"This kid's got real talent. If he stays at headquarters, he'll just end up dumped in the East Blue anyway. By the time he wises up, they'll move him to G-5. Better to pull him over now and save him twenty years of wasted effort. I'm practically a merciful saint..." Benn Ortoren muttered to himself as he smacked his lips after reading the report.
When it came to action, Ortoren never hesitated. He grabbed the Den Den Mushi and called the personnel department at Marine Headquarters.
The line connected quickly.
"Hello, this is the Navy Personnel Department. How can we help you?" a Marine answered.
"This is Benn Ortoren, Base Commander of G-5 Naval Base," Ortoren said.
The Marine's tone instantly shifted to respect.
"Good afternoon, Vice Admiral Benn. What are your orders?"
"I was reading the headquarters monthly report. It said that Smoker, the top graduate of the Third Officer Training Camp, was demoted from Captain to Lieutenant Commander, correct? And his assignment was removed from Senior Officer Ferinans' command?" Ortoren asked.
"Please hold, Vice Admiral Benn. I'll confirm that right away," the Marine replied briskly.
Ortoren waited without rushing. Soon, the Marine reported back.
"Yes, Lieutenant Commander Smoker has been removed from Vice Admiral Ferinans' direct command. He is currently serving one month of confinement at headquarters."
"I see." Ortoren chuckled, then ordered, "Cancel his confinement. Transfer his assignment from headquarters to G-5. Have him report here immediately."
The Marine on the other end didn't dare question him and replied at once, "Yes, sir. We'll carry out your orders immediately."
That was the weight of Ortoren's authority. As a Vice Admiral recognized as one of Headquarters' elite and a strong candidate for Admiral in the future, no ordinary Marine would ever challenge him.
And as a Vice Admiral, transferring a mere Captain from headquarters was nothing more than a single command.
Smoker might have drawn some attention within headquarters, but he hadn't yet stepped into the Navy's upper ranks. His only real connection there was Zephyr-sensei, who had no reason to interfere with Ortoren's decisions.
This reassignment wouldn't stir the slightest ripple.
After hanging up the Den Den Mushi, Ortoren no longer spared a thought for Smoker. His attention moved to the final piece of news in the monthly bulletin.
It was obvious this report had been added at the last minute, covering something that happened only in the past two days.
Most Marines would dismiss it as trivial, but Ortoren knew this incident carried enormous weight—enough to affect even the promotions of the Fleet Admiral and the Admirals.
At the end of Sea Circle Calendar 1502, on the third day of the Reverie, a small-scale slave uprising broke out in the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, causing a minor disturbance.
Most of the rebellion was quickly suppressed, but the leader—a Fishman named Fisher Tiger—had been confirmed to have escaped from Mary Geoise.
Since he was a slave and not a pirate or outlaw, the Marines hadn't issued a wanted poster for Fisher Tiger, only making a casual mention of him in the monthly report.
The meaning was clear: if anyone happened to come across him, they could capture him.
"Fisher Tiger..." Ortoren murmured, his eyes carrying a trace of respect.
In this world, there weren't many people he truly admired. Bartholomew Kuma was one of them—and Fisher Tiger was another.
Both of them were truly men of great character.
Tiger was born in the most chaotic place on Fish-Man Island—the Fish-Man District. With nothing but his fists and a righteous spirit, he eventually rose to become the undisputed leader of the district.
Don't be fooled by the title of Fish-Man District boss. It might sound unimpressive, but in reality, it carried tremendous weight. Rough estimates suggest the district held nearly a hundred thousand fishman thugs.
And Fisher Tiger was the kingpin of this hundred-thousand-strong underworld army.
It was only because Fish-Man Island remained so isolated from the rest of the seas that his influence didn't spread further. Anywhere else, commanding a force that large, people would have called him "Dragon King" without hesitation.
Because if he willed it, he could summon those hundred thousand thugs in an instant and bury you alive under them. Even Ortoren's military strength didn't compare.
Tiger's influence on Fish-Man Island was immense. Rising from the slums, he became a guest of honor at King Neptune's table—a sign that even the King himself gave him respect.
Later figures, like the Shichibukai Jinbe, had once been his underlings.
Yet despite his power, Tiger never abused his position. He actively cooperated with Fish-Man Island, searching for a better future for his fellow Fishmen in the district. He even built real partnerships with Ryugu Palace, such as supplying trained fighters to serve in both the Royal Army and the Ryugu Palace Royal Guard.
Jinbe himself got into Ryugu Palace thanks to Tiger's connections. From a gang member in the streets, he managed to clean up his past and join public service, earning an official post and royal stipend.
Later, Jinbe proved his worth and gained Neptune's trust, becoming Captain of the Royal Guard—Neptune's personal bodyguard.
After that, Tiger left Fish-Man Island with determination. He sought both a way forward for his people and the fulfillment of his own dream of adventure. He became a remarkable adventurer, but a few years later, misfortune struck. Somehow, he was captured and enslaved.
During his time in Mary Geoise, he witnessed firsthand the cruelty and darkness of the surface world. His heart inevitably filled with hatred for humanity. As a slave in Mary Geoise, his suffering was beyond imagination.
Eventually, he seized an opportunity to escape. He likely planned to return to Fish-Man Island to recover, but once healed, he couldn't bring himself to forget his fellow slaves—his own people and those of other races—still suffering in chains.
After much hesitation and struggle, he made his choice. Climbing the Red Line barehanded, he sparked the Mary Geoise Slave Liberation Movement.
This event later became known as the "Holy Land Arson Incident." Countless slaves were freed under his lead, regardless of race. Among them were the three Hancock sisters and the Golden Emperor Gild Tesoro.
After the liberation, Tiger and his comrades formed the Sun Pirates. Taking full responsibility, they escorted the freed slaves—every one of them, of every race—back to their homelands.
Ortoren believed Tiger deserved to be called "great" precisely because, despite his deep hatred for humanity, he never let it rule him. He treated every race equally, dedicating his life selflessly to the cause of freeing slaves.
The Tiger incident directly humiliated the World Government. Its influence was immense. The Mary Geoise Arson Case likely occurred around 1506, when even the Reverie was postponed as a result.
Vice Admiral Borsalino was the one assigned to capture Fisher Tiger, and that mission cemented his rise to Admiral.
Likewise, after the incident was settled, Sengoku finally seized his chance. With arrangements made in Mary Geoise, he ascended to Fleet Admiral. The subsequent Three Admirals all rose in his wake.
It could be said that the Mary Geoise Arson Incident, and Fisher Tiger himself, directly reshaped the Navy's highest leadership.
Yet today, almost no one knew this. Fisher Tiger's name appeared only for the first time in a small corner of the Marines' internal monthly bulletin.
Ortoren's gaze lingered on that name for a long while. In the end, he only let out a quiet sigh, shook his head without a word, and lifted his teacup. Taking a small sip, his eyes drifted out toward the deep blue sea and sky.
Then suddenly, Ortoren froze.
Wait—hold on. I'm a slave owner too. Why am I getting sentimental about this Tiger guy?
Speaking of which... why hasn't that bastard Moria contacted me yet? He didn't actually run off, did he?
...
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