"I have no intention of doing that. If I had, I would have been absorbed by the World Government along with Vegapunk last year. As part of the government, could you offer terms better than the World Government's?"
Oran had no interest in being absorbed. His interest in the Shichibukai position stemmed from the immense autonomy the Shichibukai possessed. The Scientific Force sounded impressive, but the problem was that it was also part of the Navy's combat structure.
Joining would mean coming under the Navy's direct command, which would change the nature of things entirely. Orders from the Scientific Force would also be military orders, and there would probably be a whole pile of miscellaneous matters to deal with.
Taking on a few commissions when he had time, teaching the military doctors the Navy sent over for training for a fee, and doing some advertising along the way—that was Oran's plan.
No matter what, the Navy was still the largest armed force on the seas, and in the minds of most people, it was also more trustworthy.
[The same model used by the Navy.] That was a ready-made advertising slogan.
Powerful fighters would not abandon their original bodies, but such people were few and far between on the seas. For ordinary people, a new arm could bring a qualitative transformation.
Mito was one such example. His promotion by three ranks to colonel had depended greatly on the help his arm had given him.
Besides, there was no shortage on these seas of wealthy people who were frail and cherished their lives. Those people might not feel the same way.
Low profits and high sales volume was Oran's approach, but that did not mean he could not offer private customization.
The channels he had been developing in the underworld were meant