After extracting some benefits from Sengoku, Orin was in a pretty good mood.
Leaving the reception hall, he said he wanted to get some fresh air.
Avoiding the reporters crowding outside — all desperate to catch any scraps of information about the Black Emperor or the Shichibukai — Orin took off his cloak, stepped lightly, and in an instant, appeared deep inside Marineford.
The sky was clear, and orderly Marineford was bustling with life.
Obviously, the so-called Shichibukai conference hadn't disrupted the rhythm of this semi-militarized island at all.
On the main street, Orin, tall and broad-shouldered, strolled leisurely in a sharp suit, holding a cup of orange juice.
His handsome features and calm, distinctive aura drew countless glances from passing girls, but they also quickly caught the attention of patrolling Marines.
"It's Black Gun Orin!!!"
"Eh?!"
"No, wait!!! Admiral Sengoku already issued a notice — that's Orin-sama, one of the Celestial Dragons!!!"
Orin had wanted to revisit some old places, but this time he wasn't walking around as a pirate anymore. The moment he showed his face, the Marines immediately recognized him.
Just like when he once disguised himself as a Rear Admiral, every Marine who spotted him, no matter how reluctant, had no choice but to salute.
"You're too polite, soldiers."
Orin nodded slightly in acknowledgment. He had seen countless gazes filled with respect and awe before, but having Marines look at him this way was still a first.
Of course, not every Marine felt the same. Some saluted because of his Celestial Dragon status, but there were always a few stubborn ones who refused to show deference.
Orin's sharp gaze quickly locked onto one such "outlier" among the crowd.
Click…
He stopped walking.
Turning his head, his eyes landed on a figure standing in the back of the group.
It was a strikingly beautiful female Marine, with short black hair, piercing blue eyes, and a figure so alluring that Orin could wrap one hand around her slender waist — though her "assets" were anything but modest.
The spiked collar around her neck made Orin instantly recognize her.
"Hey…"
"You, Marine over there."
Seeing Orin suddenly stop, the entire group of Marines panicked, especially when they noticed he was singling someone out directly.
They all turned instinctively to look behind them.
That was…
"Commodore Doll!!!"
She wore a tight black vest, leather pants, and knee-high boots that accentuated her long, toned legs.
Doll was currently attending Marine officer training — one of the so-called "Marine Supernovas," elite candidates being groomed as future leaders of the Marines.
Facing Orin's gaze, the young Doll showed no fear.
To her, he was just a pirate. Even adding the title of Celestial Dragon didn't help his image — if anything, it made her dislike him more.
After all, in Doll's view, neither identity was anything to be proud of.
And she wasn't wrong.
Pirates and Celestial Dragons — both were responsible for throwing this world into chaos.
But Orin never claimed to be a "good person."
In fact, he often found entertainment in playing the villain or acting like a final boss just for fun.
"Your name is Doll, right?"
Hearing his question, Doll's expression stiffened. She gritted her teeth and replied,
"Yeah… got a problem with that?"
Her tone was neither soft nor aggressive. While Orin annoyed her, she didn't dare do anything overtly offensive.
After all, being slightly rude was one thing — she trusted that the Marine Admirals would back her up on that.
But if she truly crossed the line and provoked a Celestial Dragon's wrath, even Fleet Admiral might not be able to protect her.
Yet, instead of showing hostility as she expected, Orin's eyes revealed a hint of amusement.
"Then you'll be my guide. Show me around Marineford."
Guide…?
"I…"
Doll instinctively wanted to refuse. There was a mischievous glint in Orin's eyes — he was clearly planning to mess with her.
But Orin, as if reading her mind, spoke first:
"Are you planning to refuse, Marine?
Refuse a Celestial Dragon's request for assistance?"
Was he kidding?!
A Celestial Dragon's request wasn't really a request at all. Refusing was impossible unless she had a death wish.
Of course, Orin wasn't truly as vile as most of the Celestial Dragons.
But he was always interested in interacting with characters who appeared in the original story.
Especially teasing them.
That was half the reason he'd allowed the World Government to borrow his infamous reputation — letting them wield Orin's terrifying influence to suppress the seas was the perfect way to set up these kinds of encounters.
Among pirates, being a former Roger Pirates crewmember meant Orin commanded instant respect.
Among Marines, his Celestial Dragon status ensured that none of them could treat him like an enemy.
Everyone had to give him respect.
Like right now — if Orin were just a pirate, every Marine he approached would immediately try to capture or kill him, even at the cost of their lives.
But facing Saint Orin? They could only remain polite and restrained.
He looked at the young, strikingly beautiful Commodore Doll and smirked faintly.
He liked this type the most — the kind who disliked him but still had to obey his orders.
"Alright then, take me somewhere interesting — like the taverns the Marine officers usually hang out at, Marine."
When dealing with Sengoku and the other higher-ups, Orin wouldn't dare act so casually.
But with the younger generation? This was purely for fun.
"Tch…"
Seeing Orin's expression and hearing his tone that allowed no refusal, Doll clenched her teeth but ultimately relented.
"…Fine. I got it."
With a sharp flick of her Marine cloak, Commodore Doll stepped ahead, taking the lead.
Orin followed leisurely behind her, looking for all the world like a carefree tourist.
Along the way, Orin asked a few curious questions about Marine life. After all, Marines were technically the "civil servants" of the One Piece world.
"By the way, how much is your monthly salary as a Marine?"
"…Commodore gets five hundred thousand Belly."
"That little? What about working hours?"
"…On standby 24/7."
"So basically, you're powering 'justice' for free~"
Hearing that, Doll couldn't help herself.
Even if she didn't like him, Orin's easygoing attitude made him strangely easy to talk to.
"Exactly!!! It used to be at least a million Belly, but the World Government's been slashing the military budget these past few years! You're a Celestial Dragon, right? How about getting us a raise?!"
Hearing this girl complain to him of all people, Orin couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
Not that he had any say in the matter — though, admittedly, the government's budget cuts probably were somewhat related to him.
"I can't be bothered with such trivial things… Besides, what I make in a single month is enough to pay every single Marine Headquarters officer's salary for their entire lifetime."
"You filthy, ruthless rich bastard!!!"