After Big Mom fell, her children, along with the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates and the Revolutionary Army, were left completely helpless, like fish on a chopping board.
Lloyd plunged the Demon Blade Muramasa into the ground beside him, then casually dragged over a relatively intact chair and sat down. He rested his chin on one hand, quietly observing the one-sided slaughter unfolding across the battlefield.
Lucia descended behind him and gently placed her hands on his shoulders, massaging them with care. In the middle of a battlefield filled with screams and chaos, the scene stood out sharply.
No one in the Navy questioned it. From the lowest-ranked soldiers to the Admirals, everyone considered it natural.
After all, Lloyd had personally crippled and killed three Emperor-level figures in succession. In all their years, when had they ever seen a Fleet Admiral fight so directly?
After exhausting himself in battle, it was only reasonable for him to relax.
As for the pirates and members of the Revolutionary Army, even though Lloyd sat there seemingly exposed, not a single one dared to approach him. Only a fool would attempt something so suicidal.
Ahead, the blood-covered Charlotte Perospero suddenly leapt into the air. Syrup condensed into a bow in his hand as he released a barrage of arrows toward the Navy forces below.
In a flash, Borsalino appeared above the battlefield. A sharp gleam flashed across his tinted glasses as he crossed his arms, forming two radiant cross-shaped beams of light.
"Yasakani no Magatama."
Golden light bullets rained down instantly, colliding with the candy arrows and obliterating them into dust within seconds.
Perospero's eyes widened as the golden glow reflected in his pupils grew brighter and brighter.
Before he could even scream, his body was swallowed by the storm of light.
Borsalino adjusted his glasses, his form dissolving into particles of light as he vanished once more.
On another front, Charlotte Daifuku frantically rubbed his body, summoning his genie to battle several Navy Vice Admirals.
His ability, derived from the Hoya Hoya no Mi, was undeniably strange. Few would guess its nature from its name alone. The genie possessed formidable strength, holding off multiple Vice Admirals at once.
However, Daifuku's drenched appearance betrayed him. His stamina was nearly depleted, and defeat was inevitable.
"Ara ara... your ability is quite interesting."
A lazy voice echoed.
Daifuku froze.
Behind him, ice rapidly formed into a humanoid shape. Kuzan emerged from the frost.
Daifuku tried to recall his genie, but it was too late. Kuzan's arms rested casually on his shoulders as he leaned in and whispered,
"Relax."
Crackling ice spread instantly.
In seconds, Daifuku was frozen solid from the inside out.
Kuzan tapped the ice lightly with a finger. The frozen body shattered upon impact, breaking into countless shards across the ground.
Afterward, Kuzan nodded toward the stunned Vice Admirals.
"Good work."
He turned to search for his next opponent, only to hear an unsettling voice nearby.
"Oh... keep giving it to me."
Kuzan raised an eyebrow and looked over.
There stood Aramaki, surrounded by thick, writhing vines. The vines pierced through pirates and Revolutionary Army members, draining them rapidly until their bodies shriveled into lifeless husks.
Before him was Charlotte Smoothie, entangled in countless vines.
Her body had expanded massively, resembling that of a giant. She swung her enormous blade, slicing through waves of vines, but they kept regenerating endlessly.
Several vines coiled tightly around her.
Forced into desperation, she released her sword and grabbed the vines with both hands, activating her Shibo Shibo no Mi ability to drain moisture from them.
As she absorbed more liquid, her body swelled even further.
Yet unlike Aramaki, who seemed to revel in the process, her face twisted with strain.
She had already reached her limit, but the vines continued to multiply.
At this rate, her body would rupture.
Sensing her slowing absorption, Aramaki smirked.
"What, already done?"
With a casual wave of his hand, the vines loosened and withdrew.
Smoothie collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.
Aramaki approached her slowly, his body transforming as he walked. His form expanded and twisted until he became a massive tree-like entity.
Gritting her teeth, Smoothie forced herself up, gripping her sword and charging forward with a roar.
Aramaki did not evade.
His massive fist, coated in Armament Haki, swung forward and struck her directly, sending both her and her weapon flying.
She crashed heavily onto the ground.
Before she could rise, thick roots burst from beneath the earth, binding her limbs tightly in place.
Aramaki stepped closer, his gaze cold and devoid of emotion.
To him, anyone who opposed Lloyd was an enemy of the World Government. Trash that needed to be eliminated.
Under Smoothie's fearful stare, he raised his enormous fists and brought them down violently.
She spat blood as her face turned pale.
Still, he showed no mercy.
Blow after blow rained down, each strike weaker than the last as her strength faded. The liquid she had absorbed seeped out from her body, mixing with blood as her size rapidly shrank.
Only when her voice fell completely silent did Aramaki stop.
He reverted to his human form, brushed off his hands, and glanced briefly at what remained.
Then he turned and walked away without a second thought.