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Following Bugsy's orders, the kingdom's militia began driving out the criminal pirates who had landed on the island.
However, a surprising number surrendered peacefully.
Most of them were former residents locals who had turned to piracy but now saw a chance for redemption.
With stable jobs and a future to look forward to, returning home felt like reclaiming a lost identity.
After all, home is home.
Many had grown tired of living like fugitives, always hunted by the Navy or competing with ruthless rivals on the high seas.
Life as a pirate wasn't just about dodging the Navy it was also surviving bloody turf wars. Between crews, survival often came down to kill or be killed.
Ironically, some pirates had a better shot at surviving Navy prisons than pirate rivalries. Hard labor may have been grueling, but at least it offered a second chance.
Yet the allure of piracy hadn't vanished entirely. Despite their infamy, some still longed for the freedom of the sea, even if society shunned them.
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The island's militia, though lacking in strength and formal training, made up for it with heart.
They fought fiercely to defend their homeland and in doing so, those who survived began to show real potential.
Nothing sharpens a warrior more than real battle.
Of course, the price of using war as training was steep lives lost far outweighed structured military growth. Bugsy knew time wasn't on his side.
Unlike the late King Mance, who spent four decades slowly building a force of just over a hundred elite knights, Bugsy needed results fast.
If Captain Aero were still around, perhaps his training methods could've created rapid growth in a select few. But Bugsy had to work with what he had.
Aero once told him, "The world is changing fast. The weak won't survive."
So Bugsy chose trial by fire. If more than half his troops survived each clash, he'd call it a victory.
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He stationed 5,000 soldiers at each of Rubber Island's three ports North, West, and South.
The North, however, needed no defense. A colossal serpent guarded that shore, and Bugsy had declared it a restricted zone.
Across the kingdom's other three satellite islands, 20,000 troops were stationed on each.
After recent losses and restructuring, the total military strength now stood at around 120,000. Of these, 45,000 remained stationed at the royal capital.
Bugsy wasn't working alone. He had started coordinating with the Navy to eliminate pirate threats around the Gregor Kingdom.
The East Blue's naval division backed the plan fully, even sending several instructors from headquarters to help train Bugsy's forces.
When Bugsy heard the news through the Den Den Mushi, he was ecstatic not because of the Navy's support, but because of the instructors themselves. They were legends.
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Bugsy's campaign to protect the kingdom stretched five days. Across four islands, his forces wiped out 14 pirate crews. Three surrendered and pledged loyalty to the crown.
The result? Over 1,500 pirates neutralized. The 75,000-strong militia suffered 15,000 casualties but claimed a decisive victory.
They seized 14 large ships, an arsenal of weapons, a haul of treasure, and collected bounty totals reaching 20 million Berries.
Of the remaining 60,000 troops, 45,000 were reassigned to the royal capital. The original guards there rotated back to frontline posts.
Bugsy understood the chaos wasn't random. These islands weren't key trade routes. The recent pirate surge was likely tied to the massive storm caused by Aero's disappearance two months ago.
Since then, a new Navy commander had taken over East Blue, bringing law and order. Pirates were hiding out, burning through their stolen riches.
Now, broke and desperate, they'd begun raiding islands again.
But this unrest wouldn't last. The Navy was no pushover, and the new commander wouldn't tolerate disorder under his watch.
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After two relentless weeks of operations, Bugsy's forces were reduced to 80,000. But those who survived were stronger, hardened by war.
Over 500 pirates had joined the kingdom's forces. Bugsy still had to test their loyalty.
While some pirates were lying low, a few bold ones continued to make trouble. One particularly dangerous crew had just arrived on Rubber Island and this time, none of the tactical scrolls left behind by Aero offered a solution.
So Bugsy reached for his final ace.
The Den Den Mushi.
Even with his flashy golden robe and kingly status, Bugsy remained the same guy at heart still small, still scrappy, still loyal.
He dismissed his aides and took the call in private.
As the line connected, his bravado vanished, replaced by nervous anticipation.
"Hello? Bugsy?" came a cold, familiar voice from the other end.
"Captain, we've got trouble," Bugsy stammered. "A pirate crew just landed."
"Who are they?" Aero asked, his tone shifting with interest.
Bugsy took a deep breath.
"Do you know the name… Krieg? The East Blue Warlord?"
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