"But although I don't know what you want with Golden Lion, I feel that even if you find him, he may not agree to whatever you're planning," Hawkeye said calmly.
Although he had never met Golden Lion personally, as someone who had witnessed the end of the Roger era, Hawkeye still held a certain understanding of the legendary figures of the last age—especially the man who once stood shoulder to shoulder with Roger and Whitebeard: Golden Lion.
Golden Lion's character was just like his title.
Proud—like a lion.
There were very few people in the entire sea whom he acknowledged or admired.
And if you didn't catch his eye, he would look down on you without a second thought.
Let alone consider working with you.
Hearing this, Mio sneered faintly, his tone indifferent. "It doesn't matter. I'll take it as I wish."
Golden Lion was undoubtedly powerful, but compared to his prime, he was now much weaker. Mio never took the original story at face value—he didn't believe for a second that Golden Lion had declined to the point of being defeated by someone like Luffy.
That said, Golden Lion, having lost his legs and spent years in Impel Down, was no longer at his peak.
And that was exactly why Mio had the confidence to confront him.
If he couldn't take him alone, he wasn't alone on his ship.
He would only act when absolutely certain of victory.
If a one-on-one wouldn't work—then a group fight would.
After all, he was a pirate.
"Heh." Hawkeye shook his head with a chuckle. "As long as you're sure."
That night, the two of them drank well into the early hours before finally calling it a night.
The next morning, the weather over this part of the sea was clear and bright—perfect sailing weather.
But what surprised Mio that morning was the arrival of yet another familiar face.
From the sky, a figure drifted down.
When Mio saw who it was, his eyes widened slightly in surprise. But a moment later, the corners of his mouth lifted into a smile.
"Another friend of yours?" Hawkeye asked, spotting the newcomer as well.
"Yeah, you could say that," Mio replied casually.
As the man landed on the deck, Mio offered a faint smile. "Dover."
"Hiya, hiya, hiya… my friend, long time no see," Doflamingo greeted with his trademark twisted grin. A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes when they landed on Hawkeye.
"Why are you here?" Mio asked directly, seated cross-legged on the deck.
"I was originally attending the World Expo, but I arrived a little late," Doflamingo said, shrugging. "I just happened to hear you were nearby, so I came over. Besides, I've got some news for you."
"Oh?" Mio raised a brow, interest sparked. "What kind of news?"
Doflamingo glanced briefly at Hawkeye.
Without a word, Hawkeye stood and walked to the side, giving them privacy. He understood the two were about to discuss something important.
Once they were alone, Doflamingo sat down across from Mio and said in a low voice, "Judge's experiment is almost complete. The first batch can be trial-produced soon. But we'll still need to run further experiments afterward."
"No rush," Mio nodded, unconcerned. "This sort of thing can't be hurried. Success doesn't come easy. As long as there's progress, that's good enough."
Though he didn't say it out loud, Mio knew exactly what Doflamingo was referring to—a replica of Pluto.
He was very interested in such a weapon, but he was in no hurry. This wasn't something that could be forced.
Doflamingo nodded, then leaned in slightly. "There's another matter I think you'll be very interested in."
"Go on." Mio's eyes sharpened with curiosity.
"Fufufu…" Doflamingo chuckled darkly. "It's about the Poneglyph."
"Huh?" Mio's eyes lit up at the mention and he asked in a low voice, "You've found one?"
"I stumbled across it," Doflamingo said, glancing meaningfully toward Nico Robin, who stood in the distance. "You have Nico Robin on your ship, the only survivor of O'Hara. So I figured you were interested in the Poneglyphs. Looks like I was right. I didn't want to mention this through a Den Den Mushi in case the World Government was listening. So I came to tell you in person."
After all, if the Government overheard it… fufufufu…
Doflamingo's grin turned cold, and Mio understood the unspoken threat.
Still, what mattered more right now was the information. His brows furrowed as he asked, "Where?"
"The North Blue," Doflamingo whispered. "On an island there. If you're planning to go, you'd best take care of your affairs in the New World first. The journey will be long, and a round trip will cost you valuable time."
Poneglyphs existed all across the world, so Mio wasn't surprised to hear there was one in the North Blue.
The material of the Poneglyphs was heavy and extremely hard to move. It wasn't something he could just take along. He'd have to go in person.
Mio cared deeply about the Poneglyphs because he wanted to understand what "The King" truly was.
If his instincts were right, then "The King" was one of the trump cards of the World Government. Maybe not their only trump card, but definitely a major one.
Only by understanding it could he plan to eventually confront the World Government.
Mio fell into silent contemplation.
A few moments later, he looked up, eyes burning with resolve. "It'll take me some time to finish things here in the New World. Have someone guard the Poneglyph. We can't risk any accidents or the Government catching wind of this."
"Fufufu, no worries. I'll make sure everything's prepared." Doflamingo nodded. He had no interest in being hunted by the Government—it would mean a life sentence in Impel Down, and that was something he definitely wanted to avoid.
"Anything else?" Mio asked.
The Poneglyph news was more than enough. There was no need to drag out the topic.
"Ah, right," Doflamingo added. "As for those things I'm helping you collect—luck's been a bit bad recently. Hard to find what you're looking for. But I did get some leads. If nothing unexpected happens, you'll get some of the goods you're after soon."
"That can wait." Mio nodded, then his eyes gleamed again. "But help me locate Golden Lion. I need to speak with him."
"Golden Lion?" Doflamingo frowned at the name. That was no easy task. The man's Sky Island base drifted constantly through the skies. Sometimes people spotted it, but most of the time, it remained hidden high above the clouds, unreachable.
Still, since Mio had asked, Doflamingo wouldn't refuse.
"I'll help you search," he agreed. "But don't get your hopes too high. Even the World Government doesn't have solid intel on his location—so what can you expect from me?"
"I understand," Mio replied with a faint smile.