Poire understood clearly that she had always lived under the protection of her older sister Galette, and now, by pure circumstance, she had also been spared because of Lloyd's presence.
Seeing Galette standing frozen in front of Lloyd without saying a word for so long, Poire gently nudged her from behind and called softly, "Sister."
Pudding also reached out and tugged lightly at Galette's skirt.
Galette finally turned her head, looking at her two younger sisters. Their eyes were filled with lingering fear, and from time to time, they glanced toward Lloyd.
It was almost ironic. Surrounded by Navy forces, the person who gave them the strongest sense of safety was not the soldiers, but Fleet Admiral Lloyd himself.
Lloyd naturally noticed their gazes. A faint smile appeared on his lips as he was about to speak, but before he could, Kizaru suddenly appeared behind him, leading a squad of Navy soldiers.
Along with them were several captives dressed in unusual outfits, four men and one woman, all looking battered and barely conscious.
Lloyd turned his head and immediately recognized them. It was Judge and his children.
Kizaru casually raised his hand in greeting and briefly explained the situation regarding the Vinsmoke Family.
When the chaos at the wedding began, Judge had taken his children and fled toward the shore, intending to escape by ship. However, as the Navy fleet arrived and launched indiscriminate bombardment, their ship was destroyed before they could leave.
Desperate, Judge tried to use the Vinsmoke Family's status with the World Government to demand a warship from the Navy. He wanted immediate evacuation from Totto Land.
The Navy stationed along the coast did not give him any special treatment. Their orders were absolute, the entire island was under blockade. No one was allowed to leave until the war ended.
Even Morgans had attempted to escape using his flight ability, only to be shot down by naval fire. He was now shackled with Seastone cuffs and locked inside a warship.
Judge refused to accept reality. He only wanted to escape this disaster as quickly as possible.
At that time, major forces like Sakazuki had already moved to the central battlefield, so Judge underestimated the strength of the remaining Navy forces. He led his family into battle against them.
But the Navy forces left behind were far from weak. Three Vice Admirals were present, along with elite soldiers from Marine Headquarters. Once the fighting began, the Vinsmoke Family quickly fell into a disadvantage.
After the battle in the island's center ended, Kizaru, who had been wandering around casually, noticed the disturbance near the shore. Between complaints of how troublesome everything was, he effortlessly subdued Judge and his group.
Aside from Judge and his four children, the rest of the Vinsmoke forces had been completely wiped out.
After hearing the full report, Lloyd glanced down at Judge, who was pinned to the ground.
Though he usually carried himself as a proud and hardened man, Judge completely broke down in the face of death. Tears streamed down his face as he begged desperately.
"Please spare me! I only wanted to leave! I had no intention of opposing the Navy!"
Iji, Niji, and Yonji showed little reaction. Due to their lineage factor modifications, fear of death barely affected them. They lay on the ground expressionless, occasionally struggling without purpose.
Reiju, however, slowly raised her head to look at Lloyd. Her eyes held fear, but beneath it was a faint trace of hatred.
Unlike her brothers, she had retained her emotions after undergoing modification. She still felt grief, anger, and sorrow.
The reason for her hatred was simple.
Lloyd had killed Sanji.
When the news of Sanji's death arrived, she had been the only one in the entire family who felt genuine sadness. Judge, on the other hand, had immediately erased Sanji from the family, as if he had never existed.
Listening to her father beg like a coward, Reiju felt a deep and bitter sorrow rise within her.
Lloyd, however, was visibly irritated by Judge's constant wailing. His brows furrowed slightly.
Judge noticed the shift in Lloyd's expression. His body stiffened, and panic surged through him.
"Celestial Dragon Marshal! If you spare us, I will hand over all of the Vinsmoke Family's technology to the Navy! Everything, including the lineage factor modification technology! You are a noble Celestial Dragon, you must understand its value!"
Lloyd raised an eyebrow. Dark traces of Haki subtly gathered at the corners of his eyes.
Judge had no idea that the moment he mentioned lineage factors, he had sealed his own fate.
Lucia, standing nearby, had already fixed her gaze on him as if he were a corpse the instant those words were spoken. Her hand slowly rested on the hilt of her sword, killing intent flickering in her eyes.
Lloyd stepped forward, crouching in front of Judge. His voice was low and steady.
"Lineage factor modification… You sound quite proud of it."
Judge, blinded by desperation, failed to sense the danger in Lloyd's tone. Thinking Lloyd did not fully grasp the technology's significance, he hurriedly pointed at his children.
"Look at them! My children are all enhanced through this technology. They are superior beings…"
His words were cut short.
Lloyd moved without warning. His hand shot forward, gripping Judge's throat like an iron clamp.
Judge's voice choked off instantly as he was lifted into the air like a helpless animal.
In the next moment, a flame ignited behind Lloyd's neck.
At the same time, silver arcs of electricity began to dance along his arms.
This was the power of the Lunarian lineage factor.
Under normal circumstances, Lloyd suppressed this visible trait, preferring a more streamlined form. A constant flame behind his neck was inconvenient and drew unnecessary attention.
But now, it burned openly.
Judge's eyes widened in shock.
Then, realization struck him like lightning.
His obsession with lineage factor research allowed him to immediately understand what he was seeing.
Flames. Lightning. Two powerful genetic traits existing within a single body.
His mind involuntarily drifted back to his time working alongside Vegapunk.
At that time, their research had already reached terrifying depths.
"Vegapunk, our research is close to success. This will change the entire world."
"Yes, but we still lack suitable experimental materials. According to ancient records, there once existed a race called the Lunarians, a race known as gods. If we could obtain their lineage factor…"
"I have heard of them. They once lived atop the Red Line. Perhaps the World Government has samples…"
"Forget it. That path is too dangerous. It may violate certain taboos. Still, the Mink Tribe also possesses powerful lineage factors, though they are rare and expensive."
"If we could combine both… what kind of being would emerge?"
"It would be nearly impossible. Even one of those factors is too much for a human body to handle."
"But if it succeeded?"
A brief silence.
Then the answer came.
"That would create a perfect being."
Judge's pupils trembled violently as he stared at Lloyd.
No.
Not a perfect being.
Something even beyond that.
An ultimate weapon that surpassed even the Ancient Weapons themselves.