June 28, 1503, Age of the Sea Circle
Ten days had passed since Orion had said goodbye to Broyé, and he was now traveling at full speed through the waters of the New World, trying to return to the West Blue within a reasonable span of time.
Although he had spent an entire week in the pirate's company, enjoying what was essentially a small honeymoon, his travel pace had not been significantly affected, and his estimation for reaching the West Blue remained the same as before: roughly one more month of sailing.
Sitting on the deck of the ship, Orion had his eyes closed, feeling the sea breeze while holding the King Cobra egg in his hand.
Previously, he had estimated that this companion beast granted to him by the system would hatch at the end of last year. However, due to the fact that he had fallen into a months-long coma after his battle against the Celestial Dragon to save Ginny, the birth of this companion beast had been delayed.
Now, as he slowly infused his Conqueror's Haki into the egg—which was much larger than his hand—he could feel the creature inside eagerly devouring the premium nourishment its master provided.
Looking at the egg resting in his palm, now red and black with a faint golden glow around it, Orion thought that this new companion beast would likely be quite special.
Despite the fact that his other three companion beasts possessed truly astonishing statuses in this world, the King Cobra nearing its birth was the only one designed for combat, and the only one that could realistically accompany him onto a battlefield.
Orion was eagerly awaiting this creature's birth, and he estimated that the moment was not far off. Perhaps by the time he returned to the West Blue, his new companion would already be by his side.
For a moment, Orion considered that once his new serpent companion was born, he could travel to the land of the Kuja, Amazon Lily, in order to visit the Boa sisters. He had a special item—the Empress's Ring—that he planned to give Hancock as soon as he saw her, so without a doubt he would need to place a visit to the legendary nation of women somewhere on his agenda.
Moreover, Orion also wanted to travel to the kingdom of Tajine, where he legally possessed a duchy granted to him by the system as a mission reward. Even though he had never once set foot in that nation, the title was valid, and he had done some research on the situation with the assistance of the Central Revolutionary Army under Ivankov's command.
Apparently, the kingdom of Tajine had just emerged from a bloody civil war that had caused partial destruction throughout the country and the deaths of countless nobles. A new monarch had ascended to the throne after her faction triumphed in the war for the crown, and she was the niece of the former king.
This young woman, who was supposedly barely a teenager at the moment, was said to be an extremely capable queen despite her appearance suggesting otherwise. In barely a year, she had reorganized the kingdom after the devastating civil war that had shaken the entire nation, and Tajine was already showing signs of economic and social recovery under her command.
As for Orion's specific title, he was the Duke of Aït-Ben-Skar. Although Ivankov had not been able to provide overly detailed information regarding this territory, it was well known throughout the kingdom that the duke in charge had been missing for years, and that the administration of the region was poor and neglected, leading to all kinds of problems.
Orion knew that the system had simply given him the title of the previous missing duke, and that, due to the civil war and the kingdom's dramatic shift in leadership, he now had an opportunity to present himself before the new queen and take true control of the territory.
After all, in the world of nobles, only profit mattered. If the new queen of Tajine believed that Orion was capable of generating benefits by taking control of the Duchy of Aït-Ben-Skar, then naturally the title granted by the system would be fully accepted.
On the other hand, if he was unable to generate any benefit for the crown… then he would simply be a criminal usurping a title.
Orion considered the duchy of Aït-Ben-Skar granted by the system to be a good opportunity to establish a base in the Grand Line, so he had no intention of wasting the chance to go and claim his lands before Tajine's new queen.
However, he had been very busy lately searching for the Ope Ope no Mi, which had prevented him from carrying out his plans on that front.
Putting away the King Cobra egg—which was trembling with joy after being fed Haki—Orion let out a soft sigh, thinking that he had far too many things to do and far too little time.
In addition to visiting Tajine and Amazon Lily, Orion also wanted to travel to the underground city of Poober Cedy to see his subordinate Sharinguru, who was training tirelessly to become the best blacksmith in the region while expanding his political network just as Orion had instructed.
