Before the chunk of island Ortoren and Charlotte Linlin were standing on could sink, the Queen Mama Chanter arrived first.
As a Homies soul vessel, it really did feel more "alive" than Ortoren's warship.
After Ortoren climbed onto the deck, he glanced at Charlotte Linlin beside him. "When this is over, you should modify my warship too."
Katakuri and the others had already rushed over. They brought the ship's doctor and started checking Charlotte Linlin's condition. She didn't refuse, calmly cooperating as she said, "Then you'll have to supply the souls it consumes…"
"So stingy?" Ortoren laughed. Then he continued, "A few years back I had a project I wanted to do with your Totto Land. But back then it wasn't really appropriate. Now that Totto Land is my territory, it's time to get it going…"
"What project?" Charlotte Linlin spat out a mouthful of filthy blood, rinsed her mouth with fresh water, and only then asked.
"I've always had a partnership with the Impel Down prison system for importing pirates. You know that. Over the years we've already built a complete plan for those pirates, start to finish, a full package from the moment they're brought in to the day they die," Ortoren said, waving a hand. "But that 'perfect' chain is still missing one step: the contribution of their souls. Later I'll have Doflamingo and Moria talk it through with you. From now on, those pirates are going to dedicate their souls to justice too."
He was still talking when Kaidou dropped down from the sky and landed on the deck.
Kaidou stared at Ortoren and Charlotte Linlin with an expression so complicated it was almost painful.
Damn it. We're all supposed to be monsters, and you two quietly went and upgraded to a whole new version. I can't keep up at all.
Back when Charlotte Linlin and Ortoren were still in their normal forms, Kaidou could at least get involved. The moment those two "powered up," Kaidou went numb on the spot.
"Kaidou, bro," Ortoren asked with a grin, "it's decided. No problem, right?"
That greeting alone irritated Kaidou. All of a sudden he'd become Ortoren's "bro," which, just by how it sounded, pushed Charlotte Linlin down a generation for no reason.
But then again… his daughter Yamato really had already set an engagement with Ortoren's son. So Ortoren calling him "bro" wasn't actually wrong.
Ortoren seemed to catch the conflict on his face and laughed. "From now on, we'll each call it our own way. You keep calling the old hag 'sis,' and I'll call you 'bro.' Done."
Kaidou stopped dwelling on it. His tone dropped, heavy and steady.
"A bet is a bet. You lose, you accept it. In that final stretch I couldn't do anything anymore. Since Linlin lost, then count it as me losing too… but don't think I won't come challenge you again someday, Ortoren."
"That's how the world works," Ortoren replied without hesitation. "The strong stand above, the weak fall below. If one day you think you can press me down, Kaidou bro, then you should be standing over my head."
As for whether Kaidou truly had the potential to challenge him… Ortoren figured that if Kaidou ever awakened that Mythical Zoan Azure Dragon power, he might have a chance to reach "the other shore" too.
While Ortoren was talking with Kaidou and Charlotte Linlin, his warship also pulled in alongside the Queen Mama Chanter. A gangway was laid across, and soon Tina, Momonga, Smoker, and the others came over.
Ortoren hadn't even had time to speak when Tina, already practiced at this, set a tall step stool behind him. She climbed up, pulled the shredded Marine justice coat and Admiral epaulets off his shoulders, then tugged off the black vest on his upper body, which was basically just a rag now.
After that, Tina quickly took out a white shirt from her handbag. Ortoren cooperated without a word, lifting and lowering his arms as she helped him put it on.
Meanwhile, as Tina helped Ortoren change into fresh clothes, Momonga looked completely unfazed, holding a thick stack of documents in his arms.
"The things you asked for have arrived," he said. "They were sent to G-1 by Spandine. Inside are records covering the past fifty years of the World Nobles' triennial gatherings… and there's also a letter from Fleet Admiral Sengoku. As for what comes next—"
By then, Tina had already moved in front of Ortoren, tying his necktie. Ortoren cut Momonga off directly.
