Speaking of the underworld, the one thing that cannot be avoided is the "arms trade" within it.
Whether in lawless areas beyond the World Government's control, the Grand Line, or within the territories of affiliated nations…
All sorts of weapons are sold in the underworld and then shipped all over the world. This is not an unusual occurrence.
The reason the underworld can achieve this isn't entirely due to their vast influence, but also partly because they have a certain "support" from the World Government.
This "support" is not ordinary "approval."
The World Government is such a massive organization. If it truly wanted to investigate, not a single person from the underworld would escape.
Therefore, for the underworld arms dealers, as long as the World Government "does nothing" and tacitly allows their transactions, that is already the greatest "support."
This is quite ironic.
Because many people in this world believe the World Government and the underworld are irreconcilably opposed.
On one hand, they resent the wars brought about by the underworld arms dealers.
On the other hand, they also hope the World Government will uphold justice for them and eliminate the underworld's "bad guys."
Everything makes it seem as though "white" is undoubtedly justice, and "black" is undoubtedly evil.
But the world as a whole is a hazy "gray."
Intertwined black and white, chaotic…
That is the gray called "chaos"!
…
In that hazy gray, the underworld exists like a giant ghost.
It strides with exaggerated steps, each one like an earthquake, its two eyes glowing with an eerie light.
Everyone caught in this dense fog can see this giant ghost, yet very few can touch its physical form.
This is what is meant by "known to everyone but illegal"!
Everyone knows it violates World Government laws, yet everyone also knows that these people—at least "today"—will not be sent to jail.
For the ordinary people living on this sea, this is quite strange, isn't it?
…
So, what role does the underworld's "arms dealing" play in this hazy gray?
Perhaps, it's a kind of "tool."
Whether "black" or "white," anyone within the fog can use it freely.
That tool is called "force"!
Everyone craves more and stronger force, because in this world, only "force" is the most fundamental foundation!
Without the brilliance of force, no matter how dazzling, it will ultimately be a castle in the air.
For example, the island of the scholars, Ohara.
The scholars within achieved what no one had accomplished in centuries, yet they were ultimately destroyed by the cannon fire of Marine warships.
Then there's the Donquixote family. Despite controlling several lifelines of the underworld, not a single person dared to covet them.
Germa 66—though their ambitions are known to everyone in the North Blue, no faction or nation has interfered or resisted them.
Kaido of the Beasts, dwelling in Wano Country.
Big Mom Charlotte Linlin, who creates her own nation of Whole Cake Island at will.
Even Rayleigh the Dark King, who lives in seclusion on Sabaody Archipelago and minds his own business…
All of this is because they possess sufficient "force"!
Merely having "value" cannot guarantee survival on this sea.
"Value" can be plundered or destroyed by others, but "force" can ensure that one's "value" is always firmly in their own hands!
This is the ironclad rule of survival on this sea.
…
On the deck.
Rowan leaned against the special lava firearm and then reached out, tapping the barrel with his knuckles.
He grinned and said, "This thing is very dangerous…"
Even Baro could easily discern the "anger" hidden in Rowan's tone.
Dangerous?
To Ryan Rowan, this weapon was not really dangerous.
Ordinary grunt soldiers could withstand a blow from this lava firearm with just a shield.
If not for the need to protect the merchant ship civilians behind him, Baro could also have easily dodged that lava cannonball.
Therefore, the "danger" Rowan spoke of at this moment did not refer to a specific person, but that the lava firearm itself represented "danger."
To put it simply, it is what is called "forceful input."
…
Forceful input—this concept might be unfamiliar to most people.
But this situation is not uncommon in diplomatic exchanges.
Imagine a "nation."
In the beginning, the strongest weapons circulating within the country were merely sharp swords and sturdy shields.
Around this nation, a group of bandits roamed, using the same swords and shields.
The nation's army clashed with these bandits, fighting sword against sword, shield against shield.
But what if, one day, a weapons merchant sold a large quantity of firearms and heavy cannons to the bandits?
Of course, the nation's sword-and-shield-wielding army would be no match for the bandits armed with firearms and heavy cannons.
The nation's army would surely be defeated!
Unless—
That nation had the ability to manufacture firearms and heavy cannons itself!
But what if that nation could not manufacture firearms and heavy cannons?
Then they would have no choice but to purchase from the weapons merchants.
In that case, only one result would occur:
Both the nation and the bandits would send their money to the weapons merchants, exchanging it for a large number of weapons.
And after that, the conflict between the nation and the bandits would continue, and because of the new weapons, both sides would suffer greater casualties!
The war became brutal, and money was lost…
Ultimately, apart from the "weapons merchant" who profited handsomely, both the nation and the bandits would be greatly weakened, perhaps even perishing in the end.
Analogous to the present.
If this special "lava firearm" were to circulate widely within Alabasta or even the Four Seas Alliance, the consequences would be predictable.
Pirates equipped with this lava firearm would be impossible for ordinary royal soldiers to deal with easily.
Even Fish-Man warriors would likely suffer casualties.
If Alabasta could not provide a countermeasure, the only solution would be to seek a solution from the underworld!
It is precisely for this reason that Rowan's tone was filled with such anger.
But Ryan Rowan was, after all, that Ryan Rowan.
He offered a completely different solution.
Since the ultimate beneficiaries are the "weapons merchants," why not simply eliminate the "weapons merchants"?
Cut off the source of "selling force," and "force" will naturally dissipate!
…
After two days of preparation.
On the third day.
A fleet, led by a Marine warship, officially set sail from Alabasta!
This force was primarily composed of the entire Marine branch at Marineford, with many elite soldiers from the Four Seas Alliance also joining.
The objective—
The largest "headquarters" of the underworld.
The New World, Wano Country!
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