October 31, 1501, Age of the Sea Circle
The weather had grown rather cold now that the end of the year was approaching. At least in this northern part of the West Blue, the climate was completely different from that of the South Blue, where Orion had been born.
In the South Blue, this time of year brought warm, festival-friendly days, but his current location in the West Blue was far more desolate. The sky was completely overcast, and strong winds made it difficult for his small sailboat to navigate—though at least he wasn't caught in the middle of a storm or blizzard.
Orion had been sailing for more than twenty-four hours and was finally nearing his destination: the island where the two Named Characters, Victoria Cindry and Hogback, were located.
During the past day, between tending to his wounds and focusing on steering the boat, Orion had also contacted the people of Pacific Kingdom, assuring them that he was safe and informing them of his current position in the West Blue.
While he had been in Mary Geoise, Orion had avoided any communication with them for fear that his calls could be intercepted by the Celestial Dragons, even though he used an encoded transponder snail designed to prevent such eavesdropping. Still, Orion didn't want to risk the safety of his loved ones, and for that reason, he had chosen not to contact anyone from his kingdom.
Moreover, since the system had been locked, his connection with Shyarly had also been cut off, which meant he hadn't been able to speak with the mermaid as he usually did. During his stay in Mary Geoise, the only person he had contacted had been Shanks, asking for his help in executing his escape plan.
He had no concern whatsoever that the World Government might trace the call back to the red-haired man, since Shanks was more than capable of defending himself, even if such a thing happened.
Once Orion had called home and reassured his loved ones, he discussed several central matters of governance with his uncle Lolo, who required Orion's personal approval for certain decisions. Although Orion had delegated most of his power to Lolo and Giolla—who acted as governors of the kingdom—there were still specific decisions that only the king himself could make.
When Orion finished speaking with everyone back home, he made a few more calls. First, he contacted Dragon to inform him of his successful escape from Mary Geoise and to tell him about Celestia and Luffy's situation when he had last seen them.
The solemn revolutionary simply expressed his relief at Orion's safe escape, without making any comment about his wife and son, who still remained within the Gods' Domain. Orion knew that Dragon was still planning to evacuate his son from the territory of the Celestial Dragons and had even offered to help him if needed—but evidently, Dragon had no intention of acting just yet.
Orion had no intention of pressing the issue. After briefly discussing general matters concerning the Revolutionary Army, he said goodbye to its leader, reminding him before hanging up that if he ever needed help, he should not hesitate to reach out.
Hearing Orion's sincere words, Dragon paused for a moment and simply replied with a quiet "Thank you" before ending the call. Orion knew that, given his current level of power, he probably wouldn't be able to help Dragon much in his mission to rescue Luffy, but he was still willing to assist in any way he could when the time came.
After finishing his call with Dragon, Orion contacted Kuma to let him know that he was in the West Blue and that he planned to visit the Revolutionary Army base under Kuma's command to meet him. Kuma asked if Orion needed him to come pick him up, to spare him the trouble of sailing all the way to the base, but Orion declined, telling him that it wasn't necessary for now.
Given Kuma's movement speed using his Devil Fruit powers, he could easily reach Orion's location within a day, so if Orion needed help later, he could simply let him know. For now, he wanted to reach the island where the two Named Characters were and see what kind of people they were—and whether it was worth recruiting them.
If Orion did decide to recruit them, he would probably have to spend more time on the island anyway, so there was no need for Kuma to rush over immediately.
Finally, after finishing his call with Kuma, Orion contacted Shanks, who answered with his usual lazy tone.
"Hey, Orion, I see you're not dead. Nicely done," Shanks said casually.
Orion felt a vein twitch on his forehead but restrained himself from yelling at the red-haired pirate on the spot.
"Shanks, thank you for the reinforcements you sent. They saved me just in time," Orion said bluntly, expressing his gratitude.
No matter how annoying the pirate could be, it was true that he had provided tremendous help this time.
"Hey, hey, don't mention it. It wasn't a big deal—just a matter of making a phone call," Shanks replied cheerfully, then added,
"With that, we're even. I don't owe you anything anymore for taking care of Uta."
Orion took a deep breath, trying to calm his irritation.
"Very well, we're even then," he said through gritted teeth.
