Aokiji knew the situation was serious and immediately reported it to the World Government's higher-ups.
The higher-ups decided to act. On one hand, they dispatched more Marine forces to monitor the Moke Pirates' movements. On the other, they joined forces with other maritime powers, attempting to form an alliance against the Moke Pirates.
As for Moke, he noticed the World Government's little schemes, but he did not care.
He believed firmly in his crew's strength and considered the other forces nothing to fear. He ordered them to speed up their preparations and get ready to challenge the nearest Emperor of the Sea first.
Within the Moke Pirates, although Sugar was young, she too could sense the approaching scent of war.
She secretly resolved to make the greatest possible use of her Devil Fruit ability in battle and help the Moke Pirates claim victory.
War was on the verge of erupting. The Moke Pirates' massive sailing ship cut through the raging sea on the wind, while waves roared like furious torrents along both sides of the hull, as if they wanted to swallow the entire vessel whole.
Meanwhile, dark clouds churned overhead as lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, seemingly foreshadowing an earth-shaking storm.
At the same time, the World Government and the other major maritime powers stood ready. Each deployed elite forces, beginning a tense and fierce standoff across the vast ocean.
For a time, banners fluttered across the sea, war drums boomed deafeningly, and the atmosphere was exceptionally grim and oppressive. A breathtaking naval battle seemed ready to erupt at any moment.
Yet this was only the beginning... Who could have imagined that, on the eve of this fierce battle, the Marines would make a shocking move—they not only publicly released bounty notices for every member of the Moke Pirates,