Dragon's body tightened as he faced Lloyd, his voice deep and controlled.
"Thief? Lloyd, then let me ask you this — what is the difference between the World Government that gathers tribute and a common bandit?"
Lloyd's lips curved into a faint smile, crimson flickering briefly in his eyes. In the next instant, he was before Dragon, claws charged with power slicing toward Dragon's chest.
Dragon did not expect Lloyd to strike without hesitation. Lloyd moved with shocking speed, and though Dragon instinctively dodged, Lloyd's strike still pierced his shoulder blade.
Blood spurted as Dragon clutched his left shoulder, trying to retreat, but Lloyd yanked him back with a brutal pull. With his free palm he manifested a dark vortex orb of energy and pressed it against Dragon's head.
Dragon's pupils shrank. He grounded his feet into the deck to slow his motion toward Lloyd and wrapped both hands in thick Armament Haki to protect his forehead.
He knew exactly how dangerous that swirling orb was — it had the power to crush bone and grind flesh. At that moment he finally understood Lloyd's intention — he wanted Dragon's life.
Crack, crack, crack.
Dragon's hand bones groaned under strain. Without Haki, both arms would have shattered completely. Still, despite his endurance and discipline, his Armament Haki was draining rapidly, and Lloyd's other hand was still free.
Seeing Lloyd's other fist engulfed in darkness left him only one choice. He hesitated, unwilling to resort to it, but the situation permitted no other option.
Dragon gathered his strength and roared with all his might,
"Father, save me!"
At once, a figure blasted out of the cabin like a cannonball, accompanied by a thunderous shout.
"Lloyd, stop right there!"
Lloyd raised an eyebrow. The hand poised to strike Dragon's heart shifted and collided with a heavy black iron fist instead.
The impact unleashed a powerful shockwave, cracks spreading across the deck like shattered glass, shaking the transport ship violently.
The commotion woke those still asleep. Apart from the guards Lloyd had knocked out earlier, everyone else — including Spandine and the others — rushed out of their rooms.
Spandine froze when he saw the scene. Lloyd had one hand on Dragon, and with the other he held off Garp, who stood in pajamas, blazing with fury.
Before Spandine could react further, Lucia had drawn her sword and rushed forward, Ginny pulling twin pistols and firing without hesitation.
Spandine recovered quickly and barked orders to the suited men and remaining Marines,
"What are you waiting for!? Everyone go help Black Dragon Admiral!"
The suited men surged toward Garp, joined by most of the Marines. Still, some pointed their weapons at Lloyd — Garp's personal guards.
Garp's face was thunderous. Ignoring Lucia and the others, his gaze landed on Dragon's bleeding shoulder, his voice ragged with anger.
"Lloyd! Don't go too far!"
Lloyd did not respond to him immediately. He turned to Lucia and the rest.
"Lucia, watch over Dragon. Ginny, take the others and handle Garp's guards."
With that, Lloyd propelled Dragon outward and immediately shifted into a half‑beast form. Massive black bat‑like wings unfurled as his entire body became a streak of violent darkness, rushing out of the ship toward Garp.
Though this vessel carrying tribute was sturdier than a common warship, it seemed fragile against forces like Lloyd and Garp.
Outside, several kilometers from the ship, Lloyd and Garp clashed fiercely.
Behind Lloyd, a blazing sphere of scorching energy flared against the night. Demon Blade Muramasa circled him, carving trails of black aura under Lloyd's control.
Garp moved with unpredictable fluidity, using Moonwalk to dart through the air, avoiding black aura slashes before returning devastating punches toward Lloyd.
Every collision sent tidal explosions crashing into the sea below. After one explosive exchange, the two separated briefly in the sky, confronting each other with ferocity.
Garp's face remained enraged.
"You just wanted to kill Dragon, didn't you? What crime has he committed?"
Lloyd responded with icy certainty,
"He stole the tribute. That alone is capital."
Garp's expression faltered with disbelief.
"What? What are you talking about?"
"I saw it myself. Didn't you see the tribute scattered on the ground?"
When Lloyd had first caught Dragon, Dragon's ability had failed and the tribute spilled everywhere. Garp had been too focused on saving his son to notice until now. He muttered to himself, struggling to recall.
"No… that can't be. Dragon wouldn't do such a thing…"
Lloyd sneered, shaking his head.
"Garp, you really are hopeless as a father. You didn't even witness Dragon's attempt to defect."
Garp clenched his fists, voice gritted,
"What makes you think Dragon wanted to defect?"
Lloyd showed no desire to argue further,
"Because I saw it with my own eyes."
With that, the blazing fire behind Lloyd vanished instantly and his speed spiked.
Garp only registered a searing pain in his abdomen before he was blasted down into the sea.
Lloyd hovered above the calm surface of the water, about to turn back when the sea erupted behind him.
Garp surged from the waves, eyes bloodshot with rage, charging directly at Lloyd in the air.
"Kid! You're far too arrogant!"
Seeing Garp's renewed assault, Lloyd's expression tightened, and the fire behind his neck flared to life again. He met Garp's furious punch with his own body.
Garp's punches were legendary. Even someone like Lloyd — blessed with Lunarian prowess and Mythical Zoan resilience — felt his internal organs quake after absorbing such force head‑on.
Despite this, Garp's eyes widened in horror. From his view, Lloyd's body barely shook from the impact, far exceeding what Garp had expected.
Lloyd raised a hand to wipe a trace of blood from his mouth with a faint, controlled smirk.
"That one… actually hurt a bit."