"Hey, hey, hey! I think you're making a mistake, Orion. I'm taking care of your two Nakama right now, so you actually owe me one!" said Shanks shamelessly.
At that point, Orion could no longer contain his irritation and exploded like a volcano.
"'Hey this, hey that!' Can't you talk properly?! Damn bastard, next time I see you—"
"Orion, Orion, hello, Orion," came Uta's baby voice through the Den Den Mushi, cutting him off just as he was about to unleash a string of profanities.
Immediately, Orion had no choice but to finish insulting Shanks in his head, and he answered the little girl who was cheerfully greeting him.
"Uta! How are you? Did you miss me?" Orion asked, a warm smile appearing on his face involuntarily.
"Yes! Miss! Music!" the little girl replied, unable to form her words properly.
At just two years old, she couldn't express herself very clearly yet, but it was obvious that she understood Orion's words and was trying to tell him that she missed him and their days filled with music. Even though Shanks also sang with her, he didn't have Orion's musical knowledge, which helped nurture the girl's natural genius.
"Unfortunately, I can't come see you to play music, Uta, because your dad doesn't want me to," Orion suddenly said, smiling devilishly as a wicked idea occurred to him—a perfect way to teach Shanks a lesson from afar.
The little girl fell silent for a moment after hearing his words, then began shouting angrily.
"Bad daddy! Bad!"
With a sly grin, Orion listened as Shanks begged his daughter for mercy, trying desperately to calm her down and swearing that he wouldn't stop Orion from visiting her to play music.
Finally, after quite some time, Shanks managed to soothe the little girl, then resumed his call with Orion in a low voice, as if afraid she might overhear.
"Orion, that was really low! Did you have to play dirty?" Shanks said indignantly.
"Ha! I don't know what you're talking about," Orion replied indifferently, saying nothing else.
In the end, Shanks had no choice but to grit his teeth and agree.
"Fine, we're even! But don't push it, or I'll leave your Nakama stranded on some deserted island!" Shanks exclaimed firmly, trying to sound intimidating, though his aura as a fearsome pirate had already vanished after he'd had to plead with his little daughter.
It was truly a sad fate—to be a father enslaved by his own daughter—and Orion clasped his hands together in mock prayer, hoping to the heavens that he wouldn't end up like Shanks or Hanafuda when he had daughters of his own.
"All right, enough joking, Shanks. I'm leaving Roux and Gab in your care for now. I'll probably come get them in a few months," Orion finally said, his tone turning serious.
"Got it. We'll probably still be in Paradise by then, but you can call me when the time comes," Shanks replied.
After exchanging a few more words of farewell, Orion ended the call, having finally tied up all the loose ends left after his sudden mission in Mary Geoise and his arrival in the West Blue.
Thinking about Lucky Roux and Gab, who were now with Shanks, Orion concluded that it was probably a good thing for them to spend some time as guests aboard the red-haired pirate's crew. Even if it was only for a few months, they would undoubtedly gain valuable experience—especially in battle.
Still, since they weren't official members of the crew, Shanks wouldn't share his secrets with them or treat them as equals to his men, but that hardly mattered for the boys' growth.
In a few months, Orion would head to the Grand Line to retrieve them and bring them back home. Perhaps then, he could also stop by Amazon Lily to see if Hancock and her two sisters had made it safely back to their homeland and reunite with Gloriosa.
Gazing toward the horizon, Orion saw the silhouette of a distant island emerging from the mist. He was finally about to reach his destination.
…
November 1, 1501, Age of the Sea Circle
Just as the sun began to rise over the horizon, Orion finally arrived at the nearest port on the island. According to the information from the Western Revolutionary Army's map, this island was massive and ruled by a kingdom composed of many large cities and several small rural towns.
The city Orion was currently arriving at wasn't the capital, but it was certainly one of the island's most important commercial and cultural centers.
After reaching the vicinity of the port, Orion didn't dock normally like any other sailor would. Instead, he simply stored his small sailboat in his system inventory with a thought, then continued on foot, struggling greatly as he walked.
His wounds were truly bothersome at this point, and even walking normally proved quite difficult. Although Orion had been gravely injured many times before, this time the damage had been particularly hard to heal, and he couldn't help but wonder if it was somehow connected to the strange power of that mysterious woman with heterochromatic eyes.
