When Ortoren arrived at Punk Hazard, he came empty-handed. By the time he left, he not only had the Seastone warship technology but also the Mythical Zoan Artificial Devil Fruit—identical to Kaidou's save for its color.
In return for Dr. Vegapunk's generosity, Ortoren gave up two large tubes of his own blood.
Lounging in a deck chair aboard his warship, he turned the Devil Fruit over in his hand and murmured, "Here's hoping this really leads to a breakthrough... that Zephyr-sensei's asthma can finally be cured."
He set the fruit back in his case, then glanced at the day's newspaper. Nothing noteworthy—just trivial reports. What mattered was the date. By his count, once he returned to G-5 for a brief rest, in about two months it would be time to head for Whole Cake Island and attend Charlotte Linlin's tea party.
Just then, the Den Den Mushi in his coat stirred.
Ortoren pulled it out, glanced at the face, and answered warmly. "Admiral Sengoku! How's your health? Anything I can do for you?"
Admiral Sengoku was long immune to such flattery. His tone remained steady as he asked, "Borsalino tells me you've already left Punk Hazard, correct?"
"That's right. I'm on my way back to G-5," Ortoren confirmed.
"Hmm." Sengoku acknowledged, then asked curiously, "And what do you want that Seastone technology for?"
"To make money!" Ortoren replied without hesitation. "How else am I supposed to develop G-5? Headquarters won't give me any support! Right now, there are only two real routes into the New World—through Fish-Man Island or through Mary Geoise. Occasionally some lunatic dares cross the Calm Belt directly, but that's rare. Fish-Man Island is too dangerous, Mary Geoise too expensive with their taxes. But if I can open a safe route through the Calm Belt straight into the New World, the profits would be enormous! I've already struck a deal with the Donquixote Family in the North Blue..."
Sengoku didn't argue, but pressed, "And besides that?"
"As for the rest..." Ortoren lowered his voice. "I plan to use the imported pirates from Impel Down to develop the Calm Belt's resources. For starters: grain, timber, and mining. Later... who knows? With so many untouched islands there, maybe we'll even find gold."
Hearing this, Sengoku felt a jolt of shock. Even with only a rough grasp of such development, he knew how critical it was. If properly exploited, the Calm Belt could be the key to freeing the Marines from their economic shackles.
After steadying himself, Sengoku said, "You really do have a knack for stirring things up... This matter is monumental. If it's discovered from above, we'll all be in deep trouble. So keep this buried. Absolute secrecy. As far as I'm concerned, I never heard a thing."
"Don't worry, Admiral. Only a handful of people will ever know. Once those imported pirates are dropped into the Calm Belt, I guarantee they'll never leave. Outwardly, I'll cover it with the shipping route business. If anyone does catch on, I'll use that front to take the blame. Double insurance," Ortoren assured him.
"Good. As long as you understand the gravity of this. Build up food stores, stockpile funds. If upheaval comes, we'll need the backbone to stand firm," Sengoku advised, then shifted the topic. "Last time you said you planned to attend the Big Mom Pirates' tea party?"
"Yes. That's the idea. For G-5 to grow, once we've cut ties with Mary Geoise and headquarters, we can't avoid the Dark World or the New World. The tea party will gather all the right people—it's the perfect chance to expand my network," Ortoren explained.
"But the moment you show up, Mary Geoise will know. You're aware of that?" Sengoku pressed.
"That's why I'm reporting to you, Admiral. Do you have a way to handle it?" Ortoren asked.
"It can't be hidden," Sengoku answered firmly. "Stussy from the Pleasure District will also be there, and she's CP. There's no concealing it."
After a pause, Sengoku continued, "So here's what we'll do. I'll file a report to the Fleet Admiral. He'll pass it to Mary Geoise, giving them notice ahead of time. The justification will be that you're going for covert intelligence exchange and mutual benefit negotiations..."
"Whatever you think best, Admiral," Ortoren replied with a smile.
At lower levels, the idea of Marines negotiating with pirates for intel and profit seemed absurd. But higher up—in headquarters, in Mary Geoise—it was only natural.
After all, hadn't the Five Elders secretly met with Red-Haired Shanks?
Framed under that pretense, and backed by Ortoren's unique standing, it couldn't look more legitimate.
After wrapping up the previous matter, Admiral Sengoku asked again, "By the way, I hear you've been charging the Shichibukai some kind of guarantee fee? Two hundred billion? Not long ago, that newly appointed Slekemind was dragged to G-5 by you and squeezed for two hundred billion berries, wasn't he?"
At this, Ortoren immediately protested. "Who? Who tattled on me? You think it's easy for me to make money? I'm a Marine—what's wrong with extorting pirates? Is it against Navy regulations to demand a guarantee fee from the Shichibukai? Admiral, I'm being wronged here!"
"What the hell are you yelling for, brat? Did you think I came to take a cut of your profits?" Sengoku snapped, clearly irritated by Ortoren's whining.
"You're… not here for money?" Ortoren blinked, quickly cutting off the act and asking, "Then what do you mean?"
"I don't see your collecting guarantee fees as violating either World Government law or Marine regulations. If the law doesn't forbid it, it's fair game. Those pirates have committed countless crimes, but thanks to Mary Geoise's policies, once they're Shichibukai we can't touch them so easily. Having a stubborn troublemaker like you lean on them is a nice way to vent our frustrations. Personally, I support you on this," Sengoku said with a smile.
After a short pause, he continued, "Here's the real issue. Early this morning, a document arrived from Mary Geoise. They want to appoint Gecko Moria—the one who recently clashed fiercely with the Beasts Pirates—as the third Shichibukai. Headquarters has already discussed and approved it, and we've contacted him. But that bastard insists someone of sufficient standing must negotiate with him directly. I figure since you're already set to collect his fee, you're in the New World, and you've got the presence for it, you can go."
Sengoku's tone carried a trace of anger.
Some upstart pirate dares to demand terms from the Marines? Wants someone "important enough" to speak with him? Is he even qualified? Forget being Kaidou's defeated foe—even Kaidou himself, would Sengoku ever tolerate such arrogance from him?
So yes, as a Marine Admiral, how could he not be furious? Fine, if Moria wants someone with weight, he'd send Ortoren. Let him choke on his own demand.
"That guy's really that arrogant?" Ortoren asked, surprised.
"Yeah. So when you go, make sure you talk to him properly," Sengoku said darkly.
"To what extent?" Ortoren probed. "If you don't like him, should I talk until he's… dead?"
"Not that far. We discussed it—he's annoying, but he's actually suited to being a Shichibukai. At least his interests align with ours against Kaidou, and his strength isn't excessive enough to become a threat we can't control. He's a good fit. So talk to him until he agrees to serve honestly as a Shichibukai. Understand?" Sengoku stressed.
"Only you, Admiral, could be so broad-minded—repaying resentment with virtue. Truly admirable!" Ortoren flattered him smoothly, then added, "Don't worry. Send me the meeting place and I'll handle it right away. Once it's done, I'll head straight to the tea party. I'll make sure he becomes a model Shichibukai, fully endorsed by the Marines!"
"Good. I'll await your good news." Pleased that Ortoren understood his intent, Sengoku praised him briefly before hanging up the Den Den Mushi.
On his end, as Ortoren put the Den Den Mushi away, he couldn't help muttering, "Moria, oh Moria. Of all the people to provoke, you had to go against our Navy's abbot? Don't you know how petty he is? Look how cleanly he's set you up."
Completely forgetting that just moments earlier, he'd been praising Sengoku's magnanimity.
...
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