Lloyd slowly regained consciousness while lying on the deck near the feet of Admiral Aokiji. His vision was still hazy, but voices drifted into his ears before his mind fully cleared.
"2.5 million Berries? I still cannot believe you managed to find him."
The relaxed voice belonged to Admiral Aokiji. Another voice responded with casual amusement.
"Heh, in the end he is only a mountain bandit, completely insignificant. If he can serve as bait, that is already the best possible use for him."
Confusion spread across Lloyd's face as awareness returned. His thoughts felt sluggish, yet those words pierced straight through the fog in his mind.
"Bait? What bait?" he muttered weakly.
"Hmm? This guy woke up."
Admiral Aramaki crouched down beside him. Under Lloyd's frightened gaze, the fingers of Aramaki's hand twisted and transformed. Five slender green vines emerged from his fingertips, wriggling like living creatures. Before Lloyd could react, the vines shot forward and wrapped tightly around his upper body.
The sudden movement made Lloyd panic.
He had never even heard of a Devil Fruit before. To him, what he was witnessing could only be described as something unnatural.
"Monster! Help! Somebody help!"
Instead of getting angry after being called a monster, Admiral Aramaki burst into laughter. His eyes lit up with excitement as he clapped his hands together.
"Excellent! Look at that energy! Perfect material for bait!"
Without wasting another moment, Aramaki immediately began issuing orders. Marines hurried to prepare a small boat and lower it from the warship into the sea.
Lloyd was dragged along like cargo. The vines binding him did not loosen even slightly. When the boat was ready, Aramaki casually tossed him inside as if throwing away a sack of grain.
Then something even stranger happened.
A large dandelion sprouted from Aramaki's back, its soft white seeds shimmering in the sunlight. With a relaxed motion he released another vine that wrapped around Admiral Aokiji's arm.
The next moment both Admirals were lifted into the sky.
They floated high above the sea, calmly observing the drifting boat below.
Meanwhile the small boat rocked gently on the waves as the wind carried it across the ocean. Lloyd remained tied from the waist upward, his body barely able to move. Despite the restraints, he struggled desperately inside the cramped cabin space.
"Help! Somebody help me!"
His voice echoed helplessly across the empty sea.
The sky above was bright and cloudless. The sun hung high overhead, pouring down intense heat. Without shade or water, Lloyd quickly began to suffer under the scorching sunlight.
Sweat soaked through his clothes. His strength gradually faded as the heat drained his energy.
Up in the sky things were completely different.
With Admiral Aokiji nearby, the temperature around them remained comfortably cool. Aramaki himself did not seem bothered by the heat at all. As a man with plant abilities, sunlight only strengthened him.
In fact, the stronger the sunlight became, the more energetic he felt.
After a while Aramaki noticed that Lloyd had stopped struggling.
He leaned forward slightly and squinted at the drifting boat below.
The once energetic bandit now looked like a dried leaf under the sun.
Aramaki clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.
"Hey, cool him down when the time comes. The bait does not look very fresh anymore."
Upon hearing that, Admiral Aokiji lazily raised his hand.
A thin beam of white cold air descended from the sky and landed directly on Lloyd.
Instantly the suffocating heat vanished.
Lloyd shivered violently from the sudden cold. His body jumped upright as if revived, and a series of relieved sounds escaped his mouth.
"Ah... oh... oh...!"
For Lloyd the freezing air felt like a blessing.
High above, Aramaki nodded in approval.
This strange routine continued again and again.
Whenever Lloyd looked ready to collapse from heat exhaustion, Aokiji would casually release another burst of cold air to revive him.
Time slowly passed.
By the time afternoon arrived, the sun had begun drifting toward the horizon.
Admiral Aokiji had essentially been acting like a floating air conditioner the entire day. His patience finally wore thin.
Looking at the empty ocean below, he frowned.
"Aramaki, how reliable is your information? We have not seen a single fish all day."
Aramaki immediately glared at him.
"It is still better than the method you suggested earlier."
Aokiji folded his arms.
"Then explain how it is better."
Aramaki paused for a moment.
"...It is better because... well..."
He scratched his head awkwardly.
"How about we head back today? I am starting to get hungry."
Aokiji looked at him with disbelief.
"I thought you said you did not need to eat."
Aramaki's expression darkened slightly.
"Kuzan, do not push your luck."
While the two Admirals argued lazily in the sky, neither of them noticed a change in the water below.
At some unknown moment, a massive shadow had appeared beneath the drifting boat.
The ocean surface suddenly bulged.
The next instant a gigantic eel like head burst out of the sea.
It was the King of the Near Sea.
Its massive body towered above the small boat, crimson eyes locking directly onto Lloyd.
Inside the boat, Lloyd froze in terror.
