"Director, I don't think I can…" Spandine said hesitantly.
"Enough. It's decided," the Director cut him off. "Get results as soon as possible. Those five are waiting to see what we can do."
He didn't give Spandine any chance to refuse. The call ended on the spot.
Spandine stared at the Den Den Mushi in his hand, helpless and full of mixed feelings.
What kind of mess is this?
Betray Admiral Benn? Impossible. That's my biggest backer, my last escape route if anything goes wrong down the line.
After thinking it over, Spandine immediately decided to contact Ortoren about it.
He dialed. Busy tone.
Spandine wasn't surprised. He figured Dragon-san must be talking to the Admiral right now.
In truth, that wasn't it at all.
...
Somewhere in the New World, a warship was cutting through the sea.
Ortoren lounged in a deck chair, casually eating fruit, when the Den Den Mushi on the table started ringing. He answered, then nearly sat up.
"What? Crocodile actually said he's coming to the New World to see me?" Ortoren barked in disbelief. "Does he have a death wish?"
On the other end, Tokikake replied, "We don't know what he's after, but he sent a meeting request through the Shichibukai internal channel. He says he'll be returning to the New World soon and hopes to meet you to discuss something important."
"Important, my ass. What could he possibly have that's important?" Ortoren scoffed. "What, is he inviting me to Alabasta to play in the sand with him?"
Then he snorted again, sounding utterly put out.
"This Admiral is busy. I've got work piling up. I get back, rest for a moment, and then I'm heading to Whole Cake Island to decide the New World's future. Where am I supposed to find time to meet some small-time punk? Reply and tell him I'm not free."
Tokikake paused, then said, "Crocodile claims there was a misunderstanding between you back then. To clear it up, he's prepared gold worth fifty billion Belly, and he's also bringing a special gift from Alabasta…"
"Ahem." Ortoren's tone flipped so fast it was almost impressive. "But he is Shichibukai, after all. Crocodile's actually a pretty decent guy. Look at that, coming all the way from Alabasta just to meet me in the New World. That's sincerity."
"As an Admiral, I can't be too arrogant. That's just antisocial. You know, you can't hold your position too high above everyone else."
"When's he arriving in the New World? Set a time. We'll meet. As fellow Logia users, we should get closer, build some rapport. And let me be clear, it's not about the fifty billion. You know my finances. Do I look like I'm short on pocket change? This is purely about… friendship. Yeah. Rapport."
Seriously. Ortoren's wealth was well into the trillions. What was fifty billion Belly to him?
He just wanted to meet Crocodile, get acquainted, that's all.
No other reason at all.
…
Tokikake sounded like he'd seen Ortoren's reaction coming a mile away. Completely unfazed, he said evenly, "He's already left Alabasta and is heading for the New World. The time he gave is about three months."
"Three months to cross the first half of the Grand Line and make it deep into the New World to see me… that's pretty quick," Ortoren said, then sighed with a hint of regret. "Looks like he won't arrive until after I'm done with the Whole Cake Island business."
With that settled, Tokikake had nothing else to add. They ended the call.
Ortoren had just started peeling an orange when the Den Den Mushi on the table, which hadn't even been quiet for a full minute, rang again.
"Dragon-san?" Ortoren raised an eyebrow, as if he'd already guessed what was coming. He picked up. "What is it?"
"Ahem…" Dragon-san sounded awkward. After clearing his throat, he spoke in a tone Ortoren had never heard from him before, faintly ingratiating. "Admiral, I have a matter I'd like to ask you to help with…"
Ortoren got goosebumps all over.
"Disgusting. That's fucking disgusting," he snapped into the Den Den Mushi. "Can you talk to me normally? Quit doing this weird crap."
On the other end, Dragon-san's cheek probably twitched. His voice returned to normal.
"Ortoren. Our East Army in the East Blue was hit hard. Captain Ginny was taken by the CP organization. She's probably being transported to Holy Land. I need you to help get her out. Name your conditions."
Ortoren's expression turned complicated. He murmured under his breath, "Ginny… huh."
He quickly pulled himself together.
"My schedule's a mess right now, and my relationship with Holy Land has taken a nosedive. Getting her out through 'connections' is basically impossible," Ortoren said. "And with Ginny's status, the World Government isn't going to let me casually pull a major Revolutionary Army figure out of their hands."
"Your relationship with Holy Land has deteriorated?" Dragon-san's focus instantly shifted.
"Yeah. My influence in the New World is too big. Holy Land thinks I might 'have ideas,' like I'm planning something," Ortoren said bluntly. "So they tried to use some methods to transfer me out of the New World. I ruined their plan, and now they're even more on guard. For all I know, those five at the top are meeting right now, talking about how to deal with me."
"Sounds like those five finally noticed something's off about you," Dragon-san said with a sigh. "Honestly, sometimes I worry for them."
Ortoren had burned Holy Land and those half-blind old men still called him loyal enough to promote him to Admiral. It was absurd.
Now they'd finally realized something wasn't right, but Dragon-san felt like they were already too late.
After that brief aside, Dragon-san asked, more seriously, "So what are you going to do about your relationship with them, and what comes next?"
"That's not something I can discuss with you," Ortoren brushed it off. "As for Ginny, I can't help right now, and I can't spare the bandwidth. Once I've handled the New World situation, I'll contact you again."
Dragon-san knew he couldn't force this. It wasn't like Ortoren was going to drop everything the moment he asked, rush over, and start plotting a rescue with him.
Dragon-san didn't have that kind of pull.
The fact Ortoren hadn't outright refused was already the best outcome he could realistically hope for.
Of course, he also couldn't put all his hopes on Ortoren. The Revolutionary Army needed its own preparations and plans.
"Then I won't disturb you any further," Dragon-san said quietly, and hung up.
On the warship, Ortoren kept peeling his orange, eyes on the rolling sea, his mood tangled with melancholy, hesitation, and something harder to name.
For him, rescuing Ginny now meant Bonney wouldn't exist.
But not rescuing her meant Ginny would suffer something truly horrific.
And putting all that aside, he genuinely didn't have a clean solution. Burn Holy Land again? Did he think the Five Elders were idiots?
"The safest way is to wait until I've swept the New World clean," Ortoren muttered, "then turn the gun toward Holy Land and pull Ginny out while I'm at it…"
He sighed.
"As for whether Bonney will exist by then… guess we'll leave that to luck."
Just as those thoughts were circling, the Den Den Mushi rang again.
Ortoren stared at it, baffled. "Why does everything have to come all at once?"
He answered without delay.
"Spandine? What is it?"
"Admiral, something's seriously wrong!" Spandine said, his tone a little dramatic. "Holy Land has a huge problem with you. They're even planning to send someone to drive a wedge between you and the key New World Navy members under your command!"
Ortoren blinked, surprised. "Trying to split up my people? Bold. They're that confident? Who are they sending to do it?"
There was a pause.
Then Spandine said, awkward as hell, "Uh… me."