[Unnamed!]
[Abilities: Thorn Seeds (can sow thorn seeds within a certain range and cause them to grow rapidly; the user can control them and share their five senses), Vitality (possesses immense life force, resulting in terrifying regeneration and a long lifespan), Hard Scales (covered in hard scales, dramatically increasing defense), Fog (can manipulate the weather to produce dense fog within a range), Fantasy Clone (can create extremely realistic clones of itself), Steel Bones (every part of its body is incredibly hard), Wooden Snake (has eight heads, each controlling a different elemental power), Crystallization (can crystallize its body and surroundings for enhanced defense), Divine Power (has immense physical strength), Tenacity (defensive capabilities are incredibly durable), Snake (possesses two forms—true form and snake form), Fear of sea water.]
[Strength: Admiral-level (Peak Admiral Combat Power!)]
[Untapped Potential!]
Looking at the panel in front of him, Mio couldn't help but smile in satisfaction.
Its abilities were overwhelmingly versatile, and its physical stats were equally powerful.
A creature that would start at an Admiral's combat level upon creation—this level of power made Mio deeply satisfied.
With a thought, Mio summoned the newly cultivated creature.
A small green snake immediately appeared in front of him. The snake was just about a meter long, smooth, and covered in glistening crystal-like scales.
It stuck out its tongue playfully, looking at Mio with clear affection.
This was likely its snake form.
As for its true form, Mio was curious, but not in a rush to see it.
He touched his chin thoughtfully, then smiled. "From now on, your name is Xiao Qi."
The creature had inherited the genes of the Yamata no Orochi and had eight heads—but calling it "Xiao Ba" didn't sound quite right. After a moment's thought, "Xiao Qi" felt more fitting.
Upon hearing its name, Xiao Qi nodded and happily coiled around Mio's neck, rubbing its head against Mio's face.
"Alright then, it's time to train your brother," Mio chuckled, patting Xiao Qi's head before vanishing in a flash.
"Eh…? Where did Lord Black Crow go?" Hancock blinked in surprise.
Robin adjusted her glasses and pointed upward. "There he is—above that Stomak Baron."
Looking up, Hancock saw Mio's figure high in the sky.
"What's he planning now…?" she murmured, fixated on him.
In the sky, as before, scarlet demonic energy erupted from Mio's body. Layer upon layer of terrifying power surged forth, coalescing into a towering skeletal giant wreathed in demonic flames. With a massive sword in hand, the giant swung down toward the Stomak Baron below.
The resulting impact was colossal. Even Hancock, watching from afar, instinctively squinted her eyes from the sheer power.
The overwhelming blow left a deep gash in the Stomak Baron, and green fluid gushed out—its blood—creating a grotesque scene.
"Cultivate."
With a thought, Mio summoned the cultivation tank.
The Stomak Baron vanished from the sea without a trace.
Hancock, stunned once again, wondered how another entire island could disappear, but chose not to question it aloud, simply burying the doubt in her heart.
Mio's figure soon reappeared on the deck.
Without delay, he moved on to selecting the next gene set.
He still had many in his inventory, and the process went quickly.
Among them were common beast and pirate genes, and several more unique ones: the White gene, the One-Tailed Shukaku gene, the Mienshao gene, the Piao Piao gene, the Explosion gene, and the Devil gene.
All powerful in their own right.
After finalizing his selection, Mio pressed the cultivation button.
A new round of cultivation began.
At that moment, Mio appeared again on the deck with a cheerful clap. "Alright—time to introduce a new partner."
"Meet this adorable little guy."
Everyone turned their attention toward him. Aside from the three Hancock sisters, the others looked on with relaxed familiarity.
Xiao Qi poked his head out from inside Mio's clothes, lifting it curiously and scanning the new faces, hissing softly in greeting.
"His name is Xiao Qi," Mio announced.
"Xiao Qi? He's kind of cute," Erica said with a grin.
"I didn't expect him to be so small," Robin added with a note of surprise. She'd assumed it would be a humanoid form, but she wasn't afraid of snakes. Instead, she extended her hand gently and smiled. "Hello, Xiao Qi. I'm Nico Robin."
"Hisss…"
Xiao Qi rubbed himself against her palm, though he didn't leave Mio's arm, remaining coiled around him like a loyal guardian.
"Is Xiao Qi like Hei Yan?" Lilith asked curiously. Despite its small size, she could clearly sense a powerful aura radiating from Xiao Qi.
"Yeah," Mio nodded. "He's on the same level of strength as Hei Yan."
It sounded unbelievable, but it was true. Both of Black Crow's "pets" were powerful enough to lead entire New World pirate crews on their own.
Just then, another training prompt appeared before Mio:
[Please choose the training direction: Beast-type? — Human-type?]
"Beast form," Mio answered instantly.
The training resumed.
Meanwhile, the Hancock sisters stood nearby, clearly curious about Xiao Qi. Raised on Amazon Lily, they weren't afraid of snakes—in fact, they were fascinated.
But they hesitated to reach out without permission.
"If you want to touch him, go ahead," Mio said with a chuckle.
Hearing this, the sisters immediately approached with smiles, gently petting Xiao Qi.
Unfortunately, Xiao Qi didn't seem to enjoy being touched by anyone except Mio. After a moment, he slipped back inside Mio's clothes and curled around his arm to rest.
However, the moment Mio needed him, this tiny creature would awaken—and unleash overwhelming power.