High in the sky, the trio led by Whitebeard confronted Lloyd.
After a brief pause, Whitebeard and Big Mom exchanged a glance. In the next instant, Whitebeard tightened his grip on From Clouds Cut with both hands and leaped into the air, while Zeus beneath Big Mom shifted into a pitch-black thundercloud, lifting her toward Lloyd.
Neither of them spared Monkey D. Dragon a single look. By the time Dragon reacted, their assault had already begun.
"Heaven Split!"
"Emperor Sword, Broken Blade!"
From Clouds Cut, wrapped in overwhelming Haoshoku Haki, descended alongside Napoleon. The violent clash of their Haki split the sky apart, streaks of lightning staining it black.
Lloyd responded without hesitation. Demon Blade Muramasa appeared in his grasp, his own Haoshoku Haki surging outward.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion echoed across the battlefield. What followed left everyone below frozen in disbelief.
With a single blade, Lloyd blocked both From Clouds Cut and Napoleon at the same time. Alone, he held back the combined strike of two Emperors.
Even Whitebeard and Big Mom showed clear shock. They had fought Lloyd before, but back then, his strength had never reached such an absurd level.
With their current combined power, even Rocks D. Xebec would not dare take such an attack head-on.
On the distant stone seats, Galette and the others were completely stunned. In their eyes, Big Mom was nearly invincible, and now she stood alongside Whitebeard. Yet even together, they could not break through one man's defense.
It felt unreal.
Under their tense gazes, Lloyd suddenly laughed.
"Good. This is more like it. You're far stronger together than that guy Silvers Rayleigh."
His arms tensed, muscles bulging as his power surged. In a single motion, he forced both Emperors back.
Then, a dark grimoire appeared before him. From it, a white Navy cloak with golden epaulets flew out and settled perfectly over his shoulders.
The word "Justice" on its back shimmered, infused with a sinister black glow.
Dragon's eyes flickered at the sight. He had once worn that same cloak.
Lloyd smirked slightly, his golden pupils sweeping across the battlefield.
"This feels right. It's been a while since I've had a proper fight."
As his voice faded, a vast tide of darkness erupted from him, swallowing the sky with a suffocating aura of destruction.
Big Mom snarled.
"Celestial Dragon, don't get ahead of yourself!"
But before she could react further, Lloyd had already appeared in front of her.
Her pupils shrank. She swung Napoleon, flames roaring, but Lloyd's single strike nearly knocked the weapon from her grip.
At that exact moment, Whitebeard moved.
He gathered his Haki into a concentrated shockwave and drove his fist toward Lloyd.
A shadow barrier formed instantly beside Lloyd, intercepting the blow. Not only did it block the attack, it completely absorbed the shockwave.
Lloyd no longer needed physical contact to suppress abilities. Anyone touched by his Darkness Power would have their devil fruit sealed.
Big Mom's Homies were different. As independent entities born from her soul, they could exist outside her body even if her ability was restricted.
But they were not immune to being devoured.
Big Mom suddenly coughed up blood, her eyes widening.
"Prometheus!?"
Napoleon's flames vanished completely, leaving only its large, empty eyes staring back at her.
Prometheus had been swallowed by darkness.
Since it was created from her own soul, its destruction sent a violent backlash through her body.
Dragon, who had stayed out of the clash until now, finally moved. At this range, he avoided using his ability and relied purely on his physical technique, Dragon's Claw.
Lloyd met him head-on, grabbing his attack. Haki erupted between them.
Dragon's face instantly darkened as he pushed his Haki to the limit, struggling to resist.
Facing Lloyd, who now felt closer to a demon than a man, even Whitebeard and Big Mom had no choice but to assist, regardless of their opinion of Dragon.
The three Emperor-level fighters attacked together.
The sky shook violently as their clash tore through the air. Cake Island trembled under the pressure.
Fists and blades blurred together, each collision sending out destructive shockwaves that threatened to tear the world apart.
Then, suddenly, three figures dropped from the sky like meteors.
Boom!
When the dust settled, Whitebeard and Big Mom stood side by side.
"Old Man!"
"Mom!"
"Commander!"
The shouts from below went unanswered. Their focus remained fixed on the sky, their expressions heavy.
Everyone followed their gaze.
A figure descended slowly, wings spread behind his back.
It was Lloyd.
He landed smoothly, letting out a quiet breath.
Fighting three opponents at that level was no easy task, even for him.
Across from him, Whitebeard inhaled deeply, suppressing the blood rising in his throat. His body, already weakened by age and illness, was in worse condition than Dragon's.
Marco noticed immediately. Without hesitation, he entered his hybrid form and shot forward as a streak of blue flame, arriving at Whitebeard's side. The rest of the Whitebeard Pirates followed.
On the other side, Charlotte Katakuri stepped up behind Big Mom, while Sabo moved to stand beside Dragon.
The remaining forces that had survived Lloyd's earlier gravity field retreated further away, including the Vinsmoke Family.
Behind them, Chiffon looked at Marshall D. Teach, who remained still.
"Husband, aren't you going to help?"
Ever since he pulled her out of the pit, she had naturally started calling him that.
Teach forced a conflicted expression and sighed.
"No. I'll stay here and protect you."
Chiffon's eyes widened, her face softening as emotion filled her chest.
"Husband…"
Each time she said it, Teach felt a chill run down his spine. He quickly turned his gaze toward Whitebeard, a faint glint of greed hidden in his eyes.
At that moment, Lloyd stood alone against the combined forces of two Emperors' crews and the Revolutionary Army.
The wind howled as his cloak snapped loudly behind him.
Surrounded on all sides, Lloyd showed no sign of concern. He simply smiled.
"Good. Now everyone's here."