Before Ortoren could even enjoy his new Admiral's office, Fleet Admiral Sengoku rushed him off to Mary Geoise to report in.
Holy Land Mary Geoise, Pangaea Castle.
As Ortoren followed Sengoku inside, his gaze drifted toward the direction of the Void Hall. He sensed nothing from within—perhaps Imu wasn't in Mary Geoise at all.
But Ortoren didn't dwell on it. He stayed close behind Sengoku as they arrived before the Five Elders' office.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku knocked. After a response sounded from inside, he pushed the door open and entered, with Ortoren following right after.
Inside, the Five Elders were already seated on the sofas, waiting.
"Sengoku, Ortoren, no need for formalities. Sit," Saint Warcury said first, gesturing for them to take their seats.
Now that Sengoku had ascended to Fleet Admiral, he held himself with more confidence, taking a seat with calm composure. Ortoren, meanwhile, put on an expression of excitement mixed with just a hint of nervousness as he followed Sengoku's lead and sat beside him.
"Truth be told, we said everything that needed saying the last time you returned," Saint Warcury said with a smile. "We called you here today mainly to congratulate you on becoming the Navy's new Fleet Admiral."
Fleet Admiral Sengoku immediately expressed his gratitude for the Five Elders' support and reiterated several times that under Holy Land's leadership, he would ensure the Navy's continued growth and development.
After the formalities were over, Saint Warcury added, "Kong mentioned he has something he wishes to discuss with you…"
Sengoku understood immediately that his part here was done. Without hesitation, he stood and said, "Then I'll go report to the Grand Commander."
He didn't offer Ortoren any additional instructions and briskly left the room.
Once Fleet Admiral Sengoku had departed, Saint Warcury glanced at Ortoren with a smile.
"Ortoren, we've been wanting to have a proper conversation with you for a long time. Last time in Mary Geoise was far too chaotic, and you were injured, so we didn't keep you. This time, we can finally get acquainted properly."
"Yes. I'm extremely grateful for the recognition of the Five Elders. Everything I have today is thanks to the World Government's guidance. To have the honor of speaking face-to-face with the five of you… I can hardly express my gratitude…" Ortoren answered with heartfelt emotion.
"Hahaha! Those with ability shine wherever they go. The World Government has always welcomed people like you—those with ambition and drive—to join us in making this world better," Saint Warcury said with a hearty laugh.
The other Five Elders chimed in as well, offering Ortoren a few words of encouragement. With that, the atmosphere gradually lightened, no longer as stiff or awkward as before.
After the pleasantries, Saint Warcury asked, "Now that you've become a Marine Admiral, and as Sengoku mentioned, you'll soon return to the New World to preside over its naval forces. We've heard much about your accomplishments there. You've done exceptionally well—within just a few years, you've transformed the once-weak Marine presence in the New World into the formidable force it is now. Thanks to this, the World Government's influence in the region has risen once again. Over the past two years, several nations in the New World have even applied to become Member Nations of the World Government system…"
"All of this was only possible because of Headquarters' support—and because of the care Holy Land has shown to our Navy," Ortoren responded modestly.
Saint Warcury nodded, then continued, "That's why we're curious—now that you've been promoted to Admiral, what new plans or ideas do you have for the New World's deployments and long-term strategy?"
"These past few years, with the support of the World Government, our G-5 Marines have indeed made tremendous progress in the New World. Especially in terms of manpower—we now command fifty thousand elite troops. That's the main reason I've been able to hold the front lines and keep the Big Mom Pirates, the Beast Pirates, and the Whitebeard Pirates from acting too recklessly…" Ortoren explained fluidly.
The G-5's nearly sixty thousand active-duty troops are public knowledge—far too large to hide. That was why Ortoren spoke so openly, and the Five Elders clearly understood the situation as well. After all, without sufficient strength, how could G-5 possibly withstand the pressure of the front lines and allow the influence of the Marines and the World Government to surge back into the New World so quickly?
