One Piece: Devour Fruit — Main Volume: Assassination
Since he had agreed to Commodore Ou'an's request, he naturally had to make thorough preparations.
Intelligence might seem like mere information, but it was vital in any era.
With so many gangs joining forces, there had to be a leader capable of keeping those villains in line. The one taking the lead in West Blue this time was likely their ringleader—Weiss, the man who had connected them all.
He led one of the more powerful factions among the West Blue gangs. Cold-blooded, patient, and adept at scheming.
Once, in order to wipe out an enemy, he had publicly chosen to submit and befriend them while secretly investigating their movements. In the end, he had sent men to assassinate them in a restaurant.
He was notorious and wildly ambitious, and this plan had been proposed by him as well.
At the same time, he had used the advantages of this scheme to persuade the gangs worried about Marine retaliation:
"The gangs will provide the funds as the masterminds, shifting the Marines' attention onto the pirates. If Marine Headquarters retaliates, they will intensify their attacks on the pirates, and the gangs that value territory will inevitably slacken their suppression."
When he had united the many gangs, he had also claimed that they could use pirates to weaken the Marines, weakening both sides and expanding the overall share of the gangs' pie. It was an irresistible temptation for the many gangs.
The funds provided to the pirates were held by Weiss. If Weiss were killed, the situation would descend into chaos over that money.
Even if someone managed to stabilize the situation, Weiss's death would leave behind a vast amount of vacant territory. That was a temptation no one could resist.
If someone could swallow