He also wanted to go to Marineford to retrieve his fiancée and childhood friend Gion. She possessed incredible talent, strong enough to potentially reach an admiral's level in the future, and Orion had been considering recruiting her for quite some time.
Even though she was currently part of the Marines, he was certain that she would leave everything behind to join his kingdom if he went in person to ask her.
The reason Orion had not done this until now—beyond how troublesome it was to infiltrate the heart of enemy territory—was that he believed Gion was currently in an environment extremely favorable for her training.
Not only could she accumulate a vast amount of experience fighting pirates under the command of the Navy's elite troops, but she also had figures like Garp from whom she could learn, something that was certainly not available just anywhere in the world.
On the other hand, Orion also had several pending matters in the South Blue, the most significant being the attack on the kingdom from which his family had been exiled many years ago, as well as the creation of new organizations that would help him expand his influence on a global scale.
In addition, he needed to take care of improving the distribution of the medicines produced in Dressrosa, and he had a plan to destroy Umit and replace him in the process.
The more he thought about the future, the more he realized how many things he still had pending, and he couldn't help but think that perhaps he would soon need to start delegating more of his tasks in order to avoid collapsing under the weight of his responsibilities.
At present, Orion already delegated a large portion of his responsibilities to his subordinates and relatives, but as his power and influence continued to grow, the number of things he needed to delegate grew as well. After all, his energy was limited, and he needed to focus on increasing his strength as much as possible.
Only if he possessed enough power to face the monstrous beings of this world would he be able to protect everything he had worked so hard to build over the years.
While Orion was thinking about all these matters, one of the mercenaries traveling with him back to the West Blue approached with a respectful posture.
"Boss, we've spotted an island in the distance. What are your orders?"
The mercenary stood firmly with a rigid posture, as though he feared showing even the slightest hint of laxness before Orion.
Although Orion felt somewhat uncomfortable with this new behavior the mercenaries had adopted toward him, there was nothing he could do about it, since after witnessing his combat prowess again and again, they had developed a sense of fear and admiration toward him.
Over the past week, Orion had spoken with them and had successfully recruited them, deciding that once they returned to the West Blue, they would be transported to the South Blue to become part of the new mercenary company he planned to establish.
With his new status as their employer, Orion had noticed the drastic change in the mercenaries' attitude toward him, as they had begun calling him "boss" and behaving in a much more reserved manner.
Personally, Orion preferred a more relaxed atmosphere, similar to before, back when they were unaware of his true abilities. However, there was nothing he could do to change their behavior, since the mercenaries simply felt more comfortable acting far more cautiously around him than before.
The only exception was Kiko, the former leader of Green Kamakiri—he had also accepted Orion's offer to travel to the South Blue, so he would dissolve his mercenary company upon returning to the West Blue—who continued treating him exactly the same as always, though that was largely because the two had become friends.
Besides, Kiko believed Orion was his daughter Kat's partner, and that was also part of why he acted so naturally around him, since they were family after all!
Orion made no attempt to correct the energetic mercenary's misunderstanding, because although his current relationship with Kat was not a romantic one, he did not rule out the possibility that it might become so in the future. After all, the young woman was clearly attracted to him, and Orion had to admit that she was very beautiful.
Kat had been sent by Orion to join Olive's crew, so he suspected that in the future, whenever he visited the sensual pirate, she would bring her subordinate straight into the bed with her just as she had done with her vice-captain Ginrummy the last time.
Orion opened the system screen and looked at the map, which showed that the area where the island lay was still unexplored and shrouded in darkness. Seeing that there was no marker indicating the presence of a Named Character, Orion decided not to stop at the island.
With their current travel speed, it would take another month to return to the West Blue, and he did not want to waste time unnecessarily. Moreover, he had a large stock of food and other essential supplies stored within his system inventory, so there was no need to stop and resupply for the long journey.
With that in mind, Orion looked at the mercenary standing rigidly before him, ready to tell him to continue sailing at full speed without approaching the island. However, at that exact moment, a bell chimed in his mind, and new notifications appeared on the system screen, forcing him to change the words he had been about to speak.
