"Here, the Paramecia-type Goru Goru no Mi. It's yours."
In the office on the second floor, Ortoren casually tossed the Devil Fruit to Tesoro.
Tesoro scrambled to catch it, then bowed slightly. "Ortoren-sama, thank you—truly!"
"No need for thanks." Ortoren waved him off. "As the boss, it's my responsibility to secure benefits for my subordinates. And even though you've been handling logistics all these years, I've never doubted your potential. Tesoro, this Devil Fruit might be a perfect match for you. If you develop it well, you might become a real powerhouse someday. So work hard and don't disappoint me."
Tesoro had always carried deep gratitude toward Ortoren, convinced the man had saved his life. From a struggling worker on the Sabaody Archipelago to a senior officer of the Marines—someone who could even be called a "big shot"—the kindness he'd received made him feel he could lay down his life for Ortoren without hesitation. So he repaid Ortoren's expectations with everything he had.
"I will never disappoint you!" Tesoro said firmly.
"Good. Now that the Fruit is settled, I've got another task for you," Ortoren said with a laugh.
Tesoro smiled. "It's my honor to ease your workload."
"Oh? So you're friends with Spandine too?" Ortoren teased with exaggerated surprise. Then he added, "Alright, enough nonsense. I spoke with the Five Elders earlier. They want us to present a clear, feasible proposal for that entertainment resort project. Put real effort into it—whether this works or not depends on your plan. And remember, write it from Totto Land's perspective. No mistakes."
"Understood." Tesoro nodded, then hesitated. "You told me before that you planned to bring that guy Lu Field into this. So now… are we still involving him?"
"No need to include him in the proposal. But once the project moves forward, bring him in. The guy's loaded… and I'm someone who repays debts. Back then he lent me two hundred billion Belly without a second thought, and I still haven't paid him back…" Ortoren answered without pause.
No matter what Lu Field was thinking at the time, lending Ortoren two hundred billion Belly meant he had helped him. A debt is a debt, and a favor is a favor. So now that Ortoren had the ability to return it, of course he would. That's how friendships are built.
"Alright, no problem," Tesoro said with a nod after receiving the clear answer.
Just as they wrapped up, the office door opened and Momonga walked in.
He nodded to Tesoro first, then looked toward Ortoren. "You called for me?"
"Good timing. Yes, you're the one," Ortoren said with a smile. "Remember how I asked you to find a secretary to take over your duties? How's that going? Anyone suitable?"
Tesoro realized they were shifting into business again and politely excused himself, leaving the room.
Momonga began, "There actually is someone. After Smoker heard about this, he volunteered to recommend a candidate…"
"Smoker?" Ortoren raised a brow. "How is he involved?"
"Who is it?" he asked curiously.
"A Lieutenant Commander from Headquarters named Hina. She's like a junior to us, also trained under Zephyr-san. After Smoker recommended her, I contacted Zephyr-san to get details. This girl is still young—two years younger than Smoker—but she joined the Marines quite early. Zephyr-san thinks very highly of her. He simply hasn't wanted to send her to the front lines because of her age. Once he heard you were looking for a secretary, he approved it immediately, saying she'd be a great fit."
Momonga gave a brief rundown of the situation.
"Hina?" Ortoren rubbed his chin as a memory surfaced. He recalled visiting Zephyr-san once, and during that visit to the cadet class, he had seen her there.
His impression of Hina had always been good. Since Zephyr-san still didn't feel comfortable sending her to the front lines, letting her work under him in a clerical role for a couple of years wasn't a bad idea. She could experience the New World firsthand, broaden her horizons, and when the time was right, she could be moved into a frontline unit.
"Anyone else?" Ortoren thought for a moment before asking.
"Of course. How hard can it be to find a secretary? Tesoro's Logistics Department recently hired a pretty girl named Baccarat. She seems pretty capable. Want to meet her?" Momonga replied casually.
