At the Critical Moment

At this critical moment, time seemed to freeze. The usually kind and amiable "Miss Bakkin" underwent a shocking transformation, as if she had been subjected to some kind of evil magic.

Her face, which was always adorned with a sweet smile and as kind and gentle as a spring breeze, vanished in the blink of an eye. In its place was an extremely cold face, as if a biting winter wind had swept through, mercilessly devouring all warmth and vitality in its path.

That once sunny and kind smile had vanished, replaced by coldness and indifference. Her eyes were like ancient ice, radiating a chilling aura that pierced the heart and sent shivers down one's spine. A thick layer of gloom shrouded her face, as if she were wearing a sinister mask, making it impossible to glimpse even the slightest emotional fluctuation within her. A single glance was enough to feel an invisible pressure bearing down on one, inspiring fear and deterring one from approaching easily.

Her once beautiful, captivating, and sparkling eyes had now transformed into two extremely sharp swords, their icy light shooting directly at Weevil. Her gaze, almost tangible, locked onto Weevil, leaving him nowhere to escape. Then, her words exploded like thunder. "Weevil! What's wrong with you? Why haven't you called for help yet?"

Weevil had never imagined that his mother would undergo such a drastic change in the blink of an eye, much less that she would display such a terrifying expression and tone. He felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his entire body trembling violently. Even his mountain-like, majestic physique couldn't help but flinch slightly, like a frightened beast instinctively trying to protect itself from a sudden threat.

Then, in an almost pleading tone, Weevil timidly said to his mother, "Mom, please don't be angry. I know I was wrong. I'll call you..." After saying this, he slowly turned around. Although he was filled with reluctance, he dared not disobey his mother's order. So, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and call out to Moke, who was standing to the side, "Big Brother!" His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone present to hear clearly.

When Weevil called him by that affectionate name, Moke stood frozen in place like a statue, his already stern face as if encased in Ice Seal, showing no fluctuation or change whatsoever. He merely raised his eyelids slightly, nodded expressionlessly, and then squeezed out a short, low syllable from his nose—"Hmm!" The voice seemed to come from the depths of a valley, carrying a hint of imperceptible indifference and detachment.

However, beneath this seemingly calm exterior, Moke's heart was already in turmoil. Countless chaotic and complex thoughts surged within him like a tide, causing him to involuntarily begin to criticize inwardly. Looking at the person before him who called himself his younger brother, Moke was filled with doubt and distrust. This guy was indeed burly and imposing, but his behavior was rash and impulsive, like that of an immature child; he acted recklessly, without considering the consequences. How could such a reckless person be trusted and relied upon? Thinking of this, Moke couldn't help but frown slightly, his gaze becoming increasingly deep and serious.

Seeing that Moke had responded, "Miss Bakkin," standing to the side, finally revealed a fleeting smile of satisfaction. She parted her lips slightly and nodded gently to Moke. Then, she quickly refocused her gaze on Weevil, her expression becoming exceptionally solemn and serious. In an unquestionable tone, she instructed, "Remember, from today onwards, if your mother cannot be by your side at all times, you must obediently follow your elder brother's orders and arrangements. You must not act recklessly, understand?"

Upon hearing this, Weevil froze as if struck by lightning. After a long while, he snapped out of his daze, nodding frantically like a chicken pecking at rice, muttering, "Yes, yes, I know, Mom..." Although he answered quickly, his not-so-bright brain didn't really take his words to heart. Sure enough, not long after, he started pondering again. After some deep thought, he suddenly looked up, his big, round eyes wide with suspicion, at "Miss Bakkin," and asked, puzzled, "Mom, why aren't you here? Are you going on a long trip?"

Looking at her son's innocent face, Miss Bakkin felt a pang of tenderness, but she quickly concealed it, adopting a serious expression as she replied, "I need to find your father, Whitebeard, and have a serious talk with him about our family reunion. Don't worry, my darling, once Mommy has successfully won over your father, I will definitely come back for you. At that time, you and your father can officially recognize each other!"

After hearing his mother's explanation, Moke stood to the side, mouth agape, eyes wide, utterly stunned. He inwardly exclaimed in astonishment, "This reason is utterly far-fetched! To say they're going to find that legendary Whitebeard to resolve the family reunion issue... How is that possible?" However, facing this strong-willed and resolute woman, Moke knew he was powerless to refute her, and could only helplessly choose to shut his mouth and silently accept all her arrangements.

At this moment, Moke could no longer suppress his anxiety and worry. He began to think Dark-Dark Fruit himself, "Respected lady, are you really not afraid or worried at all? What if that terrifying old man with the Whitebeard is really found, and after learning this absurd reason, he becomes enraged and even throws his powerful fist at you without mercy? What would happen then! Just thinking about such a terrifying scene makes my body tremble uncontrollably, as if I can already see that chilling moment."

