent forward, her graceful figure and subtle charm drew a fleeting squint from Charlotte.
But he quickly looked away.
He had no interest in Neichin. She might look young, but she was nearly fifty.
Charlotte simply couldn't bring himself to care.
The scramble for the potions ended swiftly.
Those who acquired them immediately consumed them on the spot, giving would-be thieves no chance to act.
A few ominous figures seated further back scowled—clearly disappointed.
As the two final highlights—the mermaid and the potions—came and went, only one featured item remained:
The Devil Fruits.
Treasures of the seas.
Coveted by people across the world.
Many lives had been lost in pursuit of them.
As an auction worker rolled a small cart onto the stage, he carefully opened one of the boxes.
The host lifted the lid.
Inside was a banana-like fruit marked with dark swirling patterns.
The auctioneer held it up for all to see.
"I'm sure everyone here recognizes this, right?"
He began to stir up anticipation.
"Cut the nonsense! We came for the Devil Fruits! Just tell us what it is and give us a starting price!"
Voices shouted from below, eyes locked on the prize.
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