"Yet even with our current Marine strength in the New World, it's still not enough to fully suppress the entire region. The pirates may fight constantly among themselves, but history has shown that whenever we Marines exert real force, those same Great Pirates—who normally can't wait to bash each other's brains out—immediately put aside their disputes and unite against us. So while the New World is developing well, truly subduing these pirates remains beyond our reach," Ortoren continued.
The Five Elders didn't interrupt him. Instead, they nodded, signaling him to go on.
Ortoren continued without hesitation. "Therefore, my first step is to establish several new Marine bases across the New World…"
"New bases are fine," Saint Warcury interjected immediately, "but our budget may not be as generous as you expect. Has Sengoku mentioned anything about the military funding allocations for this year and the next? Although the budget has increased for both years, it may still fall short of what you require—especially if you intend for the New World's bases to follow the G-5's self-sufficient model…"
At that, Ortoren's expression grew troubled. "Are you suggesting that the new bases must follow G-5's self-sustaining development model? That's nearly impossible. G-5 has already reached the maximum limit of what it can grow into… Even if I wanted the other bases to develop this way, there aren't enough pirates left to generate the resources needed…"
Of course, Ortoren said that deliberately. If he truly wanted to expand, he had the means—but that was not something the Five Elders could ever learn.
Saint Warcury waved his hand dismissively. "We wouldn't demand that much of you. G-5's current state already exceeds our expectations. We won't force you to replicate its model in building more bases of that scale. What we mean is: you may establish new bases, but if you want funding from the military budget, their scale cannot be as massive as G-5."
Hearing this, Ortoren put on a slightly anxious expression. "But without sufficient size and combat strength, we'll struggle to maintain pressure on the Great Pirate crews in the New World!"
"There you go, getting impatient again." Saint Warcury seemed quite pleased with Ortoren's display of urgency. With a smile, he calmly reassured him before continuing, "We understand your position perfectly. You've just taken up the mantle of Admiral, so of course you're eager to prove yourself, right?"
Ortoren hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and nodded. "Yes. To be completely honest, even though I'm now an Admiral, I've always dreamed of becoming a Fleet Admiral someday. That's why I'm determined to prove myself. If I can conquer the New World, wouldn't that be a major pillar in my future bid for Fleet Admiral?"
Ortoren knew exactly what the Five Elders needed to hear. To ease their concerns, he had to make them feel he still relied on them—that he still had ambitions only they could grant. The dream of becoming Fleet Admiral was the perfect motive.
This way, the Five Elders would see him as someone they could still hold influence over, especially since they held great authority in the selection of the next Fleet Admiral. It made Ortoren appear as someone who needed to maintain good relations with them in order to advance.
But if he acted indifferent—like he wanted nothing—they would immediately grow wary. If he didn't care about anything, how could they control him? And if they couldn't control him, how could they possibly entrust him with greater power?
"Having such dreams and ambition is a good thing, but don't get ahead of yourself. Sengoku has only just become Fleet Admiral, and you're already thinking about taking over his position? Hahaha…" Saint Warcury let out a hearty laugh, his tone teasing.
Hearing this, Ortoren scratched his nose awkwardly, embarrassed.
Then Saint Warcury continued, "The New World isn't something you can conquer in a single stroke. Your achievements so far already satisfy us greatly. For the next step, don't rush. Move steadily. Start by reopening a few bases like standard ones. Once we advance further and solidify our foundation, then you can consider conquering the entire New World and sweeping away those Great Pirates. That would be far more appropriate, wouldn't you say?"
After a moment of silence, Ortoren nodded as though conceding. "You're right. I was a bit too eager. But don't worry—I'm not usually like this. Most of the time, I'm very steady."
"We certainly believe in your abilities…" Saint Warcury reassured him again before shifting topics. "Speaking of which, you have quite the history with the Big Mom Pirates. How exactly is your relationship with Charlotte Linlin?"
Hearing that, Ortoren's expression sharpened. So this was the real purpose of today's meeting.
...