Just as Ortoren was chatting with the Shichibukai…
Hina knocked on the door and stepped inside. She quickly approached Ortoren and reported in a low voice,
"Admiral, the Whitebeard Pirates sank three of our surveillance ships in an instant at the edge of the Lakemore Sea, then disappeared."
Ortoren frowned slightly.
"The Lakemore Sea… There should be Coast Guard units stationed nearby, right?"
"Yes," Hina answered immediately.
"Have the Coast Guard rush to rescue our people," Ortoren said with a hint of irritation. "That old man Whitebeard really has no sense of decency. At his age, he's still ambushing our surveillance ships…"
"The rescue has already been arranged," Hina replied softly.
Having followed Ortoren for so long, she knew very well how much he cared about the rank-and-file Marines. Whenever something like this happened, rescuing their people always came first. So the moment she received the report, she had already taken care of the rescue arrangements.
Only then did Ortoren nod in satisfaction. He continued,
"If it's at the edge of the Lakemore Sea… how long would it take them to reach Aquino Island?"
Hina opened the document folder she was holding, flipped through it briefly, confirmed the figures, and said,
"Based on our current estimates of the Whitebeard Pirates' sailing speed, they could reach Aquino Island in as little as three days."
"Three days…" Ortoren rubbed his chin, falling into thought.
It was currently September 14, Sea Circle Calendar 1506. There were still six days left until the execution date announced in the newspapers.
After a moment, Ortoren spoke again,
"Even though they could arrive within three days, I believe they'll still show up on the execution day itself. So there's no need for major adjustments. However, pass the order down. Have the surrounding fleets mobilize and patrol the seas. Don't let Whitebeard catch us off guard. But don't act rashly, and don't block their advance toward us either. Once they're sighted, clear a passage for them."
"Yes, I understand," Hina replied at once.
Ortoren believed Whitebeard wouldn't launch a premature attack. Their real goal was to rescue people. If Whitebeard attacked early, the Marines could simply forget about the execution altogether and immediately execute Momonosuke and the others.
On the other hand, if Whitebeard waited until the execution day, the New World Marines would be broadcasting it live. For the sake of appearances, they would strictly follow the execution procedures. That moment would be the Whitebeard Pirates' only real chance to save anyone.
After settling these matters, Ortoren turned to the Shichibukai and said,
"Alright. The Whitebeard Pirates will be arriving soon, and the war is about to begin. Use these next few days to rest, adjust yourselves, and prepare for battle. I'm looking forward to your performance on the battlefield."
Doflamingo and Moria nodded in response.
Mihawk, on the other hand, stood up with his usual cold composure, picked up the black blade Yoru from beside him, slung it over his back, and left without a word.
Slekemind spoke with confidence,
"Admiral, rest assured. We'll give it everything we've got."
Slekemind had never gotten along with the Whitebeard Pirates to begin with. Ever since he became a Shichibukai, he'd been picking fights with them for years. Now that a decisive battle was finally at hand, he was genuinely excited.
If he performed well in this war, given the Admiral's temperament, wouldn't the rewards be substantial?
After seeing off the Shichibukai, Hina finished relaying Ortoren's orders as well.
In the small room, only she and Ortoren remained.
Ortoren took a sip of tea and asked quietly,
"Still no one from Holy Land contacting us about that proclamation?"
"No," Hina shook her head. "I suspect they may not have noticed those minor details."
Ortoren let out a soft sigh.
"I doubt it. That bunch thrives on exploiting internal strife and making an issue out of details like this. The reason nothing has surfaced yet is probably because the war is right around the corner. Holy Land likely doesn't want petty issues at a time like this to affect the overall situation."
Hina thought for a moment.
"That's possible…"
"But whether they've noticed or not, we need to make sure they do," Ortoren said calmly. "Otherwise, all these little moves of mine would be for nothing. Have Spandine find an opportunity to bring it up."
"Understood. I'll arrange it right away," Hina replied without hesitation.
After Hina left, Ortoren carried his teacup to the window. The building was only three stories tall, so the view wasn't particularly wide, but he could still see the vast Marine encampment spread across the area.
As the underground magma grew more active, the temperature on Aquino Island had risen noticeably. From time to time, cracks split open in the ground, venting scorching steam and waves of heat into the air.
It was obvious that the volcanic island had awakened. Not only that, its activity was increasing by the day. At this point, it looked like it could erupt at any moment.
To be honest, if Sakazuki hadn't joined them, Ortoren had seriously considered relocating the battlefield.
Winning the fight only to have the volcano suddenly erupt and drag everyone into mutual destruction would have been a bad joke.
Even worse, if the Whitebeard Pirates hadn't arrived yet and the volcano erupted first, wiping out the Marines stationed here, that would have been outright ridiculous.
But with Sakazuki around, there was no need to worry about that. Over the past few days, Sakazuki hadn't been on the island's surface at all. He had already followed the volcano's internal veins deep underground.
He was stabilizing the island's geothermal flow and reshaping the environment into something more suitable for his abilities, while also suppressing the volcano itself. That way, the Marines wouldn't be wiped out before the Whitebeard Pirates even showed up.
There was no denying it. This island was truly Sakazuki's home ground.
Perhaps his strength would see a noticeable boost here.
...
Meanwhile, in the calm waters near Aquino Island, a bicycle was moving across the sea in an almost surreal manner.
The man riding it was none other than Admiral Aokiji Kuzan.
After riding for a while, Kuzan came to a stop. He casually placed one foot on the surface of the sea to support the bike. The moment his foot touched the water, a layer of ice naturally formed beneath it, holding him steady.
It had to be said, this ability was incredibly convenient on the open ocean.
Once he stopped, Kuzan pulled out a sea chart and glanced at it.
"Aquino Island should be this way, right?"
He compared it with the Log Pose hanging from his wrist.
Yeah. The direction checked out.
"Kind of tired… might as well rest for today," Kuzan muttered.
As soon as he made up his mind, the ice beneath his feet rapidly changed shape. In the blink of an eye, an ice platform and a small ice hut formed and settled on the sea's surface.
Kuzan parked his bicycle, then took some tools out of his travel bag and started a fire, preparing a meal.
Everything came so naturally, as if he were genuinely out camping for leisure.
In reality, Kuzan wasn't in any rush to reach Aquino Island. Before setting out, he hadn't even informed Ortoren.
His thinking was simple. If he made it in time for the war, great. If not, that was fine too. He mainly wanted to watch things up close.
And besides…
He was also acting as insurance. If something unexpected happened and Ortoren's side couldn't hold the situation together, Kuzan would be able to step in and provide support immediately.