Carrot did not understand what was happening to her. Facing Lloyd after his transformation, an instinctive urge to submit rose from deep within her.
It was an unfamiliar and unsettling sensation. Compared to Pedro, the current ruler of Zou, Lloyd felt far more like a true king.
Wanda experienced something similar, though not nearly as intense.
At that moment, Wanda stared at Carrot's tall and refined figure, shock clearly written across her face.
She was certain this was Carrot's first transformation, yet her composure was completely unnatural. There was no loss of control, no wild surge of emotion.
Even Pedro and Sicilian, the most experienced warriors among the Mink Tribe, could not maintain such stability after transforming.
Could it be that Carrot possessed extraordinary talent, a rare prodigy among their people?
At the same time, a flicker of unease passed through Wanda's eyes.
She suppressed the disturbance in her heart and focused on another question.
Why was Lloyd capable of releasing the moonlight that triggered a Mink's transformation?
Lloyd fell into brief contemplation, recalling that full moon night from over twenty years ago.
He remembered Nekomamushi roaring about the Moon God Form, a state clearly distinct from the Sulong form.
The difference was evident. The amplification of strength and electrical power granted by the Moon God Form far exceeded that of Sulong.
More importantly, the Moon God Form possessed an advantage that Sulong could not replicate. In his normal state, Lloyd's body could store moonlight.
This allowed him to transform freely, regardless of the lunar cycle.
As his power increased, the amount of stored moonlight grew as well, even reaching the point of overflow during transformation.
Carrot's current state was clearly triggered by that excess energy.
However, not every Mink could respond in the same way. Wanda, for example, had only experienced minor physical changes.
Lloyd studied Carrot with measured interest.
Although he had no particular inclination toward such appearances, he could not deny that her transformed state was striking. She carried an elegant presence, like a being shaped by moonlight itself.
Carrot blinked, then took a few steps back, lowering her gaze to examine her own body.
"So this is transformation… it feels strange," she murmured.
Without warning, she pushed off the ground. Her body blurred into a streak of white, darting rapidly around the room.
As she moved freely, testing her newfound power, Lloyd vanished from his position and reappeared directly in her path.
Startled, Carrot attempted to stop, but inertia carried her forward. She collided headfirst into Lloyd's chest.
The impact was heavy, yet Lloyd did not move in the slightest.
To Carrot, it felt like crashing into an immovable mountain. A painful swelling instantly formed on her forehead.
She dropped into a crouch, clutching her head as she winced.
"Ow… ow…"
Lloyd looked down at her, then deactivated his Moon God Form.
"This is not a place for reckless movement," he said coldly, then paused.
A faint, unsettling smile formed on his lips as he leaned slightly closer.
"Protect your head. Damage it, and the taste will suffer."
Carrot froze.
In an instant, she sprang to her feet, clutching her head tightly.
"You, you… how can you say something like that? I even let you touch me earlier, and now you treat me like this?"
Wanda's expression twitched slightly at her words.
Lucia watched with faint amusement, while Lloyd narrowed his eyes, looking down at Carrot.
"Oh? Was it not you who approached me on your own? A rabbit that lies will still end up in the pot."
Carrot swallowed hard, stepping back slowly, her voice trembling.
"D-don't come closer…"
Before she could retreat further, her body trembled again.
With the loss of moonlight's influence, she reverted to her original state. In the next moment, Lloyd lifted her effortlessly by the back of her neck.
Having just exited transformation and lacking experience, Carrot entered a weakened state.
Suspended like that, she lacked even the strength to resist.
Her voice came out faint and defeated.
"Do whatever you want… I can't escape anyway…"
Lloyd raised an eyebrow, then casually tossed her aside.
Lucia stepped forward and caught Carrot smoothly. The rabbit Mink instinctively curled into her arms.
Observing this, Lloyd spoke with mild amusement.
"Lucia, planning to imitate someone who keeps a pet rabbit?"
Lucia tilted her head, confused.
"Young Master, what do you mean?"
Lloyd paused briefly, then replied vaguely, "Someone who resides far away and enjoys keeping rabbits nearby."
Lucia blinked, clearly not fully understanding, but she accepted his explanation without question.
Carrot's soft, fluffy form made her surprisingly comfortable to hold, so Lucia did not put her down.
Lloyd's gaze shifted back to Wanda.
"Now, continue. Tell me everything about Joy Boy."
After witnessing everything that had just occurred, Wanda found Lloyd even more unfathomable than before.
She did not dare hesitate.
Carefully, she recounted Joy Boy's arrival on Zou and everything that followed.
After listening, Lloyd fell into thought, then spoke slowly.
"You mentioned that Joy Boy claimed Luffy willingly surrendered his body to him."
Wanda nodded.
"Yes. He said the person named Luffy no longer exists."
A faint, cold smile appeared on Lloyd's face.
"In the end, he still chose that path. Calling it voluntary is nothing more than self-deception. Whether it is corruption or simply his true nature, the result is the same."
Wanda clenched her fists, gathering her courage.
"Celestial Dragon Marshal… Joy Boy said he has lived for eight hundred years. Is that true?"
Lloyd's expression remained indifferent.
"It is true."
He paused briefly before continuing, his tone carrying a quiet finality.
"An existence that has persisted for over eight centuries has taken the body of an innocent young man."
"That is the truth."