New World, Punk Hazard—the base of the Navy's Science Division.
Before Kuzan and Sakazuki turned this island into a battlefield, its climate had been mild and pleasant, with spring-like weather all year round. Now, in the island's central region, sleek research facilities filled with cutting-edge technology rose tall, and the Science Division had become fully organized.
Vice Admiral Borsalino of Marine Headquarters served as the island's top commander.
At that moment, Borsalino stood at Punk Hazard's harbor, watching as a warship slowly docked. A gangway was lowered, and Ortoren stepped off the vessel with a broad smile.
"Dr. Borsalino, long time no see~~~" Ortoren greeted warmly the moment his feet hit the ground.
But the instant the word "doctor" reached him, Borsalino's cheerful expression darkened. "You bastard! Call me 'doctor' again and I'll really lose it!"
"Hahaha, sure thing, Doctor. Won't happen again, Doctor," Ortoren burst into laughter, clearly unfazed by the threat.
Borsalino knew Ortoren was just running his mouth. Their relationship was close enough that he couldn't truly be angry, even when teased like this. With a helpless shake of his head, he let it drop.
Standing beside Borsalino was Olvia. When they had last parted on the Red Line, she had been haggard and dejected. Now her face was glowing with health, showing she was doing well here.
Her clothing, especially, marked a striking change. Once a scholar branded as a serious criminal by the World Government, she now wore the Marines' cloak of justice with captain's insignia on her shoulders. She had, quite literally, become one of them.
Indeed, Professor Clover now held the rank of Rear Admiral within the Science Division, overseeing research into ancient texts. As his successor and second-in-command, Olvia had risen to the rank of Captain in the Science Division.
"Captain Olvia, long time no see. How have you been lately?" Ortoren greeted with a grin.
Olvia seemed far more at ease than before. She shrugged and replied with a smile, "Pretty good. Aside from not being able to leave Punk Hazard freely, life hasn't changed much..."
"I came straight from G-5 this time, so Robin didn't come along. But don't worry, she's doing really well in Marineford. Her teachers say her grades are excellent. She even said she wants to join the Marines in the future, apply to the Science Division, and work with you." Ortoren brought up Robin with a smile.
At that, Olvia's face softened into a gentle smile. "Even though we can't see each other, Robin and I keep in touch often. Sometimes we even have video calls through the Den Den Mushi... I know how she's doing. So even if I've said it many times before, I still want to say... thank you, Benn."
"We're friends now. Just call me Ortoren," he replied, waving his hand.
At just the right moment, Borsalino chimed in, "Next time I head back to headquarters for my report, I can bring Robin over on the return trip so you two can meet."
It was clear Borsalino and Olvia also had a good relationship.
They didn't linger long at the port. Laughing and chatting, the group headed inland.
"This Punk Hazard of yours is really a pain to find. If you hadn't sent someone with an Eternal Pose, I'd never have managed," Ortoren grumbled as they walked.
"Well, it's a non-magnetic island. That's what makes it special—and what makes it so secure," Borsalino answered with a smile.
Indeed, Punk Hazard was one of the extremely rare non-magnetic islands. Once such islands were discovered, major powers usually rushed to claim them as secret bases.
Their secrecy came from the lack of magnetic field. Normal Log Poses couldn't point to them. Only by setting foot on the island could one craft a special Eternal Pose to record its location.
Without such a pointer, finding the island in the endless sea was pure luck.
Another famous non-magnetic island was Baltigo, later known as the Revolutionary Army's headquarters.
The Revolutionary Army had hidden itself there so effectively that the World Government failed to locate their base for years, all because Baltigo was a non-magnetic island, incredibly difficult to find.
In the end, it was only exposed when that brute from the Blackbeard Pirates accidentally boarded a Revolutionary ship and stumbled upon the location.
As a scholar, Olvia remained busy. Once back at the base, she simply exchanged greetings before hurrying off to her work.
Borsalino, on the other hand, had no experiments scheduled, leaving him with plenty of free time to chat with Ortoren.