His mind went completely blank.
When he saw the enormous Sea King staring at him, fear overwhelmed him so completely that he lost control of his body.
A dark stain spread beneath him.
Not even a scream escaped his throat.
High above the ocean, however, the expressions of the two Admirals changed instantly.
Excitement flashed in their eyes.
"Now!"
Admiral Aokiji raised both hands.
"Ice Age!"
A blinding wave of freezing energy erupted outward.
The ocean surface instantly solidified into ice. The towering Sea King, the small boat, and Lloyd himself were all frozen together in a massive block of ice.
Almost at the same moment Aramaki made his move.
"Let's go! Forest of Thorns!"
From the sky, a colossal tree like creature descended.
It crashed down with overwhelming force.
The giant treant slammed its fist into the frozen Sea King.
The impact shattered the enormous ice sculpture into countless fragments.
The King of the Near Sea was destroyed instantly.
Unfortunately Lloyd was also caught in the same devastating blow.
Ice shards exploded into the air, scattering across the ocean like crystal rain.
For a brief moment, the sky was filled with glittering fragments.
Then silence returned.
Admiral Aokiji and Admiral Aramaki hovered in the air, staring blankly at the scene below.
The two exchanged glances.
Aramaki spoke first, his tone uncertain.
"Are you sure this was the Sea King Senior Lloyd mentioned? It feels... a little weak."
Aokiji rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"It should be correct. Although it was a bit small, it was definitely a Sea King. And it did resemble an eel. Senior Lloyd also said there was only one Sea King nearby."
Aramaki looked down at the broken ice floating across the sea.
"So... our mission is completed just like that?"
Aokiji shrugged slightly.
"Hmm. Let us stay here for two more days to confirm. After that we can return."
And so the warship remained near Windmill Village for two additional days.
After confirming that no other Sea Kings appeared in the area, the Marines finally turned the ship around and sailed back toward Marineford.
Meanwhile, far away in the Holy Land Mary Geoise.
Spandine stood nervously outside the compound of the Figarland Family.
He rubbed his hands together while forcing a polite smile toward the two Golden Armored Guards stationed at the entrance.
"Gentlemen, please inform Saint Garling that Spandine wishes to request an audience. I have something to deliver to Saint Lloyd."
One of the guards nodded calmly and entered the compound.
A short while later he returned.
"You may enter."
Spandine bowed gratefully.
"Thank you, thank you."
He quickly took a black cloth covered iron cage from one of his followers and followed the guard inside.
The guard led him through the elegant grounds of the Figarland compound until they arrived at the entrance of Saint Garling's private bedroom.
After announcing his arrival, the guard quietly withdrew.
Inside the room, Saint Garling was currently listening to a report from Dr. Vegapunk.
Ever since the unconscious Lloyd had been returned to the family compound, Garling would occasionally summon the scientist to examine him.
Spandine stood quietly near the entrance of the hall, not daring to breathe too loudly.
His head remained lowered in respect.
Across the room, Dr. Vegapunk finished reviewing the results of his latest examination.
"All of Saint Lloyd's physical data remains normal."
Garling's sharp eyes focused on him.
"So when will he wake up?"
Vegapunk sighed softly.
This was not the first time he had been asked that question. In fact, every single examination ended the same way.
And unfortunately his answer never changed.
"I am sorry, but I cannot say with certainty. According to normal medical standards, Saint Lloyd could awaken at any moment. However, as you know, his body is... rather special. Many conventional theories simply do not apply to him."
Garling's brow tightened slightly.
Clearly the response did not satisfy him.
But aside from Lloyd himself, Dr. Vegapunk was already the person who understood Lloyd's body the best. He was also the greatest scientist in the world.
If Vegapunk could not awaken Lloyd, then no one else stood a chance.
Vegapunk himself felt quite conflicted about the situation.
In truth, he also hoped Lloyd would wake up soon.
After all, Lloyd had been one of the biggest supporters of his scientific research.
The support Lloyd provided was not limited to enormous amounts of funding.
He also granted Vegapunk access to a safe research environment and an endless supply of rare experimental materials. Devil Fruits, legendary swords, and countless other priceless resources had been delivered without hesitation.
Lloyd had always been incredibly generous.
Although Lloyd's overwhelming presence often made Vegapunk nervous, the scientist could clearly sense that Lloyd respected science deeply and recognized his abilities.
For Vegapunk, a patron like Lloyd was extremely rare.
Under Saint Garling's orders, Vegapunk had attempted several methods to stimulate Lloyd's awakening.
Unfortunately none of them had produced results.
Even while asleep, Lloyd's defensive ability was astonishing.
Simple methods such as electrical stimulation were completely ineffective.
To Lloyd, such attempts were not even enough to cause the slightest discomfort.