5 One Piece Characters Who Played the Long Con

Summary

Characters in One Piece engage in long cons with ulterior motives within organizations.
X Drake infiltrated as a pirate for Marines, unsure if he succeeded.
Kanjuro acted as a loyal ally to the Kozuki clan while secretly working for Kurozumi Orochi for over 21 years.

A “long con” refers to deceitful schemes that require a significant amount of time but could yield a massive benefit if they eventually work out. While the goal of such deceptions is usually financial gain, characters in the series One Piece frequently pursue different aims through these types of confidence tricks.

Characters often infiltrate organizations that are either on their side or the opposition, with secret agendas driving their actions. In the most extreme instances, these characters might pose as allies to a group they’re trying to deceive for years on end. These individuals have played a long game, and some of them even managed to pull it off successfully.

1. X Drake

Impersonated A Pirate For At Least 2 Years

Operated on behalf of the Marines (SWORD)

Drake, son of a former marine who chose to defect and drag him into piracy, eventually joined the marines himself, rising through the ranks to become part of their covert operations group, SWORD. To achieve this, he disguised himself as a pirate and climbed the ranks until his bounty was high enough to be recognized as one of the Worst Generation, a notorious group of rookie pirates. Later, in an attempt to infiltrate the Beasts Pirates, Drake deliberately attacked one of Kaido’s territories, potentially setting the stage for joining forces with the fearsome Beast Pirates.

During the gap in time, he officially became part of the team. It’s uncertain what his long-term goals were for joining, making it difficult to determine whether he achieved them. Later, his true identity was discovered, and instead, he aligned with Monkey D. Luffy and the group consisting of Ninja-Pirates, Minks, and Samurais. After the end of the Onigashima raid, Drake recuperated in a Marine facility. His future plans are unknown, and it remains to be seen if he gained anything, whether it be something tangible or not, from his experience on Kaido’s crew or as a pirate in general.

2. Rob Lucci, Kaku, Blueno, And Kalifa

Went Undercover For About 5 Years

Operated on behalf of the World Government (CP9)

The specialized agency CP9, known for its assassins who were essentially raised for their work due to intense training, excelled in both fighting and spying. Four of its operatives were assigned to secretly penetrate the city of Water 7 to retrieve designs for the ancient warship, Pluton, on behalf of the World Government. To accomplish this mission, Rob Lucci and Kaku assumed managerial roles at a shipbuilding company called Galley-La. Kalifa was appointed as Secretary to President Iceburg, while Blueno took up work as a bartender at a bar bearing his name.

Following the realization that Iceburg lacked the blueprints, it turned out that Franky, Iceburg’s fellow apprentice, had been given them instead. Unfortunately, he incinerated them immediately upon revealing their location, rendering all their efforts futile. To add insult to injury, Spandam, their inept leader, blamed the rest of the crew to save himself from punishment. As a result, the entire CP9 team was labeled as criminals. It wasn’t until they thwarted a plot aimed at overthrowing the government that they were once again considered favorably. Eventually, CP9 was reinstated and merged into Cipher Pol “Aigis” 0, the most powerful of all the Cipher Pols.

3. Vergo

Infiltrated Marines For Roughly 15 Years

Operated on behalf of Donquixote Doflamingo

For many years, Vergo stood by Donquixote Doflamingo’s side, making him one of the four individuals who mastered Conqueror’s Haki before ultimately dedicating his life to him. His captain entrusted him with a long-term assignment that involved infiltrating the Marines, not for a specific objective but rather to have a constant informant within their ranks. This arrangement proved beneficial on numerous occasions. Despite frequently having food stuck on his face, he managed to keep a clean slate with the Marines, even given his criminal activities.

Vergo’s most significant achievement was revealing Rosinante, Doflamingo’s younger brother and a spy working for the Marines within his crew. Simultaneously, he utilized his role as head of the G-5 Marine base to keep tabs on Caesar Clown, a subordinate and business associate of Doflamingo, who was under Vergo’s suspicion. When Rosinante’s cover was exposed by an alliance between pirates and marines, Vergo met his end from a lethal gas. Doflamingo gave the command to activate it remotely and expressed gratitude for Vergo’s long years of service before he perished. This implies that Vergo’s infiltration of the Marines might have yielded more results than what was initially apparent.

4. Kurozumi Kanjuro

Spied On The Oden Family For Nearly 21–41 Years

Operated on behalf of Kurozumi Orochi

As a follower with deep interest in the world of Wano, I unearthed that members hailing from the Kurozumi Clan were implicated in a sinister plan aimed at illegally dethroning the mighty Kozuki Clan. This treacherous act led to tragic consequences for those carrying Kurozumi blood, often ending in their untimely deaths. My parents, mere entertainers, fell victim to this brutal purge due to their clan affiliation. Later, my elder relatives, who were the very ones responsible for our parents’ demise, confided in me that they had avenged us by eliminating the perpetrators. They then entrusted me with a new mission: to infiltrate the Kozuki clan under the guise of loyalty, using my acting skills as an actor to mask my true intentions and help orchestrate their downfall.

In order to further his plans, he developed a friendship with Kozuki Oden, much like many of his other followers, by merely accompanying him. Over time, he transformed into a proficient samurai and a reliable ally, joining the Nine Red Scabbards. However, contrary to appearances, he consistently informed the Kurozumi Clan about the actions of his supposed allies, enabling them to strategize accordingly.

When the Kozuki clan was targeted for destruction at the behest of Kurozumi Orochi, Kanjuro, along with Kozuki Momonosuke and three other retainers of Oden, were sent into the future. The length of his undercover work is debatable due to this event, as he effectively functioned in that role for about 21 years. But when considering the time he spent in the future, it nearly doubles the total duration of his espionage activity.

Similar to Vergo, his long reign of deception might be explained by a chain of victories, culminating in a final defeat. The Kurozumi Clan successfully seized control over Wano, leaving the Kozuki Clan weakened during their time out of power. In the end, Kanjuro was defeated in combat by Kin’emon, but not before he unleashed the devastating force called Kazenbo as a last act.

5. Marshall D. Teach

Sailed With The Whitebeard Pirates For About 26 Years

Operated on his own behalf

As an ardent admirer, I can’t help but marvel at the cunning exploits of Marshall D. Teach, a pirate whose daring schemes are a blend of strategic foresight and fortuitous luck. His most notable swindle, which took over two decades to materialize, was based on little more than speculation. As a young lad, I dreamt of possessing the Yami Yami no Mi, and I believed, with my pirate’s instincts, that the expansive Whitebeard Pirates stood a good chance of finding it.

At twelve years old, he joined the team and quickly became a significant contributor, all while maintaining a modest demeanor. He was even given the chance to become a Division Commander, which would have given him control over a part of the crew. Yet, he turned down this offer and continued to focus on his goal. Later, when Thatch, the 4th Division Commander, found the Yami Yami no Mi, Teach killed him for it and escaped the team.

From this point onward, he accomplished numerous deeds swiftly yet yielding notable benefits. He assembled a compact and resilient team, managed to apprehend his previous superior, Portgas D. Ace, who served as the 2nd Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. This achievement elevated him to the status of warlord. Utilizing this rank, he infiltrated Impel Down and enlisted the strongest criminals into his expanding gang.

Subsequently, he assassinated Whitebeard and most of his comrades, seizing control over his late captain’s Devil Fruit ability. It appears that the time he invested with the crew proved profitable as he utilized knowledge of his former captain’s territories to acquire a substantial portion of them. Additionally, he adopted the title of Blackbeard, which was once held by his late captain.

2025-03-29 21:06