One day later.
On Crow Island.
Mio had already contacted the Navy and finalized the terms of the deal.
Three Devil Fruits.
Not many, but not few either.
For ordinary people, Devil Fruits were rare treasures. But for the major powers of the world, what they lacked wasn't quantity—it was quality. They weren't short on fruits with mediocre abilities. In fact, they could acquire those in moderate numbers. What they truly lacked were fruits with powerful and extraordinary abilities—those were left entirely to fate.
In truth, if one accounted for all the different categories—beasts, insects, elements, and supernatural powers—one could roughly estimate the total number of Devil Fruits in the world.
And it wasn't a small number.
It could even be said that there were many.
But ordinary people simply didn't have access to them.
As for Mio's request, the Navy agreed without hesitation. The transaction would take place two days later on an uninhabited island not far from Crow Island.
After settling the matter with the Navy, Mio returned to the island.
Gion, meanwhile, was still being held captive aboard the Black Glory.
At this time…
Deep within Crow Island…
The construction of the Golden Ark was still underway.
Compared to before, it was now partially completed. The Ark, forged entirely from gold, looked impossibly extravagant—radiating a dazzling golden brilliance that was impossible to ignore.
Once finished, it would essentially be a mobile treasure vault, certain to draw the greedy eyes of pirates and kings alike wherever it sailed.
Currently, the most critical part of the Ark still under development was the kinetic system.
It had to be meticulously crafted.
No room for haste.
But once that core mechanism was resolved, the rest of the construction would go smoothly. It might not be ready until Mio ventured into the Grand Line again to resolve the Boeing Islands issue.
In short—there was no need to rush.
Now that things had reached this point, Mio didn't need to be personally involved in every matter. Most responsibilities could be delegated to his subordinates.
So over the next few days, Mio took time to rest.
When the day of the transaction with the Navy arrived, Mio didn't even attend in person. Instead, he sent Asuka to lead the team and handle it.
On the island…
In an open clearing…
The three Hancock sisters were undergoing training.
At this moment, they were engaged in combat practice, facing off against each other to sharpen their instincts and skills.
Their training regimen had been personally designed by Erica. Each day's schedule included physical training, followed by combat drills, and finally, the development of Hancock's Devil Fruit abilities.
As for Haki…
The sisters' physical bodies weren't yet strong enough to train it. And since there was still plenty of time ahead, there was no rush.
When Asuka returned, Gion had already been released.
Asuka handed over three Devil Fruits to Mio.
"Tsk, all of them are ordinary," Mio muttered, clicking his tongue as he examined the fruits. He looked disappointed but not surprised.
He glanced at Warwick and asked, "Have you ever thought about eating a Devil Fruit?"
"Eating a Devil Fruit?"
Warwick blinked, looking surprised.
Scratching his head, he hesitated for a while, then shook his head and replied, "My lord, Warwick doesn't want to. They taste awful, and I won't be able to swim anymore."
"That's fine. No need to force it," Mio nodded, not pressing the matter.
Having too many weaknesses wasn't ideal after all.
But just then…
Lilith appeared beside Mio, speaking in a hushed tone. "Sir, the Red Force has entered the Black Crow Sea."
"Red Hair?"
Mio furrowed his brows. "Why is that guy here?"
To be frank, the Red Force was far too sensitive a presence.
In the original timeline, this man had some unknown connection with the World Government.
It was unclear whether that connection already existed now—but either way, it was dangerous. Crow Island held too many secrets, and Red Hair couldn't be allowed to see them.
But showing overt hostility would raise suspicions.
If Mio did that, it would be like saying "there's no silver here," while pointing straight at the treasure.
While contemplating his options, Mio looked up and gave an order. "Tell Mashi to hold construction for now. And bring Red Hair to me once they arrive."
Lilith nodded and vanished immediately.
There was no way the Red Force was simply passing through the Black Crow Sea. Otherwise, Lilith wouldn't have come to report it so seriously. It was clear they were heading directly for Crow Island.
But what did Red Hair want?
A lingering suspicion crept into Mio's mind. Could it be… Red Hair had already been under Im's control?
After all, Mio had once seen Im's terrifying ability firsthand.
Still, that was only a suspicion. And until the truth came out, it couldn't be recklessly revealed. Doing so would only provoke the World Government and lead to unnecessary trouble.
Mio glanced at the Hancock sisters still sparring in the training field, shook his head, and turned to leave.
Almost an hour later…
In an open space outside the castle, Mio sat cross-legged, sipping wine from a bottle.
Before long, Lilith returned—escorting a group of people.
It was the Red Force.
"I hope you don't mind this sudden visit," Red Hair said with a grin, walking over casually.
"What brings you here?" Mio asked, pouting slightly as he tossed over a bottle of wine.
Red Hair caught the wine effortlessly, took a swig, and sat down next to Mio, mirroring his posture.
"I need your help with something," Red Hair said plainly.
"Oh?" Mio raised a brow, intrigued. "What kind of help?"
"Not now," Red Hair replied. "The New World is… relatively calm these days. There's some turbulence, sure—but it's mostly caused by unremarkable people. It won't last long. So I plan to head to the first half of the Grand Line for a while. But when I return, I want your help in finding an opponent."
"An opponent worthy of a Denghuang."
He spoke with solemn seriousness.
Mio blinked in surprise, chuckling. "Now I'm really confused. Isn't it easy for you to find an opponent? Why come to me for that? Or do you want me to fight you?"
"I got some information about your people from Whitebeard," Red Hair said, smiling meaningfully.
Hearing that, Mio curled his lips and instantly understood.
Whitebeard knew Qiongqi served under him.
And Qiongqi's strength was unquestionably sufficient to stand as a Denghuang-level opponent.
Obviously, Red Hair wanted Mio to arrange a battle with Qiongqi.
"Then why not go to Kaido? Or the Navy?" Mio asked.
"Forget Kaido. I don't like fighting him. Mythical Zoan awakenings are a pain. As for the Navy—hard to get a one-on-one fight. They'd definitely use the chance to set a trap," Red Hair replied honestly.
That was fair. Kaido was a monster in battle, and the Navy wouldn't play fair with a Yonko.
Mio took another drink and thought silently for a while, then said with a sly smile.
"I'm afraid… you might lose."