Inside a new secret base of the Freedom Fighters in the South Blue, Dragon was busy with the day's affairs when Ivankov suddenly walked in.
"Dragon, the secret base we exposed to Ortoren earlier has been raided by the CP Agency."
Dragon froze for a moment before cursing, "I knew it. That bastard sold us out. Luckily, we pulled out fast enough!"
"That kid looked so upright with his thick brows and big eyes—who would've thought he'd be so despicable!" Ivankov ground his teeth in anger.
He had even thought the man was easy to deal with. Never imagined he'd stab them in the back.
"Forget it. At least we didn't lose anything. Let's focus on the matter at hand—the Sorbet Kingdom..." Dragon shifted the subject.
...
Meanwhile, Garp's pace was just as swift. In barely over a week, his dog-headed warship reached the South Blue's 426th Marine Branch, where Ortoren was stationed.
The speed was so astonishing that Ortoren started wondering if his own ship was missing some kind of special equipment.
Could the dog-head figurehead really boost speed? That doesn't even make sense!
"Ortoren!" Garp shoved open the door to Ortoren's cabin and charged inside.
He was about to speak when he froze. On the sofa, Gion was straddling Ortoren's waist, and both of them turned to stare at him in shock.
Garp, who had stormed in brimming with urgency, suddenly felt awkward. Rubbing his nose, he muttered, "You two don't even lock your doors... what kind of conduct is this... I—I'll just go have some tea..."
"Look at the door handle in your hand. Don't you think this door was locked a second ago?" Ortoren couldn't help but retort.
Garp's grip really was monstrous—he'd ripped the lock apart!
Gion quickly scrambled off Ortoren and said, "Don't misunderstand. This bastard was mocking my intelligence skills earlier, so I was just beating him up a bit..."
Garp thought to himself: Who hasn't been young once? I understand. But seeing through things without saying them—that's the etiquette of an adult. Of course, he actually believed Gion's words, since both of them were still fully dressed.
Closing the door, Garp cut straight to the point. "You said you found Roger's trail. Was that true?"
"If I said no, wouldn't you beat me for dragging you all the way from headquarters?" Ortoren shot him a look. "Of course it's true."
The earlier awkwardness still lingering, Gion adjusted her cloak and said, "You two talk. I'll step out for a while..."
Once Gion left, Garp sat on the sofa, his expression serious. "You mentioned that bastard Dragon plotting something with Roger. What exactly did you mean?"
Ortoren was silent for a moment. Then he walked to the door, pushed it open, and glanced outside. No one around. He had already checked the room thoroughly—no listening devices. Naturally so; any branch stupid enough to bug a Rear Admiral from headquarters would be finished if caught.
Only after confirming the coast was clear did Ortoren return to sit across from Garp. "This matter—you and I know it only. I haven't even told the Fleet Admiral or Gion, Garp-san."
Even if Gion hadn't left earlier, Ortoren would've found a way to send her away.
Garp hesitated, but seeing the seriousness in Ortoren's eyes, he finally nodded. "Alright. You and I only."
"The connection between Dragon and Roger—I made that up," Ortoren admitted flatly.
"You!?" Garp's eyes widened, confusion flashing across his face.
"I stumbled on Roger's intelligence in the underworld, and I've already silenced the source," Ortoren added.
Garp forced himself to calm down, then asked, "So what's really going on? And why bring Dragon into it?"
"Roger is on Baterilla Island in the South Blue. He's even married a local girl..." Ortoren began, speaking softly.
Of course, his account was mixed with half-truths and half-lies, mostly concerning his supposed source.
Garp didn't press on the inconsistencies. Ortoren chose to level with him because this was something that could be hidden from many, but not from Garp. Once Garp met Roger, he would learn plenty straight from the man himself.
And Dragon was his son—naturally, they kept in touch. Otherwise, how had Luffy ended up in Garp's hands?
Better to lay it out now than risk getting exposed later.
"They've been living together for quite some time now. Roger's wife may even be pregnant. Tell me, if we were to capture Roger under these circumstances, do you think the World Government would spare his wife and child?" Ortoren asked.
Garp was silent for a moment before shaking his head. "Of course not."
"Roger, as a pirate, carries countless crimes—that much is beyond dispute. But his wife and child... are they guilty too?" Ortoren let out a quiet sigh. "You know my background, Garp-san. That's why I'm particularly sensitive about matters like this..."
Remembering Ortoren's lineage, Garp finally understood what he was implying.
"In that case, we could simply not report it..." Garp said after some hesitation.
"But if we hide this, the World Government will investigate Roger's situation themselves. If they uncover that he's living a quiet life in the South Blue, they'll start drawing their own conclusions. And if we conceal the existence of his wife, given how ruthless the World Government is, the ones to suffer will only be innocent people!" Ortoren reasoned.
Garp had seen enough of the World Government's dark methods. Hearing this, he nodded grimly.
In the original course of events, because everything happened too suddenly, there had been no time to plan properly. Garp had made a grave mistake by concealing the truth about Rouge and Ace, and in the end, many innocents in the South Blue had been dragged into the disaster.
"That's why we can't let the World Government know Roger is living peacefully here. They need to believe he came to the South Blue to secretly collaborate with dangerous organizations. That way, they won't start thinking in the wrong direction. And after considering it carefully... only Dragon's Freedom Fighters are qualified to take the blame," Ortoren said firmly.
Garp thought about it and found the reasoning sound. By that logic, Roger's presence in the South Blue would mean he was here to cause trouble. And if he was here to cause trouble, who would believe he'd get married and have a child in the middle of it?
That just didn't add up.
"So what's the plan, then?" Garp asked after a pause.
"To capture him, of course," Ortoren replied with a small smile.
"That guy isn't exactly easy to catch..." Garp muttered instinctively.
That was experience talking—he'd tried plenty of times, and Roger had always slipped away.
"It might be underhanded, but this time... he has a weakness," Ortoren said softly.
He knew Roger likely wouldn't run, but that wasn't something he could tell Garp directly. This was the only card he could play.
Garp blinked at him, then admitted, "It is underhanded... but it's also the best option. It'll save a lot of lives."
"So the problem isn't catching Roger—it's setting up the trap perfectly, making sure nothing comes back to haunt us," Ortoren said, rubbing his temples.
"No. First, we need to confirm your intel is correct. We go to Baterilla Island first. If Roger isn't there, and the information is wrong, then all this talk is meaningless." Garp lifted the teacup on the table, took a sip, and spoke with steady resolve.