User blog comment:Neko Neko no Mi Model: Russian Blue/This is not Chapter 708/@comment-2109035-20130502202841/@comment-7614831-20130502230640

Yes, it's tricky to see where Oda's going with the substantial amount of named characters he's introduced so far. As these are the preliminaries, he probably won't want to draw the fights out too long either.

I suppose one theory could be that any prospective Emperor of the New World needs allies, and perhaps Oda's setting these guys up as just that. Whatever happens, Dressrosa's going to get messy >:D Shame really, as it looks a nice place to go on holiday.