The moment Lloyd questioned him, two words immediately surfaced in Iceberg's mind.
It's over.
The Thousand Sunny of the Straw Hat Pirates had indeed been built under his supervision, together with Franky and the Galley-La shipwrights.
Naturally, Iceberg had no idea Franky was already dead. In his eyes, Franky was merely another outlaw sailing the seas. Someone like that would never attract the personal attention of a figure such as Saint Lloyd.
At this moment, Iceberg had no idea how to answer.
His body trembled uncontrollably as he stood frozen in place, unable to speak.
Kalifa stepped forward, her expression cold.
Slap!
Her hand struck Iceberg across the face.
"Saint Lloyd asked you a question. Are you deaf?"
Seeing Iceberg get struck, Bari's anger exploded instantly.
Ignoring his injuries, he rushed forward, ready to attack Kalifa.
However, the moment he stepped forward,
Thrust!
A thick shadow spear erupted from beneath him.
It pierced straight through his abdomen.
Bari's body stiffened.
No scream escaped his lips.
Blood spilled from his mouth as his life faded instantly.
Splatter!
Fresh blood sprayed across Iceberg's face.
"Bari!!!"
Iceberg's eyes widened in horror.
He rushed forward in grief, trying to pull Bari down.
But the shadow beneath his feet twisted violently.
Dark tendrils wrapped around him and slammed him face-first into the ground.
Lucci stepped closer to Lloyd and lowered his voice.
"Saint Lloyd, Iceberg cannot die yet. He still possesses the blueprints to the Ancient Weapon Pluton."
Lloyd gave a faint nod.
He raised a hand slightly.
The shadows restraining Iceberg suddenly split into countless black threads, wrapping tightly around his body until he resembled a black cocoon, leaving only his nose exposed for breathing.
Lloyd then glanced toward Fukuro.
"Carry him."
Fukuro quickly stepped forward and hoisted Iceberg onto his shoulder.
By now, a massive crowd had gathered nearby.
The citizens of Water 7 watched the scene with pale faces, fear evident in their eyes.
Lloyd slowly scanned the crowd.
His expression remained unreadable.
"It is an established fact that Iceberg colluded with pirates."
His voice was flat, yet it carried across the entire dock.
"From this moment onward, he is stripped of his position as mayor."
"The Galley-La Company will also be placed under direct military control. Private shipbuilding in Water 7 is now prohibited."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"Any violators…"
Snap.
Lloyd casually snapped his fingers.
The unconscious bodies of Kashi and Oimo suddenly floated into the air.
In the next second,
Countless shadow spears erupted from the ground.
Thrust! Thrust! Thrust!
The giants were pierced repeatedly before anyone could react.
Blood rained down from the sky.
The horrifying sight turned both giant warriors into lifeless masses of flesh.
Silence fell.
No one dared breathe.
Fear completely overtook the crowd.
Water 7 possessed some of the finest shipbuilding technology in the world.
Nearly everyone on the island understood ship construction to some extent.
In a world ruled by pirates and endless seas, ships represented power, survival, and freedom.
Because of that, from the World Government's perspective, a place like Water 7 was too valuable to leave unchecked.
Private shipbuilding posed risks.
Military control was inevitable.
After establishing his authority through overwhelming brutality, Lloyd turned toward Lucci.
"Take your subordinates to the Entertainment District and report to Stussy."
"Once your duties are complete, you will officially join CP0."
The moment those words were spoken, Lucci's eyes narrowed.
He immediately dropped to one knee.
"Thank you, Saint Lloyd!"
Bang!
He slammed his forehead against the ground in gratitude.
Kalifa, Kaku, Jabra, and the others followed without hesitation.
Lloyd merely looked down at them indifferently.
A faint smile touched the corner of his lips.
Manipulation worked best when reward followed obedience.
He casually extended a finger.
The black threads binding Iceberg connected to his fingertip like puppet strings.
"We'll meet again."
The next moment,
Pitch-black wings spread from Lloyd's back.
With a single flap, he shot into the sky.
Boom!
His figure vanished into the horizon in an instant.
Even after he disappeared, Lucci and the others remained kneeling for a long while.
...
Mary Geoise, within the territory of the Fegarland Family.
A streak of black light descended from the sky.
The surrounding Golden Armored Guards immediately dropped to one knee.
"Saint Lloyd!"
Lloyd acknowledged them with a slight nod before walking toward the library.
However, when he entered, the usually occupied room was empty.
Neither Olvia nor Pudding was there.
Lloyd paused briefly.
After questioning a nearby Golden Armored Guard, he learned the two had gone to his private residence.
Only then did he remember.
He had already lifted Olvia's confinement some time ago.
Within the Fingarland estate, she was now free to move around.
Without another thought, Lloyd dragged the cocooned Iceberg along and headed toward his residence.
Yet upon arriving, he discovered the place empty once again.
Then,
His enhanced hearing picked up laughter coming from the backyard.
Raising an eyebrow slightly, Lloyd casually tossed the unconscious Iceberg onto the floor.
He walked toward the courtyard in silence.
The moment he arrived, his gaze paused.
Before him stretched an unexpectedly lively sight.
At the center of the courtyard sat a large swimming pool.
Several women relaxed inside, dressed in swimsuits of various colors.
The most eye-catching among them was undoubtedly Shirahoshi.
Her enormous figure occupied a considerable portion of the pool.
Near the edge sat Monet and Hancock.
Monet wore a pale green striped swimsuit, while Hancock wore a peach-colored one.
The two leaned close, quietly chatting.
Occasionally, faint blushes crossed their faces.
Not far away, Robin rested comfortably against Olvia.
Robin wore a black swimsuit, while Olvia's white swimsuit formed a striking contrast.
A book floated before them, pages turning automatically through Robin's Devil Fruit ability.
In the middle of the pool, Sugar and Pudding splashed water at one another.
Sugar wore purple.
Pudding wore orange and floated with the support of a swim ring.
As a Devil Fruit user, she still struggled in deep water, leaving her constantly at a disadvantage against Sugar.
Shirahoshi watched them with soft laughter.
The movement caused ripples across the water.
At the same time, it nearly sent Shalria tumbling over.
She had been comfortably resting atop Shirahoshi.
Compared to everyone else, Shalria's swimsuit was considerably more conservative, a one-piece dress decorated with purple floral patterns.
"Shirahoshi!"
Shalria grabbed hold tightly and frowned.
"I was lying here perfectly fine. Can't you stay still?!"
Shirahoshi immediately covered her mouth.
"I, I'm sorry, Saint Shalria-sama…"
Tears quickly gathered in the corners of her eyes.
Seeing that reaction, Shalria instantly lost her irritation.
She sat back down with an annoyed huff.
"I was the one who lost my balance, okay? Stop apologizing already."
Shirahoshi blinked before breaking into a bright smile.
Her breathtaking beauty momentarily left even Shalria distracted.
Standing quietly at the edge of the courtyard, Lloyd observed the scene for a while.
His expression remained indifferent.
After a moment, he adjusted himself, closed his eyes briefly, then lightly cleared his throat.
"Cough, cough..."
===
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