Lucia ignored everyone else in the room and rushed straight into Lloyd's arms, hugging him tightly.
Lloyd had only just awakened and still looked slightly dazed. With Lucia throwing herself at him, he lost balance and fell back onto the bed from the force. Lucia supported herself with her hands against his chest, her eyes filled with overwhelming emotion that made Lloyd's heart stir.
"Lu... Mmm..."
Before he could finish speaking, her lips sealed his. Lucia's long hair began to sway as if moved by an unseen force, transforming into dancing purple flames. The emotions she had suppressed for years finally poured out in that moment.
The others in the room stood frozen in shock.
Monet's ear twitched slightly as she picked up faint sounds from outside, it seemed Ginny had returned. Without making a sound, she quietly left the room.
Time itself seemed to come to a standstill. After an unknown period, a faint black flame cloud ribbon appeared behind Lucia.
She finally pulled away from Lloyd, her face flushed with a soft, captivating blush. Looking down at him beneath her, she spoke gently.
"Young Master, you're finally awake..."
The moment they separated, the black flame cloud behind her vanished.
Lloyd smiled faintly and sat up slowly.
"Lucia, you've worked hard all these years."
He raised his hand and gently cupped her face, wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes.
"You're still as beautiful as ever. Why would you think you've grown old?"
Lucia had already entered her Fallen Angel form. A radiant smile appeared on her face.
"That's because I haven't heard your voice in so long. Now I feel younger again."
Lloyd brushed a strand of white hair from her forehead with his finger.
"You don't need to feel it. Without my permission, you're not allowed to grow old."
Lucia softly hummed in response.
Without warning, Lloyd leaned in and kissed her again. After a brief moment of surprise, Lucia responded with equal passion.
In the next instant, under everyone's astonished gaze, a pair of massive black wings unfolded from Lloyd's back, crimson patterns flowing across them.
His short black hair turned silver, cascading like a waterfall. Behind him, a ribbon of dark red flame clouds slowly formed.
At the same time, the black flame cloud behind Lucia solidified completely. This marked the full awakening of her Devil Fruit.
Lucia once said her deepest desire was Lloyd. For twenty two years, that desire had been suppressed while he slept. Now, through this second embrace and kiss, it was finally released, triggering her awakening.
Yet the kiss did not end.
Lloyd slowly opened his eyes, golden light shining within them. He lightly bit her lower lip.
Lucia let out a soft moan, and immediately, dense blood red patterns began to spread across her skin.
They flowed across her body before gathering at her forehead, forming a bright red rhombus mark.
As the mark appeared, her entire body seemed to be reborn. Her skin became smoother and fairer, and even the faint wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and scars from her childhood disappeared.
Her appearance returned to the peak of her beauty, as if she were in her twenties once again.
At that moment, Lucia looked like a flawless masterpiece. Even Hancock and the others were stunned.
Lucia slowly opened her eyes, a red glint flashing within them. She raised her hand to touch her face, her voice filled with disbelief.
"Young Master... what happened to me...?"
Lloyd smiled faintly.
"Lucia, from now on, you will follow me through life and death."
After his twenty two year slumber, Lloyd's Devil Fruit had fully awakened.
This was no ordinary awakening. His power had evolved into something entirely new.
He was no longer just a vampire. He had become the Progenitor.
A Mythical Zoan, Human Human Fruit, Model Progenitor.
With this evolution came abilities beyond simple enhancements of strength or recovery.
What Lloyd had just used was one of those abilities, the Embrace.
Through it, he could turn others into vampires, binding their lifespan to his own. As long as he lived, those he transformed would not die. However, their deaths would not affect him.
It created an absolute hierarchy, placing Lloyd at the top.
Of course, not every transformation was as smooth as Lucia's.
Her transformation was perfect because she offered no resistance. She was completely open to him, which allowed the process to proceed flawlessly.
If someone resisted, the Embrace would fail. In such cases, Lloyd could only drain their blood completely, turning them into a lifeless puppet under his control, creatures that would also fear sunlight.
Lucia had already adjusted. She leaned gently against Lloyd's chest, listening to his heartbeat, now perfectly in sync with her own. A soft, content smile formed on her lips.
Lloyd stroked her hair calmly, a trace of deep tenderness hidden within his golden eyes.
Sugar and the others watched in silence, barely daring to breathe, afraid of disturbing the moment.
After a while, Lloyd lifted his head and looked toward Sugar, a faint smile appearing.
"Sugar, you've changed quite a bit over the years."
Sugar was no longer the small girl from before. She had grown into a tall and beautiful young woman. Hearing him call her name, she lowered her head shyly.
"Young Master, you can still recognize me..."
"Of course. I remember you constantly whispering in my ear about how much taller you'd grown, and even your bust size."
Sugar froze.
Her face turned bright red in an instant as she stammered.
"Y Young Master, you... you heard that??"
Lloyd nodded slightly.
"Not everything. Just occasionally."
Steam practically rose from the top of Sugar's head. Letting out a small cry, she quickly grabbed Robin and hid behind her completely.