One Piece is one of the greatest shonen series of all time. It is because of Oda's continued efforts that the series has maintained an extremely high level of quality. Oda's storytelling is second to none and his ability to write a character is just as good if not better. However, the thing that makes Oda special is his foreshadowing, some of which can be traced back to hundreds of chapters.
Oda is not new to using plot twists to make things more interesting, and one of the best examples was in the recent One Piece chapters when it revealed that Buggy had been named one of the Yonko. To add more spice to things, Oda also confirmed that Buggy had started his own organization known as the Cross Guild. The Cross Guild is expected to play a major role in the series, but there is still a lot that the fans don't know yet.
What Is The Cross Guild?
The Cross Guild has been created by Buggy, and he has two former Shichibukai, Mihawk and Crocodile working for him. It is a huge accomplishment for Buggy to get two huge names to work under him. Mihawk's reason for joining the Cross Guild remains unknown, but it is very odd considering Mihawk is not fond of serving anyone. He doesn't even have a crew, and he has been a lone wolf ever since the series began.
The only reason that comes to mind is that Mihawk realized that he could not fight against the Navy on his own, and he needed help to survive. Crocodile has been in the New World for quite some time, but he has not been involved in any fights. Crocodile is a known genius, and there is no telling what he has been planning ever since he entered the New World. The opportunity to work under a Yonko is pretty special, and considering the fact that Buggy is actually weak, both Crocodile and Mihawk know that they will have a great deal of freedom under him.
How Did They Affect The Marines?
Before the Cross Guild was formed, the Marines had a big advantage over the pirates because of the bounty system. The bounties placed on pirates, not only made the Marines go after them, but it also provided the initiative for the common people, bounty hunters, and sometimes even other pirates to capture the criminals with high bounties. The best example of how effective the bounty system is can be seen by taking a look at Nico Robin.
After Robin fled from Ohara, a bounty of 79,000,000 beris was placed on her head. At the time, Robin was only 8 years old, and she had absolutely no one who would look after her. The high bounty on her head caused her many problems. Even her relatives were swayed by the prospect of becoming rich, and they tried to make sure that the Marines captured her. Luckily, Robin managed to survive and once she found the Straw Hats, she knew that she was safe. This is just one example of how much a person can be hounded if they have any kind of bounty on their head.
By putting bounties on the heads of the Marines, the Cross Guild has effectively canceled the advantage that the Marines had over pirates and other criminals for a long time. It is about time the hunters became the hunted. It is unclear who came up with the idea to put bounties on Marines, but considering Crocodile's intelligence, it is likely that he was the one who came up with the idea as it was a great opportunity to take down the Marines.
The bounty placed on the Marines gives the criminals an edge as they outnumber the Marines by quite a significant margin. Any Marine who is foolish enough to wander will likely suffer serious repercussions, and it will give Akainu something to think about.
How Important Is The Cross Guild?
The Cross Guild will become more important with time. The true nature of the organization is unknown but considering it has been formed so late in the story, it will be significant to the plot. As long as the Cross Guild exists, the Marines will have no rest, and they will be hunted. This will help the Revolutionary Army a lot as the Marines were a big hindrance to their plans. If someone takes out one of the top Marine officers, it will provide a significant boost to the Revolutionary Army.
The other pirates will also benefit from the existence of the Cross Guild. They will be able to roam the seas more freely as they won't have to worry about the civilians and bounty hunters as much as they used to. If the Cross Guild manages to make a big dent in the Navy's armor, it will no doubt send waves throughout the world, and it will affect the reputation of the Marines, and they cannot afford to have any kind of stain on their reputation, as it would make them look weak, and it would encourage criminals throughout the world to attack them.
Also, with the creation of the SSG, the criminals of the world needed help, and the Cross Guild will provide that. It is unclear when the SSG will start rolling out the results of their experiments, but it is plausible to assume that it will happen sooner rather than later. With things in One Piece getting chaotic, the fans can expect the Cross Guild to be very influential in the future.