Seeing Lucia's transformation, Lloyd could not help but glance at Garling with admiration, saying,
"A Zoan Devil Fruit? Judging by this form, it must be a Mythical Zoan. Uncle Garling is truly generous, thank you."
Garling folded his arms silently, a subtle smile tugging at the corner of his lips, showing he was pleased by Lloyd's praise. If Lloyd had known what his uncle was thinking, he might have suspected that Garling was deliberately showing off in front of him.
At that moment, Lucia had fully awakened her Devil Fruit power. Her amber eyes shifted into deep purple, radiating a mesmerizing and strange light.
Under the effect of her transformation, her features became strikingly mature, her beauty intensified, and her figure appeared fuller. When she looked at Lloyd, he immediately felt a stir in his chest and a heat spreading through him.
Lloyd was not thinking improperly; this reaction was simply caused by the nature of Lucia's Devil Fruit ability.
Facing him, Lucia showed no intention of defending herself. Her red lips parted, and her voice carried a captivating allure,
"Lloyd San, my Devil Fruit is a Mythical Zoan, Fallen Angel form. The ability is..."
"No need to explain further, I can already guess most of it. Let's begin. I want to experience it," Lloyd said calmly.
"As you wish, Lloyd San," she replied.
The black wings on her back trembled, and in an instant, her entire body became a streak of dark light rushing toward Lloyd, black feathers scattering in her wake.
Clang!
Doom and Muramasa collided, producing a clear metallic ring.
In her Fallen Angel form, Lucia's speed and strength were significantly enhanced. From this single attack, Lloyd could tell that her power far exceeded even Gion, the Navy's top female cadet.
Yet even Lucia was surprised. Though she had used her Devil Fruit ability, Lloyd had blocked her strike effortlessly.
She blinked at Lloyd, stunned, and two streams of clear tears suddenly slid down her violet-flamed eyes.
Lloyd froze. I haven't even fought back yet, he thought, so why is she crying?
Pushing Doom aside with a gentle motion, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. His voice was soft as he asked,
"What is it, Lucia?"
She sniffled, choking slightly,
"Lloyd San, you must have suffered so much outside all these years. How could you grow so strong just from training at the Navy Academy?"
"Uh…"
Lloyd recalled his past. Aside from those few days in God Valley, he hadn't truly suffered much.
With a wry smile, he said,
"You're overthinking, Lucia. I wasn't doing as badly as you imagine. In fact, I was quite relaxed. As for my strength… perhaps your Lloyd San is simply exceptionally gifted."
Lucia wiped her tears and was about to respond when Garling, who had been observing, suddenly shouted,
"What are you two doing there? Lloyd, you want me to personally test your strength, right?"
Startled, Lucia immediately freed herself from Lloyd's embrace, saying in a panic,
"Lloyd San, let's continue the battle from before!"
Since Garling had released Conqueror's Haki the moment he met Lloyd, Lucia knew he would not be gentle in combat.
If her Lloyd San were harmed, it would be unbearable.
Lloyd, however, remained unconcerned. At worst, he could keep Kamui activated and let Garling strike him. This wasn't their first encounter like this, and he didn't need to exert himself.
In fact, part of him relished imagining Garling unable to land a blow.
But seeing Lucia flustered, he dismissed that thought and decided to end the reluctant sparring quickly.
He raised a knee toward her and sent a streaking slash wave through the air, wrapped in lightning.
"Tempest Kick: Raikiri!"
Lucia's eyes narrowed. Armament Haki immediately enveloped the Doom in her hands. She held the blade horizontally before her chest. Lloyd's slash wave struck her sword but did not dissipate, the force pushing her backward.
A thin layer of cold sweat formed on her brow as she silently evaluated Lloyd's strength.
If she had not entered her Fallen Angel form first, that strike could have decided the fight instantly.
She pursed her lips, violet flames rising anew from her body. Her face flushed as her strength increased further. With a horizontal swing of her blade, she dispersed the slash wave completely.
Looking at Lloyd again, a radiant smile spread across her face,
"Lloyd San, you truly are amazing. I like you the most."
Lloyd was caught off guard by her sudden confession.
"Lucia, are you alright?" he asked.
She smiled, exhaling a wisp of purple aura,
"What could be wrong, Lloyd San? I just used a part of my Devil Fruit ability. These purple flames are called Flame of Desire. They burn others with their own desires, but when applied to myself, they amplify my deepest inner desire, greatly increasing my strength."
"So your desire is…"
"That's right, my desire is you, Lloyd San."
Her voice carried an irresistible charm, intensifying the warmth in Lloyd's chest.
He suppressed the stirring in his heart and resolved not to hold back.
It wasn't fear of losing control, but concern that Lucia might say something even more outrageous. And Garling was still watching.
With a swift movement, Lloyd appeared before her. He flipped the Demon Blade Muramasa like a board and lightly tapped her abdomen.
Lucia did not block, opening her arms wide to embrace him instead.
"What are you doing?!"
Lloyd withdrew quickly, but in his haste, he stumbled into her embrace.
Lucia smiled sweetly, holding him, lowering her head to kiss him softly. Her black wings slowly folded around them, enveloping both in shadow and flame.
Watching this, Garling's mouth twitched repeatedly. He had wanted to scold them, but in the end he sighed,
"I should not have let these two fight."
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