one piece: gene extraction and fusion system-Chapter 197: A Toast Before the Storm
Chapter 197 - 197: A Toast Before the Storm
"Come on!"
The red-haired man's eyes narrowed slightly. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and leapt into the air, his fist clenched and coated with Armament Haki.
There was no holding back. His punch exploded with power.
Boom!
When Mio and the red-haired man clashed midair, a terrifying burst of energy erupted. Both ships quaked violently as shockwaves rippled across the sea in every direction.
Their fists met in the sky—a battle of sheer strength and Armament Haki.
Mio's expression remained calm as his power surged once more, forcing the red-haired man back. Landing lightly on the deck, Mio looked up.
"As expected of someone who sailed with Roger. He's quite strong," Mio said evenly. Just one punch was enough to gauge the red-haired man's strength.
Very strong—on par with himself. That was Mio's initial impression.
If Mio hadn't cultivated Hei'e, he might have been slightly weaker. But thanks to that training, his power had grown to match Red Hair's.
In terms of physical capability alone, Mio was only slightly below the Four Emperors. But his stamina recovery, rapid and nearly limitless, made up for the difference.
Combined with his devilish powers and unique abilities, Mio hadn't yet clashed with a Yonko—but he was confident he could stand on equal footing.
"So strong..."
The red-haired man looked at Mio, quietly surprised. What shocked him most was that Mio, a newcomer, possessed such power.
"Is he that strong?" Ben Beckman, vice-captain of the Red Hair Pirates—one of the smartest men in the world—landed beside his captain and asked in a low voice.
Red Hair might drink and party without a care, but Beckman made sure to remember every potential threat or rival the crew might face.
This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.
"Very strong," Red Hair replied without hesitation.
"Not just the captain," Beckman muttered, biting his cigar. His eyes moved to the figures behind Mio, particularly toward White Wind. "None of the Black Crow Pirates' bounties are inflated. Every one of them is powerful. And there's someone on that ship... very dangerous. I haven't seen him, but I can feel it."
"Is that so..." Red Hair's gaze drifted to the crow perched atop the flagpole before he chuckled and looked away. "Hahaha, don't worry. We're not here to be enemies."
"Erica, Warwick, get ready—we're having a party!" Mio called out from the Black Glory with a grin. He looked back at Red Hair. "If you don't mind, why don't you come aboard and drink with us?"
"Hahaha, I'd love to," Red Hair said without a second thought and jumped lightly onto the Black Glory.
Beckman sighed, took a deep drag of his cigar, and followed.
Soon, the deck was filled with food and drink. Mio and Red Hair sat face-to-face, exchanging bowls of sake as the celebration kicked off.
Atop the flagpole, Black watched the crowd below. Its deep eyes sometimes tilted curiously, sometimes looked far into the distance. It appeared just like any ordinary crow—nothing suspicious.
Only Shanks occasionally glanced at the bird. But every time Black looked back, Shanks quickly turned away.
Mio noticed this and smiled slightly but said nothing.
"Hawkeye talks about you often," Red Hair said during the toast, grinning. "Especially when you got captured and sent to Impel Down. He kept saying it must've been on purpose."
"Oh?" Mio raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. He didn't expect Hawkeye to figure that out.
He chuckled and shook his head. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen that guy in a long time. I'd love to have a drink with him."
"Hahaha, he's still going around looking for kendo masters to challenge, same as always," Red Hair laughed.
The two continued chatting and drinking, enjoying the friendly atmosphere.
Elsewhere on the ship, the rest of the Red Hair Pirates mingled with the Black Crow crew, drinking and talking freely.
Time passed unnoticed, and soon night fell.
Mio and Red Hair were still drinking under the starlit sky. But now, Red Hair's expression turned serious.
"There's a Pirate Expo coming up just ahead of your route," he said.
"I know. That's why we're heading that way," Mio nodded, draining another bowl of sake.
Red Hair paused for a moment, then said, "You should be careful. It'll be very lively this time. Over 300 pirate crews are expected. A lot of them are interested in your Black Crow Pirates."
He added, "Also... it seems Boken will be there. He's taken an interest in you."
"Boken?" Mio grinned, eyes flashing. "Heh. Let him come. It's a good chance to show some fools that the Black Crow Pirates aren't to be underestimated."
After the World Expo, they wouldn't be far from Crow Island.
That made this expo the perfect stage for Mio to show his strength—to stamp the name "Black Crow" deep into the minds of every pirate who thought they could challenge him.
And perhaps, recruit some strong allies.
Red Hair understood Mio's plan immediately but didn't say much more.
After all, this wasn't the era of balance that would come later. He himself wasn't yet a Yonko, and didn't have the authority or strength to play peacekeeper.
Just like Mio, he too sought the throne.
In that sense, they were rivals. But with Hawkeye between them, their relationship remained cordial—for now.
Still, if it came to it, Mio wouldn't hesitate to fight Red Hair.
The voyage continued through the quiet night.
Later, under the moonlit sky, Mio set his bowl down, glanced at Red Hair, and said, "There's an uninhabited island up ahead. Want to stretch your legs a bit?"
"We can 'move around' a little," Red Hair said with a sigh, "but why do I feel like you have something in mind?"
Everyone knew what "move around" really meant—fighting.
Mio didn't reply, just smiled faintly.
Red Hair was right. Mio did have a purpose—but he wasn't about to share it.
This was a rare opportunity to refine his demonic power through combat.
And for that, Red Hair would make the perfect whetstone.
