"Extract abilities."
After praising the creature, Mio silently uttered the command in his heart.
The abilities began to extract immediately.
Mio looked forward to the result.
The creatures cultivated this time were all impressive. No matter what ability he extracted, it would increase his combat power—well, except for [Fearless].
"Starting extraction~ Extraction successful. Congratulations on extracting the ability [Endless Life] and one-tenth of the all-round attributes of the creatures you cultivated this time!"
Seeing the prompt appear before him, Mio's eyes lit up with surprise. "That's a good ability."
In this world, any ability used in battle—whether it be Haki, swordsmanship, physical techniques, or Devil Fruit powers—consumed stamina. One could say stamina was the core foundation of a strong fighter.
Mio's physical endurance wasn't weak, but compared to the true powerhouses of the sea, he still had room to grow.
Now, with the ability [Endless Life], that weakness was immediately addressed.
After all, [Endless Life] rapidly restored stamina.
There was no doubt—Mio was extremely satisfied with this ability extraction.
Clenching his right fist, Mio activated his Armament Haki to the fullest. A gleam of anticipation flickered in his eyes. His fist was instantly coated in a dense layer of black Armament Haki, which then spread to his entire upper body.
Then, it began extending to his lower half as well.
Soon, Armament Haki enveloped Mio's entire body.
In the past, he could only coat half his body in Haki before the stamina consumption grew too intense. But now, although the drain was high, the rapid recovery kept up with it.
This was enough to support him in a full-scale battle.
"Not bad," Mio muttered with a satisfied nod.
He then dispelled the Haki and focused his mind.
A figure appeared before Mio.
It was a large and powerful figure, standing at least four meters tall, with perfectly sculpted bronze muscles exuding strength.
The figure had a pair of horns protruding from its forehead and sturdy limbs. Other than that, it resembled a human being.
"Master."
The man exhaled a misty breath through his nose. He looked at Mio and respectfully knelt on one knee, his voice calm and loyal.
"Tsk," Mio clicked his tongue thoughtfully, rubbing his chin as he examined the creature he had cultivated.
That body alone gave off an overwhelming sense of pressure. Even his aura hinted that he was no ordinary being—he was clearly a powerful warrior.
"Show me your strongest form," Mio suddenly ordered.
Beast Transformation.
This was the creature's peak state.
Mio was quite curious about how it would appear.
"Yes."
The man nodded immediately, without hesitation. A crimson glint flashed in his eyes, and his aura exploded.
His body grew larger and more muscular. Antler-like horns extended from the base of his original horns. His body sprouted black scales and coarse hair. His eyes transformed into sharp eagle-like pupils.
A pair of black wings burst forth from his back.
Once the transformation completed—
"Hiss…" Mio's pupils contracted.
If the being hadn't retained some human features, Mio would've mistaken him for a dragon.
It was far too similar—neck like a serpent, scales like fish, claws like an eagle, paws like a tiger, ears like a cow…
Calling it a dragon might be a stretch, but calling him a Dragonman was certainly accurate.
The man's momentum in this form had skyrocketed. It was simply terrifying.
With a wave of Mio's hand, the beast transformation was instantly dispelled. The man returned to his humanoid form and knelt again with the same respectful demeanor, although his eyes still exuded a fierce and imposing aura.
Mio narrowed his gaze thoughtfully, and after a moment, he spoke.
"From now on, your name will be Talos."
"Yes," the man answered firmly.
Perhaps because he had been given a name, a hint of joy flickered through his usually stern eyes.
"Alright, put on some clothes and head out," Mio tossed him a pair of pants. As for a shirt… it probably wouldn't fit.
Once dressed, Mio sat down cross-legged and spoke calmly, "Next, I'll find an island for you. I'll assign you a task."
"Please instruct me," Talos replied obediently.
Mio's voice deepened. "Form a pirate crew. Become a pirate. Head for the New World. Show your strength. Build up your fame. Create a fearsome and powerful pirate group. Use whatever means you see fit—I want you to become a terrifying figure that strikes fear into the world."
Whether Talos killed people or razed cities, Mio didn't care. He only wanted results.
Mio would restrain his own moral conscience, but he had no intention of limiting his subordinates, especially not someone as absolutely loyal as Talos. He didn't want a self-righteous idealist like Zephyr, who refused to kill. That sort of mindset was laughable.
"Talos understands," Talos responded with a solemn nod.
"Then stay on the ship for a few days and learn about this world. Once we reach the designated island, I'll let you off with some starter funds."
Afterward—
Mio introduced Talos to the rest of the crew.
During this time, Mio also updated how everyone addressed him.
Except for Mashi, the women were to call him "Sir," while the men were to call him "Master."
Time passed quietly.
Three days later—
An island came into view.
Asia Island.
It was a small island, but there was a town on it.
After landing ashore, Mio and his group bought some supplies and then returned to the ship. It was time to separate from Talos.
Before his departure, Mio handed Talos a Den Den Mushi (Millet) for communication, along with training manuals for Haki, the Six Styles, and Fishman Karate, plus 50 million Berries.
Any more than that would be too much for Talos to carry.
Everything else, Talos would have to figure out on his own.
Once Hanba steered the ship away from Asia Island, Mio stood at the stern, watching the island shrink into the distance. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"I hope you give me a good surprise, Talos."
This was a trump card Mio had prepared for the future.
He didn't know when he'd need to use it—
Maybe soon. Maybe years from now.
"Let's go. Head to the next island," Mio stood up, turned toward Erica and the others, and grinned.
The next destination—
Was the meeting point with Doffy.
At this moment—
Far away, in the Holy Land Marijoa, the seat of the World Government—
Someone was engaged in a heated argument… all because of Mio.