Aokiji held a bottle of sake in his hand, took two sips, then frowned slightly.
"It does not have much flavor. Pear wine is better."
Aramaki had a cigarette hanging loosely from his lips, his hands resting behind his head as he spoke casually.
"How good could alcohol from a place like this really be?"
Aokiji raised a brow and glanced at him.
"You have not been here long, have you, Aramaki? Why so much hostility toward this country?"
Aramaki spat to the side and flicked the cigarette away.
"It is not allied with the World Government, and pirates have ruled it for years. What else would it be besides a rotten country?"
"I heard the ruler is a native, Kurozumi Orochi."
Aramaki let out a short scoff.
"That is why I call you inexperienced. With Kaido here, that Orochi is nothing more than a puppet."
Aokiji ignored the sarcasm, already used to it. He simply nodded, took another drink, and spoke calmly.
"Then we will deal with him later."
Not far behind them, Doflamingo walked beside Kuma. Compared to Kuma's towering build, he looked noticeably smaller.
Kuma held a notebook in his hand, quietly writing as he walked.
Doflamingo glanced at it and spoke.
"Admiral Kuma..."
Kuma paused, tilting his head slightly before replying in a gentle tone.
"My name is Bartholomew Kuma. Just call me Kuma."
Doflamingo, who was rarely respectful toward others, showed unusual politeness toward those connected to Lloyd. After a brief pause, he spoke again.
"Then... can I call you Brother Kuma?"
Kuma froze for a moment. It was the first time anyone had addressed him like that. A soft smile formed on his face as he nodded.
"That is fine."
To Doflamingo, Kuma was a contradiction. He was the most physically imposing among the Admirals, yet also the most gentle.
Doflamingo pointed at the notebook.
"Brother Kuma, what are you writing?"
Kuma smiled faintly.
"I am documenting this journey. I write something down every time we arrive somewhere new."
Ahead of them, Kizaru, who had been left behind by Akainu moments ago, overheard the conversation and strolled over with a lazy expression.
"Kuma, do not forget that I have been with you every time~"
Kuma nodded.
"Yes, Borsalino, I will remember."
Kizaru laughed, then turned his head toward Akainu.
"Hey, Sakazuki, how about we travel the world together after we retire?"
Akainu stopped walking and replied seriously.
"That is fine, but we would need permission to sail. Otherwise, we would be considered pirates."
In this world, aside from nobles, anyone who wished to sail needed approval from the World Government. Without it, they would be labeled pirates.
Even high ranking Marines like Akainu were not exempt. In fact, they were under stricter scrutiny due to the level of danger they represented.
After hearing that, everyone fell silent for a moment.
Then, almost at the same time, their gazes shifted toward Lloyd, who was walking ahead.
Lloyd sensed their eyes on him. He shook his head slightly and let out a faint chuckle before turning around.
"Do I look like a permit?"
The moment he said that, Kizaru and the others burst into laughter. Even Akainu's lips curled slightly.
Lloyd tilted his head, one hand resting on his waist.
"When the time comes, you will not need permission to go anywhere."
Aramaki immediately responded.
"Saint Lloyd's words carry more authority than any permit."
Lloyd only smiled faintly. He lifted a finger, made a small dismissive motion, then turned and continued walking.
The others exchanged confused looks before following.
The group moved through the streets and eventually arrived in front of the General's Residence.
The area was under strict guard. Samurai surrounded the entrance, their blades already drawn.
The moment Lloyd and his group appeared, they were encircled.
The leader stepped forward, a man with long crimson hair and a painted face. He held a large brush and pointed it at Lloyd.
"You are unfamiliar faces. State your identities and your purpose."
Lloyd's expression remained indifferent.
"Kurozumi Kanjuro, it seems you no longer need to pretend."
Kanjuro's eyes narrowed slightly. He was about to speak again when his expression suddenly froze.
He slowly looked down.
A thick green vine had pierced straight through his chest.
Aramaki's voice was cold.
"What are you supposed to be? Speaking like that to Saint Lloyd."
Before anyone could react, Kanjuro's body rapidly shriveled. His flesh dried up until he collapsed into a lifeless husk.
Silence fell over the area.
The surrounding samurai stared in horror.
As Kanjuro's body hit the ground, Lloyd casually stored the Brush-Brush Fruit into the dark bible without a word.
"You..."
The samurai finally reacted, but it was already too late.
A chilling wave of frost swept across the area.
In an instant, dozens of lifelike ice sculptures appeared around Lloyd.
Aokiji snapped his fingers.
With a sharp cracking sound, the frozen figures shattered into countless ice fragments that scattered across the ground.
Inside the General's Residence, the commotion drew attention.
People rushed outside, only to find nothing left of the guards except fragments of ice and a single dried corpse.
Doflamingo stepped forward, a cruel smile spreading across his face.
"Saint Lloyd, leave the rest to me."
Lloyd gave a slight nod.
Doflamingo crouched and touched the ground.
Moments later, the earth began to tremble. The ground surged upward in waves, swallowing the remaining samurai whole.
The rumbling faded.
Silence returned.
Inside the residence, Kurozumi Orochi sat with his retainers, discussing the strange events occurring on Onigashima.
When the tremors reached them, Orochi frowned.
"What is happening outside? What is Kanjuro doing?"
He stood up, preparing to check for himself.
At that moment, footsteps echoed through the hall.
Lloyd and the others walked in calmly, as if they were taking a leisurely stroll.
Orochi froze.
The moment he saw Lloyd's face clearly, fear overtook him.
"You... you are..."
Before he could finish speaking, his body was suddenly dragged forward by an invisible force.
In an instant, he was in Lloyd's grasp, his neck tightly held.
Lloyd said nothing.
With a slight movement of his hand, a sharp crack echoed.
Orochi's head fell limp to the side.
His body went still.