"Leave that for later. We'll take things one step at a time. The first thing to do is bring me the dossier Stussy delivered earlier. Effective immediately, both the Beast Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates are to be officially disbanded. From this moment on, they will cease all pirate activities."
He continued without pause.
"All territory and rights belonging to the Beast Pirates will be merged into Totto Land. A unified, centralized state will be established. Charlotte Linlin will serve as the nation's queen, sign the agreement, and publicly announce that the country has become an affiliated member of the World Government. Now. Immediately. Go make the arrangements."
Seeing Ortoren so composed, Momonga said nothing further and issued orders instead.
"Smoker, go back to the warship and bring that dossier over. At the same time, contact Morgans and tell him to come here at once. Don't think that just because he's hiding in a hot-air balloon in the distance, we can't see him."
"Yes, sir!" Smoker replied at once and headed off to carry it out.
It was also at this moment that Tina spoke up.
"Admiral, lift your leg. I need to take off—"
"Ahem. Tina, never mind. I'll handle this part myself," Ortoren said, stopping her a bit awkwardly.
He took the black suit pants from her hands, didn't bother hiding anything, plopped down on a large wine barrel, yanked off his shredded trousers, and put the new ones on right there in plain view.
Not far away, Charlotte Linlin sat beneath the mast with a cup of hot water in hand. Watching the scene, she raised an eyebrow slightly, her gaze drifting back and forth between Ortoren and Tina a few times before an inexplicable smile curled at the corner of her mouth.
After Ortoren finished changing, Tina climbed back up the tall step stool. She helped him into the black suit jacket, draped a brand-new Justice cloak over his shoulders, and fastened the Admiral's epaulettes in place.
At that point, Ortoren's change was complete. He now stood there as a Marine Admiral in a suit.
Lighting a cigarette, Ortoren sat back down on the wine barrel and looked at Momonga.
"Headquarters sent down orders, didn't they? Telling me to return and cooperate with that so-called Criminal Investigation Bureau. They even temporarily stripped me of my Admiral rank."
"That's correct," Momonga replied, nodding seriously. "But I've already passed the word along. The New World Marines will not accept any orders from Headquarters for the time being. Everyone's waiting on you."
Ortoren exhaled a stream of smoke and let out a cold laugh.
"Then immediately reestablish contact with Headquarters in my name. Inform them that I've received a handwritten order from Fleet Admiral Sengoku. For the sake of justice, for the sake of loyalty, I will comply with the Fleet Admiral's command. I will temporarily step down from my position as Marine Admiral and return to Headquarters at once to cooperate with the investigation."
"Huh?" Momonga froze for a moment. "You're actually going through with it?"
"Of course I am," Ortoren replied calmly. "But partway through the journey, the World Economy News Paper will expose the World Government's crimes over the years. If nothing unexpected happens, the Fleet Admiral's letter will already provide a suitable reason."
He paused briefly.
"For example, that our Marine Fleet Admiral has been illegally imprisoned in Mary Geoise, and that Mary Geoise has issued multiple orders in his name that have no legal standing under Marine law."
Then Ortoren's expression turned solemn.
"At that point, there's no way I could continue carrying out so-called Fleet Admiral orders. They would no longer have any legal validity. Our Fleet Admiral is being held captive in Mary Geoise, and the World Government's crimes committed in secret are too numerous to count. Under such circumstances, how could I, as a Marine Admiral and an agent of justice, possibly stand by and do nothing?"
"And then?" Momonga asked, already breathing a little faster as he swallowed hard.
"Then, of course," Ortoren said with a loud laugh, "we answer the call of heaven, pacify the national crisis, attack the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, and rescue our Marine Fleet Admiral!"
He grinned.
"This is a righteous campaign to quell chaos and protect the realm. The moral high ground is ours. Justice is ours!"