A few days later.
Shambles Island 1, Slave Auction House.
This was the meeting place Ross had chosen, a spot he had carefully selected.
If he didn't let Zephyr see some facts with his own eyes, how could he be truly willing?
Being his personal bodyguard was a transfer order, and Zephyr would most likely not refuse.
But after his wife and child were killed by pirates ten years ago, Zephyr had no other weakness besides his remaining faith in the Marine.
Such a person, even if he protected him, would only do so out of duty. If their values clashed one day, Zephyr might even become the one to cause his demise.
Ross didn't want to have a ticking time bomb by his side and planned to resolve the issue once and for all during their first meeting.
"Ross Saint?"
Hearing the deep voice from behind him, Ross didn't turn around, merely pointed unhurriedly to the seat beside him:
"Sit!"
Zephyr didn't have much fear of Celestial Dragons. Already annoyed by the Gorosei's transfer order, he didn't show Ross a good face, sitting down casually next to him.
The slave auction house didn't have any special private rooms. At Ross's request, the auction house arranged for them to sit in a corner of the last row, with the surrounding area cleared to prevent any interference from others.
When Zephyr finally took his seat, Ross slowly turned his head, carefully observing Admiral Zephyr, who was in his prime.
【Zephyr】
【Overall Rating: S-】
Short purple hair, a burly figure, bulging muscles, exuding an untamed and wild aura.
What intrigued Ross the most was that Zephyr was wearing a white suit exclusive to CP0. Not only did it not look out of place, but it also added a touch of "suit thug" charm.
Compared to Zephyr wearing his cloak of justice, this attire seemed to suit him even more.
So, even if he was unwilling, his conscientiousness as a Marine following orders still made him wear the CP0 uniform.
A subtle smile curved on Ross's lips as he gauged Zephyr's mental state.
As for Zephyr's strength, there was nothing to say. Even with an S-rating, he was a genuine top-tier combatant.
In the system's evaluation, Admirals, Emperors, and Kings were all considered top-tier combatants, falling within the S-rank category, but further subdivided into S-, S, and S+.
While Ross was observing Zephyr, Zephyr was also openly scrutinizing Ross.
He was initially summoned by Kong to the Fleet Admiral's office, where he was informed that a Celestial Dragon wanted to recruit him and meet with him.
In exchange, that Celestial Dragon would serve as the overt commander of the Ohara Buster Call, absorbing most of the public pressure.
After all, if the Marine destroying an island spread, even with the World Government's explanation, it would still put the Marine at a disadvantage.
The Great Pirate Era was just beginning, with pirates rising everywhere, and any Marine misstep could cause the Great Pirate Era to escalate further.
After hearing this, Zephyr agreed without hesitation. It was just a meeting; what else could happen?
But before the meeting, he received a transfer order from the World Government, promoting him from Marine Admiral to CP0 instructor.
From a functional perspective, it was considered a promotion.
However, recalling Ross's call not long ago, it was actually to make him leave the Marine to protect an unknown Celestial Dragon.
Any normal Marine would be unwilling to do such a thing, let alone Zephyr, who was currently a Marine Admiral at his peak.
If it weren't for the death of his wife and child, he wouldn't even consider retiring.
But Zephyr also knew that even a Marine Admiral could not defy the World Government.
To avoid implicating the Marine, the only choice was to obey the orders issued by the Gorosei.
Zephyr and Ross had different thoughts. Neither of them intended to speak, merely observing each other before turning their attention to the auction proceedings.
Soon after they sat down, a sudden exclamation came from the auction house entrance.
"Celestial Dragons! Celestial Dragons are here!"
"Oh my goodness, Celestial Dragons are actually participating in this auction."
"It's over, Celestial Dragons are also participating in the auction. All the good items will be chosen."
"Ah, we won't be captured by Celestial Dragons to be slaves, will we?"
"......"
A chaotic clamor erupted, and with Zephyr's hearing, he could almost hear every sound.
He subconsciously glanced at Ross, with a hint of interest in his eyes.
"Celestial Dragons are coming in!!! Quick, kneel down!"
With a startled cry from the entrance, a fat figure riding a slave, dressed in a protective suit, and wearing a glass dome entered the auction house.
In an instant, the entire auction house fell silent. Except for Ross and Zephyr, almost everyone present left their seats and knelt down in unison towards the entrance.
【Rosward Saint】
【Overall Rating: A- (Come on, hitting me can quickly summon an Admiral!)】
Looking at Rosward Saint appearing at the entrance, Ross's eyes showed a hint of interest.
If he defeated a Celestial Dragon, it seemed he could also get a B-rank reward?
These weren't Celestial Dragons; weren't they just a bunch of experience babies?
"Rosward Saint! Please take a seat in the front row."
The auction house manager walked closer, sliding on his knees all the way, making a gesture to invite him in.
"Hmm, not bad!"
Saint Rosward looked around with satisfaction, seeing the crowd lying on the ground, feeling that it was only right.
He dismounted from the slave, enjoying the reverence of the people, and walked step by step towards the very front.
But when his gaze fell on Ross's corner, his steps suddenly halted.
Someone actually didn't kneel before him?
However, when Saint Rosward clearly saw Ross's face, the anger in his heart immediately dissipated, and he shifted his gaze away, somewhat dispirited.
"It's actually Ross Saint. He was so arrogant in Mary Geoise before, and his slaves all died anyway. No, I definitely can't let him buy any good slaves this time."
Saint Rosward muttered quietly and sat down in the front row.
Only after Saint Rosward sat down did the entire auction house regain its lively atmosphere.
Zephyr raised an eyebrow, then suddenly scrutinized Ross's attire:
"You're not wearing a glass dome? Didn't they say Celestial Dragons wouldn't breathe the same air as us?"
He spoke without much reservation. After all, no matter how angry Ross got, he couldn't do anything to him, and the Gorosei and World Government wouldn't punish him for such a small matter.
If his bad attitude meant he wouldn't have to be Ross's bodyguard afterward, that would actually be a good thing.
"What's the difference between the air in Mary Geoise and Shambles? Some Celestial Dragons need to use these methods to express their nobility, but not all Celestial Dragons need to."
Ross said calmly. Celestial Dragons also belonged to different groups.
The behavior of the profligate and the elite was completely different. Others might not know, but Zephyr was an Admiral, so he would certainly have some vague knowledge.
If there was no comparison, how could his difference be highlighted?
He specifically chose this place to tell Zephyr that he was not a good-for-nothing like Saint Rosward, and that he was different from other Celestial Dragons.
The identity of a Celestial Dragon had its pros and cons. While no one dared to touch them, no one dared to approach them either.
Even those strong individuals, unless forced by the World Government, would stay far away.
"Is that so..."
Zephyr nodded slightly, saying nothing more.
However, deep down, he subconsciously felt much more comfortable.
At least from their conversation, although Ross also had the arrogance of a Celestial Dragon, he was much better than Saint Rosward, making him somewhat acceptable.
If he had to protect a Celestial Dragon worse than a pirate, he'd rather just be killed.
"Welcome, esteemed sirs, welcome Celestial Dragon sirs to the slave auction house! Today's auction house is honored by your presence."
"Without further ado, let the auction begin!"
The spotlight fell on the center of the auction house. A man in a tuxedo stood in the middle, gracefully bowing to everyone, and simultaneously announced the official start of the auction.