Ignoring Rocks' briefly displeased expression, Linlin's attention immediately went to the Paw-Paw Fruit, and she decided to leave the battlefield.
Her speed was blinding, and she lunged toward Ivan.
In that instant, Lloyd raised his right hand, now pitch black, and a dark vortex appeared in his palm.
"Pull!"
"Almighty Pull!"
Buzz!
A powerful gravitational force erupted from the black vortex. Ivan, along with the Paw-Paw Fruit in his hand, was yanked toward Lloyd. Linlin overshot, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief.
Far-off combatants and big shots alike were stunned. Rocks' eyes widened as he focused on the vortex in Lloyd's hand.
"Is that the kid from earlier?! That ability… could it be?!"
Saint Saturn rarely displayed shock, yet now his face betrayed surprise—not at the Dark-Dark Fruit, but at Lloyd himself.
"That child… who is he?"
He glanced at Saint Garin Fingerland, silent at his side. Garin's expression was unreadable, muttering under his breath,
"He's supposed to be dead… yet he looks just like him."
After a moment of confusion, Linlin looked at Lloyd with a playful smirk.
"I didn't expect a mere child to wield an ability. Not bad at all… quite an impressive skill. You're handsome too, but you stole my prize! Hand it over, and maybe I can keep you till you age."
At this moment, Liglin was still slender, her beauty and alluring figure complemented by a voice carrying subtle charm. Yet Lloyd's mind conjured the image of a drooling, grotesque future Big Mom, and a shiver ran down his spine.
Believing she intimidated him, Linlin chuckled and slowly advanced.
Just as she thought the Paw-Paw Fruit would be hers, Lloyd squeezed Ivan's hand, forcing a startled yelp from him and a mischievous grin from Lloyd. Seizing the moment, he snatched the Paw-Paw Fruit, intending to force it into Ivan's mouth. But Linlin's speed was not to be underestimated.
In a blink, she reached Lloyd. Ivan had already been flung aside like a ragdoll. Linlin crouched and pinched Lloyd's slender arm, her voice sharp.
"Kid, not being honest… huh?!"
Her expression shifted abruptly. She raised an arm covered in Armament Haki, but before she could act further, a black-clad figure appeared, sword slashing with precision.
"Clang!"
It was Saint Fingerland. After the strike, he used the momentum to retreat, landing a short distance away, eyes locked coldly on Lingling.
Linlin recoiled. The Armament Haki faded, leaving a faint red mark on her fair skin. Even with her defense, a sting of pain remained. She frowned, realizing that the Chief of the Divine Knight Order had abandoned the main battlefield to confront her directly.
"It seems the Celestial Dragons value this Paw-Paw Fruit highly… then I must get it, along with that Blue Dragon Fruit," she thought.
The instructions had clearly mentioned the two fruits. Linlin's main objective for coming to God Valley was the Blue Dragon Fruit, to manipulate Kaido. She already possessed the Soul-Soul Fruit, so her goal was strategy, not consumption.
Originally, the Paw-Paw Fruit was secondary, a decoy, but Saint Fingerland's interference elevated its importance in her eyes.
However, she misjudged his focus. Saint Fingerland had no interest in the Paw-Paw Fruit itself. His attention lingered on Lloyd, scrutinizing the open scars on his chest. His eyes flickered as he spoke,
"Hey… what's your name?"
Lloyd froze. He knew of Saint Fingerland, the Chief of the Divine Knight Order, an elite of the Celestial Dragons with terrifying skill. Why would such a person notice him? Perhaps it was because of the Dark-Dark Fruit.
"My name is Lloyd," he answered, steady despite his surprise.
Saint Fingerland's body tensed slightly, a spark of recognition in his gaze.
"Full name?"
Lloyd paused, his mind blank of past memories, and said truthfully,
"I… can't remember the past. Lloyd is my full name now."
His words carried a sincerity as solid as gold. Saint Fingerland nodded thoughtfully, whispering,
"Lost his memories… remembers his name, but forgot his surname…"
Curious, Lloyd ventured,
"You know me? Can you tell me my full name?"
They exchanged words quietly, leaving Linlin ignored in the background. Veins bulging on her forehead, she roared,
"Enough! What names and no names?! What do you take me for?!"
She snatched the Paw-Paw Fruit roughly, ready to leave.
Just as Lloyd feared it would be taken, Saint Fingerland acted. He swung his sword, releasing red and black lightning energy aimed directly at Lingling.
Linlin braced, crossing her arms and forcing the energy back, but the Paw-Paw Fruit slipped from her grasp, rolling to Lloyd's feet.
Ivan had already been flung several meters by Linlin. Lloyd didn't hesitate. He kicked the Paw-Paw Fruit toward Kuma, shouting,
"Kuma! Eat the Paw-Paw Fruit!"
Kuma, still stunned, snapped to attention. Ignoring everything else, he opened his massive mouth and swallowed the flying fruit whole. Soon, a pair of adorable paw pads formed on his massive hands, a sign that the fruit's power had awakened.
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