Most pirates cared a great deal about their reputation.
More precisely, reputation was a contest of soft power between pirates.
Therefore, after Apophis handed over control of the auction, Marco and the others could only bite the bullet and take over, no matter how much of a headache it was.
They couldn't exactly let Old Man be outdone by Apophis, could they?
But they really didn't have much they could bring to the table, and compared with the precious auction items Apophis had presented, their offerings paled in comparison.
What could they do? What normal pirate would be like Apophis and pursue technological advancement?
So, they could only use the simplest and most brutal way to save face—auctioning Devil Fruits.
They might not be able to compete with Apophis in other resources, but when it came to Devil Fruits, perhaps only the World Government and Marine Headquarters had greater reserves than they did across the entire sea.
Otherwise, Blackbeard wouldn't have schemed so relentlessly to loaf around in the Whitebeard Pirates.
Seeing this, the other pirates also breathed a sigh of relief.
Devil Fruits were something they could still produce if they gritted their teeth.
In fact, at most auctions, Devil Fruits, famous blades, fine wine, weapons, slaves, and islands were the main items traded.
Only now did they finally understand the sinister intent behind Apophis's "throwing out a brick to attract jade."
He was forcing them to bring out the good things in their hands and share them!
Round after round, the corners of Apophis's mouth beneath his mask curved up slightly. He was the richest person here, so most of the Devil Fruits naturally ended up in his hands.
Although he hadn't obtained any particularly powerful fruits, as strategic resources, the fruits themselves were already the greatest harvest.