Kuzan accompanied Ortoren as far as the Sabaody Archipelago, where the two parted ways.
Ortoren planned to board a coated ship there and head for Fish-Man Island. As for Kuzan, he would take Ortoren's warship straight back to headquarters for repairs. Once the repairs were finished, the ship would likely remain at headquarters, and Ortoren had no intention of making a special trip back from Fish-Man Island to retrieve it.
The Marine base at the Sabaody Archipelago kept coated warships ready year-round, able to depart for Fish-Man Island at any time.
Because of that, Ortoren had no need to look for Rayleigh. In fact, ever since the Hachinosu incident and the destruction of the Red-Haired Pirates, Ortoren and Rayleigh had barely had any contact at all.
That incident had inevitably left some awkwardness behind. Ortoren himself didn't care much about it, but Rayleigh was surely troubled by it in his own way.
So unless there was a real need, Ortoren chose not to contact Rayleigh. Both sides tacitly treated each other as strangers.
Without lingering, Ortoren boarded a coated Marine warship and set off for Fish-Man Island.
As had been said before, Fish-Man Island lay beneath the sea, but only about ten thousand meters down. It wasn't far from the Sabaody Archipelago at all. Converted to distance, it was little more than a dozen kilometers.
In less than half a day, the warship passed through the deep sea and arrived at Fish-Man Island's official port, Coral Hill.
As soon as Ortoren disembarked, he spotted a familiar face. Arlong of the Fish-Man race.
It seemed he had come specifically to receive him.
Strictly speaking, Arlong wasn't really of high enough standing to welcome Ortoren. But Tiger was currently staying in Gold City, Jinbe was there as well, and Ortoren had no acquaintances in Ryugu Palace. It would also be inappropriate to have the king himself come down to the port.
So Arlong, who had met Ortoren a few times back in Gold City and had even received a bit of praise from him, was chosen as a familiar enough face to handle the job. He would greet Ortoren at the port and escort him to Ryugu Palace.
"Arlong, long time no see," Ortoren said with a smile, patting him on the shoulder.
In the original story, Arlong had been Tiger's fiercely loyal follower. After Tiger's death, he had thrown caution to the wind, caring nothing for his own strength or life as he sought revenge. That alone showed just how deeply he respected Tiger.
According to that original course of events, Arlong was imprisoned in Impel Down after Tiger's death, and only later, when Jinbe became one of the Shichibukai, was he released through special privilege.
But Arlong deeply resented Jinbe for becoming a lackey of the World Government. He took part of the Sun Pirates and split off, heading to the East Blue to rule through force. He tried to build some sort of Fish-Man empire there, but clearly lacked the ability. In the end, all he managed was to dominate a handful of nearby villages.
During that time, he became the source of Nami's trauma, committed countless crimes, and was eventually defeated by a still-green Luffy, who treated him like nothing more than a random boss encounter.
Now, however, things were completely different.
Tiger was still alive. Arlong still carried some racial prejudice, but he hadn't become extreme. He never went to the East Blue to cause havoc either. Instead, he had devoted himself to the larger cause of securing a future for Fish-Man Island.
On Fish-Man Island, Ortoren wasn't seen as a human at all, but as a noble Mink. Arlong harbored resentment toward humans, but had no particular issue with Minks. Moreover, having followed Tiger to meet Ortoren several times, he knew how much Tiger respected him.
Because of that, Arlong treated Ortoren with great respect as well. Being patted on the shoulder, he looked visibly excited as he spoke.
"Welcome to Fish-Man Island, Admiral Benn. I've already informed Ryugu Palace of your arrival. His Majesty Neptune has prepared a banquet and is waiting for you."
Ortoren didn't put on any airs. He exchanged a few friendly words with Arlong, then left the dock under Arlong's guidance, heading toward Ryugu Palace.
However, just as they were about to leave the port, Ortoren seemed to sense something. His brow furrowed slightly as he looked toward another shipyard in the distance.
That area was also a coating zone, from which ships could depart for the New World.
At that moment, Ortoren saw two figures there who were unmistakably his own people.
Yes, fellow members of the Mink race.
They were tall and striking, standing out clearly in the crowd. Like bodyguards, they flanked several people dressed in traditional attire from Wano Country.
