Seastone Weapons

Ghost Bamboo Vergo, the Donquixote Family's top executive and a master of Armament Haki.

Years ago, he had followed Doflamingo's orders and infiltrated the Marines as an undercover agent.

In the future, this man would become one of the reasons for the death of Donquixote Rosinante, the Marine undercover agent.

After that, he would spend more than a decade climbing to the rank of vice admiral, earning the Marines' deep trust and becoming the base commander of the Marine G5 Branch.

In the end, at Punk Hazard, he would be defeated by Smoker and Law working together. His body would be cut into several pieces by the Op-Op Fruit's power, then caught in a massive laboratory explosion. He was presumed dead.

For now, however, Vergo was still meticulously carrying out Doflamingo's undercover mission and had already risen to the rank of rear admiral.

A few days earlier, Vergo had intercepted a call Kuro made to one of his subordinates.

Kuro claimed to have discovered BOSS Lynn Barek's whereabouts and hoped to strike some sort of deal or cooperation with the World Government, provided his safety could be guaranteed.

As the Donquixote Family's top executive, Vergo had naturally heard some insider information. He knew that it was not the World Government that had issued the bounty on Lynn, but the Celestial Dragons behind it.

Doflamingo had always paid close attention to matters involving the Celestial Dragons.

Thus, sharp-minded Vergo ignored the steak stuck to his face and immediately contacted his young master.

Upon receiving the news, Doflamingo swiftly devised a plan.

For certain reasons, he had to join the Shichibukai and become a legal pirate "recognized by the World Government."

Therefore, to achieve that goal smoothly, he needed a reason the World Government could not refuse.

Or rather, a piece of leverage against the World Government—

For example, a scandal involving transactions between Celestial Dragons and pirates.

As long as he could substantiate that matter, Doflamingo would have enough cards in hand to force the World Government to accept his request to join the Shichibukai.

This concerned the arrangements for his future plans and was of utmost importance.

Therefore, Doflamingo directly ordered Vergo, the family's top executive, to carry out the plan.

First, he had Vergo approach Kuro's side under the identity of JOKER's agent.

Then he had Kuro's side contact the World Government's CP0 and finalize the assassination plan targeting Lynn Barek.

From beginning to end, Vergo had been gathering evidence of cooperation between the Celestial Dragons and pirates.

Once Lynn died, all he had to do was put a little thought into protecting Kuro's group, and this evidence would become conclusive—a hold Doflamingo would have over the World Government!

To ensure the plan went smoothly, Vergo used his position to personally come to Loguetown and meet Kuro and his pirate ally, Krieg.

Looking at these two insects with bounties of merely ten or twenty million Beli, Vergo's eyes behind his sunglasses shifted slightly.

He still remembered the last thing his young master had told him:

"Vergo, whether you want to be an observer or a participant is up to you. You decide how to handle the situation on site. I trust you."

Vergo understood that his young master meant for him to judge how the situation should be handled.

Thus, this meticulous man had long since made his decision.

If Kuro's group successfully took Lynn Barek's head, everything would proceed according to his young master's plan, and Kuro's group would be secretly transported to the North Blue aboard a warship.

If Kuro's group failed, then—

Everyone who had seen his true face, including Lynn Barek, would be put to death!

Vergo remained silent.

Seeing this, Krieg helplessly shook his head. "What a strange fellow."

"Be careful, Brother Krieg."

Kuro smiled. "Perhaps Lord Vergo is figuring out how to kill us all once our plan fails!"

"..." Vergo remained silent, neither confirming nor denying it.

"Fail? Hahaha!"

Krieg grinned and laughed. "I might worry about other matters, but when it comes to taking Lynn Barek's head, I have absolute confidence!"

"After all, the World Government gave us a whole pile of 'interesting' things!"

As he spoke, Krieg rose to his feet, his armor clanking loudly.

Suddenly, Vergo noticed something was off.

According to the intelligence, Commodore Krieg was accustomed to wearing a suit of golden armor packed with all kinds of weapons.

Yet although Krieg was also wearing a suit of armor now, it was black!

The lingering light of dusk shone through the gap in the curtains and fell upon Krieg's armor, adding a metallic sheen to its surface.

Vergo's gaze sharpened.

That sheen was... Seastone?

The special armor Krieg was wearing had actually been forged with Seastone mixed into it!

It seems they asked the World Government for quite a lot of things to deal with devil fruit user Lynn Barek.

Vergo pondered in silence:

Special Seastone armor—its value must be astronomical. In this world, perhaps only the Celestial Dragons have the means to forge something like it!

Wait...

No, it was not just that!

Vergo's gaze shifted to the Cat Claw on Kuro's hand, then even to the swords carried by the pirates lying on the ground nearby.

Those weapons actually carried the aura of Seastone as well!

At that moment, Vergo's expression finally changed.

He frowned slightly, unable to stop himself from marveling inwardly, The Celestial Dragons really paid a steep price!

Krieg had already loosened up. He hoisted the Great War Gun beside him onto his shoulder and laughed. "I'm going to set up an ambush on the street."

With that, Krieg left the room.

Seeing this, Vergo suddenly turned and left as well.

Kuro asked in surprise, "Mr. Vergo, where are you going?"

"None of your business."

Vergo spat out those four words simply, then vanished without a trace.

A few beads of cold sweat formed on Kuro's forehead.

As expected of JOKER's agent. Even his Silent Step could not match that kind of speed!

Meanwhile, on the streets of Loguetown.

Lynn placed the two Den Den Mushi whose receivers and surveillance devices he had crushed by the roadside, then headed alone into the town.

As the "town of beginnings and endings," Loguetown was quite prosperous, with all sorts of crisscrossing streets.

Standing amid them, it was nearly impossible for Lynn to find Kuro's group's location on his own.

He was now somewhat worried that the three unlucky fellows he had planted into the brick pavement at the harbor had been specifically sent by Kuro to contact him.

"There are really a lot of people!"

Lynn scratched his head.

It was evening, the busiest time on Loguetown's streets.

Standing in the middle of the street, Lynn suddenly felt like a country bumpkin who had just entered the city.

And some people seemed to think so too.

An enthusiastic young man grabbed Lynn by the shoulder and said with a grin, "First time in Loguetown, little brother? Need a guide? One hundred Beli, and I'll show you all around Loguetown!"

Lynn looked at the young man and said calmly, "The bloody smell from the blade at your waist is already leaking out."

Swish!

In an instant, the young man who had just looked so friendly suddenly revealed a vicious glare. He withdrew his right hand, intending to draw the sharp blade at his waist.

But when he grabbed for it, it felt as though he had caught nothing.

"What?"

The young man looked down, only to find that his wrist had somehow already been broken. His entire right hand hung limply at his side.

"Who sent you? Kuro?"

Frowning, Lynn rolled up the young man's sleeve and saw the emblem of a skull flag tattooed there.

Not the Black Cat Pirates.

"The Krieg Pirates?" Lynn raised a brow and smiled. "So Kuro found himself a Pirate Alliance."

Then Lynn reached to the young man's waist and pulled out the dagger hidden there.

The pad of his finger lightly touched the dagger's edge, and a wave of weakness passed through him.

Lynn finally understood where Kuro's confidence came from.

"It's a Seastone weapon."