Orion entered the city without any trouble, as security here was rather lax. This was, after all, the gateway to both the island and the kingdom. The scale of commerce was truly impressive, and the number of people moving through the streets carrying all kinds of goods was far beyond what Orion had seen in most cities he'd visited before.
It was obvious that this kingdom was living through prosperous times, and that prosperity was reflected in its healthy trading practices.
Even so, while security within the city was loose enough for anyone to enter freely, its defenses were visibly strong. Perhaps this was because it was a key hub for the kingdom, but the number of soldiers patrolling the streets and guarding the port was quite high.
Orion had no intention of causing any conflict in this place, so he merely took note of these details out of curiosity, paying them little attention afterward. As he walked through the city's bustling streets, he saw countless theaters, casinos, and entertainment houses of all kinds, a clear sign of the island's vibrant cultural life.
However, he had no time to admire such things right now—he had to focus on not dying from his wounds. After asking a few guards where he could find a hospital or clinic, Orion was directed to the clinic of Doctor Hogback, which was apparently not only the most prestigious in this kingdom but in the entire West Blue.
Upon hearing that name, Orion immediately recalled portions of the intelligence reports that various Revolutionary Army branches regularly sent him. Vaguely, he remembered that there was indeed a renowned surgeon named Hogback mentioned among them.
For a moment, Orion couldn't help but marvel at the strange workings of fate that had brought him to the very island where this famous surgeon—and Named Character—resided, right when he needed medical attention most. Or perhaps… there were unseen forces guiding his destiny as well?
Moving slowly through the crowded city streets, Orion finally reached Hogback's clinic and entered at once to request medical assistance.
Inside, he was greeted by a voluptuous secretary who, however, had a rather "odd" face—it looked as though she had undergone a botched cosmetic surgery.
Driven by his natural curiosity, Orion activated his Prism Eyes and was greatly surprised to discover that the woman's entire body was covered in invisible stitches. Clearly, her voluptuous curves were the result of surgical enhancement, and her face had likely been a failed attempt at improvement.
Immediately, Orion lost all interest in the voluptuous woman and simply requested an urgent appointment with the doctor. To his surprise, however, the secretary told him that the doctor was busy and would not see anyone unless they paid a large and rather exaggerated fee.
Frowning at her words, Orion found this quite telling. It was normal for a doctor to be busy and to refuse new patients, but that usually depended on the patient's condition. Although Orion appeared fine to the untrained eye, in truth he was on the verge of death—and no respectable physician would send someone away in such a state.
Moreover, the fact that the secretary had asked for a large payment without even glancing at his condition suggested that such behavior was standard practice at this clinic, not an isolated incident.
For these reasons, Orion's impression of Hogback immediately soured, though he refrained from making a final judgment until he could meet the man himself and analyze him in detail with the help of his special abilities.
Under the astonished gaze of the voluptuous secretary, Orion pulled out a large amount of Berries and threw them onto the counter. Then, with a dominant air, he said,
"You've got your payment. Now call Doctor Hogback."
Seeing Orion's cold stare and the oppressive aura he emitted, the secretary trembled visibly, nodded quickly, and ran off to inform her boss that an "important" (and wealthy) client had arrived.
Orion simply took a seat in the empty waiting area and waited for about ten minutes, until the office doors opened again and Hogback emerged, dressed in a white uniform and accompanied by two women.
The first was the secretary who had gone to announce Orion's arrival. The other woman… was Victoria Cindry.
Orion had been so distracted that he hadn't realized the markers of the two Named Characters on this island were both in the same place. Victoria was a young and incredibly beautiful woman, with a naturally voluptuous figure and short blonde hair.
Her most distinctive trait, however, was her radiant smile—one capable of charming even the most chaste of men. Naturally, the effect of such a lethal smile on someone like Orion, who was far more lustful by nature than the average person, was absolutely devastating.
A single glance was enough for Orion to be completely mesmerized by the beautiful woman, though in his current state he was in no condition to try to make any sort of move on her.
