"The Marines!?" someone exclaimed, their eyes wide with disbelief.
The person who had appeared in private suite #1 was none other than Marine Fleet Admiral Sengoku. However, Sengoku looked rather disheveled, his hair messy, and his breathing uneven.
Behind Sengoku, six other figures emerged: Marine Admirals Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru; Vice Admirals Garp and Tsuru; and another man in his late 30s wearing a white lab coat, his hands casually in his pockets.
Among them, only this man appeared completely unharmed. The others were all somewhat breathless. The man's attire suggested he was a scientist.
"Hehehe, congratulations. You are the first to pass."
The Archangel chuckled softly, offering his congratulations.
However, Sengoku's face showed displeasure at this rather hollow greeting.
"You categorize those who wish to bid, then place obstacles at the entrance of the private suites. What is the meaning of all this?"
"No comment," the Archangel replied, not bothering to elaborate. He then looked down at the crowd below.
"Those wishing to enter the upper levels, please use the stairs. A word of caution: there will be a small assessment for those who wish to enter the fourth-level private suites. Only those who pass this assessment will be granted one of the twelve exclusive seats."
"There's an assessment?!" Torn, the pirate captain from earlier, roared in anger. "Don't push your luck too far! Coming to this auction is us giving you respect!"
"You are welcome to leave," the Archangel retorted, glancing at him.
"I'm not afraid to tell you: out of the twelve private suites, apart from Suite #1, all the other eleven suites currently have people undergoing the assessment. Unlike you fools, the intelligent ones have already made their move."
Upon hearing this, several people's expressions changed immediately, and they turned to head for the stairs.
Seeing their actions, even more people began to ascend the stairs, making their way to the upper levels.
However, the vast majority remained in the first-level hall. They lacked the means to bid for the Poneglyph of Pluton and knew they wouldn't be able to secure a spot on the third or fourth levels, so they decided to simply enjoy the spectacle.
"Fufufufu..."
At this point, Doflamingo stepped onto the central red platform, facing the crowd of potential bidders. "There is one hour until the auction begins. Please wait patiently."
This time, there were no more objections. Everyone obediently took their seats, some closing their eyes to rest, some chatting in low voices, others looking up in anticipation.
Soon, new occupants began appearing in the private suites on the fourth level.
In Suite #2, the Whitebeard Pirates appeared, including many of their division commanders. Like the Marines, Whitebeard and his crew also looked somewhat disheveled.
Following them, suites #3, #6, #7, and #9 also saw their qualified occupants emerge.
Everyone looked the same—a bit battered and weary, and they all regarded the Archangel with intense caution.
"What exactly... was that assessment?" those in the lower levels whispered to each other.
Every major faction looked disheveled; this couldn't be a coincidence. Something significant must have happened.
The Archangel chuckled softly, flapping his wings, and flew toward the opposite side of the twelve private suites. There, also on the fourth level, was a row of chairs.
The Archangel settled into one of the chairs, then closed his eyes.
A moment later, a ten-meter-long Sea Dragon suddenly flew out, landing and settling into another chair.
The Sea Dragon coiled itself up, lowered its head, and narrowed its eyes, seemingly dozing off.
A few more minutes passed, and a figure clad in dark armor emerged from behind, radiating a chilling aura. He walked to the Sea Dragon's side and sat down directly.
"Hiss... Sky Sovereign, Ocean Sovereign, Earth Sovereign! Phantom's three Sovereign-level commanders!"
"No, wait! The seating arrangement clearly indicates different ranks. The central chair is obviously reserved for Emperor Vladimir. To his left is the Vice Captain, Aizen. Below them are the three Sovereigns, but..."
"But the number of chairs is wrong!"
Excluding the Captain and Vice Captain, there were ten chairs reserved for cadres of the same rank as the Sovereigns!
"Impossible!"
Someone gasped in shock. "That's crazy! Absolutely insane! How could Phantom possibly have ten Sovereign-level commanders!?"
As if in response to this exclamation, Aizen, clad in his white robe, slowly emerged from the void.
He took his seat as Vice Captain, his gaze playfully fixed on the person who had just spoken.
"How unfortunate. It is true, we of Phantom... do indeed have Ten Sovereigns!"
At these words, everyone's expression changed dramatically!
Even the top-tier factions in the fourth-level private suites were utterly aghast.
"Impossible!"
Sengoku's mind reeled in shock.
Ten Sovereigns!
This revelation completely shattered everyone's previous understanding of Phantom!
Inside private suite #1, Sengoku, who had only just sat down, immediately shot to his feet, his face filled with utter disbelief.
"Impossible! How many cadres do you have? How many members? How can there be ten Sovereign-level commanders?!"
Up until this point, the intelligence the Marines had gathered about Phantom's members barely amounted to over ten individuals in total.
Now, to hear that there were ten Sovereign-level commanders alone... How could anyone believe it, let alone dare to believe it?
"Hehehe..."
Aizen smiled, not bothering to offer any explanation.
Just then, a vibrant emerald light shimmered over the seats reserved for the Ten Sovereigns, as if spring had suddenly arrived, bringing with it the season of new life.
Everyone felt a refreshing breeze wash over them, and their restless minds calmed down.
A gentle melody of life began to play, producing soft, delightful sounds.
The next moment, the green light intensified dramatically, and a man of breathtaking beauty—more stunning than any woman—quietly took his seat in one of the chairs.
"I am the Sovereign of Life," the man's voice was light and ethereal. After speaking, he closed his eyes and said nothing further.
"The Sovereign of Life!?" Everyone was stunned, a premonition forming in their minds.
It seemed that Phantom's Ten Sovereigns were indeed real, and they were about to make their grand appearance.
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