Nekomamushi and Inuarashi stared at the full moon, their bodies beginning to swell as all their fur turned white. The most striking change was their hair, whipping wildly like a lion's mane.
It was the unique ability of the Mink Tribe: transformation under Moonlight, the Moon Lion Form.
The two, now fully transformed, glared at Lloyd with blood-red eyes, bristling with raw power. Crackling electricity surged around them, and in an instant, they vanished from sight.
Lloyd raised an eyebrow, Muramasa swinging behind him, and met their attack head-on, one against two, showing no sign of fatigue.
Akainu and Kizaru had initially intended to assist, but seeing the situation, they turned instead to attack the injured Oden. Lasers and magma clashed across the deck simultaneously.
Oden, missing a lower leg, struggled to maintain his stance, yet his mastery of martial arts allowed him to continue fighting. His movements were erratic but effective, evading and countering with his twin swords wrapped in Armament Haki.
Meanwhile, the area around Lloyd had already become a patch of darkness. Despite the Moon Lion Form's incredible speed, Nekomamushi and Inuarashi were restricted by Lloyd's dark elemental gravity. Even a slight misstep could pull them into the shadows.
But Lloyd was not satisfied. A trace of impatience colored his expression, emotions stirred ever since the moon rose. Neither Mink noticed the faint red glow in his eyes as their attacks intensified. They unleashed their ultimate techniques simultaneously.
"Cat Scratch Conflict!"
"Dog Slash Mighty Arrow!"
Swords and claws pierced Lloyd's position, their inertia almost pushing him off the deck. Yet he remained unfazed.
Nekomamushi roared in frustration. "Damn it! We used Haki! Why won't it work?!"
Inuarashi's hot breath hissed through his nostrils. He had expected their Moon Lion Forms to overpower the most formidable of the three Natural System users, but Lloyd's swordsmanship and Haki, coupled with his mysterious elemental power, far exceeded their expectations.
Another surge of dark sword energy struck. Nekomamushi raised his claws to block, and Inuarashi lunged with his blade.
Clang!
The strike landed on Lloyd's body, yet he showed no sign of strain. Inuarashi's eyes widened as he glimpsed the blackened nails of Lloyd's hand, forming claws like a feral beast.
"H-Hoo… what did you do?" Inuarashi whispered, his voice trembling.
Lloyd did not answer. His gaze lifted to the full moon, red light flaring in his eyes. A violent current surged from his hand, scorching Inuarashi's fur and forcing him to his knees.
Nekomamushi froze, bewildered. The Mink Tribe had high resistance to electricity, yet Inuarashi had been injured.
Lloyd did not look at him. Bathed in the moonlight, his black hair flowed unnaturally, crackling with electric light. Onlookers could not look away.
Lucia, after slaying Vista, stared at Lloyd, awestruck. "Young Master…"
Crackling intensified. Under everyone's gaze, Lloyd's black hair, now flowing to his waist, turned silver, his body growing taller, skin glowing faintly under moonlight.
A surge of terrifying Conqueror's Haki, mingled with silver electricity, erupted from him, blowing back Inuarashi.
Nekomamushi rushed to support him, only to stumble. He realized too late that the transformation had ended, leaving Mink Tribe members weakened.
Yet nothing compared to the shock: Lloyd himself had transformed under the full moon, mirroring the Mink Tribe's Moon Lion Form.
The difference was striking—a silver moonlight ribbon swirled around him, resembling the awakened aura of a Zoan Devil Fruit.
Nekomamushi's pupils constricted. "This posture… Moon God?!"
Inuarashi, struggling to focus, stared in disbelief. "The Moon God Form… only legends' royalty should possess this. But he's human!"
Lloyd raised his eyes slowly, extending a finger toward them.
Nekomamushi's instincts screamed danger. He hugged Inuarashi and turned to dodge.
A silver beam shot from Lloyd's fingertip, piercing Nekomamushi's body.
Shock and disbelief filled Nekomamushi's eyes as he looked at the hole in his chest. His eyes rolled back, and he fell face-first to the deck.
Inuarashi scrambled, desperately pushing Nekomamushi's body, calling his name. But it was futile. The life force of the proud Mink had been completely extinguished.
____
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