Punching my way through One Piece

The journey to Marineford had begun. 

Noboru stood at the bow of his ship, staring out into the open sea. The air was thick with tension, and the winds carried the faint scent of war. His mind, sharp and unyielding, was focused on what lay ahead. The great battle that would determine the fate of the world was brewing, and Noboru knew he had a part to play. Not just as a spectator or a participant—but as a force that could tip the balance in ways few could anticipate.

As his ship glided across the Grand Line, Noboru felt the familiar hum of Conqueror's Haki simmering beneath his skin. He was no stranger to this kind of storm, but this time, something felt different. The weight of the world seemed heavier, the air more oppressive. The execution of Ace, the war between the Marines and Whitebeard, the movements of the Revolutionary Army—all of it was converging toward a single point. And at that point stood Marineford.

Yet, as Noboru's ship sailed closer to the horizon, a different sight caught his eye.

Mary Geoise.

The holy land, home of the Celestial Dragons, sat high atop the Red Line, its pristine white towers a stark contrast to the filth and suffering it lorded over. Noboru's heart hardened at the sight. He had always despised the Celestial Dragons—the so-called gods of the world—whose cruelty and arrogance knew no bounds. These were the people who oppressed the world, who maintained the status quo through violence and fear, and who lived lives of luxury at the cost of others' misery.

The urge to act was sudden, but fierce. Noboru clenched his fists, his mind whirling with thoughts of justice, of rebellion. He knew he was on his way to Marineford, but the idea of passing by Mary Geoise without doing anything stirred something deep within him. The Celestial Dragons had been untouchable for too long. 

He had an opportunity.

"Maybe a little detour wouldn't hurt," Noboru muttered to himself, his lips curling into a dangerous smile.

---

By the time night fell, Noboru had docked his ship at the base of the Red Line. His eyes locked on Mary Geoise above, its towering presence almost daring him to make his move. With a burst of Soru, he propelled himself upward, scaling the cliffs of the Red Line in seconds. The guards stationed at the base of the holy land were unaware of his presence—nothing more than shadows as Noboru moved through them with precision and silence.

The heart of Mary Geoise was just as he imagined it—a place of luxury and indulgence. Noboru's eyes narrowed as he watched the Celestial Dragons parade through the streets, their pompous robes flowing behind them, flanked by guards and slaves who carried their burdens. The sight disgusted him. 

Moving like a ghost, Noboru slipped into the city. His Observation Haki was tuned to every presence around him, and the whispers of Conqueror's Haki swirled around him like a storm ready to break. The world around him seemed to slow as he moved toward the heart of the Celestial Dragons' domain.

He could feel the presence of the nobles—each one marked by their arrogant haki signatures. They were not warriors, but their overwhelming sense of entitlement radiated through the air like a foul stench.

Then, in the center of the city, Noboru found his target.

A grand courtyard, where several Celestial Dragons had gathered for a lavish feast. They laughed and drank, oblivious to the world beneath them, to the suffering they caused. Slaves knelt beside them, chained and beaten, their eyes empty of hope.

Noboru's grip on his blade tightened. This was the heart of corruption. The symbol of everything he despised.

With a single breath, Noboru unleashed his Conqueror's Haki, letting it wash over the entire courtyard like a tidal wave. The effect was immediate. The weaker-willed individuals—the guards, the servants, and even some of the slaves—collapsed to the ground, unconscious from the overwhelming force of his presence. The Celestial Dragons, too weak to comprehend what was happening, staggered, their faces contorting with fear and confusion.

Before any of them could react, Noboru struck.

With the precision of a master swordsman, he cut through the chains that bound the slaves, freeing them in an instant. His blade moved so swiftly that the guards had no time to react, falling to the ground before they could even draw their weapons.

For a brief moment, chaos erupted. The Celestial Dragons screamed, their voices shrill with panic. But before anyone could sound the alarm or call for reinforcements, Noboru was gone. 