As Moke grew increasingly terrified, Weevil, standing to the side, seemed detached, his face expressionless and remarkably calm. His large eyes stared blankly ahead, seemingly unconcerned about the events unfolding before him and their potential severe consequences. Faced with such a complex and unpredictable situation, Weevil merely nodded as if he understood, his bewildered expression like that of an innocent child, evoking a sense of pity.

Seeing Weevil's reaction, "Miss Bakkin" became extremely anxious. She quickly added, "My dear child, please don't be afraid! I promise you, no matter what difficulties or dangers you encounter, I will always be by your side. You know, I keep in close contact with you every day through a magical creature called a 'Den Den Mushi'. With it, even if we are thousands of miles apart, we can always hear each other's voices and feel each other's care and warmth. So, my darling son, go out and explore with confidence! No matter what happens, I will never let you be alone and helpless."

After hearing this, Weevil blinked his clear, bright eyes, then tilted his small, adorable head slightly, a look of confusion on his face, and curiously asked, "Mom, what exactly is this 'Den Den Mushi' you just mentioned? Why can it help us communicate with each other?" Looking at Weevil's innocent and adorable appearance, "Miss Bakkin" couldn't help but feel affection for him. She smiled slightly and then patiently began to explain to Weevil in detail the wonders of Den Den Mushi.

Meanwhile, at the distant Marine Headquarters, Lieutenant Commander Brannew hurried towards Fleet Admiral Sengoku's office. Upon entering, he eagerly exclaimed, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku Brannew, there's an urgent matter to report!" He then carefully presented the crucial intelligence document to the Fleet Admiral Sengoku and respectfully awaited Fleet Admiral instructions.

Sengoku's eyebrows shot up sharply, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up slightly, a faint smile gradually appearing on his face, "Such urgent intelligence arriving at this time must mean that Moke has successfully dealt with that Weevil guy." However, when he only glanced at the beginning of the intelligence report, the smile on Sengoku's face instantly froze, as if he had been frozen in place, even the upward curve of his lips remained stiff.

Immediately afterward, an uncontrollable rage surged from the depths of Sengoku's heart. His eyes widened, his face flushed red, and he slammed his fist on the table in anger, unable to hold back a curse, "Bastard..." Before he could finish speaking, he quickly grabbed the Den Den Mushi from the table and dialed Moke's number without hesitation.

Not long after, Moke's voice came from the other end of the phone. "Hello, this is Moke." Sengoku, suppressing his anger, gritted his teeth and said, "This is Sengoku!" Hearing that the other party was Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Moke's tone was somewhat surprised, but he quickly regained his composure. "Oh my, Fleet Admiral Sengoku! It seems our navy's intelligence system is truly impressive! I just finished my business here, and you've already received the news."

Sengoku took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, but he still couldn't hide his anger. "My order to you was to completely eliminate that troublesome Weevil, not to recruit him into your ranks!" Faced with Sengoku's questioning, Moke remained unusually calm, replying unhurriedly, "What's the problem? In any case, from now on, Weevil poses no threat to our navy... isn't that right?" After saying this, Moke seemed to feel it wasn't enough, adding, "Besides, having an ally is always better than having an enemy, isn't it?"

"No! It should be said that from this moment on, he has become a formidable force in the Navy that cannot be ignored! Shouldn't you be happy about that?" Upon hearing this, Sengoku's face instantly turned extremely gloomy, his lips trembling slightly as he tried to refute, but he found himself completely speechless, unable to utter a single word.

Admittedly, on the surface, this statement seemed flawless. After all, who exactly is Moke? He's one of the infamous Shichibukai! And as everyone knows, the Shichibukai have always been important partners allied with the Navy. Now that Weevil has become Moke's subordinate, it's undoubtedly a huge boon for the Navy.

However, this was merely a public statement. In reality, the Navy's high command didn't want the Shichibukai 'Shichibukai power to grow excessively. Especially someone like Moke, who was already among the stronger Warlords. Now, with Weevil, who also possessed Shichibukai- level strength, joining their ranks, the situation would gradually slip out of the Navy's control, becoming increasingly unpredictable and uncontrollable. This was clearly something Sengoku absolutely did not want to see happen.

However, there are some things that, while practically permissible, should never be openly discussed. For this reason, he was momentarily at a loss for how to respond. After all, bluntly stating, "You are my ally, but you must never strengthen your own power!" would be far too shameless and brazen. Moreover, even if he did say it, it would likely be utterly ineffective.

With a sharp "click," Sengoku, enraged, abruptly hung up the call. His chest heaved, he gasped for breath, like an enraged lion. "Huff..." Sengoku took several deep breaths, desperately trying to suppress the raging fire within him. After some effort, he finally calmed down slightly, slowly picked up the important intelligence document on the table, and began to read it again with renewed focus...

His gaze first fell on the name "Ata," whose bounty was a staggering over 100 million! Then came the "Skeleton Swordsman"—where did this guy suddenly come from? Sengoku frowned, silently thinking that he had to send someone to investigate immediately. His gaze continued downwards, and the name "Perona" came into view— Paramecia -Ghost Devil Fruit User, with a bounty of over 40 million. And now, there was that guy named Weevil, with a bounty of 480 million Beli. All of this had happened in such a short time; the speed at which Moke's side had grown in strength was truly astonishing!

