Buggy guessed it.
But not completely.
It was true that ever since Orin had set sail, despite identifying as a pirate, he had never confirmed a specific Jolly Roger, nor had he publicly claimed affiliation with any particular pirate crew.
The Black Gun Pirates?
The Free Pirates?
None of that. In most reports, they were simply referred to as "Orin's crew."
Most of the time, just the name "Black Emperor" alone was enough to shake the seas.
From Orin's own perspective, forming a pirate crew held no real interest for him. He wasn't chasing the One Piece, nor did he have some dream that required a team to achieve.
Even taking in Mihawk and Crocodile was just a matter of personal interest and a way to enjoy life more.
Pirate King?
If anything, Orin might just join the competition for the title as one of the twelve contenders—purely for fun.
But the one he'd support probably wouldn't be Luffy.
He still wanted to test whether the protagonists from the movie specials were really that unbeatable.
Like a final boss lurking behind the scenes, Orin had already laid out a wicked little plan.
...
Year 1501 of the Sea Calendar.
After the conference at the Sabaody Archipelago, not much had really changed in Orin's daily life.
Having gone through events like Ohara, Duramos, Alabasta, Totto Land, and more, months had passed as Orin wandered the seas. He had finally come of age and decided to properly reward himself.
Wine, women, and luxury?
Decadence and indulgence?
For Orin, those words didn't even begin to capture it.
With more money than he could ever spend and the power to influence the entire world, Orin indulged in every beautiful thing he could imagine.
He was absolutely lost in it for a while.
The arms of women really are the grave of heroes!!!
Wearing only a bathrobe, Orin stood at the top floor of a hotel, gazing down at the entire Sabaody Archipelago. A strange emptiness lingered in his heart.
Sweeping his Observation Haki across the island,
The lively nightlife had faded. Many nobles and pirates were now leaving the red-light district, casinos, and auction houses.
Thanks to Orin's protection, the underworld businesses had been booming lately—no one dared stir up trouble, and the business climate had improved drastically.
Out in front of the hotel, Mihawk was already deep in his daily sword training. A maid stood nearby holding a towel and a bottle of water, perfectly used to the routine.
Crocodile and Sammi were busy tallying up the tribute owed by every underworld boss.
Both were brilliant strategists, keeping everything running smoothly.
Especially Crocodile.
With both strength and brains, she could make decisions for the entire underworld in Orin's absence.
Everything was progressing like a well-oiled machine. Orin realized he couldn't keep drowning himself in pleasure.
It was time to set sail again!
Because Orin knew—even the most dazzling monsters, once they lost their edge and drive, were just useless trash.
Moria was the prime example.
Reluctantly glancing at his luxurious suite one last time, Orin resolutely teleported downstairs.
"You bastard… finally crawled out of your mountain of women, huh?"
Sensing his sudden appearance, neither Sammi nor Crocodile reacted much. Crocodile puffed on a cigar and gave Orin a disinterested glance, mocking him with her words.
Sammi, on the other hand, was far gentler. She smiled gracefully, resting her cheek on her hand.
"Seems like Orin-sama was satisfied with the service. That's good to hear."
"…"
Orin scratched his head. He had originally planned to search for Pure Gold, but he wasn't in a rush and had recently been a bit too distracted, so it got postponed.
"You're heading out again?"
Seeing Orin like this, Crocodile understood—he was done playing. She casually tossed her documents onto the table.
"Yeah, time to get back to business. There's a treasure out there I'm very interested in. Let's go and claim it."
Orin conjured a glass of iced orange juice, sipping as he spoke.
"Treasure?"
Sammi and Crocodile exchanged a glance. They were curious—what could possibly be considered a "treasure" by someone who had already seen the One Piece?
"Will there be enemies?"
Crocodile was more concerned with this question. Her bounty was still far below that of Orin and Mihawk. She wanted to build her name.
"Who knows? Maybe, maybe not..."
If Orin still had the strength of his fourteen or fifteen-year-old self, any major power that caught wind of this would try to take a bite.
But now...
There were still forces qualified to compete with him—but not many.
"We'll find out when we get there. Once we secure the treasure, I'll share it with all of you..."
Orin wasn't stingy. He was planning to go in bulk anyway. With so much Pure Gold, each person only needed a speck.
Even a large quantity meant nothing to him personally.
"After we get it… let's travel the world."
The main cast of the story was gradually being born. The sea was about to get lively again—and Orin loved joining the fun.
And so,
After a brief reorganization, Orin took Mihawk, Crocodile, a mountain of Belly, and supplies, and departed the Sabaody Archipelago once more.
Guided by a Vivre Card, Orin could now pinpoint his destination directly.
The Oro Jackson, ghost-like as ever, slowly vanished from the harbor of the Sabaody Archipelago and soared into the sky, heading for the New World.
Of course, news of Orin setting sail couldn't stay secret from the rest of the world.
Though no one could track his exact location, word of the giant red ship's disappearance from the harbor still reached all the major powers.
The Marines were aware too—but they merely noted it. They had no plans to act.
After all, even during the meeting, they had only brushed past the topic. Though they all knew this departure would be a future headache, none paid it much attention.
All except for one scruffy-faced man in a dog-headed cap. Upon hearing the news, his snoring snot bubble popped, and he opened his eyes.
Even Orin didn't expect it.
He had just entered the New World, when a call came in from the Sabaody Archipelago.
Sammi?
Could someone have dared attack home the moment he left?
Frowning, Orin picked up the Den Den Mushi—but it turned out Sammi's call had nothing to do with his fears.
Instead...
"So, what does Rouge-san mean by this?"
"She said she'll leave it all to you."
"I see..."
Soon, the call descended into chaos. So many people were speaking that the Den Den Mushi's face changed expressions faster than a book flipping pages.
But the message boiled down to just one thing.
"Hey!!! Brat from Roger's ship—Ace is coming with me! This is what Roger wanted anyway!!!"
On the other end of the line, a rough-faced man wearing a dog-head hat casually picked his nose as he spoke without a care.