He moved through the streets like a phantom, disappearing into the shadows. By the time the Marines stationed at Mary Geoise realized what had happened, Noboru was already making his way back to his ship. His attack had been swift, calculated, and without a trace left behind.

As he sailed away from Mary Geoise, Noboru couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction. The Celestial Dragons had been reminded that they were not untouchable. That the world was changing, and their grip on power would not last forever.

---

Meanwhile, in the depths of Marineford, Ace sat in his cell, shackled and bruised. The walls around him were cold, and the silence was suffocating. With each passing hour, the weight of his impending execution grew heavier. He knew the world was watching, that the whole world would soon see him on the execution platform. But what weighed most on Ace's mind wasn't his fate—it was his past.

Ace closed his eyes, leaning back against the stone wall. Memories of his childhood flashed before him—the days spent with Luffy and Sabo, their laughter, their shared dreams. Those days seemed so distant now, like another life altogether. 

"What was it all for?" Ace muttered under his breath, his voice barely a whisper in the cold cell.

He had lived his life with one goal: to make Whitebeard the Pirate King. But now, as the shadow of death loomed over him, Ace couldn't help but wonder if he had been chaught up by the fate of his biological family. But he never really accepted them. Especially his father. Pirate King Gol. D. Roger He had been so consumed by the need to prove himself, to live in defiance of the blood that ran through his veins, that he had lost sight of the things that truly mattered.

"I wasn't supposed to be here," Ace thought. "I wasn't supposed to let anyone down."

His thoughts drifted to Whitebeard—the man who had taken him in, who had given him a home and a family when he had no one. Whitebeard had treated him like a son, not because of his lineage, but because of who he was. Ace had found a father in Whitebeard, and now he would die because of the bloodline he had once hated so much.

"I failed him," Ace whispered. "I failed them all."

He thought of Luffy, of how his little brother had always looked up to him, always followed him no matter what. And now Luffy was somewhere out there, risking his life to save him.

Ace's fists clenched, the chains rattling slightly as he pulled against them. "Luffy… you should stay away."

He knew his brother better than anyone. Luffy was stubborn, reckless, and would throw himself into the jaws of death for his friends. But this? Marineford was no place for Luffy. The battle that was coming was not one for a reckless kid with a dream of becoming Pirate King. It was a war between titans, between legends.

Yet, deep down, Ace knew that no matter what he said, no matter how much he wanted to protect his brother from the fate that awaited them all, Luffy would come. He would stand before the Navy, before the world, and declare his intention to save his brother.

And there was nothing Ace could do to stop it.

"I don't deserve this," Ace thought, his chest tightening with guilt. "I don't deserve to be saved."

But even as those dark thoughts clouded his mind, another part of him—the part that still clung to hope—whispered something else.

"You do deserve it."

Ace's eyes snapped open, and he took a deep breath. He had always struggled with his identity, with the legacy of his father. But in these final moments, as the clock ticked closer to his execution, Ace realized something. His life wasn't defined by his father's sins, nor by the blood that ran through his veins. His life was his own.

"I was loved," Ace thought. "By Whitebeard, by my crew, by my brothers. And that's enough."

He exhaled slowly, his mind settling. Ace wasn't at peace—not yet—but for the first time in a long while, he felt a sense of clarity. He didn't know if Luffy would reach him in time, or if Whitebeard's forces would succeed in saving him. But he did know one thing:

No matter what happened, he wouldn't regret the life he had lived. He had found family, he had found love, and he had fought for something he believed in.

And that was more than enough.

---

As Noboru's ship sailed onward toward Marineford, the shadow of war loomed larger. The winds carried the scent of conflict, and the world held its breath. Noboru had made his move, striking at the heart of the Celestial Dragons. Ace, imprisoned and awaiting execution, had come to terms with his past.

But the future remained uncertain.

With each passing moment, the great war that would shake the foundations of the world drew closer, and the tides of fate began to pull everyone into its center.

The reckoning was coming.