Mio now had a vast collection of genes and had long been prepared for cultivation.
So when the time came to choose which genes to use, the decision had already been made.
First were the more common types—genes from various beasts and pirates. But alongside them were special ones.
Among the special genes, Mio selected the Jera gene, the Senju Hashirama gene, the Red Lotus gene, the Yamata no Orochi gene, the Big Clam gene, and finally the Erwa gene.
These were acquired either through the lottery system or by killing ability users and had been preserved until now, waiting for this exact moment.
Once the selection was finalized, Mio activated the cultivation.
The familiar cultivation screen lit up in front of him.
With a light smile, Mio glanced at the two remaining massive Stomak Barons and returned in a flash to the Black Glory. The enormous scarlet skeletal giant that had once enveloped him had already dissipated.
As for the other two Stomak Barons, there was no rush. One was already undergoing cultivation, and it wouldn't be too late to deal with the others afterward.
Just then, Hancock—who had been observing everything—asked in confusion, "My Lord, did you destroy the entire island in one attack? Why is there no trace left? It's as if it vanished into thin air."
She had been watching Mio's performance carefully. As the current ruler of Amazon Lily and the future queen of the island, Hancock had already seen Mio's overwhelming strength before. But witnessing it again always amazed her. Her maturity had grown alongside her ambition for strength, and observing powerful figures like Mio helped her broaden her perspective.
But this time, it was a little too strange.
How could such a huge island disappear like that?
Had it truly been destroyed? Or was Mio's power just that incomprehensible?
Seeing Hancock's confused expression, Mio chuckled. "Don't overthink it. Some things you're not ready to understand yet. Just focus on getting stronger."
"Mm… perfect timing."
As Mio said that, his Observation Haki picked up on a nearby ship. A pirate ship was approaching.
The flag was unfamiliar—not one Mio recognized. It likely belonged to some no-name pirate group from the Grand Line.
But for Mio, their timing couldn't be better.
"You've got a job to do." Mio smirked, pointing in a direction as he looked at Hancock. "You might not be able to handle New World pirates yet, but these weaklings from the Grand Line are just right. Go—it's time to taste blood."
As he spoke, Hancock turned her head. A pirate ship came into view, slowly emerging on the horizon.
"Gulp…"
Her two sisters, Sandersonia and Marigold, swallowed nervously. They were still hesitant when it came to killing.
But Hancock's gaze grew determined as she nodded. "I will kill them."
"You've got ambition," Mio said approvingly, then looked at Lilith and gave a small gesture.
Lilith appeared silently behind the three sisters, and with a gentle tap, her Replacement Fruit ability activated. The sisters instantly vanished—and appeared aboard the pirate ship.
This was one of the awakening-level applications of the Replacement Fruit, one Mio was already very familiar with.
With Observation Haki, he sensed the moment they arrived. The pirates hadn't noticed them yet; the three sisters had materialized in the ship's cabin, where drunken laughter echoed.
It gave them time to prepare.
"Hancock, are you ready?" the oldest sister asked.
"I'm ready," Hancock said with resolve. "Let's go."
"We're with you, sister!" Sandersonia and Marigold replied seriously. Thanks to consistent training and their diet of Chanko Nabe, both sisters had grown stronger and sturdier, gradually approaching the impressive forms seen in the original timeline.
Chanko Nabe wasn't exactly magical—it didn't grant power—but it supported physical development and muscle training. The sisters relied on it heavily.
But Hancock?
She avoided it like the plague.
She knew what would happen to her figure if she indulged in such food. The sisters might enjoy it, but she preferred to remain slender and graceful.
With that settled, Hancock led her sisters out of the cabin.
Mio, still aboard the Black Glory, sipped wine while monitoring the situation closely. He didn't want them to die—only to experience battle. If anything went wrong, he would step in.
But…
The sisters didn't disappoint.
An hour later, they reappeared on the ship.
Blood was splattered all over them—not their own, but the pirates'. Of course, a closer look showed they had minor injuries, but nothing serious.
Their faces were pale, and they looked unsettled, but they were alive.
"Good job. Go rest," Mio said after a pause.
Hancock blinked, clearly surprised by his rare praise. She nodded immediately and, after catching her breath, turned and headed to the cabin with her sisters.
As the three sisters disappeared from view, a prompt appeared in front of Mio:
[Please choose training direction: Beast-type? — Human-type?]
Mio touched his chin thoughtfully. Without hesitation, he answered, "Beast form."
With that, cultivation resumed.
Only a few minutes passed before the process was complete.
Inside the cultivation tank, the original Stomak Baron was gone—and in its place stood a newly evolved creature.
Mio's eyes lit up with interest as he examined the result.
A display window opened, revealing the stats and panel of this freshly cultivated beast.