Although he couldn't see their faces clearly, Ortoren vaguely felt that one of them, a teenager, carried a resemblance to Kozuki Oden.
The silhouette was eerily similar.
"Inuarashi and Nekomamushi!?" A flicker of surprise flashed through Ortoren's eyes.
He recognized those two Mink Tribe members at once.
They were both retainers of Kozuki Oden. In Sea Circle Calendar 1497, after the Roger Pirates disbanded, Kozuki Oden returned to Wano Country together with Inuarashi and Nekomamushi. Later, a conflict erupted with Kaidou. Yet after that turmoil, only Kozuki Oden escaped from Wano. After wandering for a time, he eventually returned to the Whitebeard Pirates.
Meanwhile, Nekomamushi, Inuarashi, the other retainers, and even Kozuki Oden's wife and children all vanished without a trace.
From that point on, there was no news of them anywhere on the seas.
Others might not know the truth, but Ortoren suspected that they had most likely passed through the Time Gate together with Kozuki, ending up in some unknown era.
At first, he thought it would be twenty years in the future. After all, members of the Roger Pirates inexplicably seemed to "believe" in that outcome, and in the original story, that was indeed what happened.
Because of that, Ortoren had never arranged for anyone to search for them.
Yet now, here on Fish-Man Island, he had actually seen Inuarashi and Nekomamushi. There was a very high chance that the group dressed in Wano-style clothing was none other than Momonosuke and his companions.
There was no small child visible among those silhouettes, though. Perhaps… with the help of that female ninja, Momonosuke had already grown up?
He had been eight years old back then. Nearly ten years had passed. It wasn't impossible that he had grown into the teenage boy Ortoren thought he saw.
"Admiral?" Arlong noticed Ortoren staring off into the distance and called out in confusion.
Ortoren came back to himself and turned to Arlong.
"Were those Mink Tribe members just now?"
As a local who knew the area well, Arlong glanced in that direction and nodded quickly.
"Yes. Mink Tribe. They showed up on Fish-Man Island a little over half a month ago. They've been getting their ship coated, planning to cross the deep sea back to the New World. They also seem to be protecting someone. They call themselves 'retainers' and have some connection to the Whitebeard Pirates. From what I heard, they're heading back to the New World to look for Whitebeard."
Fish-Man Island still flew the Whitebeard Pirates' flag, so those people were treated with a fair amount of consideration.
No one bothered them.
Hearing this, Ortoren was basically certain. That group was Kozuki Oden's retainers and family. And that damned little brat Momonosuke was right there.
He had originally wanted to make a move, but after a moment, Ortoren suppressed the thought.
This was Fish-Man Island. Whitebeard's flag was flying here, and those people had deep ties to him. Making a move here would put Fish-Man Island in an awkward and difficult position.
And Ortoren had come here to discuss cooperation. A deal worth more than a trillion in value.
Letting that brat delay important business would be unacceptable.
But…
Once they left Fish-Man Island, it would be the New World. And in the New World, it would be Ortoren's territory.
Whether they could return to the Whitebeard Pirates would depend entirely on Ortoren's will.
"Perhaps… it's time to wipe out the Whitebeard Pirates," Ortoren murmured softly, a strange glint flashing through his eyes.
He didn't linger. Under Arlong's guidance, the group quickly crossed the harbor and left Coral Hill.
Then Ortoren turned to Hina.
"Give me the Den Den Mushi."
Hina looked confused, but she immediately handed it over.
Ortoren picked it up and dialed. Before long, Tokikake answered on the other end.
"What is it? Are you coming back soon?"
"No," Ortoren replied briefly, then his tone turned serious.
"Forget that for now. Issue my Admiral's order. Instruct all Marine bases in the New World to keep a close watch on the gateway sea routes. There are two Mink Tribe members…"
After explaining the situation, Ortoren continued in a low, firm voice.
"Under no circumstances are they to be allowed to return to Whitebeard's territory. Capture all of them, preferably alive. And there's a kid named Momonosuke among them. Give him special attention."
Tokikake didn't quite understand why Ortoren was suddenly issuing such an order, but he answered without hesitation.
"Understood. I'll relay your orders to all Marine units immediately."