Punching my way through One Piece

Noboru sat at the edge of a quiet mangrove grove, the distant chatter of Sabaody's bustling market echoing faintly in the background. He had always found the relative calm of these moments useful. The world, however chaotic, seemed to pause for a moment before the next storm. And Noboru knew—storms were coming.

His fingers traced the edges of the newly published bounty poster in his hands, his own face glaring back at him with that unflinching, hardened expression. The number beneath it was staggering:

"Noboru – 950,000,000 Berries"

A bounty approaching a billion berries. It wasn't unexpected. After what had happened with the maine ships he encountered, and after the encounter with Kizaru, the World Government wouldn't take any chances. Not with him.

Still, seeing his name plastered across a wanted poster, a symbol of threat to the Marines and the World Government, gave Noboru a moment of pause. He had avoided the public eye for so long, operating in the shadows, gathering information, but now, he was no longer anonymous. He was infamous. His deeds would travel across the seas with every bounty hunter and Marine aiming for his head. It was inevitable.

As Noboru gazed at the poster, he let out a small, amused chuckle. "Nine hundred fifty million, huh? I guess they're starting to take me seriously. Still, I wouldn't think it would be that high"

He folded the poster and tucked it into his coat. There was no point in lingering on it—this was only a symptom of the larger chaos brewing in the world.

Just as he was about to stand, a figure darted toward him from the shadows. Noboru recognized the small, nimble frame—it was one of Shakky's informants. The kid barely looked old enough to be involved in anything serious, but Sabaody was full of surprises. 

The boy, out of breath and wide-eyed, handed him a rolled-up newspaper. "Mister Noboru, you have to see this!"

Noboru took the paper, his brow furrowing as he glanced at the front page. His eyes scanned the headline quickly:

"Portgas D. Ace – Public Execution Set in Marineford!"

For a moment, the world around Noboru stilled.

Ace.

The fiery second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, and more importantly, the sworn brother of Monkey D. Luffy. Noboru's mind raced as he processed the news. Ace had been captured by the Marines and was set to be executed at Marineford, the stronghold of the World Government. It wasn't just an execution; it was a declaration of war.

Noboru could see it as clear as day. This was the Marines' way of drawing out Whitebeard, the most powerful pirate alive. They wanted to force a confrontation—an all-out war that would reshape the balance of power across the world.

But beyond the grand political schemes and military strategies, Noboru knew what this really meant. Luffy. His reckless younger brother would never stand by and let Ace die, not without trying to save him. And if Luffy charged into the maw of the Marines at Marineford, the consequences could be disastrous. The Straw Hat captain wasn't ready to face that kind of power—not yet.

Noboru gave a wry smile at the tactic of the marines. Cunning indeed.

The Revolutionary Army had its own reasons to keep an eye on events like this. The balance of power was about to shift, and Noboru needed to be ahead of it. But there was more to it than political maneuvering now. Luffy's personal connection to Ace made this a powder keg waiting to explode.

He let out a slow breath, calming the rising tension within him. This wasn't the time to act on impulse, not yet. But he had to move quickly.

Standing up, Noboru looked down at the boy who had brought him the paper. "Thanks, kid," he said, tossing him a small pouch of coins as payment. "Now, get yourself somewhere safe."

The boy nodded eagerly and sprinted off, disappearing into the market as Noboru turned and made his way back toward Shakky's Rip-Off Bar. He needed to gather more information—details about Marineford, about Whitebeard's movements, about Luffy. But more than that, he needed to prepare himself for what was coming next.

As he walked through the crowded streets of Sabaody, pirates and civilians alike whispered in hushed tones, glancing nervously at the bounty poster for Noboru that had been plastered on walls and bulletin boards. Most of them gave him a wide berth, not wanting to attract his attention. The weight of his new bounty was already affecting the atmosphere around him.

By the time Noboru reached the familiar door of Shakky's bar, he was deep in thought. He pushed the door open and stepped inside, the dim light casting long shadows across the room. Shakky, leaning casually against the counter, looked up with her usual smirk.

"Well, well. Look who's become quite the celebrity," she said, nodding toward a stack of newspapers on the counter, all of them featuring the same headlines about Ace's execution and Noboru's bounty. "I didn't think you'd break out into the spotlight so dramatically, Noboru."

Noboru gave her a wry smile, pulling out the bounty poster and slapping it down on the bar. "Not exactly by choice."

Shakky chuckled, pouring herself a drink and sliding one toward Noboru. "These things have a way of catching up to you, don't they?"

Noboru took the drink but didn't sip it. His mind was elsewhere. "You've seen the news. Ace. The Marines are making a move, and it's going to draw out the Whitebeard Pirates."

Shakky nodded, her expression turning serious. "It's not just Whitebeard. The entire world's about to get involved. Everyone's watching Marineford. Pirates, the Marines, the Revolutionaries—it's going to be the biggest clash since Roger's time."

Noboru's eyes flicked toward the door, his mind racing through the possibilities. He knew Luffy would rush to save Ace, no matter the odds. But this wasn't some backwater skirmish—this was the full force of the Marines, with admirals, warlords, and maybe even the Fleet Admiral himself.

"Luffy won't stay out of this," Noboru said quietly. "And that means he's in for a fight he's not ready for."

Noboru took the glass but didn't drink. His mind was racing, analyzing the situation. Whitebeard was a pirate whose mere name commanded respect and fear. The only way the Marines would dare provoke him would be if they had an overwhelming advantage. It was a trap, no doubt.

Shakky leaned on the counter, her expression more serious than usual. "There's more you should know, Noboru. I've been hearing whispers that Whitebeard himself might come through Sabaody before heading to Marineford. He'll be here to coat his ship."

Noboru's gaze wnet back to her. "Whitebeard? Here?"

She nodded. "He's not going to take any chances with his crew. Coating his ship in Sabaody will let him descend into the New World, and he'll want to be ready for whatever Marineford throws at him."

Noboru took a deep breath, letting the tension ease out of his shoulders. "That means Sabaody is about to become a battlefield. Again."

Shakky shrugged, her smile returning, but there was a weight behind it. "The Marines won't pass up a chance to weaken Whitebeard before the battle. They'll come for him if they know he's here."

Shakky leaned forward, her eyes sharp. "So, what's your plan, Noboru? Are you going to jump into the fire too?"

Noboru was silent for a moment, his eyes distant. He could feel the weight of the decision pressing down on him. He had operated in the shadows for so long, but now, the time for subtlety was over. The world was about to erupt into chaos, and if Luffy was going to survive it, he'd need every bit of help he could get.

Finally, Noboru stood, his expression hardening with resolve, but eased again. "Maybe I will go to Marineford. But if Whitebeard is coming to Sabaody, why not travel with him?"

Shakky raised an eyebrow, but she didn't seem surprised. "It's going to be a hell of a fight."

Noboru glanced at the crumpled bounty poster once more before turning to leave. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

As Noboru stepped out of the bar and into the streets of Sabaody, the sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the island. The world was moving toward an inevitable conflict, and Noboru was ready to face whatever came next. 

He would fight, not just for himself, but for Luffy, for Ace, and for the future that was being forged in the fires of revolution and war.