"We'll hold it here."
"Fufufu... I couldn't be more pleased to hear it."
"Starting tomorrow, you will notify all major factions and send them the location details," Vladimir instructed further.
"Shall we send out formal invitations to the auction?"
"There's no need. If people want to come, they can come—so long as they aren't afraid of dying!"
Vladimir chuckled softly.
By the time the auction begins, all the major powers from across the world will have gathered at the Sabaody Archipelago. Every single faction here is dangerous and ruthless. Any ordinary person who dares to show up risks crossing paths with someone powerful enough to kill them instantly.
That is exactly why Vladimir ordered the civilians to be cleared out. Though he cared very little about the lives of ordinary people, he did it simply because he didn't have to do the work himself.
"Fufufu... I understand. I'll take care of everything!"
Doflamingo grinned, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
This was destined to become a historical event, and as someone playing a key role in it, he was standing right at the center of the tide of history!
Even the legendary Gol D. Roger never pulled off anything on this scale. Only Phantom was capable of such grand gestures.
"If this auction leads to an unforeseen war... then after the fighting ends, the world will truly enter a new era—one where a single emperor rules supreme, replacing the age of the Four Emperors!"
Doflamingo thought to himself, feeling a surge of excitement rising within him.
...
Marine Headquarters - Admiral Sengoku's Office
Sengoku received an official notice sent from the Sabaody Archipelago.
"What did you say?!" He slammed his fist down on his desk for the third time, shattering the wooden surface into pieces. "Phantom is holding their auction at the Sabaody Archipelago?!"
"Y-Yes, sir..." The soldier reported, trembling with fear. "The Warlord Doflamingo has already begun clearing civilians off the island, and he asked us to help arrange for their relocation."
"Bastards! Those lunatics from Phantom!"
Sengoku seethed with rage, so furious he could have crushed everyone present with a single blow. "The Sabaody Archipelago is right under our noses—it is the private domain of the Celestial Dragons! Holding an auction in such a place is nothing but a direct provocation!"
Provocation. Pure, unadulterated provocation. He could think of no other reason for them to choose this location.
This massive auction wasn't being held in the New World, where such events usually took place. Instead, it was being hosted on an island at the halfway point of the Grand Line. Anyone could see what they were trying to do.
But even though he recognized it as a deliberate insult, Sengoku had no choice but to cooperate. After all, there were hundreds of thousands of civilians living on the archipelago.
Taking a deep breath, he ground his teeth together and issued his orders: "Make sure every movement at the Sabaody Archipelago is monitored closely. Record every single faction or individual that arrives there in the coming days. Now... send Kizaru to handle the relocation of the civilians!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Wait—there's more. Send Garp to keep an eye on Phantom! Report any and all changes or activities immediately!"
"Send Vice Admiral Garp... Y-Yes, sir!"
Garp was only called upon for matters that even the Admirals found difficult to handle. Only when facing threats of the highest caliber would the 'Hero of the Marines' be deployed.
Yet, during this time, Phantom remained completely silent.
The floating island that had hovered above the Seven Water's capital suddenly moved and appeared over the Sabaody Archipelago one day.
That was the only change. Nothing else happened at all.
For a while, the entire world seemed to fall into an eerie, unnatural calm. Even pirate conflicts and battles decreased dramatically.
The Marines, meanwhile, began massing their forces. They deployed elite units numbering over one hundred thousand soldiers, and hundreds of warships were stationed in the waters just outside the headquarters' entrance.
Not only that—the Four Emperors, the Ten Great Families, the World Government, all major nations, and even legendary pirates who had long since retired from the scene—all began to resurface and make their presence known.
Everyone was preparing for something. Everyone, that is, except Phantom. They had vanished completely, as if they had retreated into hiding.
Time passed quickly, and before long, a full month and a half had gone by.
This day marked the official opening of the World's Greatest Auction!
The winds of change were blowing, and heroes and factions from every corner were converging.
The Sabaody Archipelago was busier and more crowded than ever before.
All the civilians who had lived there had already been moved out and relocated to Marineford by the Marines.
Everyone present now belonged to some powerful faction or organization.
Their numbers exceeded one hundred thousand, making the crowd incredibly diverse and chaotic. If Phantom's floating island wasn't hovering high above their heads, order would have collapsed completely long ago.
At noon on this day, people began gathering in large numbers at Area 1.
Without needing to be told, everyone could see a magnificent, towering building standing prominently on the island.
"What is that place?"
Suddenly, someone with sharp eyes spotted something unusual. At the entrance to the auction venue, twenty-six wooden stands had been erected. Bound tightly to each one was a man.
The men were stripped of all their clothes except for a pair of shorts.
Their faces were pale, and they looked weak and on the verge of death.
"The man on the far left is the captain of the Treasure Hoarder Pirates!"
"And that's Warlord Crocodile! And former Warlord Gecko Moria too..."
"All of them are famous, powerful pirates!"
"I see now. I remember that Phantom captured a group of people not long ago and put them on public display. These must be exactly those twenty-six men."
"Hmph... Are they trying to send us a warning?"
Everything that had happened above the Seven Water's capital was no secret—almost every faction had received information about it.
Still, seeing these captives displayed at the entrance of the auction made everyone feel uneasy and resentful.
Phantom was sending a clear message to all of them: Do not cross us.
Just then, a loud laugh echoed across the area.
"Fufufufu... Welcome, all great heroes! We are delighted to have you all here to attend the World's Greatest Auction hosted by Phantom!"
____________________
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