Although Nico Robin was just a girl in her early teens, her very existence touched the reverse scale of the World Government. As a survivor of Ohara and someone tied to the forbidden knowledge of the Void Century, she was under constant surveillance—not only by the Navy Headquarters but also the World Government itself.
However, recent events had diverted their attention to more pressing matters. One of the priorities was the pursuit and investigation of Wang Zhi, a former member of the legendary Rocks Pirates. Compared to that, Robin's case seemed minor for the time being. Otherwise, with the might of the World Government, capturing a little girl wouldn't be a challenge.
Moreover, they still didn't know that Nico Robin could read and understand the Poneglyphs. In their eyes, she was just an eight-year-old child. After all, who in their right mind would believe that a girl so young could decipher the ancient, forbidden texts of history?
Mio shook his head slightly at the thought.
He glanced at Erica and Warwick, nodded, and began walking toward the town on the island. Erica followed closely behind.
Warwick pulled the hood of his cloak tighter, concealing his wolf-like face, and silently walked in another direction.
In the Town
As a well-known island in the North Blue and a common stop on the route to the Grand Line, the town was bustling with life. Merchants passed through daily, and it was not unusual to find pirates hiding in plain sight among the crowd.
Mio and Erica stopped at the entrance of an alleyway when a burly man approached them.
"Excuse me, are you Mr. Mio?" the man asked, confirming his identity.
"Yes. Lead the way," Mio replied casually.
"Right this way." The man nodded and led them deeper into the alley until they stopped outside a tavern.
JOKER Tavern.
Mio raised an eyebrow at the name but said nothing. He simply followed the man inside.
The tavern was dimly lit and filled with patrons. Some reeked faintly of blood—a telltale sign of pirates. Mio noticed this instantly.
"Mr. Mio, the young master is waiting for you in the room," the man said, pointing to a wooden door beside the bar.
Mio nodded, pushed the door open, and stepped inside.
The room wasn't large, but it was well-furnished and luxuriously decorated—soft sofas, expensive carpets, and an atmosphere that clearly indicated it was a private space used frequently by Doflamingo.
"Hehehe, would you like something to drink?" Doflamingo asked from the sofa, gently swirling a wine glass in his hand.
"Rum. On ice," Mio replied without hesitation, taking a seat across from him. Erica sat silently beside Mio.
Doflamingo eyed Erica with curiosity, wondering why she always kept her hood up as if hiding from the world. But he didn't ask. Instead, he gestured at Trebol, who left the room promptly and soon returned with two glasses of iced rum.
Mio downed his drink in one go.
"Alright, let's get to the point. Bring it out," Mio said directly.
"Hehehe, sure," Doflamingo grinned and snapped his fingers.
A secret door opened, and a tall man named Serka stepped out, carrying something wrapped in a black cloth. He placed it on the table with a heavy thud.
"Take a look. I think it's exactly what you're looking for," Doflamingo said, sipping his wine as he watched Mio.
With curiosity gleaming in his eyes, Mio removed the cloth.
Inside was a glass box with soil at the bottom and a small branch planted in it. Resting on the branch was a butterfly—one that emitted a faint, ethereal light.
Yes, a butterfly glowing with a soft, holy luminescence.
Mio's eyes narrowed. "What are its characteristics?" he asked.
"A good question," Doflamingo said, a rare seriousness flashing in his grin. "There's no record of this butterfly in any known bestiary. It seems to be a mutant. Normally, butterflies are docile. But not this one. It's violent and territorial. Where it was found, every other butterfly had been killed—by it."
He paused and added grimly, "Its poison is what's truly terrifying."
"Poison?" Mio raised a brow.
Doflamingo nodded. "Yes. Ten of my men died from its venom. See the glow? That's the key. It stores energy from sunlight or moonlight—ordinary light doesn't work. Once it absorbs enough, it spreads toxins through the scales on its wings. Not instantly fatal, but if untreated, the poison can absolutely kill."
"Interesting…" Mio murmured, the corners of his lips curling into a grin. "This is perfect."
He carefully covered the butterfly again and looked at Doflamingo. "I'm satisfied. This is exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to find."
Doflamingo chuckled. "Glad to hear it. But take this seriously. If it absorbs enough light and you're exposed to its scales, the airborne poison will enter your lungs. You won't even notice until it's too late."
Mio waved a hand. "I know. I don't play with my life."
He leaned forward slightly. "I'll be leaving the North Blue soon, heading for the Grand Line. I hope you can continue collecting more creatures like this for me."
"Of course. Just don't forget our deal about the Devil Fruits," Doflamingo replied with a sly grin.
"Naturally."
The two men clinked glasses and took a sip.
"When I came in, I noticed navy soldiers at the port," Mio said casually. "Is the Devil's Child really here?"
Doflamingo nodded without hesitation. "Yes. According to my men, she's on the island. The local navy branch has already gone on high alert. She won't be able to leave easily. But no one knows exactly where she's hiding. Are you interested?"
"A little," Mio admitted.
Lowering his gaze to his wine glass, Doflamingo spoke in a flat tone. "I can help you find her. But keep in mind, with an 80 million bounty, you won't be the only one. There are plenty of bounty hunters on the move."
"Heh." Mio smirked. There was no need to explain his confidence. Doflamingo understood it well enough.
Leaning back into the soft sofa, Mio laced his fingers behind his head. "Nico Robin is from Ohara. I assume the World Government is watching her closely?"
"Hehehe, not really," Doflamingo chuckled. "They just think she's a surviving child. They don't believe she's dangerous—yet."
That was the answer Mio needed.
He had asked because Doflamingo still had some intelligence links to the World Government. If they were actively monitoring Robin, Mio would've reconsidered getting involved.
But now, it was clear she wasn't being heavily watched. That made things simpler.
Finishing the last of his drink, Mio stood up, picked up the glass box containing the butterfly, and spoke. "Let's go."
"Fufufufufu… See you next time," Doflamingo said with a sinister smile, watching Mio walk away.
Mio didn't respond.
He and Erica quickly left the room.
As silence settled over the space, Doflamingo finally turned to Trebol and spoke coldly.
"Go to Boro Island in person. The Navy and the World Government are already investigating Tenshojin. It's only a matter of time before they send CP agents."
His voice darkened.
"The town on Boro Island is no longer necessary. That includes the residents."
A cruel glint flashed in Doflamingo's eyes. His decision was made—and it was absolute.