Wait a minute! Perona? Could she actually be a crew member of Gecko Moria? You see, if they were just ordinary pirates, even with a substantial bounty... probably very few would even catch his eye. However, each of those appointed as Shichibukai was carefully selected by him. Therefore, he was naturally well aware of their individual strengths and the situation of their crews. And this Perona was undoubtedly one of Gecko Moria's Admiral. Thinking of this, his expression changed slightly. Although Gecko Moria's strength had declined somewhat, he was still a force to be reckoned with. Moreover, like the other members of the Shichibukai, he held a prestigious position and a renowned reputation.

It should be noted that although the so-called "Shichibukai" belong to the same organization, each member is distinct, unruly, and unwilling to submit to one another. If these people were to unite one day, the consequences would be unimaginable! Thinking of this, he was suddenly alarmed and quickly looked up at Major Brannew standing beside him, urgently ordering, "Without delay, immediately dispatch 'Tyrant' Kuma to Gecko Moria's location and find out exactly what happened there!"

How could he easily believe that the eccentric and unpredictable Gecko Moria would order his crew to follow Moke without any reason? There must be some unknown conspiracy or deal hidden behind this. Just then, Major Brannew, upon hearing this, instantly turned serious and solemnly said, "That's an order from Fleet Admiral Sengoku!" After saying that, he didn't dare to delay for a moment, immediately turned around and left the room, quickly relaying the relevant instructions to Kuma.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Moke, who had just hung up the communication, curled his lip in disdain and muttered, "Hmph, he calls himself Fleet Admiral, but with such a lack of magnanimity, he's utterly disappointing." Immediately afterward, a familiar, strange laugh rang out—"Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho..." It was Perona; at the same time, another equally distinctive laugh sounded—"Yo-ho-ho-ho..." Without even looking, it was clear that this was Brook's voice.

Moke was drawn to the two men's distinctive laughter and instinctively turned to look at them. However, the instant his eyes met theirs, his expression suddenly changed drastically, and he inwardly cried out, "Oh no, I was too careless!" Realizing the situation was dire, Moke didn't hesitate to issue a new order, "Miss Bakkin, come with me!"

Upon hearing Moke's anxious shouts, Miss Bakkin was momentarily taken aback. A look of astonishment flashed across her beautiful face, clearly surprised and taken aback by this sudden and unexpected turn of events. However, she quickly recovered and responded without hesitation, "Ah? Okay!" Then, without daring to delay, she hurriedly followed Moke's hurried figure as he walked away into the distance.

At this moment, Ata, Brook, Perona, and Miss Bakkin (Mr. 2), who had witnessed this scene, all wore expressions of shock and astonishment. Mr. 2, in particular, was filled with confusion. After all, according to their original plan, things shouldn't have turned out this way! He should have seized this excellent opportunity to slip away quietly! But faced with this situation, he didn't choose to ask why, because he knew that Moke must have had his reasons. So, after a brief hesitation, Mr. 2 followed Moke without hesitation, hurrying towards the direction of the ship.

The moment Moke stepped onto the deck, he didn't even have time to catch his breath before urgently saying to Mr. 2 beside him, "It's terrible! Perona accidentally revealed her face, and the Navy must already know about it. I think it won't be long before they send a large force to Gecko Moria to investigate. Therefore, there's no time to lose; I have to get back immediately. Now, I'll ask you to use your Imitation Devil Fruit Ability to transform into my appearance. Remember, you have to find a way to cause a big commotion on this island, making sure everyone present can clearly see that 'I' am still here. Understand?"

Upon hearing this, Mr. 2's expression instantly turned serious. He immediately realized that the gravity of the situation was beyond imagination. Their captain was now one of the Shichibukai, and if he were to kill another Shichibukai, they would be utterly unable to explain themselves to the World Government! Unless their captain intended to relinquish his coveted Shichibukai status, this matter absolutely could not be leaked.

Thinking this through, Mr. 2 nodded without hesitation and replied, "Yes, I understand, Captain!"

Moke began to move methodically. He took a deep breath, as if inhaling all the surrounding air. Then, a miraculous scene unfolded—his body gradually became transparent, eventually merging completely into the air, transforming into an invisible, intangible air being. Just like that, Moke dissipated like smoke, disappearing from Mr. 2's sight.

However, just a few seconds later, Mr. 2 suddenly felt a powerful aura emanating from above. He looked up and was surprised to find that Moke had appeared a hundred meters in the air. At this moment, Moke once again displayed his amazing abilities. Bathed in the brilliant sunlight, his body gradually Shine with golden light. In the blink of an eye, he transformed into a powerful being with the Devil Fruit Ability.

Finally, accompanied by a burst of dazzling light, Moke streaked across the sky like Inazuma, speeding towards the Florian Triangle. He knew very well that only by reaching the speed of light could he hope to return to the fearsome Thriller Bark before the naval forces arrived.