The two went to Borsalino's office, where he personally brewed tea for Ortoren. After settling onto the sofa, he asked, "So, what's the deal with this sudden visit to Punk Hazard? Planning to have Dr. Vegapunk check up on you?"
"Treatment was part of the idea, but honestly, I don't really need it anymore. Lately, I can clearly feel my condition improving with this… violent therapy." Ortoren waved his hand.
Indeed, his condition had remained stable. Every full moon, he still went berserk, and during his time at G-5, he'd lost control more than once. But with Momonga, Isshō, and the others around, all it took was a pair of Seastone cuffs, a dip in the bay, and a good beating to bring him back.
After several such episodes, Ortoren started regaining clarity more often, and the bouts of madness grew shorter.
This was why he hadn't rushed to see Dr. Vegapunk—he suspected that in another year or two, he wouldn't even need external treatment.
In fact, Ortoren even considered himself a filial son. He believed the path to his recovery had been pointed out by none other than his mother, Charlotte Linlin. And when his strength was enough to back it, wouldn't it be only right to return and cure his mother's illness as well?
"If it's not for treatment, then why are you here?" Borsalino asked curiously.
"I heard from Admiral Sengoku that your Science Division has developed a new kind of warship? Headquarters already has a few for testing?" Ortoren asked.
At that, Borsalino waved his hand. "Can't really call it new. Honestly, there's been no breakthrough in the key tech—same firepower, same speed, even the materials haven't changed..."
He paused briefly before continuing, "The idea was to improve travel between the Four Seas. Dr. Vegapunk added Seastone beneath the hull to generate a special wave signal, making the ship blend completely into the ocean's biomagnetic field. As long as it doesn't do anything too aggressive—like firing cannons—it won't attract Sea Kings or other dangerous creatures. It greatly improves travel safety and... allows stable passage through the Calm Belt."
Ortoren raised a brow. "And the results? Can it really ensure safe and stable passage?"
"Our tests here were a success, but headquarters still needs to confirm," Borsalino answered openly.
"Ahem..." Ortoren lowered his voice. "So... is there any chance?"
Seeing his expression, Borsalino seemed to understand. He gestured for Ortoren to stop talking, walked over to his desk, and activated a black-box device.
Only then did he speak again. "Signal jamming's on. Don't tell me you've come with another pain-in-the-ass favor for me?"
As a research hub, Punk Hazard didn't just have Dr. Vegapunk, the greatest scientific mind, but also countless scholars. Naturally, the World Government kept the island under heavy surveillance.
In fact, in the original story, when Bartholomew Kuma contacted Vegapunk through a Den Den Mushi, their conversation was intercepted by the Five Elders in Mary Geoise—leading to a chain of tragedies.
Ortoren was cautious of the same risk.
He didn't even fully trust Borsalino. After the signal was jammed, he discreetly used his own electromagnetic waves to check the area, only relaxing once he confirmed Borsalino could be trusted.
"I plan to open a shipping route through the Calm Belt, linking it to the North Blue." Only then did Ortoren explain his plan, carefully focusing on his deal with Doflamingo rather than mentioning the larger Calm Belt development project.
After listening, Borsalino gaped at him. "Ortoren, I've got nothing against you—so why drag me down with you? You're trying to rope me into this? This is a serious violation of Marine discipline! If this gets out and Admiral Sengoku finds out, you'll be court-martialed! You're insane!"
"The Admiral's my partner..." Ortoren shot him a sidelong glance.
Borsalino: ???
"Do you even hear yourself? How dare you slander Admiral Sengoku, the man I respect the most? Forget it, I'm confirming this right now." Borsalino straightened up, his tone righteous, as though he meant to cut ties with Ortoren.
Ortoren just waved him off, signaling him to go ahead. Soon, shielded by the jammer, Borsalino stepped out to use a secure encrypted Den Den Mushi, immune to eavesdropping.
Moments later, he returned all smiles. "Benn-sama, what was it you needed again? I'll fully cooperate!"
Well now, that was fast. Borsalino—your political instincts are sharp!