one piece: gene extraction and fusion system-Chapter 224: The Ancient Beast and the Deal

"This is..."

When Mio saw the enormous creature in the cage, his eyes widened in surprise. "An ancient creature?"

"Yes," Doflamingo nodded with a smile. "This guy not only ate an ancient-type Devil Fruit, but he himself is also an ancient creature."

Inside the massive iron cage was a towering black bear. Its fur was thick and dark, and it radiated a wild, primal aura. Even while lying down, the bear measured four to five meters in length—its true size while standing was surely even more intimidating.

Mio immediately recognized what kind of creature it was.

This was a fine-toothed giant bear.

If there were two ancient Devil Fruits—one being the Fine-Toothed Giant Bear Fruit and the other the Short-Faced Bear Fruit—then without a doubt, the former possessed far greater potential.

The fine-toothed giant bear was a significantly stronger creature compared to the short-faced bear.

But in this case, the creature had not only the physical strength of a real fine-toothed bear but also the power of a matching ancient Zoan-type Devil Fruit.

This combination was extremely powerful. Even without considering any other advantages, the physical attributes alone would be monstrous.

"Roar!"

Just then, the fine-toothed giant bear let out a deafening roar, suddenly rising to its feet and slamming both massive claws against the iron bars. The cage groaned under the pressure, and with one mighty strike, the bars began to bend and snap.

The beast lunged toward Mio with savage intent.

But the next moment—

Boom!

"Kneel!"

A cold, commanding voice rang out.

Erica stood tall, her sharp gaze locked on the bear. A tremendous wave of Conqueror's Haki burst out from her, ignoring everyone else and bearing down on the giant bear like a tidal wave.

The overwhelming aura made the fine-toothed giant bear instinctively freeze. Its pupils shook with fear, and it dropped to the ground, whimpering softly, no longer daring to move an inch.

As expected, Conqueror's Haki was particularly effective on beasts like this.

Mio approached the subdued bear and gently stroked its thick fur. A small, satisfied smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Not bad. I'm very satisfied."

Among ancient creatures, the fine-toothed giant bear was strong enough to scare off even saber-toothed tigers. With proper training—and the genes Mio now had in his possession—its potential was boundless.

Mio's eyes sparkled with anticipation.

"Fufufufufufu... As long as you're satisfied." Doflamingo chuckled, his expression relaxed. What mattered most to him was Mio's satisfaction. As long as Mio was pleased, then Doflamingo could rely on him for favors down the line.

"Take it away," Mio said, clapping his hands and handing responsibility over to Erica.

Currently, only Erica's Conqueror's Haki was strong enough to handle the fine-toothed giant bear.

"Yes," Erica replied, then walked over to the bear with a cold expression. "Back in the cage."

The bear whimpered in fear and obediently crawled back into the cage.

Afterward, Erica had the cage wheeled out of the hall.

Mio returned to his throne, resting his chin on one hand as he gazed at Doflamingo. "Since you gave me such a pleasant surprise, I don't mind helping you with something in return. Got any requests?"

"In that case..." Doflamingo's grin widened, his eyes gleaming. "There is something I'd like to ask of you."

"Go ahead," Mio said, clearly interested.

Doflamingo didn't hesitate. "It's nothing major for someone like you. With your level of intelligence, I'm sure you've already caught wind of the situation between me and Dressrosa. I have plans for that kingdom... So, I'd like your help in the future—but not just yet."

"Dressrosa..."

Mio rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Of course, he knew about the Donquixote Family and Dressrosa's internal affairs. To be honest, there wasn't much in the kingdom that he particularly wanted. Or rather, almost nothing. frёewebηovel.cѳm

But then again... not entirely nothing.

His eyes gleamed with subtle interest. "Alright. But I'm very interested in the dwarves on Dressrosa."

"The dwarves? Got it." Doflamingo nodded, already expecting this. The dwarves, a special race native to Green Bit and Dressrosa, were known for their agricultural talents and unique traits. Most of them had relocated from Green Bit to Dressrosa over time. They were highly skilled in cultivating plants, which made them extremely valuable to any kingdom's development.

Given Mio's known fascination with rare and unique beings, it made sense. Doflamingo wasn't surprised at all. After a moment's pause, he said, "If you want, I can arrange to bring some to you soon."

"No rush," Mio shook his head. "I'll find you when I need them."

He wasn't interested in the dwarves as a group.

He was after one particular dwarf: the dwarf princess, Mansherry—user of the Healing Fruit.

Still, the dwarves' capabilities were impressive. In the original timeline, they were the ones who cultivated all the artificial Devil Fruits.

"Hehehe... Then I'll wait for your message," Doflamingo said with a chuckle. "I've got some things to handle, so I'll take my leave."

Mio nodded silently, and Doflamingo turned and exited the hall.

But as he walked away, Doflamingo pulled out his Den Den Mushi and issued new orders—to keep a close eye on the dwarves.

Their numbers were limited. If Mio truly was interested in them, then Doflamingo couldn't risk any of them being harmed or disappearing.

He didn't know that Mio was specifically after Mansherry. From his point of view, Mio could want the whole race.

So, it was better to be safe than sorry.

Once Doflamingo had departed, Mio rose from his throne and walked toward Erica.

In a quiet room within the castle, Erica stood in front of the cage. Under her watchful presence, the fine-toothed giant bear remained docile, not daring to move even a muscle.

When Mio entered the room, Erica nodded slightly and left without a word. She understood perfectly—her husband was about to begin something important.

Creak...

The door shut behind her.

As soon as Erica was gone, the fine-toothed giant bear's eyes turned fierce again. Just as it began to rise, ready to pounce—

Boom!

An even more terrifying wave of Conqueror's Haki surged through the room.

It was far beyond what Erica had displayed.

The bear instantly collapsed onto the floor again, trembling with fear. Its fierce glare disappeared, replaced by pitiful eyes that seemed to say, I don't want any trouble. I just want to lie down quietly.