Under Lloyd's gaze, Teach felt as though his entire body had been thrown into an icy abyss.
An uncontrollable shiver spread through him.
As for Laffitte and the others, they were already shrinking behind Teach in terror. Even Burgess, who had only just regained consciousness, happened to wake up at the worst possible moment.
The instant he saw Lloyd standing there, his eyes rolled back.
Then he fainted again.
Seeing their terrified reactions, the corner of Lloyd's lips curled slightly.
A dark, almost mocking smile formed on his face.
He was in no rush.
Instead of dealing with them immediately, he withdrew his gaze, turned around, and calmly returned to the dining table.
The dinner resumed as if nothing had happened.
This nearly made Buggy cry.
Because Lloyd had taken Shanks' previous seat.
Which meant Lloyd was now sitting right beside him.
Shanks casually sat on Lloyd's other side before grinning.
"Buggy, why don't you greet my big brother?"
Inside, Buggy had already cursed Shanks ten thousand times.
But outwardly?
He behaved like the most obedient man alive.
Slowly turning his head, he forced himself to face Lloyd.
Though Lloyd only wore a faint smile, Buggy felt a suffocating pressure weighing down on him.
His face twitched uncontrollably.
Forcing out a stiff smile, he said,
"Hello, Fleet Admiral... I'm Buggy. We've met before..."
Shanks frowned immediately.
"Buggy, your smile looks terrible right now."
Buggy's eyes had practically turned into thin crescents from nervousness.
Yet instead of getting angry, he laughed awkwardly.
"Oh? Really? Sorry about that. I just hope I didn't offend Fleet Admiral Lloyd."
"Ugh, Buggy, you've changed."
Shanks looked disgusted.
Buggy instantly straightened himself.
"What are you talking about? I've always respected Fleet Admiral Lloyd!"
Lloyd watched the exchange from the side.
A low chuckle escaped him.
"You're surprisingly sensible, Buggy."
The moment Buggy heard that, his eyes nearly lit up.
He immediately grabbed a large barrel of sake and quickly filled Lloyd's wooden cup.
"It's only natural!"
His smile widened.
"If not for Fleet Admiral Lloyd, I'd probably still be rotting in prison!"
Lloyd gave a faint smile.
Taking the cup, he drank slowly before casually glancing toward Shanks.
The expression on Shanks' face looked... strange.
Almost jealous.
Lloyd found it amusing but said nothing about it.
Instead, he spoke casually.
"The one you should really thank is Shanks."
His tone remained indifferent.
"You understand that, right?"
Buggy nodded rapidly.
Meanwhile, Shanks suddenly looked awkward.
He turned his head away and quietly sipped his sake.
After some time passed, Lloyd placed his cup down and stood.
"Enough resting."
His gaze sharpened.
"Time to deal with business."
Without another word, he walked toward the cabin where Whitebeard was resting.
Shanks hurried after him.
Inside the medical room, Whitebeard remained on the bed, barely clinging to life.
Lloyd walked forward without hesitation.
Placing a hand directly on Whitebeard's chest.
Suddenly, the flesh around Whitebeard's chest twisted unnaturally.
The area around his heart collapsed inward.
Moments later, a hollow cavity remained.
The heart inside had disappeared.
At the same time, a sky blue, pear shaped Devil Fruit appeared in Lloyd's hand.
The Tremor Tremor Fruit.
Shanks inhaled sharply.
Even after seeing this ability before, it still unsettled him.
"Brother..."
He exhaled slowly.
"Your ability really is terrifying."
Lloyd merely smiled.
Without warning, he casually tossed the Tremor Tremor Fruit toward Shanks.
Shanks nearly panicked.
Quickly catching it, he stared in disbelief.
"Brother!"
He held the fruit carefully.
"You're really giving this away? Even if you don't want it, you shouldn't just throw it around!"
Lloyd ignored the complaint.
His fingertip rested lightly against Whitebeard's neck.
A faint pulse still remained.
Whitebeard's vitality truly was monstrous.
Even after losing his heart, he still had not died immediately.
Then again, this was the same man who endured unimaginable injuries during Marineford.
His endurance bordered on absurd.
But even monsters had limits.
Lloyd's expression remained cold.
A faint movement of his fingertip.
Thin strands of blood slowly spread outward from Whitebeard's neck, weaving together like threads.
Then came a dull sound.
Plop.
Whitebeard's head tilted.
Then separated cleanly from his body.
No violent spray of blood followed.
Every drop had already been absorbed into Lloyd's fingertips.
The room fell silent.
One of the Four Emperors.
Edward Newgate.
Whitebeard.
A legend who once ruled the seas.
Had died quietly on a sickbed.
Lloyd turned toward Shanks.
"I've handled the body."
His voice remained indifferent.
"Take it with you later."
Shanks blinked.
Then frowned.
"Take it?"
He paused.
"Take it where?"
"Mary Geoise."
Lloyd spoke as though discussing something insignificant.
"It's your first trip home. Going empty handed would be rude."
Shanks nearly choked.
"What?!"
His eyes widened.
"When?! Right now?!"
He pointed at himself.
"I'm not mentally prepared for that, Brother!"
Lloyd looked at him as if he were an idiot.
"You're a grown man."
He crossed his arms.
"Try acting like one."
Then he added casually,
"Not now. I'm just warning you beforehand."
Shanks immediately sighed in relief.
He wiped sweat from his forehead.
"Damn... you nearly scared me to death."
Lloyd glanced at him.
"What?"
His tone turned slightly mocking.
"Is home some kind of nightmare for you?"
He clicked his tongue softly.
"Uncle Garling always looks grumpy, sure. But he never tried to kill you."
Lloyd paused.
"If anything, he's always cared about you."
Shanks lowered his head quietly.
He said nothing.
Lloyd did not continue the topic either.
Instead, he turned toward Hongou.
"Preserve Whitebeard's head."
Hongou quickly nodded.
Putting on gloves, he carefully picked it up.
Lloyd then glanced toward Shanks.
"Let's go."
The two left the medical room.
Whitebeard had already been dealt with.
Now, only Teach remained.
Near the ship's railing, Teach watched Lloyd approach.
His face had completely lost all color.
At that moment, Lloyd no longer looked human to him.
He looked like death itself.
Teach desperately wanted to throw himself into the sea.
But he couldn't.
His injuries were severe.
Sea Stone restraints bound his body.
He could only sit there helplessly as Lloyd drew closer.
Step by step.
Until he finally stood before him.
Lloyd looked down at Teach and his crew.
The expression in his eyes resembled someone evaluating livestock before slaughter.
Shanks stepped beside him.
"There are several Devil Fruit users among them."
He glanced at the prisoners.
"Though aside from Teach, none of their powers seem particularly impressive."
He looked at Lloyd.
"Should we still recover their Devil Fruits?"
Lloyd thought for a brief moment.
Then nodded.
"Since we're already here..."
His lips curved into a cold smile.
"We might as well collect everything."
He slowly scanned Teach's crew.
A dangerous amusement flickered in his eyes.
"So..."
His voice lowered.
"Who should I start with?"
To Teach and the others, it sounded like the whisper of a demon.
Laffitte finally broke.
His composure shattered instantly.
"No! Please, don't, I beg y..."
Poof!
A flash of deep purple light erupted.
In the next second, Laffitte exploded into a grotesque mass of flesh.
===
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