After Spandine gave his answer, Ortoren genuinely didn't know what to say for a moment.
"Ahem… you… you…" Ortoren stumbled awkwardly, then cleared his throat. "Work hard. It's time for you to show your loyalty to the World Government, Spandine."
"Admiral, don't mess with me…" Spandine said, exasperated. "Now that the order's come down, what am I supposed to do?"
"Then try it," Ortoren laughed. "Go ask Momonga, Isshō, and the others if they feel like jumping ship. Maybe they'd like a cushy new job in Holy Land or something."
After teasing him a bit, Ortoren stopped pushing it.
"Just follow the usual procedure and send the list to Holy Land. Let's see if they even dare believe it," Ortoren said. "What else can you do?"
Then his tone shifted.
"Alright, enough about that. The Revolutionary Army got crushed in the East Blue. What happened?"
"I honestly don't know," Spandine said, worry creeping into his voice. "By the time I heard anything, our CP Director had already led people to the East Blue and sealed everything off. The next news I got was that the Revolutionary Army had taken a massive hit. Dragon-san just came to me to cause trouble, but I brushed him off."
He hesitated, then blurted out what he really cared about.
"Admiral, I'm worried. Captain Ginny was captured… she won't give me up, will she?"
"She won't," Ortoren said calmly. "Ginny isn't the type to talk. Relax."
After a brief pause, he added, "And once I'm done with the New World, I'll start dealing with the Holy Land situation. When that time comes, this will get handled too."
Only then did Spandine finally breathe out. "If you're saying that, Admiral, then I'm not worried…"
On the other end, Ortoren went quiet.
Spandine waited, then asked, confused, "Admiral? Are you still there? Is the signal bad?"
"No," Ortoren sighed. "I'm figuring out how to say this to you."
"Huh?" Spandine froze, then hurriedly said, "Admiral, we've been friends for years. If you've got something to say, just say it. I, Spandine, would go through fire for you!"
Ortoren chuckled, then his voice hardened.
"You're right. We've known each other a long time. You know me, and I know you," he said. "So I'm going to make this clear now, so you're not caught off guard later, not knowing what to do."
He paused briefly, then continued.
"When I said I'd handle the New World first and then deal with Holy Land… I didn't mean in the gentle way you're probably imagining."
Spandine's mind went blank for a second. He wasn't stupid. He understood exactly what that implied.
He swallowed hard. "Admiral… you… you're not thinking of… attacking Holy Land, are you?"
Ortoren's voice stayed low, steady, and unmistakably serious.
"Over the years, what I've done in the New World, you might not know every detail, but you should know most of it," he said. "You should understand this: ever since I took over G-5, I've been working to break Holy Land's control and shackles over our Marines."
"…Yes," Spandine managed, after a beat.
He'd always known. He'd just never wanted to face it.
Now that Ortoren was saying it out loud, Spandine didn't even know how to respond.
"So from the moment this became an open problem, there was never any room to negotiate between me and Holy Land," Ortoren continued. "I've spent years building up enough strength, and putting systems in place. Even before the war with the Whitebeard Pirates, I'd already confirmed it."
"Our New World Navy, and even Marine Headquarters… have the foundation to run on their own. We don't need Holy Land or the World Government to keep the machine turning. I've loosened the reins, Spandine."
He exhaled softly.
"And because of that, Holy Land won't sit back and do nothing. They won't let me go. And you know this too: someone like me won't let Holy Land go either."
Spandine clung to the last shred of hope he had left.
"So you mean… once you use this war to sweep the New World clean, you'll definitely go to war with Holy Land?" he asked.
"Of course," Ortoren answered without hesitation.
Then, after a short pause, he added in a deep voice, "Don't be fooled by how it looks like the New World is about to explode into war. In reality, the Big Mom Pirates, the Beast Pirates, and I already have some mutual understanding."
"Before I went to Marine Headquarters, I went to Whole Cake Island. I met Charlotte Linlin and Kaidou there…"
"Consensus?" Spandine was momentarily stunned.
"This war will be decided by a confrontation between the three of us," Ortoren said calmly. "I have no intention of wasting my precious forces on something like this. Kaidou's daughter will marry my son, Ace. As for my relationship with the Big Mom Pirates, you already know how that stands. So this battle is about one thing."
He continued evenly, without hiding anything from Spandine.
"The victor will take control of everything in the New World. On the surface, everyone thinks this is a massive, world-shaking war. But for the three of us at the helm, it's nothing more than deciding who gets to be the boss. Once the winner is decided, our New World Navy will merge completely with the Big Mom Pirates and the Beast Pirates into a single system. At that point, the New World will be unified. And I'll gain two even stronger forces to confront the World Government head-on."
This time, Spandine fell completely silent.
Ortoren didn't rush him. For an old friend like this, he had the patience to wait.
Several minutes passed before Spandine finally seemed to sort through his thoughts and understand the situation.
He spoke with some difficulty. "Admiral… by telling me all this today, you're saying… you want me to make a complete choice of sides, aren't you?"
"Of course," Ortoren replied softly. "You're my good friend, Spandine. I met you not long after I first joined the Marines. Over the years, we've worked together well, and I genuinely respect you. That's why, at this final moment, I don't want to use you or force you into anything."
"I want to make things clear and give you room to choose, instead of cornering you with pressure until you have no way out but to come to me. From here on, whether you choose the World Government or our New World Navy, I'll support your decision."
He paused briefly.
"But if you choose Holy Land, then from that day on… we'll be enemies."
Spandine understood exactly what Ortoren meant.
Ortoren had no intention of using the various illegal matters he'd accumulated over the years to coerce him. He was genuinely giving Spandine the right to choose. Even if Spandine chose the World Government, Ortoren wouldn't turn around and report him afterward.
Likewise, under those circumstances, Spandine couldn't possibly expose Ortoren's many actions in the New World either.
This was preferential treatment, without a doubt.
Ortoren had countless ways to cut off Spandine's options entirely if he wanted to.
At the same time, Spandine knew that Ortoren was asking for an answer today. That answer could be siding with Ortoren, or firmly standing by CP and the World Government, but neutrality was not an option.
"I've spent most of my life struggling within the World Government, Admiral," Spandine said, his tone filled with resignation and complaint. "My son just became a commander in CP-5, and the Director even told me earlier that if I handle this division and infiltration matter well, becoming CP Director in the future is very possible…"
Ortoren burst out laughing. "At least he has some vision. He knows you're real gold."
He didn't promise Spandine any specific position or benefits if he joined them, only tossed out that lighthearted remark.
After a moment, Spandine took a deep breath and said firmly, "Admiral, you know this. I'm loyal to justice. And in my eyes, you are the embodiment of justice."
Ortoren smiled. "A pleasure to work together, Spandine. For now, stay at your post and stand the final watch for CP. Once I finish dealing with the family matters of the New World, I'll come find you."
"Loyalty!" Spandine replied, imitating what he'd once seen at one of the Admiral's tea gatherings.
With that, Ortoren hung up the Den Den Mushi.