Shirahoshi, having successfully entered the sleeping quarters, was filled with curiosity. She moved back and forth repeatedly, clearly fascinated by the experience, until Lloyd finally spoke with a hint of helplessness, "Have you had enough fun?"
Only then did Shirahoshi stop. Her eyes sparkled as she cheered, "This is truly incredible! As expected of Saint Lloyd!"
Lloyd gave a faint smile. "Just a minor trick. Come in, it's time to eat."
Shirahoshi followed him into the hall. A massive dining table had been specially arranged for the occasion, with several oversized dishes clearly prepared to suit her size.
When Monet and the others saw Lloyd, they immediately stepped forward and guided him to the seat at the head of the table. Meanwhile, Sugar eagerly pulled Shirahoshi to sit beside her.
After the meal, Lloyd arranged for Shirahoshi to be escorted back.
At the entrance of the sleeping quarters, Lloyd stood beside Lucia, watching Shirahoshi's figure gradually disappear into the distance. Lucia spoke softly, "Young Master, the giant Sea Kings near the Red Line have been unusually active lately..."
Lloyd's lips curved slightly. "Shirahoshi ordered them to patrol that area. Joy Boy seems to have taken a liking to underwater infiltration recently."
Lucia nodded in realization. "I see. It's still hard to believe that Poseidon, one of the Ancient Weapons, is actually a mermaid princess."
"That's precisely why she must be protected," Lloyd replied. "Not only Poseidon, but Pluton is effectively under our control as well. I'm quite interested in seeing how Joy Boy will respond."
As he spoke, a faint dark aura flickered at the corners of his eyes. He raised his gaze toward the full moon slowly taking shape in the night sky and continued, "I wonder how many more full moons he will witness before making his move."
…
Three days later, a massive pitch black warship docked along the edge of the Red Line. At its bow stood Dr. Vegapunk and his six satellites.
York gazed up at the towering Red Line, her expression filled with longing. "No matter how many times I come here, it still feels so captivating."
Lilith immediately sneered. "Captivating? This is a place you'll never belong. You should stay in the lab where you actually serve a purpose."
York shot her a sideways glare and scoffed. "Mind your own business. If I can't stay here, do you think you can? Have you even spoken to Saint Lloyd?"
Lilith crossed her arms, unimpressed. "I've never cared about staying here. And whether I've spoken to Saint Lloyd is irrelevant. Do you seriously think exchanging a few words with him makes you special? If that's your level of thinking, you might as well self-destruct. Your existence only drags down the rest of us."
York's expression twisted with anger. Without hesitation, she drew a large flintlock pistol and aimed it directly at Lilith. The dark muzzle was nearly as large as Lilith herself.
"I've had enough of you. If you want to die, I'll grant it!"
Lilith, embodying malice itself, showed no fear. Her eyes subtly flicked upward behind York before she deliberately stepped closer to the gun, closing the already negligible distance.
"Go ahead," she taunted. "Fire right here beneath the Red Line. Do it."
York's eyes widened with fury. "You think I won't!?"
A sharp click echoed as she pulled the trigger.
Given the size of the bullet, a direct hit at this range would have obliterated Lilith instantly.
Dr. Vegapunk and the other satellites were caught completely off guard. None of them expected York to actually fire.
Yet the anticipated outcome never came.
Instead, a loud impact rang out from the ship's side behind Lilith.
Everyone turned to look. A massive bullet spun rapidly against the dark hull before losing momentum and dropping onto the deck. The surface of the ship remained perfectly smooth, not even a scratch marking the impact.
The scene left Dr. Vegapunk and the satellites stunned.
The durability of Pluton's hull was not the issue. As an Ancient Weapon, such resilience was expected. What defied logic was something else entirely.
At point blank range, it was impossible for York to miss. Yet the bullet had passed cleanly through Lilith's body without causing even the slightest harm.
It made no sense.
Only Lilith remained composed. She smiled faintly, then looked up at the sky and bowed.
"Thank you, Saint Lloyd, for your protection."
Startled, Dr. Vegapunk and the others quickly followed her gaze. York also turned her head upward in shock.
There, suspended in midair with his arms crossed, was Lloyd. His gaze was fixed calmly upon them.
The bullet's strange trajectory was no mystery. With his mastery of the Dark-Dark Fruit, erasing the substance of a projectile mid-flight was trivial.
Under their watchful eyes, Lloyd descended slowly onto the deck. His gaze settled on York, who still clutched the gun in a daze.
"Killing someone here," he said flatly, "you've got some nerve."
York's body trembled violently. She dropped to her knees with a loud thud, tears streaming down her face.
"I'm sorry, Saint Lloyd! I acted without thinking! Please spare me!"
Lloyd had no intention of killing her. However, discipline was necessary. Internal conflict among Vegapunk's satellites could not be tolerated, especially when it threatened the efficiency of his research.
After all, Vegapunk's work was far too valuable to him.
Lloyd glanced at York, and a faint purple light flickered in his eyes.
In the next instant, York felt her body grow weightless. Before she could react, she was lifted into the air against her will.
As the satellite responsible for handling the bodily functions of the others, York was overwhelmed with terror. She nearly lost control on the spot. However, the sight of Lloyd below forced her to suppress the urge completely.
At the same moment, Dr. Vegapunk and the other satellites instinctively clutched their lower abdomens, their expressions shifting in unison. Even Pythagoras, despite lacking a physical bladder, mirrored the reaction.
Once York had risen to a considerable height, Lloyd snapped his fingers.
Her scream tore through the air as gravity reclaimed her.
She plummeted straight down and crashed heavily onto the deck with a dull impact, the force knocking her unconscious instantly.