New World, Kingdom of Sotanaolf.
Inside the royal palace of the capital, Ortoren lounged casually in a VIP chair, discussing matters with the king.
At the center of the hall, a large group of bound and shackled pirates knelt on the floor.
"These pirates are the ones who looted your Ephemeral Harbor more than half a month ago. Our G-5 troops happened to encounter them during training and took care of the problem for you. Unfortunately, these pirates were heavy spenders. It seems they already squandered all the treasure they plundered from your kingdom. We didn't recover a single coin, so we can't return your losses," Ortoren said, biting down on a cigarette and wearing a look of regret.
The king glared at the pirates, teeth grinding in fury. But his expression soon shifted into a warm smile, even tinged with flattery. "Vice Admiral Benn, I am deeply grateful for your elimination of this pirate band. With G-5 under your command protecting our waters and national security, our people can truly feel at ease."
Ortoren waved a hand dismissively, and Momonga quickly led his men to take the pirates away.
Once the room was clear, Ortoren smiled. "This is nothing more than our duty. We Marines exist to eradicate pirates and restore peace and order to the nations of the New World."
He paused, then put on a troubled look. "That said, there's something rather difficult to bring up... Your Majesty, you know I've only recently taken command of G-5, don't you?"
"I know, I know," the king nodded quickly, then sighed with sorrow. "I had already heard about your predecessor, Vice Admiral Wolf. He bravely pursued the Demon Heir, Douglas Bullet, but in a moment of miscalculation, his campaign ended in failure, leaving G-5 gravely damaged. I was terrified something disastrous would follow. It wasn't until I learned Marine Headquarters had dispatched you to take over G-5 that I finally found peace of mind."
"Exactly. But I've only just arrived, and G-5 really has suffered a heavy blow. Right now, I've got no soldiers to spare and no funds to rely on..." Ortoren said with a weary expression.
The king, being quick to understand, caught on immediately and tested the waters. "We're all under the World Government. Naturally, we should support each other. If you're in need, we'd like to do our part..."
"Ahem..." Ortoren coughed deliberately before saying, "Since you're so generous, I'll be frank. The truth is, we're severely short on military funds. Our men fight not only for justice but also to provide for their families. Without enough pay, morale collapses. And when morale collapses, the troops become impossible to lead. If that happens, these waters could descend into chaos at any moment..."
The king's heart sank. So he really was here for money.
He didn't refuse outright, but instead asked, "How much do you still lack?"
"Justice always welcomes support—the more you give, the stronger we become. The stronger we are, the less room pirates have to breathe, and the safer your kingdom will be," Ortoren replied vaguely, without naming a figure.
The king hesitated, then raised two fingers. "Two hundred million?"
Ortoren frowned. "One billion."
"What!?" The king was stunned. He hurriedly protested, "Vice Admiral Benn, we in Sotanaolf don't have that much surplus wealth. And every year, we already pay a massive Heavenly Tribute to the World Government. They promised this tribute would be used to cover the Marines' protective costs for us..."
"Do you really believe that?" Ortoren shook his head helplessly.
Before the king could respond, Ortoren continued, "Besides, you should already know G-5's situation. We don't receive a single berry from headquarters—we're entirely self-sufficient. The Heavenly Tribute you hand over to the World Government has nothing to do with us. If you think this isn't appropriate, then fine—I'll leave you a Den Den Mushi frequency. Call Mary Geoise directly and ask them to send troops to protect your country. That way, everyone saves the trouble, don't you think?"
What a joke. G-5 doesn't get a single coin from headquarters. What the hell do I care about Heavenly Tribute?
"Ah, well..." The king grew even more uncomfortable. If he had the power to speak directly with Mary Geoise, would he still be forced into this awkward situation?
Seeing the king's strained expression, Ortoren decided the timing was right. He shifted his tone. "But I'm a softhearted man. I can't stand watching others suffer. That figure was indeed a bit much, and I'm sure Your Majesty has your own difficulties. It was presumptuous of me..."
"Vice Admiral Benn, I appreciate your understanding. While we cannot possibly provide ten billion Belly, two hundred million Belly is within our reach..." The king, unwilling to completely offend Ortoren, offered the amount himself.
"Let's set aside the two hundred million for now. I actually have another proposal—perhaps one you might find acceptable." Ortoren grinned as he spoke.
The king leaned forward, intrigued. The New World was perilous, where pirates could wipe out entire cities or nations overnight. His throne had only been passed down three generations from his grandfather, and that very grandfather's predecessor had lost the kingdom precisely because he failed to pay the Heavenly Tribute and was overrun by pirates.
For him, maintaining good relations with the Marines meant peace of mind.
And especially now—local officials were nothing compared to those who truly held power. Their kingdom fell squarely within G-5's jurisdiction. If ties with G-5 were good, life would be much easier going forward.
"What do you propose?" the king asked curiously.
"To strengthen maritime security, coordinate the frontline operations in the New World waters under G-5's jurisdiction, and raise the safety levels of all Member Nations in the region, I intend to launch a comprehensive protection plan," Ortoren declared firmly.
Before the king could respond, Ortoren continued, "The first key point is this: in every major port and central city of our Member Nations, we will establish 24-hour G-5 Marine patrol units, along with supply, rest, and protection centers."
It sounded impressive, but the wording was vague enough that the king furrowed his brow. "Vice Admiral Benn, forgive me, but I don't quite understand what you mean..."
"Ahem..." Ortoren lowered his voice slightly. "To put it simply—I intend to station troops directly in the nations under my jurisdiction."
The king's expression shifted from shock to delight. "Vice Admiral Benn, are you serious?"
Indeed, some Member Nations of the World Government did have Marine bases within their territories. Some even offered entire islands to be developed into bases.
But such privileges were rare—granted only to long-established, wealthy nations with strong ties and mutual dependence on the World Government, usually within the Four Seas.
Or to those so rich they could win favor with the World Government, prompting the Marines to allocate them a nearby base for priority protection.
The truth was, protection by the Marines wasn't equal. It had tiers and priorities. If you paid more and had better ties, when crises erupted simultaneously, you were the one who got rescued first.
In the New World, though, things were different. Member Nations turned over quickly, dangers were extreme, and the World Government's control was weak. It was almost unheard of for Headquarters to build bases there.
If G-5 truly stationed troops in their nation, the level of security would skyrocket. G-5's deterrent power was such that pirates might even avoid the area entirely.
Sovereignty might take a hit—but in this age, what did sovereignty mean to feudal rulers compared to their own safety and survival?
Hearing Ortoren's plan, the king's eyes gleamed with joy.
"It's absolutely serious," Ortoren confirmed. "But to achieve this, G-5's manpower will need to expand many times over, and my military budget is already stretched thin. So here's my proposal: wherever we station troops, that nation will be responsible for funding G-5's Marine forces in that region. Does that sound reasonable to you?" He smiled, revealing his true intention.
After all, how could a massive standing army be sustained by plundering pirates alone?
Especially since Ortoren intended to expand G-5 far beyond its original size. Pirate spoils alone could never cover the costs.
So he chose to copy the American way: station troops in your territory, protect you, and you pay the bill. Now that's what he called professional.