Since the time of their ancestors, the Yami Yami no Mi had never returned to the Figarland Family. To them, the significance of this Devil Fruit was beyond measure.
Even Gulando Figarland was greatly excited when he heard the news. For someone who had never cared about the hunting competition, he actually showed interest in participating.
The moment he proposed it, Garling Figarland rejected him without hesitation.
Garling was already suspicious of Lloyd's death. However, with the matters involving Shanks and the Dark-Dark Fruit, he had no time to investigate further.
Even when Gulando, filled with anger, attempted to threaten him using Shanks' situation, Garling remained unmoved.
The more Gulando thought about it after returning, the more furious he became. When he looked again at Lloyd's sealed corpse, the anger in his heart surged to its peak. Alone in the room, he cursed repeatedly, calling him useless trash.
In a fit of madness, he ordered someone to throw Lloyd's body, now worthless in his eyes, onto a slave ship bound for God Valley.
He knew how much Garling valued Lloyd, and doing this was nothing more than a way to disgust him. To Gulando, this was the last bit of value Lloyd could offer.
Perhaps due to the Lunarian bloodline factors within him, Lloyd's body remained intact, showing no signs of decay even until the moment he came back to life.
Garling knew nothing of this.
On the eve of the hunting competition, Garling approached Saint Saturn and requested his help in switching one of the Devil Fruits in the prize boxes for Shanks.
Through this, Saturn also learned about Shanks' background. However, due to his relationship with the Figarland Family, he had no intention of revealing it before Garling made it public himself.
This arrangement also benefited Saturn. Not only did he retain a valuable Devil Fruit, but he also gained a favor from Garling.
Aside from the Dark-Dark Fruit, the remaining five Devil Fruits were provided by the Five Elders, making it simple for Saturn to make the substitution in advance.
In any case, with Garling's strength, if he was determined to claim a specific prize box, no one else would be able to compete with him. There was no risk of interference.
Garling planned to use overwhelming power during the hunting competition to secure the prize, publicly declare Shanks as his son, and bring him back to the Family.
At the same time, he also intended to obtain the Dark-Dark Fruit.
However, events unfolded far beyond his expectations.
First, Rocks D. Xebec pursued the stolen Dark-Dark Fruit all the way to God Valley. The island quickly turned into a battlefield, and amidst the chaos, the hunting competition was forced to stop.
Then, Lloyd, who had supposedly died, appeared once again, becoming the user of the Dark-Dark Fruit.
After the God Valley Incident ended with Rocks' death, every box containing Devil Fruits had disappeared, including the one meant for Shanks.
Lloyd, Shanks, and the Dark-Dark Fruit all vanished from Garling's reach.
After recounting everything, confusion flickered in Garling's eyes. He looked at Lloyd, who remained silent, and spoke slowly.
"Lloyd, do you think this is fate? You are the most talented member of the Figarland Family in eight hundred years, and the Dark-Dark Fruit, which never returned to us, ended up in your hands. As for Shanks, he never came back either. Then again, perhaps he never could have stayed here."
His voice carried a heavy sense of helplessness.
Lloyd lifted his head and met Garling's gaze.
"Uncle Garling, from the moment I returned to life at God Valley, I stopped believing in fate."
Garling frowned slightly.
"Returned to life?"
Lloyd's expression remained composed.
"If fate truly existed, I should have disappeared from this world long ago. There would be no Fleet Admiral, no young master of the Figarland Family."
If not for that unexpected twist of fate, everything in this world would have remained predetermined.
But once something changed, everything became unknown.
Lloyd continued, his tone steady.
"Uncle Garling, isn't everything developing in a good direction now? This is the result of our efforts, yours and mine."
Garling shook his head.
"You have been the one fighting out there all these years. I have done very little."
"Do not say that, Uncle Garling. Think back to my time in the Sorbet Kingdom. Without your protection, Gulando would have taken me back long ago for experiments. Because of you, I had the time I needed to grow."
Garling felt both moved and slightly embarrassed. He coughed lightly.
"That is simply my duty as your uncle. There is no need to mention it again."
Lloyd let out a soft laugh.
"Very well, I will not bring it up again. But I will remember it."
Then his expression shifted slightly.
"Uncle Garling, I have already met Shanks several times. I also told him about his background."
"What?"
Garling's composure broke for a moment. His eyes widened as he quickly asked,
"How did he react?"
"He has likely heard bits and pieces over the years, so he was not overly surprised. Still, it made things a little awkward. I am not sure who he takes after, but he has no intention of returning to the Family for now."
Lloyd did not mention Shanks' wish to meet Garling. Based on his understanding, such a meeting would never happen.
Garling sighed softly.
"If he does not wish to return, then so be it. He has become more restrained since becoming one of the Yonko."
"That may not be the case anymore. I encouraged him to aim for the position of Pirate King."
Garling stared at him.
"Lloyd, are you serious?"
Lloyd spread his hands, his expression calm.
"Of course. Shanks is a member of the Figarland Family. Even if he is a pirate, he should stand at the top. Otherwise, where is his pride?"
Garling's gaze sharpened.
"And when that time comes? As Fleet Admiral, will you allow this Pirate King to act freely, or will you arrest him and throw him into prison?"
Lloyd's tone remained steady.
"How could I imprison my own brother? If I were to capture him, I would bring him here instead."
Garling narrowed his eyes.
"So you intend to keep him within the Family under the pretense of imprisonment?"
Lloyd shook his head slightly.
"That was only a passing remark. I have no intention of capturing him. He values his pride, and as his brother, I will make sure he keeps it."
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