Punching my way through One Piece

Chapter 3: A Storm Brewing on Sabaody

The Grand Line was always alive with rumors, its endless waters carrying whispers of danger, triumph, and rebellion to every corner of the world. Noboru sat in a small, unremarkable tavern on a quiet island, listening to the chatter of passing sailors. He had no destination in mind and right now just wanted to enjoy his life.

One particular conversation caught his ear—a name he'd been waiting to hear again.

"Did you hear? Straw Hat Luffy's made it to the Sabaody Archipelago! I heard his crew's causing a real stir!" 

Noboru's hand paused midway to his drink. His eyes, dark and unreadable, shifted toward the table where two grizzled sailors were deep in conversation.

"Yeah, the Marines are probably gonna be all over him soon," the other sailor replied, chuckling nervously. "But then again, with all those pirates gathering there, it's chaos waiting to happen. I even heard some of the Supernovas are there. What a mess."

Noboru leaned back in his chair, processing the information. Sabaody, the hub for pirates entering the New World, was a natural place for someone like Luffy to show up. But this wasn't just any island—it was a powder keg. The Celestial Dragons lived there, and the law of the world hung over the island like a noose. The moment someone made the wrong move, the Marines would come crashing down.

And knowing the stories of the Strwahats, that moment wasn't far off.

Noboru stood up, leaving a few coins on the table. Sabaody Archipelago wasn't far. If Luffy was really there, it was time to see how the boy handled the weight of the world's expectations. He'd crossed paths with a handful of Celestial Dragons in his time, but he had never seen one up close. Their reputation for arrogance, cruelty, and untouchable status was well-known. Noboru didn't care about their titles or their divine blood. They were human, like anyone else. Fragile.

He left the tavern without another word, his mind already set. His journey to Sabaody would be swift.

---

The bubbling, colorful landscape of Sabaody Archipelago stretched out before Noboru as his boat neared the shore. The groves, covered in thick mangrove trees, rose high into the sky, their enormous roots twisting and winding through the island, giving it an almost alien appearance. The shimmering bubbles floating up from the resin that coated the trees created an atmosphere of surreal beauty, but Noboru knew that beneath the surface, Sabaody was anything but peaceful.

As he walked through the bustling streets, it didn't take long for the chaos to make itself known. Pirates of all kinds were scattered around, either drinking and celebrating or cautiously keeping their heads down. Noboru could feel it in the air—an underlying tension. This island was full of people aiming to enter the New World, but they all knew one thing: making it past Sabaody meant facing the Marines, the World Government, and the most dangerous territories in the world.

But Noboru wasn't here for the pirates. He was looking for one in particular.

As he made his way toward the heart of the island, he felt a ripple of Haki ahead. His Observation Haki flared, guiding him toward a gathering of people. Noboru could sense the presence of multiple pirates nearby—strong ones, too. It seemed that Luffy wasn't the only noteworthy person on Sabaody today.

He moved swiftly through the crowds, his steps silent but deliberate, weaving through the busy streets. As he approached, he overheard fragments of a conversation from the surrounding bystanders.

"Did you see that Straw Hat kid punch the Celestial Dragon?! He's insane!"

"Yeah, right in the face! The Marines are definitely coming now!"

Noboru's eyes narrowed. Luffy had struck a Celestial Dragon? He shouldn't have been surprised. The boy's impulsive nature was his greatest strength and his biggest weakness. Punching a Celestial Dragon wasn't just an act of defiance—it was a declaration of war against the entire World Government.

And now, the Marines would respond.

Noboru quickened his pace, heading directly toward where the commotion had occurred - the auction house. He could already sense a disturbance in the air, the tension of people on edge, watching and waiting for the inevitable response. The civilians and pirates alike had scattered, trying to avoid getting caught in the crossfire that was sure to come. Noboru reached the scene just as the dust was settling.

On the stairs, Luffy stood with his fist still clenched, a determined look on his face. The Celestial Dragon, a grotesque man in a bubble helmet, lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious, his face swollen from the punch. The Straw Hat crew wasn't complete, as there was only Nami with him, and the atmosphere was electric with the threat of impending violence.

Noboru's eyes shifted from Luffy to the Celestial Dragon. So, this was what they were like—pathetic, arrogant creatures, shielded by their status and the Marines. The thought disgusted him. They were just as ordinary as every human being. At least in Noboru's mind. Inwardly he understood why Luffy beat the shit out if that Celestial Dragon, and he probably would have done the same.

Noboru's lips curled into a slight smile. The boy's conviction was as strong as ever. But this situation had escalated beyond anything Luffy could handle alone. But Noboru wasn't the kind of person to help someone get out of their own mess. He stood silently, intrigued in what will happen now.

Suddendly an old man came up from behind the auction stage. Noboru already knew who was hiding there, and though he was interested by the story of Roger, he didn't want to stick around and wait till this whole building is encircled by marines.

He disappeared as quick and silent as he appeared, though he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched until he left the building, but he quickly realized, that it was Rayleigh who was following him with his eyes, and then with his observation haki. Outside he already saw the marines staring to arrive and gather.

"Hey you there! Where you the one that punched the celestial dragon?!" a shout came. As Noboru looked towards the source of the shout, he came into eye contact with a no-name marine standing in front of a whole bunch of marines with their rifles pointed at him and ready to shoot.

"Do I look like I'm made of rubber and wearing a strawhat?" he calmly responded with a boring expression.

Taken aback with the boring sounding answer the marine didn't know how to respond and just silently watched as the white haired man slowly walked past the group of marines. Just as he wanted to say something, the look on the mans face told him "f*ck around and find out".

The marines watched as the figure of Noboru faded away and only after a shout from another navy group they finally came out of their stupor.

---

Nonoru finally away from the auction house started making his way towards Shakky's Ripoff Bar to try to get some intel, since someone he saved from the marines told him that that's the place to go to if you want information. Mind you, Noboru didn't help him because he wanted to, but because the supid marines were too greedy and started attacking him.

Going his way, he saw many people running away when they looked at his direction. 'Am I that ugly?' he thought, but quickly threw away that thought as he was too zoned in and almost didn't notice someone following him. but instead of saying something he just continued walking.