Next Bonus, 100!!
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"If they're using poison," Gion said, her assessment calm and logical, "they'll be sending in expendables."
Doflamingo controlled a vast network. As a broker in the underworld, he dealt with a complex and varied cast of characters. If his plan was to attack G-5 with poison gas, he would almost certainly hire a group of unrelated desperados for the job.
It was all about plausible deniability.
Gion doubted someone as cunning as Doflamingo would show his face in person—it would give the Marines the perfect excuse to deal with him. He had to know that Vice Admiral Tsuru was watching his every move.
Jin just smiled. "It doesn't matter if he doesn't show up this time. They're getting desperate. As long as you stay here and keep choking their supply lines, Doflamingo and Kaido will slip up sooner or later. Doflamingo can be patient. Kaido... not so much."
Gion nodded. "I need to report this to Headquarters."
"No," Jin said, stopping her. "Just like you said, Doflamingo's network is too complex. Who knows who he has on his payroll at Headquarters, or who might sell this information to him."
Gion's brow furrowed.
"I know you want to talk about the Marines' 'Justice'," Jin continued, "but that's a slogan, nothing more. Do you really think everyone believes in it? And whose justice is it, anyway? What kind of justice? Who are you really fighting for? I'm not denying there are righteous people in the Marines, but you can't guarantee there aren't a few bad apples. If this intel leaks, what if Doflamingo gets wind of it and cancels the operation, or changes his plan?"
"There's an old saying," he added. "A commander in the field can't always wait for orders from the capital. You're the commander of this base. You have the authority to make decisions. Why not deal with the problem first, and then report to Headquarters?"
Gion shot him a look. She couldn't shake the feeling that he was trying to manipulate her, to make her question the very justice she served.
"I think I know how to be a commander, Your Majesty," she countered coolly. "And do you really think Headquarters knows nothing? About you?"
"Knows what?" Jin asked.
"You're so eager to go up against Kaido and Doflamingo because you have a conflict of interest, don't you?" Gion said, her voice sharp. "A batch of new-model rifles, very similar to the ones used by the Winter Blossom Kingdom, has appeared in the West Blue. The intelligence division at Headquarters has already investigated it."
Jin wasn't surprised. He knew that Cipher Pol, the Marines, and every other major power would be keeping a close eye on him. Advanced rifles appearing in different places—it was only natural that they would trace it back to the source.
But an investigation was one thing. An arrest was another.
The Marines couldn't touch Doflamingo.
And they couldn't touch Jin, either.
The "Justice" the Marines preached was, in reality, just the fist that protected the World Government and its Celestial Dragon masters. It was the hypocrisy of that "Justice" that had driven men like Kuzan, Zephyr, and Dragon to leave.
It was why Garp had all but checked out.
Their faith had been shaken. They had begun to seriously question what they were fighting for.
Jin just shrugged. "Maybe we have the same supplier."
"Hmph." Gion turned and left.
She had the intel. Now she had to prepare her defenses—expand patrol routes, procure gas masks. She had to deal with this threat at sea.
"Will Kaido really come?" Reiju asked, worried.
"There's a high probability," Jin replied. "The last time we met, I got the feeling he holds a serious grudge against me. And knowing him, he'll probably use this as an opportunity to try and capture you two, then use you as leverage to force me into a partnership."
Law frowned. "He's Kaido... The 'World's Strongest Creature'. Would he really stoop to that?"
Jin chuckled. "You really think he's as reckless as they say? Kaido has the heart of a warrior, but he's also a schemer. He's clever, but not wise. Besides... what Gion said just reminded me of something. I suspect their attack on G-5 isn't just about the supply lines. They're after the technology for the new rifles. The Kano Country in the West Blue used our rifles to completely overwhelm the outdated equipment of the Neighboring Kingdom. That hits Kaido where it hurts—his arms business. Aside from the official channels, he's one of the biggest underground arms manufacturers in the world. He can't afford the competition."
The world of pirates might be wrapped in the flag of dreams, friendship, and family, but when you peel back that layer, it all comes down to self-interest.
Luffy wanted to be the Pirate King. It might have been a pure dream for him, but to the outside world, it was a quest for fame and fortune.
The Four Emperors were no different. They controlled vast territories. They weren't pirates anymore; they were rulers. And if their core interests were threatened, their income would suffer. And if their income suffered, how would they maintain the massive machine that was the Beasts Pirates?
They were predators, not producers. Without the steady, high-profit stream from their arms business, their organization would crumble from within. Even with Kaido's iron grip, the research and development of the SMILE fruits required a massive amount of capital.
Where would that money come from?
You either cut costs—by further exploiting your own people—or you find new revenue streams, by waging war and plundering new territories.
It was a brutal, relentless cycle.
This was no game.
"Turnabout is fair play," Jin said after a moment's thought. "Law, you've been wanting to avenge Corazon, haven't you?"
Law looked up at him.
"According to my intelligence," Jin continued, "there's a key figure in the Donquixote Family's takeover of Dressrosa. Her name is Sugar. She's the user of the Paramecia-type Hobby-Hobby Fruit. She can turn anyone she touches into a toy. And anyone who had a relationship with the person who was turned into a toy—family, friends—they lose all memory of that person's existence. Of course, it's not absolute. A strong enough bond, a powerful enough will, can break the curse. After Doflamingo overthrew King Riku, he had her turn half the population of Dressrosa into toys. He even passed a law segregating humans and toys to control the minds of the people."
"So that's why," Reiju said, the pieces clicking into place. "Dressrosa used to be known as the 'Land of Love and Passion'. After Doflamingo took over, it became the 'Land of Love, Passion, and Toys'. It's become the country's main attraction."
"It fits his style," Law sneered. "Playing puppet master with people's lives."
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