The weather today was clear, with the warm sun shining brightly above.
Mio sat on the deck, a bottle of rum in his hand, staring at the drawing paper laid out in front of him. He was deep in thought, trying to come up with a good design for a pirate flag.
Although he wasn't a pirate yet, it didn't hurt to prepare in advance. Designing a flag wasn't as easy as it sounded—at least not for Mio. Drawing a skull was one thing, but deciding what to pair it with was a whole different matter. It was surprisingly complicated.
"Maybe it's time to head for the Grand Line," Mio muttered, swirling the bottle of rum.
Even though the North Blue was in chaos, it had little to do with him. He had no interest in the people or events unfolding here. What he truly desired—what could help him grow stronger—lay beyond. The Grand Line was his next destination.
One of the biggest reasons for this decision was the vast number of strange islands scattered throughout the Grand Line and the New World. Many ancient and unique creatures could be found there, perfect for collecting the genes he needed to cultivate his forces.
But there was one more important reason.
He wanted to find dragons.
Yes—dragons. Not Monkey D. Dragon, but actual mythical dragons.
For example, the Millennium Dragon.
Before arriving in this world, dragons had been nothing but myth and legend. But here, they truly existed. They might not all be tremendously powerful, but their sheer longevity and genetic potential were unmatched. Just like the Millennium Dragon, whose life span was said to span over a thousand years and whose presence was even rumored to produce an elixir of life.
Even if those tales were exaggerated, Mio believed that any creature capable of such long life must have incredible physical attributes and potential. That alone made them worthy of cultivation.
Not to mention—if he found the right Devil Fruit, even the beasts he raised could become monsters on the level of the Four Emperors. A powerful beast, paired with a Mythical Zoan-type fruit? That would be terrifying.
If the Millennium Dragon existed, perhaps there were other types of dragons too. And if not, even ancient dinosaurs would be fine.
All of this made the Grand Line his next target.
The plot of the world hadn't truly begun yet. There were no main story characters in the Four Seas worth engaging with, and the New World was in a state of chaos as powerful pirates clashed in their quest for dominance. Mio wasn't strong enough to face those monsters head-on yet, but he still longed to enter that world. He believed that even if he wasn't one of the Four Emperors now—perhaps in the future, he could become one of the "Five Emperors."
He grinned at the thought.
"But there's still some distance to go. To reach the Grand Line, I'll need to pass through Reverse Mountain like in the original story," Mio muttered, pulling out a map and scanning the route.
"Reverse Mountain…"
He paused thoughtfully. "Kurokas should be back at Twin Cape by now. I wonder if he knows Observation and Armament Haki? I should ask him when I get there."
As the former doctor of the Roger Pirates, Kurokas was someone worth meeting. Mio didn't think Kurokas would be the type to reject a genuine request. There was a good chance he'd be willing to teach him something.
Shaking his head, Mio pushed the thought aside and stood up. He grabbed the sail and gave the command to set off.
"Next stop—full speed to Reverse Mountain!"
The ship began moving swiftly through the waves, cutting through the ocean with purpose.
It would take at least half a month to reach Reverse Mountain, a long and steady voyage.
That morning, Mio had woken early, washed up, and walked into the ship's living room. He was greeted by the scent of cooking and the sight of Erica in the kitchen.
"Good morning, Erica," Mio said with a smile.
"Good morning, Master." Erica turned and beamed. "Please wait a little longer. Breakfast will be ready soon. Today's breakfast is ramen and grilled meat."
"Ramen? Not bad." Mio nodded, pleased by the idea.
He grabbed two bottles of rum and sat at the table, sipping and flipping open his map to plan ahead.
The rum supplies on the ship were running low. It was time to find a place to restock. According to the map, the nearest stop was Walu Island, a small island with a single town and no Marine branch.
Interestingly, next to the island on the map was a skull symbol, labeled: Pirate Island.
"Hmm… like Mock Town?" Mio rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Could be interesting."
Pirate Islands were places inhabited solely by pirates. They were gathering points for the lawless—places where pirates could drink, fight, and indulge in their desires. Only the strong could claim the best resources there.
Mio had never been to such a place before, which only added to his anticipation.
Before long, breakfast was served.
Warwick emerged from his room, greeted them with a nod, and joined the meal. After eating, Erica cleaned the dishes and headed to the deck to practice her swordsmanship, while Warwick went diving and fishing.
Mio remained in the cabin, sipping rum while flipping through books and diaries to learn more about the world.
These books and diaries came from the pirates he had previously killed. Knowing how dull life at sea could get, Mio had kept them to kill time and increase his understanding of this new world.
Today's reading was a pirate's personal diary.
After finishing it, Mio stood up, ready to begin his training.
But just as he was about to leave—
Buru buru buru.
The Den Den Mushi rang.
He pulled it out and glanced at the face—it was Doflamingo.
"Did you find some interesting bugs or beasts? Or maybe a Devil Fruit?" Mio mused as he answered the call.
"Doffy, found what I wanted?" he asked directly.
"Hiyahiyahiyahiya! Of course not. Something like that takes time!" Doflamingo's trademark laugh echoed through the receiver, the snail's face mimicking his evil grin.
"Then why are you calling?" Mio asked, frowning slightly.
"I've got some good news and figured I'd ask if you're interested. Hiyahiyahiya~."
Mio rubbed his chin, curious. "What news?"
"Gold in the Sky!"