How many times did he had to be hit?
He just wanted to save his brother.
His only brother.
His only remaining brother.
But all the marines were stopping him because they were pirates.
Marines and pirates can never ally themselves to each other.
Never.
But for these two, it was too painful to follow the flow of the life of a marine and a pirate.
Having to choose to save your own grandson or stay still with justice.
He lets his grandson Luffy to punch him in the face and let that boy to pass and hoped that he would save Ace.
If I can't then save him, Luffy.
He thought.
I'm sorry grandpa.
The youngster thought.
He ran at the same path again.
And again.
Those admirals never stopped from sending him back to the place where he started.
Until his conciousness was slipping away.
But with his strong will...
He continued to ran.
Not to hide.
Not to fight.
But to save his only brother, ...
Left.
Memories with Sabo played in his mind.
That burned him so that he won't slow down ever.
He won't be able to bear the loss of another brother.
"ACEEEE!"
"Ace!"
"Ace..."
"Ace."
"A-Ace..."
His mutters became weaker until that magma fist came through his brother's chest.
He cried hard.
So hard that it made him had a long moment of mental breakdown.
A very long moment.
His brother's limb body slowly slipped away from him.
"Luffy... Luffy... Oi. Are you even listening?" Scolded the navigator, staarting to get worried after smacking her captain's head again.
The captain blinked before realizing that he was currently with his nakama.
Not at that hellish marineford.
"Ace... ," he muttered while looking down eventually making everyone on the grassy deck worried.
His eye shadowed under his hat.
After a few moments, he grinned.
All of the Whitebeard pirates wanted him to continue on with his life.
They've been putting their hopes high on him.
"Ace! Shishishishishi!" the captain laughed making everyone puzzled.
Zoro blinked before realizing something. He then smiled and laughed along with his captain.
Robin understood the captain and laughed along.
Franky and Brook joined the random laughter.
Then, Usopp joined in followed by Chopper.
Sanji and Nami smiled before joining too.
They laughed with their captain.
For their captain.
The won't let him cry.
So they'll laugh.
"ACE! I'M GOING TO BE THE KING OF PIRATES!"
Silently Luffy thanked his grandfather.
His nakama is here by his side.
Ready to support him.
Ready to back him up.
The nightmarish things won't happen again.
Cause they're together.
Forever.