*Ding*
*New Mission Available*
*Mission 23 – Strategic Resource
Description: On the island known as Jewel Island, there is a large deposit of Dyna Stones. This strange mineral is the miraculous result of an ancient event, and it has the ability to alter the balance of power in the world. Now, Jewel Island has caught the attention of the World Government, which is currently deciding how to act regarding it.
Objective: Prevent the World Government from seizing the Dyna Stone deposits on Jewel Island.
Reward: SP, KP, blueprint for Dyna Stone–related machinery, Dyna Stone projectiles.
(The rewards will vary depending on mission performance: amount of Dyna Stone obtained by the World Government)*
Orion read the mission's contents, and his expression turned solemn. Although he did not know what Dyna Stones were, and this was the first time he had even heard the term, he understood that if the World Government already had its eyes on this resource, then it had to be genuinely valuable.
Moreover, the system would never have issued a mission like this if it were merely a valuable resource without monumental importance. For example, if this island happened to contain a large gold deposit, the system would probably not have issued a mission about it.
For that reason, Orion immediately decided that he had to tackle this mission with complete seriousness, refusing to give the World Government even the slightest chance to further increase its power.
Even so, he knew nothing about the current situation on this island called Jewel Island, nor about what plans the World Government had regarding it. The first step was undoubtedly to investigate the situation thoroughly, acting swiftly and decisively.
Because of this, Orion changed the words he had been about to say in response to the mercenary and instead declared,
"We're heading to that island at full speed. I want to get there as fast as possible."
The mercenary noticed the sudden shift in Orion's attitude—now serious, with a faint frown—and immediately replied in a hurried, affirmative tone before rushing off to carry out his boss's orders.
Meanwhile, Orion closed his eyes and used the special connection he shared with Shyarly to contact her and let her know he would once again be delayed. Even though he knew nothing about the situation yet, it was obvious he wouldn't be able to handle it in just a few days, so his return home would once more be postponed.
…
Meanwhile, in distant Marineford, the Marine Headquarters, a major commotion was underway.
"Attention, the next point to discuss is related to the deposit of a strange mineral called Dyna Stone on an island in the New World," said Sengoku, who was presiding over this meeting of high-ranking Marines at Headquarters.
"Garp! Are you listening to me?!" Sengoku suddenly yelled, throwing the pen he had been holding straight at Garp, who was sleeping with his arms crossed and a gigantic snot bubble inflating from his nose.
The pen struck Garp without him making the slightest effort to dodge it, causing the legendary Marine hero's body to be flung backward, crashing into a nearby wall.
Even so, Garp continued sleeping on the floor, paying absolutely no attention to what was happening around him. There was nothing anyone could do; these official meetings always made him unbearably sleepy.
Sengoku let out a bitter sigh at the extravagant behavior of his oldest comrade, yet he did not attempt to call his attention again, as doing so would be far more troublesome than simply ignoring him and finishing the meeting. In any case, what they were about to discuss had nothing to do with Garp.
"The World Government has shown great interest in this newly discovered mineral, and they have ordered us to prepare an expedition to analyze its possible exploitation and application in the future," Sengoku continued, while the assembled vice admirals and admirals examined the reports that had been prepared for the meeting.
"The head of the scientific department, Dr. Vegapunk, will personally inspect this new resource, so Cipher Pol and the Marines will be working together this time to ensure the safety of both Vegapunk and the deposit," Sengoku said, observing the varied expressions on the faces of the high-ranking Marines present.
In that room were some of the most powerful Marines in the organization, and among them were quite a few familiar faces that Orion would undoubtedly have recognized if he had been there.
"Before assigning personnel to this expedition to Jewel Island, I would like to know if there are any volunteers interested in participating," Sengoku said, looking directly at Kizaru, one of the most promising vice admirals in the Marines, clearly signaling with his eyes that he wanted him to volunteer.
However, Kizaru simply displayed his usual carefree expression while ignoring Sengoku's stare.
On the other hand, several others immediately rushed to volunteer for the mission, eager to accumulate more merit. Among these volunteers, the one trying the hardest to secure a spot was Vice Admiral Prodi, who was always looking for ways to climb the Marine hierarchy.
