one piece: gene extraction and fusion system-Chapter 222: The Devil Fruit Gift and the Next Target

Two days passed before Mio realized it.

In the forest at the center of the island, a towering castle had been built. Surrounding it were several houses, forming what looked like a small base. Flags bearing the Black Crow Pirates' emblem fluttered proudly atop the castle and buildings.

This castle was Mio's residence.

The island itself, aside from its shores and dense forest, had been overrun by crows. The sheer number of them made the rest of the terrain virtually impassable—hence the name, Crow Island. These birds, now trained and loyal to Mio, served more than just a decorative purpose.

At that moment, on the shores of Crow Island, Hawkeye Mihawk stood prepared to leave.

He had spent a few days here, but something seemed to require his attention in the first half of the Grand Line. Despite Mio's efforts to persuade him to stay longer, Mihawk declined, and Mio respectfully saw him off without insistence.

Shortly after Hawkeye's departure, Mio returned to the castle, where Araki greeted him with an unfamiliar man.

"Boss," Araki reported, gesturing to the man behind him, "this guy is from the Wild Beast Pirates. He claims to have brought something for you. Looks like a Devil Fruit delivery."

The man was visibly nervous under Mio's cold gaze. He stepped forward quickly, holding a small box in trembling hands.

"L-Lord Black Crow, this was sent by our captain. He instructed me to deliver it to you personally. There are three Devil Fruits inside. Please, have a look."

Mio nodded slightly. "Alright."

With a wave of his hand, Araki stepped forward and opened the box for Mio, carefully presenting the three fruits. Mio examined each one calmly. As his eyes landed on the third fruit, his lips curled into a smile.

After a moment of quiet observation, he set the fruits aside and looked at the man.

"I've received the items. You may leave."

"Y-Yes, thank you, my lord," the man replied hastily, wiping sweat from his brow. The aura of dominance around Mio made it hard for him to breathe normally. Without another word, he turned to leave.

Mio's gaze flicked to Araki. A flash of cold light passed through his eyes.

Understanding the silent command, Araki nodded and followed the man out of the castle.

Moments later, a sharp scream echoed from outside.

Araki soon returned, blood on his hands. Bowing slightly, he reported, "Boss, it's done."

"Good," Mio responded with a satisfied grin. "Dispose of the body and throw it into the crows' nest. The little guys seem fond of rotting flesh these days. Let them feed on it for a while."

"Yes, sir," Araki answered with a nod before departing once again.

Because they understood the power of Hei'er, the evolved crow under Mio's command, Araki and the others treated the crows with great respect. Whenever they executed someone, the body was thrown into the crows' nest. After a few days of decay, the birds would feast.

As a result, many nests were now filled with scattered white bones.

After Araki left, Mio returned his attention to the Devil Fruits. He picked up one in particular, raising it to eye level with a murmur.

"I didn't expect it to be this Devil Fruit... This is a surprise."

It was a Devil Fruit Mio knew well, though it wasn't particularly useful for him.

But for women? This fruit could be incredibly valuable.

It was the Sweet-Sweet Fruit.

That's right—the same Devil Fruit eaten by Boa Hancock in the original storyline. The fruit had somehow landed in front of him, and now, it was his.

Thinking of Hancock—the empress of Amazon Lily, ruler of the Kuja, and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea—Mio's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Known as the most beautiful woman in the world, Hancock held a unique position of power.

"A closed-off island in the Calm Belt, home to a tribe of warrior women," Mio mused aloud. "If conquered, such a nation would be a tremendous asset in the future."

The Empress, while never portrayed as one of the strongest, clearly had untapped potential. In truth, Mio believed Hancock's real power far exceeded what had been shown in the original story.

He wasn't interested in the island for its women—but for its military and cultural strength.

Of course, it was still too early to act. Hancock, at this point in time, might still be a child. She could even be among the slave population held in Marijoa. If that were the case, conquering Amazon Lily would be far simpler. With her absence, it would be easy to install control.

Mio could shape the nation from within.

Aside from the Sweet Fruit, the other two Devil Fruits were Zoan types, but nothing remarkable. They weren't related to the fruits of Hancock's sisters. Mio didn't find them worth keeping.

After a moment of consideration, he called for Warwick.

"Take these three Devil Fruits to my room," Mio instructed.

He planned to keep the Sweet Fruit for himself—for later strategic use—and might include the other two in a future lottery or distribution.

No rush for now.

As Mio reclined at the top steps of the castle, Lilith strolled into view, her face bright with joy. Without hesitation, she walked up to him, sat in his lap, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"What is it?" Mio asked with a smile, holding her close. novelbuddy.cσ๓

"Yes," Lilith answered with a nod. "The Black Crow Sea has been secured. Our forces have been deployed throughout. At the moment, there's no one in the sea but us."

"All the island's basic infrastructure has been completed, too."

"Good," Mio said, touching his chin thoughtfully. "That means we'll be able to leave soon."

Although Crow Island would eventually become his main base, now wasn't the time to stay put. There were still many things Mio wanted to do—targets to conquer, enemies to defeat.

"What's next, then?" Lilith asked curiously.

"Oh, there's something." Mio lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. "We need another battle—something big. A fight to fully establish the Black Crow's dominance."

"Do you have a target in mind?" she asked.

She understood exactly what Mio meant. But finding such a target was no easy task. Only a handful in the New World were suitable for a clash of that scale.

Those few were powerhouses. Picking a fight with them would be seen as a declaration of war.

Attacking them required more than strength—it required a legitimate reason.

"Don't worry," Mio said calmly. "Opportunities will come. We don't have to rush. For now, our next stop will be Saint Du Island..."