Lloyd had never held back when evaluating Saint Warcury.
"That old man Saint Warcury has lived for centuries for nothing, it feels like he only existed to waste time. And with that boar Devil Fruit of his, he might as well rename himself an incompetent pig."
Even Garling could not help but laugh, shaking his head as a quiet chuckle escaped him.
"That is the Fengxi form, not just any ordinary boar."
"Close enough."
Garling waved it off, clearly unwilling to continue the topic.
"Enough about him, it ruins the mood. Stay tonight, do not go anywhere. Have a drink with me."
Lloyd gave a faint smile, his tone calm.
"Of course, Uncle Garling."
That night, the uncle and nephew drank deep into the hours of darkness. With their physiques, neither could be affected by alcohol, no matter how much they consumed. What should have been a contest of endurance turned into nothing more than shared silence and occasional conversation beneath the dim lights.
When Lloyd returned to his palace, he found Lucia and the others still awake, waiting for him in the grand hall. A table filled with lavish dishes had already been prepared, though the food had long gone cold.
Lucia moved to summon the servants to prepare fresh dishes, but Lloyd stopped her.
It was not out of frugality, he simply found it unnecessary.
After the dishes were reheated, Lloyd sat with his maids. The hall soon filled with soft voices and the faint clinking of cups as they drank and spoke through the night, until the first light of dawn crept across the horizon.
For some time after, Lloyd devoted himself entirely to those around him.
Yet he understood one thing clearly.
Comfort could not last forever.
His foundation, his influence, his control over everything he had built, all of it still needed to expand, to strengthen, to endure.
After remaining in Mary Geoise for a full month, Lloyd prepared to return to Marineford, bringing Lucia and Ginny with him.
Before leaving, however, he paid a visit to the Five Elders.
When he emerged, several documents rested in his hands.
...
Marineford, Navy Headquarters.
Inside the conference room, the atmosphere was tense.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku sat at the head of the table. To his right was Tsuru, with Garp seated below her. To his left sat Akainu and the others, with Zephyr at the forefront.
Zephyr suddenly slammed a bounty poster onto the table. The sharp sound echoed through the room as he stood, his expression stern.
"Monkey D. Luffy. Garp, explain something to me. Aside from your family, is there anyone else in this world with that surname?"
Garp remained silent.
Tsuru spoke calmly from the side.
"Zephyr, Garp has spent these years stationed away, he has not even returned to the East Blue. Even if that boy is truly his grandson, you cannot hold him responsible for it."
Zephyr's expression darkened.
"And what about Dragon? If it were not for Garp back then..."
"Enough."
Sengoku's voice cut through the room, low and firm.
"Zephyr, that is enough. Garp has already paid more than enough for that matter."
Garp lowered his head further, his posture heavy. In that moment, he seemed to age years in silence.
Zephyr watched him, a trace of complexity flashing through his eyes. They had once fought side by side, crawling through battlefields littered with the dead. Seeing Garp reduced to this state stirred something he did not care to admit.
Since Lloyd fell into his long slumber, Zephyr's temper had only grown harsher. Meanwhile, Garp, after returning to the Marines, had become a shadow of his former self, lacking the sharpness that once defined him.
With a quiet sigh, Zephyr sat back down.
Sengoku seized the chance to shift the topic.
"Aramaki, your promotion to Admiral has once again been rejected by the World Government. You will have to wait."
Aramaki spread his hands, his tone relaxed.
"It does not matter. Whether I am promoted or not changes little. Remaining a candidate is fine."
However, another voice rose immediately.
Kuzan's expression darkened as he spoke.
"Who exactly is rejecting him? His achievements are no less than mine. Why is he not qualified to become an Admiral?"
Sengoku frowned slightly.
"This comes directly from the highest authority of the World Government. As for the reason, I am not aware."
Kuzan leaned forward, his tone sharpening.
"Then why not ask them directly, Fleet Admiral Sengoku?"
Sengoku's gaze hardened.
"Kuzan, mind your tone."
A cold mist began to rise from Kuzan's body as his emotions flared.
"What tone? This is unfair. Completely unfair to Aramaki. As Fleet Admiral, why are you not fighting for him? If Senior Lloyd were here..."
"Enough, Kuzan."
A green vine shot forward, wrapping around Kuzan and pulling him back into his seat.
Kuzan turned sharply toward Aramaki.
"Why stop me? Am I wrong?"
Aramaki paused, clearly caught off guard. A complicated emotion surfaced in his eyes as he shook his head.
"You are not wrong. But if Senior Lloyd were truly here, he would not allow you to act so impulsively."
At the mention of Lloyd, Kuzan finally calmed. The frost in the air lingered, faint ice forming along the edges of the table.
Beside him, Borsalino adjusted his striped suit slightly, his tone as casual as ever.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, perhaps we should focus on Straw Hat Luffy. Two Shichibukai have already fallen to him. If this continues, the system will become nothing more than a joke."
Sakazuki let out a cold snort.
"It was always a joke. I do not know what happened with Crocodile, but Gekko Moriah is nothing more than dead weight."
The topic circled back once more.
Sengoku pressed his fingers against his temple, the headache worsening.
"Then what do you suggest?"
Borsalino said nothing, simply glancing at Sakazuki.
Sakazuki slowly turned his head, locking eyes with Sengoku.
"Find the Straw Hat Pirates' route. I will personally eliminate them."
The room fell silent.
Sengoku hesitated, glancing briefly at Garp before responding.
"Sakazuki, he is just a rookie pirate. It is not necessary for an Admiral to act personally."
Sakazuki's expression remained cold.
"That straw hat he wears is an eyesore. And that rubber ability of his."
Sengoku's heart sank.
He was almost certain of Luffy's identity. If Sakazuki were to go, the boy would not survive.
Just as he was about to respond, space behind Sakazuki twisted.
A dark vortex formed silently.
The room froze.
Every officer turned toward it. Chairs scraped faintly as several stood up at once, their eyes fixed on the distortion.
From within the darkness, a figure stepped forward.
Lloyd.
He looked at the assembled Marines, a faint smile resting on his lips, his gaze calm and unreadable.
"Everyone," he said softly, "it has been a long time."
^_________^
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