On the other hand, Hogback was a man with rather odd physical proportions, walking with an air of arrogance and indifference—much like a minor villain in a work of fiction. Orion activated his Prism Eyes and analyzed the famous doctor whose reputation had even earned him a brief mention in the Revolutionary Army's limited reports. In an instant, Orion obtained all the information he needed.
Hogback's talent shone brightly, yet his morality was appallingly low, and it could be said without the slightest doubt that he was a true villain. Perhaps the only reason he could live peacefully in society for the time being was that he had not yet found an opportunity to unleash his wickedness—or simply that he was very good at concealing his crimes.
Either way, Orion immediately dismissed the idea of taking this man as a subordinate. However, for the moment, he had no intention of antagonizing him, since he urgently needed medical treatment. From the information available to him, Orion concluded that as long as he had enough money, there would be no problem securing Hogback's services.
"Miss Victoria, you are in perfect health," said Hogback, his eyes glinting as he looked at the beautiful Victoria Cindry. "But please, do not overexert yourself during your rehearsals, or you'll end up having to visit me more often. Don't misunderstand me—it would be a pleasure to see you daily—but I would hate for your body to suffer from fatigue."
"Hehehe, Doctor Hogback, you always have such a poetic way of speaking," Victoria replied, covering her mouth with elegant grace and letting out a soft laugh—one that instantly made Hogback feel an uncontrollable desire to possess the noble young woman standing before him.
To the celebrated doctor, Victoria was simply his ideal woman. Not only was she incredibly beautiful and sensual, but she was also the daughter of a powerful noble, with great wealth to her name. Every time he imagined a possible future where he pressed Victoria against a bed and subjected her to his every desire, he couldn't help but pant heavily, in a most revolting manner.
Even so, the gentle young woman's upbringing prevented her from showing the slightest hint of disgust under the doctor's possessive gaze, though she did occasionally feel uncomfortable in his presence.
Since childhood, she had been part of the theater, and after years of hard work, she had become one of the leading actresses in the kingdom. Still, her success had not come without its problems. The demanding schedule of her profession had taken a toll on her health, and for the past two years, she had been visiting Hogback regularly for checkups and emergency treatments.
Victoria always tried to maintain a polite and elegant distance from the doctor, though she didn't always succeed, since Hogback's ambition was obvious to anyone with eyes and a functioning brain.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have lunch with my father and must take my leave," Victoria Cindry said before Hogback could utter another word.
She then gave a small bow and gracefully left the room. However, as she was leaving the clinic, she couldn't help but notice the handsome and athletic young man waiting in the reception area. Her cheeks flushed faintly as several fleeting thoughts crossed her mind, and quickly lowering her gaze, she left the clinic in a hurry—like a timid rabbit fleeing in haste.
Doctor Hogback continued staring after her, panting as his gaze lingered on the voluptuous curve of her hips, accentuated by the silky fabric of her dress.
At last, once Victoria Cindry had completely disappeared from sight, Hogback turned around to look at Orion, who had been waiting silently at the side. With an arrogant tone, he said,
"My secretary tells me you're in need of medical attention?"
Orion frowned once more, and with a simple mental command, he pulled out a large pile of Berries and gold from his inventory—part of the wealth he had looted from the Figarland mansion. Fixing Hogback with a piercing gaze, he released a faint wave of Conqueror's Haki and said in an intimidating tone,
"I need you to heal my wounds. If you can do it, I'll reward you handsomely."
Then, before Hogback could even react, Orion made the mountain of riches vanish into thin air once again.
Hogback's breathing quickened, almost as much as when he had been ogling Victoria Cindry, and with a wide, eager smile, he said,
"Of course, of course! You'll receive the best possible treatment! I promise you'll be completely satisfied with my services!"
All traces of arrogance vanished from Hogback's demeanor, replaced by utter servility. Curiously, this wasn't because of Orion's intimidating aura or his Conqueror's Haki—but simply because of the mountain of money he had just seen.
Hogback was a thoroughly vulgar man, ruled by his desires and greed. All it took was the glitter of gold in front of his eyes to turn him into a submissive lapdog, even though he normally carried himself arrogantly before ordinary people.
Under the enthusiastic doctor's guidance, Orion entered the office of the renowned surgeon, prepared to undergo an emergency operation.