In a certain sense, he was somewhat similar to Grodiger, although unlike the deceased swamp man, Prodi had certain moral limits he would never cross. While he was constantly trying to earn merit, he did so from a position as clean and free of wrongdoing as possible.
Sengoku noticed that Borsalino was ignoring his stare, and he shook his head, thinking that this young man was incredibly talented but also tremendously lazy. Looking around, the fleet admiral took note of the Marines who were volunteering for the mission, and finally said,
"Very well, then on this occasion Vice Admiral Prodi will be the one to accompany Dr. Vegapunk on this mission."
Prodi clenched his fists in a victorious pose before giving Sengoku a solemn, formal salute, declaring that he would put his life on the line to ensure Dr. Vegapunk's safety.
Kizaru, on the other hand, let out a sigh of relief, thinking he had managed to avoid a tiring trip and a troublesome mission where he would have to babysit Vegapunk, although it was true that it would have been pleasant to see his friend, the famous scientist considered the most intelligent person in the world.
However, Kizaru's relief did not last long, because Sengoku fixed his gaze on him and said,
"In addition, you will also go on this mission, Borsalino. You already have experience dealing with Vegapunk, so your presence will simplify things."
Seeing the aggressive smile on the Fleet Admiral's face, Kizaru knew he could no longer pretend to be distracted, although he truly had no intention of doing so now that the order had come directly from Sengoku. Even though he tried to avoid troublesome situations due to his innate laziness, he was a very loyal and disciplined Marine when it truly mattered.
If they asked him to take a mission voluntarily, he would almost always try to avoid it, but if he was ordered to go, he would never refuse a superior's command, even if he still displayed a tired and slightly irritated demeanor.
At that exact moment, the snot bubble on Garp's nose burst with a loud noise that made Sengoku's eyebrows twitch in irritation and caused the palms of his hands to itch, signaling his uncontrollable desire to beat up his infuriating old friend.
"Ah, wait! I don't want to go on that mission!" Garp said as he got up from the floor, brushing off his clothes.
A large vein bulged on Sengoku's forehead, and transforming his body with his Devil Fruit, he swung a slap at Garp, who immediately countered with a kick, creating a huge commotion inside the meeting room.
"What do you think you're doing, Sengoku?! You want to fight?!" Garp said indignantly as he rolled up the sleeves of his suit.
"You're the one who wants to fight! If you've got nothing useful to say, then stay quiet!" Sengoku shot back, irritated by the behavior of his long-time friend and comrade.
Obviously, he was not "truly angry," but this was simply the dynamic of his relationship with Garp, and all the high-ranking Marines present knew it well, so none of them reacted at all when they saw the two begin arguing and even exchanging blows.
Eventually, Garp stuck a finger in his ear and cleaned out the wax in a carefree manner while wearing a disdainful expression, and said,
"I was just saying it because I know you, and I know you won't send only that brat Kizaru on such an important mission. But I'm telling you again—I'm not going!"
If there was something Garp could not stand, it was this kind of bureaucratic mission, where he wouldn't get to fight anyone strong or protect any civilians. If Sengoku asked him to go on a mission like that, he would resist with all his might!
"Who said I was going to ask you to go?! I'll tell Zephyr to join the mission!" Sengoku barked, completely irritated with Garp.
"Oh! Old Z, then there's no problem! Hahahaha!" Garp replied, sitting down again with his arms crossed and falling asleep almost immediately.
Sengoku felt the vein on his forehead was about to burst, but he finally sighed and continued the meeting, paying no attention to Garp and his usual extravagant antics.
Handing the goat beside him the document containing the final mission details, Sengoku explained Zephyr's participation and that of his elite unit on this occasion. The other Marines present simply nodded at Sengoku's words, listening carefully to the fleet admiral's planning.
…
Meanwhile, at that same moment, Cipher Pol was also holding a meeting to address this joint mission with the Marines to Jewel Island, and the one leading the meeting was none other than Spandine, the current leader of CP9 and one of the main figures behind the Ohara tragedy and the hell that Robin had lived through years before.