Mio was deeply intrigued by the Holy Land of Marijoa.
To be precise, he was very interested in the devil fruits hidden within the hos of the Celestial Dragons.
If there was one place in the world that housed the most devil fruits, it was undoubtedly Marijoa. Not only did it contain devil fruits collected by the World Governnt, but many also lay scattered throughout the private mansions of the Celestial Dragons.
Interestingly, the Celestial Dragons did not hoard devil fruits for themselves—they kept them for their slaves.
Just like the three Hancock sisters from the original story.
That alone equaled three devil fruits.
So, if given the chance in the future, Mio would definitely want to visit Marijoa. And the upcoming disturbance that Fisher Tiger would cause in the Holy Land? That could be his perfect opportunity.
When the ti ca and Tiger drew the World Governnt's attention, Mio could sneak into the Celestial Dragons' mansions to loot their devil fruits.
Wasn't that a perfect plan?
Burying that thought for now, Mio turned his attention back to the mont and asked with a smile, "Mr. Tiger, I wonder how Fish-Man Island is doing these days?"
Speaking of his holand, Tiger's face lit up with a proud smile. "Fish-Man Island is doing very well. Both King Neptune and Princess Otohi are excellent rulers who truly care about the people."
"I've heard as much," Mio nodded with a polite smile. "But it seems Fish-Man Island's situation hasn't always been so peaceful."
"That's right," Tiger admitted, sighing as he nodded. "There's a lot of anger among the fishn. Many hold deep grudges against humans, and so have even called for war. Princess Otohi is doing her best to ease tensions and elevate the status of Fish-Man Island. But even so, slave-hunting groups continue to circle the area, capturing my kin."
Tiger's tone hardened with fury as he spoke of the slavers.
Not all humans, just those involved in trafficking and enslavent.
For everyone on Fish-Man Island, these slave-hunters were the true enemy.
So of these groups camped just outside Fish-Man Island's borders, waiting to pounce on any fishman who left its protection. Worse still, so were bold enough to infiltrate the island and snatch fishn before fleeing.
Mio had long been aware of these atrocities. He offered a few comforting words. "Whether fishn or humans, both should be seen as equals. Discrimination only breeds resentnt. And it's not just rmaids the slavers target—they capture humans too. The root of hatred has taken hold in Fish-Man Island, and it will take ti and effort to heal."
Tiger looked at Mio in surprise, clearly not expecting a human to share his sentints so sincerely.
A sense of kinship blood in Tiger's heart, and he replied with newfound warmth. "You're right. The majority of the slaves caught are indeed human. If this hatred festers, it will only cause more harm to our ho. Right now, Princess Otohi is the only one capable of calming that anger. After a while, I plan to return to Fish-Man Island and help her in her mission."
Mio's mind imdiately turned.
Return to Fish-Man Island?
But in the original tiline, wasn't it after returning that Tiger was captured and made a slave?
Mio kept these thoughts to himself. Instead, he smiled and casually changed the subject. "By the way, Mr. Tiger, I've heard that Fishman Karate is a powerful and unique martial art. Back when I first entered the Grand Line, I heard quite a bit about it. Would you be willing to show a little today?"
As he spoke, Mio unsheathed his blade, Raikiri, from his waist.
"Since you've adventured across the world, I imagine your strength is unmatched. It'd be a great honor to spar with you."
"Sure," Tiger replied without hesitation. He already held a good impression of Mio. To him, a simple sparring match didn't an much.
Mio's lips curled into a satisfied smile.
Fishman Karate.
This was exactly what he wanted.
A powerful martial art and physical technique passed down only among fishn. Rarely ever taught to humans.
Take Koala, for instance—she only learned it because she followed the Revolutionary Army and trained with the fishn.
From the mont Mio t Tiger, he had the idea of acquiring Fishman Karate. But he couldn't just demand it—Tiger was still useful, and scaring him away or threatening him would only backfire.
No, the best way to get what he wanted was to gain Tiger's trust and admiration through combat.
After all, Mio had the Sharingan.
As long as it was a physical technique, the Sharingan could perfectly copy it.
Mio didn't plan on using it himself, of course. He intended to have his subordinates learn and master it—Warwick, Hei Yan, or even Hanba.
Thankfully, Tiger had not yet experienced the world's darker truths. With a few words, Mio could win him over.
With their sparring match agreed upon, the two stepped apart and took their fighting stances.
Mio's mind stirred, and his scarlet Sharingan—with its rotating magatama—manifested in his eyes.
Tiger noticed the sudden change and blinked, clearly confused, but before he could ask, Mio had already lunged forward with a swift strike.
Tiger shelved his curiosity and focused on the match, moving to block and counter.
"I hope you'll show the full power of Fishman Karate, Mr. Tiger," Mio said mid-combat, encouraging his opponent to fight seriously.
"Of course," Tiger replied, nodding with pride. As a fishman, he was proud of his people's martial legacy, and he was eager to demonstrate it.
"Thousand-Watt Punch!"
Tiger roared the na of the technique as he punched forward with imnse force. At that mont, Mio's Sharingan rotated slowly, absorbing every detail of the movent and technique.
A subtle glimr passed through Mio's eyes, and he whispered internally, "It can be copied."
Not far from the sparring duo, the rest of the crew watched the fight with curiosity.
Robin narrowed her eyes after a few exchanges and muttered, "Why does the captain look weaker than usual?"
"He's holding back," Erica replied flatly.
"Holding back? Why would he do that?" Robin tilted her head, puzzled.
"I don't know," Erica said with a shrug. "But Master always has a reason."
anwhile, Lilith had wandered over to the ruins. Her eyes sparkled as she gazed upon the scattered gold strewn across the ground. Spotting a beautifully crafted golden crown, she bent down, wiped it clean with her sleeve, and nodded in satisfaction.
"This would suit Master perfectly."
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