Two boxes appeared in Mio's hands.
"Got it." Looking at one of the boxes, Mio opened it and examined the Devil Fruit inside. The corners of his mouth turned up, and he turned away with satisfaction.
Meanwhile, the slaves on the ship who had been guarding the Devil Fruit suddenly noticed the box was gone, replaced by a regular apple. Terrified, they immediately reported it to the Celestial Dragons.
What followed was, unsurprisingly, the fury of the Celestial Dragons.
However, Mio paid no attention to any of this. After securing the Devil Fruit, he left the area and contacted Mashi and Hei Yan through the Den Den Mushi.
Their rendezvous point was a remote, uninhabited shoreline. At that moment, the three scales protruding from Hei Yan's back pierced through the chests of three pirates. The black scales writhed in the air, having dragged the captives all the way to the shore.
The three pirates were on the brink of death.
They were barely alive.
"My lord," Hei Yan said upon seeing Mio. He immediately whipped his scales, slamming the dying pirates onto the ground in front of Mio for disposal.
Among the Devil Fruits possessed by the three, the one that most caught Mio's attention was the Paramecia-type "Influence Fruit."
To be honest, he already found it intriguing when Hei Yan first described its abilities. But as always, the real value depended on what kind of creature could be cultivated with it.
"Cut!"
With a single slash of Raikiri, Mio's sword let out a spark of phantom energy.
A moment later, the heads of the three pirates rolled away from their necks.
"Congratulations on collecting the pirate (White Wolf) gene!"
"Congratulations on collecting the pirate (Monkey-Eating Eagle) gene!"
"Congratulations on collecting the pirate (Influence) gene!"
Seeing the system messages appear on the panel, the corner of Mio's lips curled into a smile. He sheathed Raikiri with a fluid motion and turned to the others. "Let's go. Time to head back."
The three made their way toward the hotel.
The coating process for their ship wouldn't take long—only two or three days.
During those few days, Mio didn't roam around as usual. Instead, he remained quietly in the hotel. But during that time, he heard word that a Celestial Dragon had realized someone had stolen his Devil Fruit and was preparing to investigate the entire Sabaody Archipelago thoroughly.
As a result, more Celestial Dragons started appearing on the islands, and the Navy began conducting area-wide inspections.
The number of marines stationed on the islands rapidly increased.
Inside the hotel room…
Lilith entered wearing a cloak, her expression hidden but her tone serious. "Sir, a Marine Admiral is arriving."
"Hmm? A Marine Admiral?" Mio raised his head, eyebrows furrowing. "Which one?"
"Kizaru."
Upon hearing Lilith's answer, a gleam of interest flickered in Mio's eyes as he fell into contemplation.
"Kizaru, huh? That guy's a bit of a problem."
The power of Kizaru's Glint-Glint Fruit was undeniable. Both speed and destructive force were top-tier, and unlike the Ice or Magma Fruits, it granted unrestricted flight—a significant advantage.
At that moment—
Bulu bulu.
Bulu bulu.
The Den Den Mushi rang.
Mio picked it up, and after hearing Rayleigh's voice on the other end, the corners of his mouth lifted into a small smile.
After hanging up, Mio stood up and said, "We're splitting up. Erica, Mashi, and I will go together. Lilith, you team up with Hei Yan. Rayleigh's ship has already been coated. Once we arrive, we can head straight to Fishman Island."
As Mio suspected, Kizaru's appearance was likely tied to him.
After all, there weren't any other major pirate crews currently in the Sabaody Archipelago.
At present, the most eye-catching name here was undoubtedly the Black Crow Pirates.
Splitting up was clearly the best choice.
If Kizaru discovered them, whether it was Mio or Lilith, while neither could truly defeat him, delaying him long enough for the rest to escape was definitely within their capabilities.
After telling Lilith the current coordinates of the Black Glory, they split into two groups and departed for the meeting point from different directions.
Meanwhile…
Across the Sabaody Archipelago, the Navy began sweeping all sectors, searching for any trace of the Black Crow Pirates.
While their main mission was to capture Mio's crew, the Marines wouldn't overlook any other pirates they found during the operation. As a result, the island's atmosphere quickly grew tense and chaotic—reminiscent of the original story's beginning.
Panic spread among the pirates, who started scrambling toward the ports in a frenzy.
"Damn it! Why are there so many Marines all of a sudden?"
"It's not just Marines—there's a freaking Admiral! Run now, or it'll be too late when he shows up!"
"I heard the Black Crow Pirates are in Sabaody. Maybe that's why the Admiral came?"
"Figures. Only those guys who escaped from Impel Down would warrant such a large-scale operation."
The Sabaody Archipelago was filled with hushed chatter and chaos.
"Stop right there! Take off your cloaks!"
As Mio and Erica Mashi made their way toward the Black Glory, a small Marine squad emerged behind them, aiming rifles and barking orders.
"Sir, what should we do?" Erica asked quietly, her hands already gripping the hilts of her twin blades.
"What else can we do?" Mio rolled his eyes, pulling back the hood of his cloak. He took a deep breath and replied, "Kill them!"
The moment his words dropped—
Puff.
"Cut!"
Erica whirled around and unleashed two blinding slashes with her swords. The force split the ground and tore through more than a dozen marines in the squad in an instant.
The few survivors didn't hesitate—they instantly grabbed the Den Den Mushi.
"Report! This is the Fourth Squad! We've sighted members of the Black Crow Pirates in Area 70!"
"Repeat! Repeat—"
Before he could finish, the Marine's head had already tumbled to the ground.
Mio shook the blood off Raikiri and narrowed his eyes. "Move. Don't stop."
As expected, Kizaru would be on his way soon. But it also meant Lilith and the others would have more time to reach the ship.
Mio activated his Observation Haki to its limit, spreading it over the surrounding area.
As they ran, he kept sensing the battlefield—searching for a certain individual.
Suddenly—
Whoosh!
The sound of a high-speed projectile breaking the air roared from above.
It was a golden beam of light, streaking down from the sky toward them.
Mashi looked up and immediately spat out a mouthful of blazing flames infused with lightning. The two forces collided mid-air, erupting in a deafening explosion.
A lazy, drawling voice echoed from above. "Is this really just a little girl? That's terrifying…"
Looking up, they saw a man in a yellow-striped suit, cloaked in justice, suspended in the sky and glowing with intense golden light.
It was dazzling.
"Admiral Kizaru of the Marines…" Mio's lips curled slightly as he cracked his neck. "Did you come all the way just for my Black Crow Pirates? I'm flattered by our reputation."
"Yes, indeed," Kizaru replied lazily. "I've come to personally send you all back to Impel Down. Ordinary pirates don't receive such special treatment."
As he finished speaking, Kizaru kicked out, and a golden beam of light blasted toward Mio.
Clang!
With a swift motion, Mio swung Raikiri and deflected the attack with ease. He turned to Erica and grinned. "Leave this to me. You go ahead."
His eyes glinted as he sensed a presence through his Observation Haki—the person he had been searching for had finally appeared.