one piece: gene extraction and fusion system

Chapter 264: Shadows in Motion

Chapter 264 - 264: Shadows in Motion

"Let's go."

Mio spoke calmly as he slowly stood up and made his way toward the shore.

At the port, the pitch-black Black Glory was docked. Over the past two years, the ship had undergone significant modifications—designed to mimic the legendary weapon Pluto in power and function.

The gathered pirates immediately took notice of Mio's arrival, their faces filled with excitement.

Araki stepped forward and asked respectfully, "Lord Black Crow, are you heading out to sea?"

"Yes," Mio replied with a nod. Then, turning to Baifeng, he ordered, "Go and gather everyone."

He turned back to Araki and gave another command. "You'll remain here to guard Crow Island. While you're at it, recruit promising new members and gather information on Charlotte and the others."

"Understood!" Araki responded with a flash of excitement in his eyes. So, Lord Mio was finally preparing to make his move toward the throne. Araki had believed for two years now that Mio possessed the strength to become an emperor. And at last, the time had come.

With that, Araki turned and hurried away.

Before long...

At the port, Erica and the others arrived one after another.

Robin, now taller and sporting black-framed glasses, wore hot pants and a shirt, her expression cheerful. "Are we setting sail again?"

"Yeah, it's time to stretch our legs a bit," Mio replied with a relaxed smile, then leapt lightly onto the deck of the Black Glory.

Erica and the rest quickly followed him aboard.

The ship soon set sail, gliding across the sea toward the horizon.

Mio sat at the bow, his back to Crow Island. He raised a hand and waved. "Hei'er, guard the base."

The moment the words left his lips, a sharp cry followed—the crows of the entire island took flight, their calls echoing through the sky.

...

Marine Headquarters.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku sat at his desk, reviewing reports. Compared to the hectic early days of his appointment two years ago, he now handled affairs with practiced efficiency.

Just as he finished going through one file, a knock came at the door.

"Come in," Sengoku said, raising his head.

Two figures entered the office—Vice Admiral Tsuru, the Naval Staff Officer, and Garp, who had recently returned from the New World.

"Got any senbei, Sengoku? Hand them over. I'm starving," Garp muttered as he sat down and casually picked his nose.

"No. Get out," Sengoku snapped irritably.

"Tsk, stingy old man. Don't think I don't know you're hiding two bags," Garp grumbled.

Sengoku ignored him, though a faint twitch betrayed his annoyance. Taking a deep breath, he turned to Tsuru. "What's the report?"

Tsuru opened the file in her hands. "We've received intelligence from the New World—nearly all members of the Black Crow Pirates have left Crow Island."

"All of them?" Sengoku frowned. "They've been quiet for two years. Why move now? Do we have a route?"

"Unclear," Tsuru replied. "Initial estimates suggest they're heading toward the first half of the Grand Line. However, that may change."

"Perhaps... the Black Crows' ambition can no longer be restrained," she added.

Sengoku's brows knit. Ambition—aiming for the position of emperor. If Mio and his crew intended to make such a move, someone in the New World was bound to become the target. No matter who it was, chaos would follow—and the Navy couldn't afford to act recklessly.

After all, eliminating even a single Marine Headquarters Admiral was more valuable than taking down an equal-strength pirate. The Black Crows had the power to accomplish that.

Even Sengoku himself couldn't accurately gauge the full strength of Mio's forces.

"Dispatch orders to monitor Kaido and the others closely. Report immediately upon any sighting of the Black Crows," Sengoku said after a pause. He was in a passive position now. Without knowing the Black Crows' exact objective, all he could do was prepare for every possible scenario.

"Understood." Tsuru nodded. "Also, there's something else..."

"What is it?" Sengoku asked.

Garp's expression turned serious even before Tsuru spoke.

"It's from Fish-Man Island," she said gravely. "Two years ago, Princess Otohime advocated for joining the World Government, aiming to raise the global status of the island and its people. But recently, rumors have spread that the greatest enemy of Fish-Men is the Celestial Dragons."

"And the person behind these rumors remains unidentified."

Tsuru continued, "Over the past two years, numerous slave-hunting parties have abducted mermaids for auction. Most were sold to Celestial Dragons. Now, nearly 90% of the Fish-Man Island population holds deep hostility toward the world nobles. Even some Fish-Men in the first half of the Grand Line have attacked Celestial Dragons' ships. Though no casualties occurred, the Celestial Dragons are furious."

Sengoku's expression grew grim.

This situation was a powder keg. Mishandling it could ignite an uncontrollable fire. Fish-Man Island wasn't weak, and if pushed into desperation, even they might choose destruction over submission. In the chaotic seas, anything was possible.

Moreover, the Fish-Men weren't wrong. Everyone knew the brutal reality of slavery. Nearly every kingdom had people who'd suffered the fate of becoming slaves.

If this wasn't addressed carefully, it could spark uprisings and expand the revolutionary movement.

"This is a hot potato," Garp muttered. "Better to leave it to the World Government."

"That may be," Sengoku replied, his expression still dark, "but shaking it off won't be that easy." His eyes narrowed in thought.

...

Marijoa.

In the shadowy depths beneath the holy land, where slaves were caged and stacked like cargo.

Darkness swallowed the narrow corridors between rows of barred cells. Most of the slaves were thin and sickly, their eyes devoid of life and hope.

In one of these cages sat a tall, muscular figure with red skin—Fisher Tiger. Though resting, his sharp eyes scanned his surroundings, always searching for a chance to escape.

Suddenly, Tiger's eyes widened.

A figure emerged from the ground inside his cage. It was incredibly small—barely the size of a bottle. A creature of the Black Shadow Corps: the Shadow Devourer.

Tiger's gaze sharpened, but he made no sudden movements. He simply stared, alert.

From the creature's mouth emerged a small slip of paper.

The Shadow Devourer placed it on the ground.

And then—vanished.