After reading through the diary carefully, Mio finally understood the name of the sword.
Raikiri.
One of the Twenty-One Great Grade Swords. The brigadier general had obtained it by chance, but since he didn't use swords, he had planned to trade it in for military supplies, and eventually exchange those for a Devil Fruit once he returned to Navy Headquarters after this mission.
But fate had other plans. Now, the sword belonged to Mio.
If Mio hadn't taken the time to explore, perhaps this blade would have been forgotten forever, lost to the sea along with the wreckage of the warship.
With a crisp clang, Mio drew the katana at his waist, gave it a spin, then casually discarded it. He picked up Raikiri, swung it in a sharp arc through the air, and nodded in satisfaction before sliding it into the scabbard at his waist. Though the scabbard didn't fit perfectly, it would suffice for now. He could get a custom one made later.
"The harvest today is rich. Time to leave."
A smile played at Mio's lips as he turned and exited the room. Once he stepped off the warship, he headed toward the port.
Doflamingo had nearly finished transporting the treasure by then. When he spotted Mio walking over, he strutted forward with his familiar gait and spoke lazily.
"Want to celebrate together?"
"No." Mio shook his head with a grin and glanced at the group of excited men still loading treasure onto carts nearby. "I'm too lazy for that sort of thing."
"Hm? Heh heh… I guess I'll wait for next time, fufufufufu," Doflamingo chuckled. He didn't mind the refusal. After all, the so-called "celebration" was merely an excuse to eliminate those workers once their job was done.
Of course, they'd be treated to a luxurious final meal.
That, at least, made Doflamingo feel like he wasn't entirely heartless.
Mio said his goodbyes and returned to his ship, which soon set sail, drifting steadily across the sea.
Night had fallen.
They hadn't gone far when an explosion echoed from behind. Boom!
Mio turned to glance over his shoulder and watched as the two warships erupted in flames, crumbling into wreckage and sinking beneath the waves.
…
"It's getting late. Time to rest," Mio said with a relaxed smile, turning to Erica and Warwick.
"Warwick sleep now," the werewolf replied bluntly before heading toward the cabin.
"Good night, Master," Erica added with a wink and a slight bow before departing as well.
"Good night," Mio replied softly.
Returning to his room, Mio's gaze immediately fell on the three Devil Fruits lying on the table. Their distinct spiral patterns, shapes, and colors revealed that among them were both Zoan and Paramecia types—but unfortunately, no Logia.
Still, Mio wasn't disappointed. Logia fruits were exceedingly rare. Finding three Devil Fruits at once was already extraordinary luck.
He picked up the remaining copy of the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia and began flipping through the pages to identify the fruits. Before long, he found a match.
Zoan-type – Cat-Cat Fruit, Model: Raccoon Cat.
A fairly ordinary ability.
Mio frowned in slight disappointment. As for the other two fruits, their forms were unfamiliar. He suspected they might possess decent powers, and using them recklessly for gene extraction might be wasteful.
After a moment of hesitation, Mio murmured to himself, "Forget it. I'll extract from the raccoon cat fruit first. The other two can wait until I know more."
With his decision made, Mio acted swiftly.
He opened his system panel and selected the Gene Extraction function. The raccoon fruit vanished, transformed into a glowing lottery sphere. He pressed the "Start" button.
A massive roulette wheel appeared and began spinning slowly.
As always, various genes were marked across the wheel's surface. But this time, something new caught Mio's eye—a Saiyan gene.
His heart skipped a beat.
"I need that," he muttered, eyes gleaming. But after a deep breath, he rubbed his face and calmed down. "Don't get your hopes up too much… or the disappointment will kill you."
The wheel spun faster and faster, blurring the labels into colored streaks. Mio's excitement grew with each rotation.
Eventually, the wheel slowed… and stopped.
"Congratulations! You've obtained the [Demon] gene!"
Mio blinked.
"…Demon?"
He stared at the result, processing what it meant.
The [Demon] gene came from Oz, the ancient giant demon known as a berserker. Oz was considered a mutated giant—far larger and more monstrous than regular giants. This wasn't just a strong gene—it was terrifying in its potential.
"But… what creature should I use to cultivate this gene?"
Mio scratched his head.
Raising a giant wouldn't work. His current ship couldn't carry such a being, and he had no means of transporting it either.
Looking at the system's detailed description:
[Demon Gene: A mutated giant gene. Must be fused into a host with a massive body.]
Mio frowned, then groaned in frustration. "Yeah, that's what I was afraid of."
A few moments passed.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up.
"Tsk. Actually… I just got a great idea."
His expression shifted from troubled to excited, a wide grin forming as his imagination took over.
He stashed away the two remaining Devil Fruits and lay down in bed, planning out his next steps.
"We'll try it soon… I hope it works like I think it will."
With that quiet mutter, Mio closed his eyes and drifted into sleep.
…
At the same time—
Holy Land Mariejois.
In a secluded and hidden garden, deep within the sacred city, a place bloomed in silence.
A sea of vibrant flowerbeds stretched out under a radiant artificial light. Butterflies fluttered lazily through the air, and the atmosphere seemed like a tranquil dream.
At the garden's entrance, two rows of maids stood motionless. Dressed in white gauze, heads bowed low, they waited in silence.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Footsteps echoed lightly against the stone.
A slender figure approached from the distance. Clad in a long, flowing robe and a veil that concealed their appearance, the figure's identity—whether man or woman—remained unknown.
One of the maids stepped forward with gentle grace and bowed low.
"My lord, the flower petals are prepared. Shall we begin your bath?"
"Yes."
The figure's voice was calm and smooth, indistinct in tone.
The maids immediately moved, walking to a natural hot spring nearby. Steam rose softly from the water.
From their baskets, they scattered fresh petals across the surface of the spring. The figure slowly removed the robe and stepped into the water, veil still covering their face.
Though it was late at night, the glow inside the garden made it feel like midday. The figure extended a hand and gently caught a butterfly that fluttered down onto a flower-shaped finger.
"Who are you…?"
The voice was light—neither a question nor a statement. More like a whisper.
As if… asking the butterfly.
Or perhaps—speaking to something far, far away.