With a powerful beat of his wings, Lloyd rose into the air and looked down at Dragon below him.
Dragon stared at the pair of black bat wings, his throat moving as he muttered in disbelief.
"Are you a devil?"
Lloyd gave a faint smile, almost as if indulging Dragon's fear. A dense, blood red aura surged behind him, wrapping his figure in an oppressive presence that made him look like the embodiment of malice itself.
The next instant, his wings vibrated.
Lloyd transformed into a crimson streak of light and vanished.
Before Dragon could even comprehend what had happened, Lloyd appeared directly in front of him. The speed was so overwhelming that Dragon's instincts failed entirely.
By the time he reacted, Lloyd's hand was already wrapped around his neck.
In that moment, Dragon felt his Devil Fruit power vanish completely.
Dragon desperately tried to retaliate, coating his body in Haki, but no matter how he struggled, he could not shake Lloyd even slightly. Instead, Lloyd's expression softened into something disturbingly satisfied, as though he were enjoying a pleasant sensation.
The corner of Lloyd's lips lifted as a sharp fang extended.
Under Dragon's horrified gaze, the fang pierced into his neck.
In less than a heartbeat, Dragon's consciousness was torn away. His vision dissolved into a vast sea of crimson, his thoughts swallowed whole.
Thud.
Dragon collapsed onto the ground, his eyes wide open, frozen in an expression of grievance and disbelief.
Lloyd crouched down and calmly reached out, closing Dragon's eyes with deliberate care. He then waved a hand casually.
The referee rushed over at once.
Fear flickered in the referee's eyes as he looked at Lloyd's profile. Lloyd turned his head slightly and spoke in a gentle tone.
"Take Dragon away. He's asleep."
The crowd let out a collective sigh of relief. Dragon's condition moments earlier had looked far too close to death.
Medical personnel hurried forward and lifted Dragon onto a stretcher. Just as they were about to carry him off the field, Dragon's body suddenly convulsed. His fists clenched tightly as he shouted hoarsely.
"No! The world shouldn't be like this!"
The medical staff froze in shock, uncertain whether the young Marine had lost his mind.
The referee quickly checked Dragon and confirmed that he was still unconscious. He had only been talking in his sleep.
Wiping cold sweat from his forehead, the referee waved his hand, and Dragon was finally carried away.
Dragon's assessment had come to an end.
He was the first to be defeated.
Lloyd turned his gaze toward Kuzan and Aramaki at the edge of the field. They only saw his lips move before a loud bang echoed beneath their feet.
The ground exploded.
Before either of them could react, they were seized instantly, one in each of Lloyd's hands, suspended helplessly in midair.
Aramaki immediately shouted his surrender. Seeing this, Kuzan, who had been preparing to resist, also gave up without further struggle.
Lloyd lowered them back to the ground and spoke with a faint smile.
"Your performance was commendable. You both pass."
Kuzan scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"But Lloyd Senpai, compared to your generation, we're still far behind."
"That's enough, Kuzan," a familiar voice said warmly. "You're already outstanding. Your teacher is proud of you."
Kuzan froze and turned his head.
Zephyr had descended from the platform without anyone noticing and was now walking toward them with a smile.
Stopping in front of the group, Zephyr looked at Lloyd with complicated emotions.
"Lloyd, it's truly harsh for these kids to have you as their examiner."
Having witnessed the entire battle, Zephyr realized that he could no longer see through Lloyd at all. Especially after Lloyd revealed his vampire form, even Zephyr himself had felt a sense of danger.
That alone was enough to prove that Lloyd had likely surpassed him.
And it had not even been two years.
Such growth bordered on the absurd.
It was not that Dragon, Kuzan, and Aramaki lacked talent. It was simply that standing before a monster like Lloyd, any genius would seem ordinary.
Zephyr offered a few more words of encouragement to Kuzan and Aramaki before returning his attention to the platform.
Fleet Admiral Kong soon announced the results of the assessment and formally awarded the graduation ranks.
Dragon, Kuzan, and Aramaki were all promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral.
Kuzan and Aramaki stepped forward to receive their Navy cloaks personally.
Dragon's cloak, however, was handed to Garp by Kong, to be given to him once he woke up.
Despite his son's promotion, Garp showed no joy. He accepted the cloak in silence and left without a word.
At Marine Headquarters Hospital,
Dragon lay on a pristine white bed, his expression twisted with ferocity. The bedsheets had already been shredded by his movements.
Doctors and nurses stood nervously outside the ward. Violent air currents filled the room, and the walls were scarred with deep marks left by compressed wind blades.
When Garp arrived, he was momentarily stunned by the scene.
Ignoring the chaotic airflow, he walked straight to Dragon's bedside.
Dragon's eyes were tightly shut, sweat pouring down his face. His lips moved constantly, muttering incoherent words. One word, however, rang out with unsettling clarity.
"Revolution."
The usual carefree grin vanished from Garp's face. He frowned deeply, wiped the sweat from Dragon's forehead, and leaned down.
"Dragon," he whispered, "what in the world is going on with you?"
Dragon did not respond. His muttering only grew louder.
Garp's expression hardened. Some of Dragon's words had already crossed dangerous lines.
"Love Fist!"
Before the medical staff could react, Garp punched Dragon squarely in the stomach.
The bed frame shattered instantly. Dragon's eyes snapped open as his body bent violently, wedged between the broken boards.
Staring at the ruined ward, confusion flickered briefly in Dragon's eyes, followed by a strange, resolute light, as if he had reached a final conclusion.
He stood up as though nothing had happened and looked at Garp, who was watching him with deep concern.
In a low voice, Dragon spoke.
"Father, I want to leave the Navy."
"What!?"
Garp trembled violently. He grabbed Dragon by the collar and yanked him close, glaring fiercely.
"Did you hit your head and damage your brain? What did you just say? Say it again."
As he spoke, Garp glanced toward the door. The medical personnel immediately scattered, wisely leaving the ward to the father and son.
Dragon waited until they were gone before speaking again, his expression calm and unyielding.
"I said I want to leave the Navy. The Navy's justice doesn't suit me."
Boom.
Garp's fist sent Dragon crashing into the wall. Garp had deliberately held back, otherwise Dragon would have been blown straight out of the hospital.
Even so, Dragon showed no fear.
His eyes met Garp's directly, steady and unflinching.
_____
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