Luffy slowly opened his mouth, a dense cloud of white mist spilling out as he murmured,
"Ten... Dragon..."
Lloyd raised an eyebrow. The tone was completely different from before, it no longer resembled Luffy at all.
"It seems you have taken control of Luffy's body, Joy Boy. Couldn't hold yourself back any longer?"
A faint smile tugged at Joy Boy's lips before fading just as quickly. His voice remained indifferent.
"I did not seize his body by force. He lost consciousness after consuming an excessive number of Rumble Balls. Without my intervention, this body would have already collapsed."
As he spoke, Joy Boy lowered his gaze to the faint white cracks spreading across his skin.
"He is reckless. This is no longer the time for indulgence."
Crack!
A surge of Conqueror's Haki erupted outward, lightning crackling violently around Joy Boy. The overwhelming pressure descended upon the battlefield, forcing numerous Navy soldiers to collapse one after another.
Lloyd let out a cold snort. His own pitch black Conqueror's Haki surged forth, instantly overpowering Joy Boy's and relieving the suffocating pressure on the soldiers below.
Joy Boy calmly removed the straw hat from his back and placed it on his head. A radiant white halo spread outward from it, enveloping his body as the cracks on his skin began to mend at a visible rate.
His eyes suddenly narrowed. Without hesitation, he raised his arm.
Clang!
Lloyd's Demon Blade Muramasa collided with Joy Boy's arm. Lloyd glanced at the straw hat, his tone measured.
"That straw hat is far from ordinary. You prepared quite thoroughly."
Joy Boy offered no reply. He pushed Lloyd back with a burst of force, then adjusted the brim of the straw hat.
In the next instant, the clouds above churned violently, transforming into massive white fists that descended simultaneously toward Lloyd.
Lloyd's wings trembled as he transformed into a streak of black light, weaving effortlessly through the barrage. Ascending to a higher altitude, he came to a stop and looked down with composed indifference.
He raised his hand.
Deep purple rings of gravity surged from his palm, expanding outward before condensing into a massive beam of destructive force that crashed into the incoming fists.
A thunderous explosion followed as the white fists were obliterated into scattered clouds.
Joy Boy remained unfazed. He brought his hands together, clenching them as he felt the immense power coursing through his body.
"Without Luffy's interference, the power flows far more freely. The Rumble Ball truly is useful."
He lifted his head, locking his gaze onto Lloyd in the sky. The white flame-like cloud ribbons around his body surged rapidly.
Boom, boom, boom!
The sound of the Drums of Liberation echoed from his chest. Below, Navy soldiers felt an unsettling pressure within their hearts, their expressions tightening.
However, Nami, Chopper, and Brook experienced something entirely different. A strange energy surged through them, and identical white cloud ribbons manifested around their bodies.
Before they could react, their bodies began to rise uncontrollably into the sky.
The Navy soldiers immediately attempted to pursue them, but another anomaly interrupted.
The Revolutionary Army soldiers who had previously fallen began to stand once more. Their eyes were completely white, and the same cloud ribbons surrounded them.
Not far away, Emet, reduced to half a body, struggled to prop himself up. Seeing the unfolding scene, his voice trembled with excitement.
"This cannot be mistaken... this is the true power of the Drums of Liberation... the unity of will, the liberation of all!"
Before he could say more, a narrow purple slash cut through the air, splitting Emet cleanly in two. Liquid resembling oil sprayed across the ground.
Half of his face had already lost its outer layer, exposing a flickering red mechanical eye accompanied by crackling electricity.
Even as his consciousness faded, he muttered,
"Joy Boy... this time... you must fulfill the promise..."
Boom!
His body exploded, scattering into fragments of machinery.
In the sky, Joy Boy seemed to sense it. A fleeting trace of sorrow crossed his eyes. He looked down at the crater left behind.
"This time... I will not fail again."
At that moment, Nami, Chopper, and Brook rose to his side. Nami flailed her arms awkwardly, panic evident in her voice.
"Luffy, what is going on? This feels wrong..."
Joy Boy turned toward her. Seeing his glowing white eyes, Nami froze before her expression shifted to anger.
"You are not Luffy! Bastard, why are you here again?!"
Chopper and Brook also regarded him with hostility.
Joy Boy's expression hardened slightly. With Luffy's consciousness suppressed by the Rumble Balls, he no longer bothered to tolerate Nami's attitude.
"The three of you share a deep bond with Luffy. You can withstand more of Nika's power."
Nami frowned sharply.
"What nonsense are you talking about? What power?"
Joy Boy grinned faintly.
"You will understand soon enough. You may even come to enjoy it. This is the power that brings freedom to the world."
High above, Lloyd observed everything with cold detachment. He slowly raised the Demon Blade Muramasa.
"King's Command, Deepest Darkness Descends."
Buzz!
Pitch black ripples spread from the blade. The sky darkened instantly, swallowed by an endless void. Within that darkness, countless vortexes formed, each radiating overwhelming destructive force.
Joy Boy abruptly looked up. The glow in his eyes intensified against the encroaching darkness.
He inhaled deeply and stretched out his arms. Behind him, Nami, Chopper, and Brook were forced to mimic the same motion.
Nami's voice trembled with fear.
"What are you trying to do?!"
Below them, the Revolutionary Army soldiers, revived under the influence of the Drums of Liberation, began to twitch violently. Then, as if guided by an unseen force, they arranged themselves into a perfect circle and began performing a strange, synchronized dance.