Joy Boy's fist tore through space, and the ground beneath him, Zou's living surface, split apart like fragile cloth.
Yet no matter how violently space distorted, Lloyd remained unmoved, standing firmly within the white repulsion field like an unshakable mountain.
Joy Boy stared at Lloyd's youthful face, a strange emotion flickering in his eyes.
"Celestial Dragons..."
His pupils shifted into a rotating sun-wheel pattern, spinning rapidly.
"My era is about to begin, and you cannot stop it!"
As his voice fell, the Nika power within him erupted into a golden torrent, flooding the shattered space with blinding radiance, turning everything as bright as day.
Lloyd's figure gradually blurred within the intense light, yet his laughter cut through the chaos with sharp clarity.
"You still speak of your era? You are nothing more than a clown."
Countless dark whirlpools manifested out of thin air. Rotating in reverse, they devoured everything around them as the Dark power surged into the fractures in space, colliding head-on with the golden Nika energy.
Joy Boy's eyes widened. His sun-wheel pupils spun even faster as he raised his hand and clenched it tightly.
"Imaginary Manifestation, Great Sun in the Sky!"
Buzz!
Within the raging golden torrent, a massive sphere of light rose into the sky, resembling a blazing sun.
The moment it formed, it released a dazzling radiance that swept across Zou's back, erasing every trace of darkness.
However, that light could not reach Lloyd.
Before it could touch him, it was completely absorbed by the darkness coating his body.
At that moment, terrified screams echoed into Lloyd's ears.
They came from the Mink Tribe still scattered across Zou's back.
Among them were Wanda's younger sisters, those who had never wished to fight and had hidden themselves away from the battlefield.
Lloyd had long been aware of their presence. He had not forgotten the promise he made to Wanda and Carrot, to spare those Mink Tribe who had not taken part in the war.
Even after clashing with Joy Boy, he had deliberately restrained his Dark power from reaching their location.
Joy Boy, however, showed no such restraint.
The light from the artificial sun carried a force that distorted everything it touched. The weaker Mink Tribe could not endure its pressure for long.
A mocking smile curved on Lloyd's lips.
Joy Boy might disregard their lives, but Lloyd would not.
He raised his hand and waved it lightly. A surge of darkness swept outward, accurately locating the trembling Mink Tribe across Zou's vast back.
Bathed in the oppressive brilliance, fear dominated their faces. An invisible force gripped their bodies, tightening steadily, as though it intended to crush them into nothing.
Then, a vast curtain of darkness descended, spreading above them.
It blocked the light entirely, creating a safe, shadowed space.
The same darkness that once inspired fear now brought them overwhelming relief. The force that had been tearing at their bodies vanished instantly.
The darkness had saved them.
Before they could even process what had happened, the dark curtain dropped suddenly, sweeping all of them into the air and carrying them away toward Mary Geoise atop the Red Line.
Above Mary Geoise, Lloyd's maid group had already gathered outside the family territory, standing beside Shyarly. Their gazes were fixed on Zou's massive form beyond the Red Line.
Each of them possessed striking beauty, like blooming flowers gathered together.
Normally, the surrounding Celestial Dragons would have stared greedily, but now, none dared to look.
Not only was Mary Geoise in crisis, but more importantly, they all knew the identity of the man these women belonged to.
Among them, Wanda and Carrot were the most anxious, their hearts filled with worry for their fellow tribesmen.
Suddenly, a dark torrent surged forward and descended before them.
In the next moment, the darkness dispersed, revealing a group of Mink Tribe standing within, their expressions blank with shock.
Most of them were young females. They stared at the unfamiliar surroundings until someone spotted Wanda and Carrot in the distance.
"Look! It's Wanda and Carrot!"
Wanda and Carrot froze, their faces filled with disbelief before tears streamed down their cheeks. Joy overwhelmed them, leaving them unable to speak.
Several Mink Tribe rushed forward instinctively, only to be stopped by a line of black-clothed guards and Golden Armored Guards.
The black-clothed guards were not intimidating to the Mink Tribe, who were naturally strong warriors. But the Golden Armored Guards were different.
A chilling killing intent radiated from them. Beneath their golden helmets, cold eyes observed everything.
They were the exclusive guard force of the Figarland Family.
Intimidated, the advancing Mink Tribe hesitated, swallowing nervously as they halted.
At that moment, Shyarly was the first to react.
Seeing Wanda and Carrot's expressions and recalling the dark torrent, she immediately understood what had happened.
Stepping forward, she raised her voice toward the Golden Armored Guards.
"Stand down! They were sent here by Saint Lloyd! They are under his protection!"
Her words caused several Celestial Dragons who had already begun harboring thoughts toward the Mink Tribe to stiffen in fear.
The Golden Armored Guards turned toward their leader.
At the front stood Carlos, the captain of the first division. After a brief glance at Shyarly, he issued his command without hesitation.
"Let them pass. Only the females."
Carlos understood Shyarly's status within the Figarland Family and had no intention of offending her.
Though he appeared straightforward, his mind was sharp.
Behind him stood the women of the Figarland Family, more importantly, Saint Lloyd's women. Among them were Wanda and Carrot, members of the Mink Tribe.
Given the emotional state of the arriving Mink Tribe, physical contact was inevitable. As the most loyal guard captain, Carlos had to ensure nothing occurred that might displease Lloyd.
Once the Golden Armored Guards stepped aside, the Mink Tribe surged forward.
Wanda's sisters rushed toward her and Carrot, surrounding them tightly. Tears flowed freely as they spoke over one another, recounting everything they had endured during this time.
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