Lloyd stood before the husk-like figure of Roger, the once‑legendary Pirate King, locked in a terrible dead stare. If not for the relentless drumming that pulsed like a heartbeat through the air, Lloyd might have believed Roger had already unleashed his awakened form.
Roger grasped the long sword once wielded by Ace, letting out a guttural roar. With a sudden burst of strength, he momentarily broke through the obsidian blindness that surrounded him and lunged toward Lloyd.
But the darkness refused to relinquish its hold. It yanked him back to the spot where he had been bound, leaving Roger to struggle fruitlessly against its suffocating grip.
Like a cornered beast, Roger's roars jarred the silence.
"Black Dragon…"
Lloyd watched him with chilling calm, expression unreadable.
"So this is what they imagine the Sun God to be," Lloyd said, voice cool and unmoved, "What an ugly mockery of legend."
At Lloyd's words, Roger froze. His body convulsed, as though the meaningless syllables struck deeper than any blade.
He lifted a trembling hand to his cracked, dry face, horror spreading in his eyes.
"No! I… I am not the Sun God! I'm not worthy!" Roger cried, pounding his chest in despair.
Lloyd had seen enough of Roger's breakdown. He lifted Muramasa high, the blade drawing in light until it became pitch black, a column of dark radiance stabbing toward the heavens.
"King's Command, Utter Darkness Descends."
In an instant, the world dimmed into profound night. A cold dread settled over every soul present.
On live broadcasts across the world, screens went black. Just as viewers thought their feeds had glitched, countless grey spirals appeared across every frame.
Those swirling patterns looked like countless eyes, dull and eerie against the endless darkness. Through them, Roger, encased in those "eyes," could barely be seen.
Roger whispered in shock, "Space… is tearing apart…"
These weren't eyes at all — they were fissures. Rifts in space wrought by the overwhelming pull of absolute gravity. They spread like grotesque cracks in the fabric of reality, as though the universe itself had been slashed.
Within that darkness, Lloyd was invisible. His presence no longer carried shape or substance. Even Roger's Observation Haki, capable of perceiving the faintest of life signals, could not pinpoint Lloyd's location.
If even Roger couldn't sense him, no one else stood a chance.
The Marines fared only slightly better — at least they recognized it as Lloyd's ability and knew he would not turn it against them. Kizaru attempted to illuminate the surroundings, but his light dissipated instantly, swallowed by the oppressive blackness.
The pirates, on the other hand, panicked. They clumsily staggered about like startled fish out of water.
Then Lloyd's voice echoed, cold and clear from every direction.
"Great Dark Heaven."
Crack!
The fissures of space above Roger flared with blinding white light and snapped like shattered glass. The darkness that had covered everything dissolved, scattering like dust in a gale.
Roger's body, caught in that maelstrom of spatial distortion, had been shredded beyond recognition. Only his head and torso floated on the water's surface.
Pirates who had once revered him stared in stunned horror. A king reduced to nothing more than wreckage.
Lloyd stepped onto a jagged slab of dark ice, his form steady but exhausted. He swayed for a heartbeat before kneeling on one knee.
"Sir! Young Master!"
"Lloyd! Sir!"
Akainu and the other Marines rushed to his side. Lucia crouched in front of him and offered her support.
Lloyd's face was as drained as sea foam. With one arm over Lucia's shoulder, he forced a wry smile at Akainu and the others circled around him.
"What are you all doing massing around me? Sakazuki, ensure the rest of those pirates are wiped out."
Akainu did not move. His expression was grave and unmoving.
"Stand down," he said quietly, "I will stay here and protect you."
That he even contemplated giving up the pursuit of pirates spoke volumes about Lloyd's importance to him.
Lloyd chuckled softly, fatigue weaving through his voice.
"I'm alright… just… sleepy…"
Kuma stepped forward and used his ability to ease Lloyd's pain and exhaustion. Lloyd felt significantly better, though a heaviness still lingered behind his eyes.
He forced his body to remain upright.
Witnessing Lloyd rise again, the remaining pirates were struck with terror so intense it felt like their souls were being ripped away. Every one of them dropped their weapons, their courage gone.
Only the core remnants of Roger's crew continued to struggle, but they fought without hope.
Finally, Lloyd inhaled deeply, voice low and distant. He spoke to Akainu and the others.
"Only Lucia stays. The rest of you go exterminate the pirates."
He added, "This is an order."
With that, Akainu did not hesitate. He charged back into the chaos, followed by Kizaru and the rest of the Marines. The remaining pirates were quickly overwhelmed. Flame, light, and freezing air cut them down until nothing was left but ash.
It was only after Kizaru severed the head of the last pirate, Spencer, that Lloyd nodded once with quiet satisfaction and let his eyes drift closed.
But sleep eluded him.
His gaze snapped open when he sensed movement near Roger's body.
Three figures appeared.
Rayleigh had returned.
And beside him were Shanks and Buggy — Buggy completely limp, submerged in seawater.
Roger, though grievously wounded, still breathed. He muttered weakly at Rayleigh.
"Rayleigh… why have you come back?"
Rayleigh's voice was strained, his lips trembling.
"I… wanted to see you one last time."
Lloyd's eye twitched with wrath as Rayleigh turned to leave with Shanks and Buggy. Fury burned in him so hot he wanted to shred Rayleigh limb from limb.
But before they could escape, Akainu had noticed them. Magma erupted from his body and he launched himself forward, blocking their path. Kizaru flared behind him, while Aokiji exhaled freezing air, sealing off any chance of retreat.
Lloyd stood, eyes burning with calculated fury.
He was nowhere near ready to rest.