"Doflamingo…"
Listening to the familiar laughter echoing from the Den Den Mushi, Mio's eyes flashed with surprise. He hadn't expected that a pirate he had just randomly killed would be connected to Doflamingo.
As one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea and a former Celestial Dragon in the original work, Mio naturally knew Doflamingo very well. However, despite offending him, Mio wasn't afraid.
In fact, they didn't necessarily have to be enemies—there was even a possibility they could become allies.
"Oppose? No, no, no. I don't think the Donquixote Family would want to add someone like me to their list of enemies," Mio said slowly, a smile curling on his lips. "Maybe we could be friends. The benefits of being allies far outweigh the risks of becoming enemies. Don't you think?"
"That's true," Doflamingo muttered, his tone more serious now. Then he grinned. His eyes glinted beneath his sunglasses, and the corners of his mouth rose into a wicked smile. "But without strength, you're not qualified to be friends with the Donquixote Family."
"You'll see it eventually," Mio replied calmly.
"Then I'll be waiting. Three days from now—Cazora Island. I hope to see you there, my friend… Fufufufufufu."
Click.
The Den Den Mushi line went dead.
Mio put the snail away, chuckled, and shook his head. "Cazora Island… Looks like I'll be heading there."
He had to borrow Doflamingo's influence. While the warlord might not be at his peak strength yet, his underground network in the North Blue could prove useful—especially in finding what Mio truly desired.
Devil Fruits.
With them, Mio could use his gene fusion system to extract the monstrous powers of otherworldly beings and cultivate powerful creatures.
"I hope this Insect Island won't disappoint me. If I can find a good specimen, it'll all be worth it," Mio murmured, a gleam of anticipation in his eyes.
After all, only by demonstrating overwhelming strength and potential could he earn the respect of someone like Doflamingo.
One day later
Insect Island - Shoreline
The ship gently rocked as it docked along the edge of the uninhabited Insect Island.
Mio and Warwick disembarked, the wooden planks creaking beneath their feet.
With his hands in his pockets, Mio muttered, "I wonder if the heads on the ship are starting to rot. If they stink, that's going to be a real pain to deal with."
He was referring to the pirate heads still lying around on the ship. The sea's climate was unpredictable, and there was no refrigeration onboard. It wasn't like he could toss them in with the food, either. That would just be… weird.
Shaking his head, Mio put the thought aside and focused on the island.
From the moment he stepped foot on it, he could hear the hum and buzz of insects echoing from deeper within the trees.
Before arriving, Mio had done his research. As the name suggested, Insect Island was home to a staggering number of insects. But these weren't ordinary bugs. Most were enormous in size and unusually aggressive. This island was even classified as ancient terrain—many of the insects had primitive, powerful forms that had survived for centuries.
Even with Warwick by his side, Mio remained cautious. This was not a place to take lightly.
The pair made their way into the forest.
Almost immediately, Mio spotted all kinds of insects. On a nearby tree was a large wasp's nest. The wasps were easily ten centimeters long, their sharp stingers glinting dangerously.
"Warwick, be careful. Let's circle around," Mio whispered.
They began walking a wide arc to avoid the nest, but just as they moved, a sharp whoosh cut through the air.
"Hmm?" Warwick turned, sensing the attack. In a flash, his massive hand shot out and caught the incoming blur mid-air.
It was a mantis—green-bodied with two silver, scythe-like forearms. Warwick's grip almost crushed it instantly.
"Don't kill it!" Mio shouted. "Give it to me!"
He grabbed the struggling mantis from Warwick's hand and, without hesitation, tore it in half.
Ding!
"Congratulations on collecting the 'Ancient Mantis' gene!"
"Ancient Mantis, huh?" Mio muttered. He tucked the halves into a specimen bag and kept walking.
As they progressed through the jungle, he began to experience just how wild this island truly was.
Insects of all kinds filled the forest—some vibrant, some monstrous, and many extremely venomous. Mio avoided the poisonous ones where possible, circling wide around any insect with suspiciously bright markings or twitchy antennae.
Still, he had gathered quite a collection of genes already.
Ant genes.
Beetle genes.
Mantis genes.
Even one from a massive longhorn beetle that had barreled into him unexpectedly.
Most of the time, he didn't even need to initiate a fight—these creatures were more than eager to charge him.
"The bugs here are way too aggressive," Mio sighed as he walked, brushing a leaf aside.
Suddenly, he stopped.
"…Hm? What's that sound?"
Mio's ears perked up. A faint rustling came from deeper in the grass ahead.
"Master, Warwick sees ants," Warwick said in a hushed voice, crouching beside Mio and pointing.
Peering forward, Mio's eyes locked onto a swarm of giant black ants, all crawling in one direction in perfect formation.
The rustling had come from them.
He crept forward quietly, parted the grass with his fingers, and was met with a bizarre sight.
A circle of black ants had formed in a clearing, creating a makeshift arena. Inside, two ants—far larger than the rest—stood face-to-face. One had a glimmering golden sheen; the other, a shining silver exoskeleton.
Both looked extraordinary—clearly mutant species of some kind.
"A duel for the ant king?" Mio whispered with interest.
Warwick squatted down beside him, staring quietly.
It was rare for Mio to be so drawn in by a natural scene, but these two ants intrigued him. He had come here specifically to find rare creatures to cultivate, and these two seemed like prime candidates.
However, gene quantity mattered. He couldn't create two powerful ants—he'd have to choose one. This battle would help him decide which.
Moments later, the golden and silver ants lunged at each other.
Their mandibles snapped and clashed, their armored bodies smashing together with sparks. The metallic sound of impact echoed across the clearing.
The other ants around them twitched their antennae furiously, as if cheering on their champions. Their loyalty clearly depended on the outcome.
Mio leaned forward, eyes sharp.
"Let's see which one of you becomes my next masterpiece."