After hearing this, Lloyd agreed immediately.
He asked Sengoku for the coordinates, then ended the Den Den Mushi call and turned to Lucia.
"Let us go, Lucia," Lloyd said calmly. "We will inform Uncle Garling first, then depart at once."
Lucia instantly adjusted her state of mind. She returned to the room, retrieved Lloyd's Navy cloak, and carefully draped it over his shoulders. Once he was ready, the two of them headed directly to Saint Garling's private quarters.
When Garling heard the name Redfield, his expression became solemn. His eyes darkened slightly as he spoke in a deep voice.
"Go, but you must be careful. Redfield is an extremely dangerous man. If the situation turns unfavorable, you are to prioritize your own life above all else."
Lloyd nodded.
He understood Redfield's strength very well. This was a man who stood on the same level as Whitebeard and Roger, the legendary pirate known as the Red Count. His combat power even surpassed that of Fleet Admiral Kong.
If Garp had not taken advantage of a crucial opening back then, Kong might very well have died at Redfield's hands.
Even so, this battle was ultimately considered a Navy victory. With Kong holding the front line, Lloyd regarded this military merit as practically guaranteed. While it would not immediately promote him to the position of Fleet Admiral, it would significantly raise his prestige within the Navy and bring his long term objective of fully controlling the Navy one step closer.
More importantly, Lloyd had no intention of missing the opportunity to face a monster like the Red Count.
Battle was the most efficient method of growth.
After bidding farewell to Garling, Lloyd took Lucia back to the warship anchored near the Red Line and ordered it to set sail toward the coordinates Sengoku had provided.
On the Grand Line, on an unnamed island.
Crackle.
Red and black lightning erupted violently across the sky as the unmistakable pressure of Haoshoku Haki spread in all directions. A slender figure and a powerfully built figure collided mid air, their clash causing the land below to collapse repeatedly from the shockwaves.
Navy soldiers lay scattered across the battlefield, their eyes rolled back, long since unconscious.
The only ones still standing were Redfield and Kong.
They had been locked in brutal combat for an entire day and night. The Navy soldiers Kong brought with him had been instantly overwhelmed by Redfield's Haoshoku Haki, not even qualified to remain conscious in the battlefield's atmosphere.
As for the few stronger vice admirals, they had been swiftly dealt with. Some were dead, others severely injured. The damage they inflicted on Redfield, however, was negligible, and Kong had been forced to divert his attention multiple times to save them.
Frankly speaking, they had been better off losing consciousness from the start.
Redfield landed gracefully on the ground.
He wore a brilliant red cape and leaned casually on a crimson umbrella, the same color as the blue rose pinned to his chest. His demeanor was refined, almost aristocratic.
He looked at Kong, who stood bare chested and bloodied, and smiled faintly.
"Kong, you truly did not disappoint me," Redfield said. "It was worth staying here deliberately and waiting for you."
Kong's expression was grave. He let out a cold snort.
"Redfield, I will capture you today."
Redfield laughed softly. His narrow eyes curved as a chilling gleam flashed through his golden pupils.
"With just you?" he replied. "I would rather experience the pleasure of killing a Fleet Admiral."
The moment he finished speaking, Redfield transformed into a streak of crimson light and appeared directly in front of Kong.
Speed was Redfield's specialty. Even Kong, a powerhouse renowned for close combat, was clearly inferior in that regard.
Kong's advantage lay in his body. His flesh was tough enough to endure punishment that would cripple others.
Facing Redfield's assault, he endured the initial blow head on. Then he roared, suddenly wrapping his arms around Redfield's slender waist and smashing him forcefully into the ground.
Redfield snapped his umbrella downward, blocking the impact. His golden high heeled leather shoes gleamed with a metallic sheen as he twisted his body and kicked Kong backward, forcing him to stagger.
Before Kong could fully recover, the umbrella in Redfield's hand thrust forward like a blade.
Kong immediately raised his arm, Armament Haki coating his hand as he firmly grasped the umbrella's tip and pulled hard.
Redfield smiled.
He suddenly released his grip, abandoning the weapon entirely. His fingernails turned pitch black in an instant, slashing outward as ten intersecting crimson arcs tore through the air.
Blood sprayed from Kong's chest.
Ten deep, dark red gashes appeared across his torso.
Yet Kong did not retreat.
Under Redfield's astonished gaze, Kong raised both fists and slammed them down, smashing Redfield deep into the ground beneath his feet.
Redfield vanished into a massive crater.
Kong dropped to one knee, covering his chest as he gasped for breath.
That attack had dealt far more damage than it appeared. If his Armament Haki had been even slightly weaker, his internal organs would have been shredded.
Even so, he had already suffered serious internal injuries.
Swish.
Redfield flashed out of the crater and landed a short distance away, one hand clutching his lower back, his posture leaning slightly backward.
He had not expected Kong's will to be so tenacious. Even after sustaining heavy damage, Kong had still been capable of such a ferocious counterattack.
The pain in his waist caused Redfield's expression to twist subtly.
Kong slowly stood up again, adopting his fighting stance.
At this stage of the battle, both men were heavily exhausted. However, compared to Kong, Redfield's condition was still marginally better.
Blood trickled from the corner of Kong's mouth, his heart sinking.
For fighters of their level, this situation was extremely dangerous.
Redfield noticed the change immediately. The pain in his waist rapidly subsided as he glanced around at the unconscious Navy soldiers littering the battlefield.
He raised his chin mockingly.
"What is the point of bringing so many people?" he said. "They are nothing but dead weight."
Without waiting for a response, Redfield surged forward once more, retrieving his umbrella as he charged, and resumed his battle with Kong.
Neither of them noticed that, some distance away, a dark vortex silently appeared in the air.
Before the warship had even docked, Lloyd had already sensed the terrifying momentum generated by the clash between Kong and the Red Count.
He activated Kamui and arrived directly at the battlefield.
In his view, aside from Lucia, none of the other Navy soldiers aboard the ship could withstand the Haoshoku Haki pressure here. Bringing them along would serve no purpose.
The bodies scattered across the ground were proof enough.
Lloyd's gaze locked onto Redfield.
In the next instant, a pair of pitch black wings unfolded from his back. With a single flap, his figure vanished from its original position.
Redfield, who was mid combat with Kong, suddenly felt every hair on his body stand on end.
His Observation Haki had been honed to near perfection. His body reacted instinctively, forcing him to evade at the last moment, even though doing so caused him to take a heavy punch from Kong.
It was worth it.
Because the instant he dodged, a streak of black sword light flashed past him, slicing cleanly through a portion of his red cape.
Redfield's expression changed.
He retreated rapidly, lifting his gaze toward the sky and fixing his eyes on Lloyd.
His voice dropped, filled with cold gravity.
"Admiral Black Dragon?"