After a short pause, he continued, "When I talked to Donquixote Doflamingo about this, he said he'd also found a promising candidate named Monet. If you need someone, he can send her over for secretary training. Spandine was there too and said they have a suitable candidate called Kalifa. Honestly, getting a secretary is really simple."
It was clear that this wasn't a difficult task at all.
Ortoren considered it. Baccarat worked directly under Tesoro, and Tesoro already had plenty on his plate—better to let him keep his own people. Monet was fine, but going as far as turning to Doflamingo to recruit a secretary felt unnecessary. As for Kalifa, she was indeed outstanding, but after years of CP training… Ortoren wasn't entirely comfortable.
He'd done too many things behind the World Government's back. And if he remembered correctly, Kalifa came from a "CP family"—meaning many in her family served in the organization. Her father was a senior CP agent.
Trust wasn't guaranteed. After thinking it over, Ortoren said, "Forget it. Let's go with Hina. She's a Marine, Zephyr-san's disciple, and Smoker recommended her. It's safer."
"Alright, I'll send a transfer request to Headquarters," Momonga nodded.
With that settled, he then asked, "Yamakaji asked me to check—does he have anything to do right now?"
"Not yet. We'll sort everything once Strawberry, Cancer, and Stainless get here. I've already submitted the new-base proposal to Headquarters. After the Fleet Admiral approves it, they can choose their own locations." Ortoren answered casually.
After he finished speaking, Momonga hesitated, a conflicted expression on his face.
Seeing this, Ortoren frowned. "What's with that look? If you've got something to say, say it. I've always treated you like a brother. Why hesitate?"
"Yeah, yeah. Shiki is your sworn brother, Dragon is your beloved family member. If I'm your 'brother,' I should be terrified," Momonga shot back, the hesitation fading into sarcasm.
"You bastard. That's not the same kind of 'brother' and you know it!" Ortoren laughed and scolded him.
After the joking passed, Momonga took a deep breath.
"I want a Devil Fruit. I want to become a Devil Fruit user."
The moment he said it, Ortoren stared at him in shock—then his eyes lit up with delight. "You should've made that decision long ago!"
Without wasting a second, Ortoren turned around and began rummaging through the safe behind him. Soon, several Devil Fruit cases were laid out across the desk.
"Logia-type Mori Mori no Mi, Ancient Zoan-type Cave Lion, and the Paramecia-type Baku Baku no Mi you bought from Drum Kingdom before, plus…" Ortoren introduced them eagerly.
It was obvious he cared deeply for Momonga—he was even willing to bring out the Mori Mori no Mi.
There were other Fruits as well, but they were ordinary ones G-5 had collected over the years, nothing special—typically used as reward items.
Momonga clearly came with his decision already made. Before Ortoren could finish his explanation, he cut in, "The Baku Baku no Mi. I'm more interested in that one."
"Huh?" Ortoren seemed a bit disappointed. "I thought you'd choose the Mori Mori no Mi. That ability could very well push you to Admiral-level strength."
But Ortoren didn't try to persuade him. Choosing a Devil Fruit was a life-defining choice. Since Momonga had already made up his mind, there was no reason to interfere.
After handing him the Baku Baku no Mi, Ortoren patted his shoulder. "Momonga… don't put too much pressure on yourself. Sure, Issho and Tokikake are stronger, but your talent for leadership far surpasses theirs. I've never thought you'd fail to keep up with me. Ever since I first saw you on the Marineford training grounds, that's what I believed."
"Why are you getting sentimental all of a sudden?" Momonga brushed off Ortoren's hand and held the Baku Baku no Mi. "Alright, if there's nothing else, I'm heading out."
Ortoren smiled and nodded, watching him leave the room.
A gentleman transforms like a leopard—refined and renewed. Momonga's efforts had reached their limit. Perhaps from today onward, he would undergo a transformation of his own, rising higher and seeing further than before.
In the hallway, after walking a few steps, Momonga stopped. He looked down at the Baku Baku no Mi in his hands, then turned to glance at Ortoren's door.
A relaxed smile appeared on his face.
"You never thought I'd fall behind you… did you?"