Regarding the Sea Train, Ortoren gave Umit a firm answer: he could go directly to Doflamingo, and Ortoren would make sure to smooth things over.
Even though they were going to work together on this matter, Ortoren's trust in Umit only went so far. He had no intention of exposing himself and would continue to keep Doflamingo as the figurehead.
Once the Sea Train arrangements with Doflamingo were settled, Umit had no further demands, and the discussion shifted back to Lu Feld.
Lu Feld's visit to Ortoren had two purposes. One was to introduce his friend Umit, and the other was to survey the conditions within G-5's territory.
Along the way, he could clearly see that although G-5 sat at the very frontlines of the conflict between the Navy and pirates in the New World, the area was surprisingly stable. This was thanks to Ortoren's hardline leadership, G-5's formidable combat strength, and the deterrent power of his network and influence.
This was exactly the kind of place Lu Feld was searching for. Only in a secure environment could prosperity flourish. In the New World, unlike elsewhere, both prosperity and decline happened at lightning speed.
Once a sea region stabilized, it would immediately begin drawing resources from all across the New World. Population, economy, culture—everything would grow at a pace far surpassing other areas, flourishing almost unbelievably fast.
But this prosperity was fragile. The moment safety wavered, it collapsed. Resources and capital would not hesitate. At the first sign of danger, they would retreat instantly, and a thriving region could sink into decline in no time.
This was the reality of the New World's instability. Capital here was extremely fluid, operating on what could only be called a "short, sharp, fast" model.
Right now, Totto Land was the perfect example. With the Big Mom Pirates entrenched there and Charlotte Linlin's fearsome reputation, Totto Land stabilized at a staggering speed. It was now drawing in the essence of the entire New World to fuel its rapid growth.
A clear proof of this was Ortoren himself—already eager to partner with Charlotte Linlin. That was the guiding hand of profit at work.
In Lu Feld's eyes, G-5's territory was showing the same signs. Umit's decision to seek cooperation today was already a major signal. Once a player of his size moved, his influence alone added weight, and a wave of others would soon follow. Once the wind shifted, G-5 could flourish as quickly as Totto Land.
This was how every powerful nation and sea territory in the New World had risen.
That was why Lu Feld wanted to invest here. His loan-shark business needed diversification, but he knew full well that stepping into different industries was like climbing a different mountain. So his "diversification" always centered around capital lending, with other industries branching out from it.
That included the entertainment and gambling sector.
Indeed, Gambolin Island, the largest gambling hub in the New World, was one of Lu Feld's enterprises.
But its location was problematic. Gambolin Island lay deep in the western seas of the New World. It had originally been Shiki's territory. During his rise, the region was relatively safe and stable, so the island developed well. After Shiki's fall, the area somehow came under Whitebeard's control. With his protection, the waters remained fairly secure.
The problem was its proximity to Kaidou's territory. These days, the Beast Pirates were constantly stirring up fights with the Whitebeard Pirates—driven by Kozuki Oden's influence. While Kaidou and Newgate had yet to personally step in, no one could be certain how long that restraint would last.
If those two ever decided to clash directly, the devastation would be overwhelming. With their sheer strength, they could tear apart an entire sea region with ease.
That was why, in Lu Feld's view, Gambolin Island was no longer safe or stable, and it could collapse at any moment. As the core extension of his loan business, he needed to find another safe location where he could recreate Gambolin Island's success.
And under those circumstances, the G-5 seas—commanded by Benn Ortoren, a newly risen powerhouse of the New World—instantly became the most appealing option in Lu Feld's eyes.
Especially compared to the chaotic pirates, even though Ortoren had a notorious reputation and was far from a saint—after all, no one who rises to power in the New World could be considered a good man—he was still more trustworthy than pirates.
That was why Lu Feld was eager to find a place within G-5's territory to open an entertainment complex. And for something like this, it was obvious that Ortoren's involvement was unavoidable. Without his backing and guarantee, who would dare step foot into such a venue under G-5's watch?
So, once the matter with Umit was settled, Lu Feld subtly raised the idea. Naturally, Ortoren supported it.
For a long time, Ortoren had wanted Tesoro to follow the path he had taken in the original story—building the Golden City and becoming a great tycoon. But there were two major obstacles.
The first was Tesoro's identity. He was now a Marine, and quite a well-known one at that. Not only that, but he also served as Ortoren's chief steward. G-5 simply couldn't function without him. If Tesoro were to suddenly open the Golden City, anyone could see at a glance that it was really G-5's project. Would the World Government simply look the other way?
The second was startup capital. Ortoren still remembered the vast reserves of gold in Skypiea, but he had set that aside as an emergency fund, to be used only if the Marines suddenly faced a crisis. If one day they clashed with the World Government unprepared, the gold of the Golden Land would be critical—enough to keep the Marines afloat for a year or two. With that buffer, many problems could be solved.
That was why, although he had once considered using the Golden Land as seed money, plans had changed. By now, Ortoren saw it more as a hidden safeguard, something to be left untouched unless absolutely necessary. Without drawing on it, and given G-5's heavily indebted state, trying to launch the Golden City plan was nothing more than wishful thinking.
So while Ortoren had always kept it in mind, there had never been any real progress. His original idea was to delay, waiting until a better opportunity arose. But when Lu Feld suddenly brought it up today, it gave him new inspiration.
If Tesoro couldn't show his face, then wasn't Lu Feld the perfect choice?
He could stand at the front of the Golden City, just like Doflamingo did with the Sea Train—serving as G-5's cover and figurehead. And unlike G-5, which was strapped for funds, Lu Feld was swimming in money. If he agreed, the Golden City could be built at any time.
Still, despite all those advantages, there was one serious problem: Ortoren could never trust Lu Feld the way he trusted Tesoro.
Tesoro was someone Ortoren had pulled from the depths of his darkest days, someone he had personally saved. At that time, Tesoro hadn't yet fallen into darkness. Now, living happily with Stella, his nature was still bright, righteous, and kind at heart.
Lu Feld, though? He was the Loan Shark King of the underworld. What good could come from someone like him?
His current respect and courtesy toward Ortoren came only because Ortoren had the strength to suppress him. It was purely surface-level, with no deeper loyalty. If the profit was big enough—or if the World Government dug something up—Ortoren knew a predator like Lu Feld could betray him or stab him in the back without hesitation.
That was why he needed real leverage over Lu Feld. Only with both favor and restraint, giving him no room to slip away, could Ortoren feel safe enough to let him take on something like the Golden City.
Fortunately, for now, Lu Feld only had the idea. To truly build something on that scale would take years to accomplish. That gave Ortoren time to think things through and plan carefully.
...
Umit and Lu Feld stayed in G-5 for three more days. During that time, Ortoren grew closer to both of them. When they all felt the time was right, Umit and Lu Feld took the initiative to bid farewell and left G-5. For now, their affairs came to a temporary close.
...
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