Hearing this, Lloyd revealed a faint, satisfied smile. This exchange had merely been a test for Dr. Vegapunk. For weapons of mass destruction such as the Pacifista, the highest command authority could never be allowed to fall into the hands of anyone else.
Dr. Vegapunk, completely unaware that he had just brushed against a dangerous line, continued shouting excitedly,
"Saint Lloyd, you can directly command the Pacifista to attack you!"
Lloyd gave a slight nod and stepped back several paces. The gazes of the three Pacifista remained locked solely onto him.
They stood within a vast open testing ground, an area specifically used for Pacifista trials. Researchers had already gathered around the perimeter, eager to record combat data.
Lloyd adjusted his stance slightly, then looked at the three machines before him.
"Attack me with full force."
The Pacifista received the order. Their eyes flickered faintly, yet their movements lagged.
A conflict had arisen within their programming. Lloyd's command directly opposed a lower-level directive embedded in their systems, one that prohibited harm against him as the holder of Absolute Authority.
Only after Lloyd reinforced the command did the restriction yield, and the Pacifista began to act.
The unit in the center opened its mouth. A sphere of golden light rapidly condensed before erupting into a brilliant laser beam that shot straight toward Lloyd.
Boom.
A violent explosion followed, swallowing Lloyd's figure in smoke and fire.
The other two Pacifista immediately joined the assault, unleashing continuous laser bombardments at the same location. The testing ground trembled under the overwhelming energy, and a massive mushroom cloud rose into the air.
Blinding light and flying debris forced the observing researchers to shield their eyes with protective goggles.
After several moments, the smoke gradually cleared.
Lloyd stood exactly where he had been, unmoved.
His shoulders were enveloped in shadow, faint traces of dark energy dispersing into the air.
York reacted instantly, raising her voice in exaggerated praise.
"Amazing! As expected of Saint Lloyd!"
Lilith shot her a look of disdain, but York ignored it completely, continuing her loud admiration.
Lloyd paid no attention to the noise. The dark aura around him faded, revealing an entirely unscathed body, without even the slightest mark.
At that moment, the Pacifista advanced once more. The three units charged forward, splitting apart midway and surrounding Lloyd from three directions.
Lloyd's eyes narrowed slightly.
A transparent spherical barrier expanded around him, halting their advance.
"Hmm."
A subtle note of curiosity entered his expression. By his estimation, the barrier should have repelled them instantly.
Looking closer, he noticed a strange substance forming in each Pacifista's palm, a bubble-like construct pressing firmly against the barrier. These bubbles neutralized the repulsive force, allowing the machines to maintain their positions.
Naturally, Lloyd had not exerted his full strength. If he had, none of the observing researchers would have survived the shockwave alone.
Even so, the effectiveness of this technology was evident.
Unable to break through, the three Pacifista opened their mouths again, preparing to unleash another round of laser attacks.
At that instant, Lloyd dismissed the barrier.
He stood fully exposed within their attack range.
The Pacifista did not hesitate. Their partially charged beams were fired immediately, converging on Lloyd from all directions.
Yet this time, the lasers vanished upon contact, as though swallowed by an endless abyss, without sound or impact.
A powerful suction force erupted from Lloyd's body.
The three Pacifista were dragged toward him, their massive frames pulled forward without resistance.
In a flash, all three launched simultaneous punches. Their enormous fists sank directly into Lloyd's body.
Lloyd smiled faintly.
He deactivated the ability, and his body trembled slightly. Violent electrical currents surged across the Pacifista, forcing their arms back out.
Their fists, however, were gone.
At the severed wrist joints, only charred circuitry remained.
Lloyd's body had transformed into a black hole.
Through his mastery of the Dark-Dark Fruit, he had advanced from its flawed initial state to a shadow-infused form after obtaining the Shadow-Shadow Fruit, and ultimately to this, black hole manifestation.
This form represented the pinnacle of the Dark-Dark Fruit's capabilities, the most destructive expression among all Logia abilities.
Anything that entered was erased instantly.
After a brief pause, the damaged Pacifista, each now missing one arm, resumed their assault without hesitation.
This time, Lloyd abandoned his abilities and met them head-on with pure physical strength. He stepped forward and struck the leading unit.
The moment their fists collided, the Pacifista's reinforced arm shattered instantly.
The surrounding researchers exchanged stunned glances. Without witnessing it themselves, they would never have believed that a human body could overpower a Pacifista in direct physical combat.
Dr. Vegapunk swallowed hard.
"Saint Lloyd, I assure you, I did not compromise the quality of the Pacifista…"
On the field, Lloyd reduced the unit that had lost both arms into fragments with a single blow. He shook his hand lightly, then nodded.
"Their strength and durability are acceptable."
Hearing this, Dr. Vegapunk finally relaxed.
The remaining two Pacifista pressed forward again, unaffected by the destruction of their companion.
They possessed adaptive learning capabilities. The loss of the first unit had already demonstrated the power of Lloyd's physical strikes.
As they advanced, both units generated the same bubble-like constructs over their fists, striking with reinforced force.
Lloyd did not evade. Instead, he raised his hands and grasped the bubbles directly, one in each palm.
A familiar sensation spread through him.
His eyes sharpened slightly as he spoke.
"The aura of the sea… interesting."
===
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