"Master, that guy from earlier was really strong."
As they walked away from the confrontation, Erica spoke calmly beside Mio, though the glint of battle fervor in her eyes betrayed her excitement. Lilith, walking just behind them, wore a similar gleam in her eyes.
Stronger than herself.
But that didn't mean she would lose.
"Of course he was strong," Mio chuckled. "That guy's a Navy Admiral, after all."
...
At that moment...
Gritting her teeth, Vice Admiral Gion—better known by some as the Navy's "Pink Crane"—slowly got to her feet, her body still aching from the earlier clash. Her sharp eyes locked onto the towering figure in front of her.
"Teacher Zephyr..."
The man standing before her was tall and broad-shouldered, with short purple hair and a commanding aura. He was none other than Admiral Zephyr—the man once praised as "Zephyr the Non-Killer." Known for his powerful Armament Haki and strict sense of justice, Zephyr had long upheld the ideal of subduing pirates without taking lives. Yet in the face of an increasingly savage world, especially as a Navy officer, that ideal seemed more like a romantic dream.
Still, Zephyr stood strong. Currently in his prime, he had taken a step back from frontline duty to serve as an instructor, shaping the future of the Navy. His students—Akainu and Kizaru—were already Vice Admirals, and Aokiji had recently begun training under him.
Unlike the broken man he would become in later years, this Zephyr was still whole, still fierce, and still resolute.
Even so, Mio wasn't afraid of Zephyr. His "non-killing" reputation was at least a small comfort.
"Teacher Zephyr, what brings you here?" Gion asked, pressing a hand to her bleeding side.
"Sengoku asked me to pass by," Zephyr replied with a sigh. "He said this area might have complications. I was returning from supervising training at the Naval Academy, so I made a quick detour to check in."
"Were those pirates earlier your target?"
"Yes," Gion nodded. "The Black Crow Pirates. They've recently emerged from the North Blue and entered the Grand Line. They've been on our radar for about a month now."
Zephyr's brows raised slightly. "Newcomers? That powerful already? That slash just now... not something you'd expect from a rookie. Even in the first half of the Grand Line, that's rare."
Gion gave a bitter smile. "That's why Admiral Sengoku wanted me to monitor them."
Zephyr frowned. "If he's that strong already, we may not have many officers who can deal with him. Most of our top forces are currently stationed in the New World."
"You should head back and rest. You're injured," he added.
But Gion shook her head. "No. The Black Crow Pirates are a serious threat. In our last encounter, I was clearly stronger. But now, in just a short time, he's grown powerful enough to defeat me. If we allow him and his crew to continue unchecked, they'll become a nightmare."
She paused. "And his crew... they aren't ordinary either. One of them may have consumed a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit. The signs are there."
"I'm the only one nearby suited to keep tabs on them. Besides, Sengoku promised reinforcements. As long as we don't start a direct fight, we'll be fine."
Zephyr shook his head at her stubbornness, then let out a long sigh. "Alright. I'll escort you back for now."
"Thank you, Teacher Zephyr."
"How's the situation in the New World?" Gion asked as they walked.
Zephyr's face grew grim. "Still chaos. The Navy's hold there is weak. The pirates are more coordinated now, unified in their hatred for us. It's tough to make progress. We've secured some key positions, but we're stretched thin. Garp left the region early. No one knows what he's up to."
"I see..."
...
Back on the Alabasta Coast
Mio, Erica, and the rest of the crew had returned to the ship. As they approached the deck, a massive shadow burst from the sea.
It was Hanba—the giant beast that served as one of Mio's monstrous companions.
Gripping the torn body of a sea monster in his claws, Hanba tore into his meal, mouth dripping with blood. The sight was brutal, feral—and yet, routine.
"Master!" Hanba roared happily as he spotted Mio.
"Hanba! Long time no see!" Mio laughed. "Get ready—we're setting sail."
Erica and the others boarded behind him.
Robin headed straight to her room, cradling a stack of Poneglyph photos and documents. She clearly couldn't wait to dive into her research.
Lilith, still clutching her thick medical journal, gave Mio a nod. "Master, I'll be in my room reading. Call me if you need anything."
"Sure thing," Mio said with a smile.
He turned to Erica and Warwick. "It's getting late. Erica, make us something for dinner. Warwick, fetch me a bottle of wine—with ice. We'll head out after."
"Yes, Master!" both answered in unison.
Soon, the deck was quiet.
Once they were out at sea, Mio walked to the helm, map and log pose in hand. He scanned the horizon and pointed ahead.
"Hanba, one o'clock direction—full speed!"
"Got it!" Hanba bellowed. Tossing aside the remains of the sea beast, he dove back into the water and latched onto the underside of the ship.
With powerful strokes, the beast began pulling the vessel forward at impressive speed.
The ship surged across the waves, heading deeper into the Grand Line.
...
Inside Mio's Cabin
Mio sat at a desk. In front of him were two Devil Fruits—one from Doflamingo's delivery, the other looted from the Alabasta palace. A small box sat beside them, containing the unconscious black panther cub.
He had two more Devil Fruits stored safely elsewhere, though their abilities were still unknown. For now, he didn't dare use them.
His collection was impressive—any pirate would envy his haul.
Now that things had calmed down, Mio decided it was time for a bit of fun.
A lottery spin.
And maybe, if he got lucky, a way to evolve the little panther.
He guessed that the Devil Fruit from Doflamingo was a standard Zoan-type. Perhaps Ancient, but not likely a Mythical Zoan. Either way, not something he urgently needed.
So, without hesitation, Mio exchanged the two Devil Fruits for lottery chances.
They vanished in a flash of system light, replaced with glowing text that read:
[Draw Chances: 2]
"Alright," Mio muttered, opening his Gene Fusion System.
The familiar interface materialized before him. A massive roulette wheel spun in place, displaying countless gene entries—powerful beasts, mythical creatures, and legendary powers.
As always, one prize stood out:
Super Saiyan Gene.
Rubbing his hands together, Mio reached for a stopwatch.
"Three seconds until six o'clock. That's the lucky moment," he muttered.
Three seconds...
Two seconds...
One...
As the second ticked to 6:00, Mio's eyes lit up. He slammed the [DRAW] button.
The roulette began to spin at full speed, its sections blurring into a whirlwind of colors and text.
The next Chapter of Mio's journey had begun—fueled by fate, ambition, and the spin of destiny.