Admiral Sengoku asked calmly, "In your view, what exactly is this time-consuming, labor-intensive approach?"
"That depends," Ortoren said, leaning back on the sofa. He lifted his teacup, took a slow sip, then put on an air of confidence as he continued, "Are you asking how to deal with the Shichibukai this time, or... how the Marines can finally gain respect from Mary Geoise?"
Sengoku gave him an amused look at the act, then said, "Tell me both. I want to hear what kind of ideas a free-thinking young man like you has."
The truth was, Sengoku already had a plan for handling Mary Geoise's Shichibukai scheme, one that would minimize the damage these pirates could inflict on the seas. His real reason for calling Ortoren here was to sound him out on another matter. But since the young man clearly had ideas, Sengoku was willing to listen.
"Then let's start with the Shichibukai," Ortoren said, sitting up straight. "From what I see, neither you nor the Fleet Admiral intends to openly defy Mary Geoise. That means we'll have to accept the Shichibukai system and manage it under their terms, right?"
"More or less," Sengoku admitted with a nod.
"In that case, the best move is to mix in some sand. The higher-ups want us to help pick candidates, don't they? That puts the choice in our hands. So we use it. Select people who qualify as Shichibukai but don't actually pose much of a threat. Problem solved." Ortoren spoke without hesitation.
Sengoku paused, his eyes softening with a flicker of approval. He nodded. "You're quick on the uptake."
Because that was exactly what he had been thinking.
"Take Dracule Mihawk, the so-called Hawk Eyes. I read in a recent Headquarters report that he's been classified as a pirate now because he's attacked several of our officers. But in truth, he's nothing more than a sword fanatic. From what I hear, the only reason he goes after Marines is to challenge them. And every one of his targets has been a swordsman of high caliber, isn't that right?" Ortoren asked.
"That's correct," Sengoku said with a nod. "Intelligence has reached the same conclusion. Still, his behavior is reckless. He often starts fights right in crowded cities, leading to civilian casualties. He doesn't plunder like ordinary pirates, but considering his disregard for collateral damage and his attacks on Marines, we had no choice but to label him a 'pirate.'"
Ortoren hadn't had much contact with Mihawk, but his one encounter had been unforgettable. The man truly had no restraints—if the mood struck, he'd draw his sword and start a fight, regardless of time or place.
"Even so, he's still a 'low-threat' type. He works alone, has no intention of forming a pirate crew, and his free-spirited nature means he has no plans of toppling governments or committing mass killings. That kind of person is perfect for the role of a Shichibukai," Ortoren suggested.
The truth was, the Shichibukai roster was ridiculous. They were hyped up as one of the Three Great Powers, supposedly equal to Marine Headquarters and the Yonkō, an intimidating title on paper.
But aside from Mihawk and Bartholomew Kuma, who were genuinely formidable, most of them didn't measure up at all.
Crocodile, for example—defeated by Whitebeard in the New World, then made a Shichibukai. He spent nearly twenty years wasting away in Alabasta, turning from a monster who could rival Douglas Bullet into a middling figure stuck in limbo. It wasn't until after Marineford that he managed to claw back some of his reputation.
As for Gecko Moria, he was once bold enough to clash head-on with Kaidou. After that, the Marines roped him into the Shichibukai, and he rotted away in the Devil's Triangle for years, reduced to a shut-in.
Boa Hancock was one of the few who could actually hold her own, but her threat level was still low. She kept to the area around Amazon Lily and rarely appeared in the wider seas, so there wasn't much to say about her either.
Jinbe was tightly controlled by the World Government because of Fish-Man Island, leaving him with no real room to be a threat.
As for Doflamingo, in the original course of events, neither the World Government nor the Marines ever intended to appoint him as a Shichibukai. He was one of those troublesome types—resourceful, dangerous—and he forced his way into the position by robbing the Heavenly Tribute and using it to blackmail the World Government. Among the Shichibukai, he was without question the most dangerous, the one who caused the most havoc.
But in general, the Shichibukai never delivered the balance of the "Three Great Powers" that the World Government envisioned. They were more name than substance.
The Marines, of course, had a hand in this. When it came to picking Shichibukai candidates, they deliberately stuffed the list with big names who had already peaked—pirates who looked impressive on paper but were, in reality, declining forces with limited threat to the seas.
That was exactly the advice Ortoren was giving Sengoku now: pick candidates based on reputation and qualifications, but only those who posed little actual danger. Fill the ranks with people who fit the Government's standards but wouldn't truly strengthen them.
After a round of discussion, the two reached an understanding on this point, and Sengoku found himself impressed with Ortoren's sharp mind.
Stroking his braided beard, Sengoku turned back to him and asked, "Leaving the Shichibukai aside, what did you mean earlier about Mary Geoise's lack of respect for the Marines?"
In truth, Sengoku had called Ortoren here today because he already had plans forming, tasks he intended to assign to him. But now, he wanted to hear Ortoren's perspective first.
"In the end, it comes down to one thing: autonomy. The Marines don't have any, and that's why Mary Geoise can pull our strings at will. If we had some leverage of our own, the Five Elders would have to treat you and the Fleet Admiral with far more respect," Ortoren said quietly.
Sengoku nodded, then sighed. "In my years as Admiral, it's not as if I haven't tried to push in that direction. The plan to establish a reserve headquarters for the Neo Marines contained many institutional reforms, but Mary Geoise shut it all down. With the Science Division, my goal was to secure authority over arms production. In the end, all we were allowed was basic research, nothing more. That too was rejected."
The truth was, Sengoku had already gone to great lengths to prove the Marines' reliability to Mary Geoise. Every dirty, thankless job they handed him, he carried out without complaint.
Ohara, and many other incidents—did he really not understand the politics and testing behind them? Of course he did. But he accepted it all, hoping that by proving the Marines could be trusted, the World Government might finally ease its grip in other areas.
Instead, the opposite happened. He shouldered all the burden, but gained nothing in return.
After years of such attempts, Sengoku finally understood: when it came to Marine autonomy, Mary Geoise would never compromise. He never should have expected otherwise.
Ordinarily, that realization would have been the end of it. Before Ortoren's rise, Sengoku's plan had been to bide his time, use the Navy's strength to push Fleet Admiral Kong into the post of Commander-in-Chief, then succeed him as Fleet Admiral. Together, they might have been able to push back against Mary Geoise.
That was how things had gone in the original story. The result was never explicitly revealed, but given that Mary Geoise rejected Sengoku's recommendation of Kuzan as Fleet Admiral and chose Sakazuki instead, it was clear Sengoku ultimately lost that struggle.
Now, though, Sengoku had begun to think differently.
"This is about core interests. Mary Geoise will never compromise. The Five Elders know perfectly well: giving up power takes a word, but reclaiming it takes a lifetime. Once authority leaves their hands, they'll never get it back. So unless they're forced, they won't budge," Ortoren said.
He paused, then looked at Sengoku and added carefully, "Which means solving this through official channels is nearly impossible. The best way forward is to take another path..."
Sengoku raised an eyebrow. That thought matched his own perfectly. He gave Ortoren a meaningful look and asked, "And what path would that be?"
"I am that path," Ortoren said without hesitation.