Stoic as ever, a man draped in a loud continuous pattern of tiger skins and brown furs stood at the helm of a ship that was grandees as himself. He was a man whom had crushed and annihilated all that ever stood in front of his path to becoming the greatest and today would be no different, he could feel it in his gut. The inner most churning in his belly lusted to see the defeat of this one foe in particular however. Though this man wasn't alone, the man Wallace D. Rose was eyeing from his ship across a great bound of unforgiving sloshing water, he was all the self proclaimed Pirate King could seem to focus on. The battle had already escalated beyond its early stages, a few of his men laid on the deck of his ships unconscious from the Admiral's powerful wave of Haki that pierced their will from even a distance of roughly 50m away. "I'm getting sick of the stand off nature of this fight, how about we just get on to the main event Howard?" As Wallace spoke his bestial companion Gleeshy walked to his side, it was a lion with hair akin to his masters and red skin as if it were sin stained. The lion stood on all fours at the height of 7 feet tall and was as much of a threat as his eager master.

To his right and left was another vessel under his command, red wood as were all the ships that sailed with his Jolly Roger. "Cease cannon fire and begin our advance, I'm getting tired of waiting for this old bastard playing waiting games." "Marine reinforcements are approaching from our rear actually Captain!" Rose's brow crooked up and a toothy grin spawned on his face. "Any sight of who's the Captain of 'em?" Wallace's eyes stayed ahead on Howard who stood silently at the helm of his own vessel. His men were franticly pacing about behind him preparing for battle it seemed. "Looks like some Rear Admiral, not sure who though." "A Rear Admiral really?" Wallace mumbled under his breath while shaking his head. "Ignore them, Second Detachment, you guys handle them." With that the ship to the right of the one Wallace was on, turned right to turn one-hundred and eighty degrees and began to head towards the fleet of three incoming ships. "First Detachment, we're moving up." In synch the sails of the two ships dropped and began to pick up speed. "I'd rather not sit back and wait any longer, you might die on me Howard!"

Howard seemed frozen in animation as he stood motionless at the helm of his ship. Two more smaller vessels, but still fairly sizable boats compared to the norm, were to his right then another two were to his left. His expression was hardened as he listened to the shouting of the self proclaimed Pirate King. The fumes of ignorance were inhaled and what was exhaled was a pact of punishment. The world hadn't the room, nor time for a free soul like this one. He roamed where he willed, said what was on his mind, and took what wasn't in his pockets. One may argue that it was the birth right of human's of the earth to conquer, but with Howard's interpretation of Justice, order was a necessity and Wallace was a beacon of light to those who wished to follow his life style. He threatened the order of the world and the name of the World Government. Time and time again he was headlined in papers after being the cause of the failure in a major Government operations. While his men ran around preparing for battle behind him only one soldier stood in attention off his right shoulder. One hand held up in a salute, his eyes straight ahead daring not to look at his superior officer's frame in fear of being intoxicated of his willpower. "At ease . . . are the reinforcements enroute?" The Marine swallowed a knot of saliva hard enough to cause a bit of pain, his Adam's apple bobbed as he did so. His salute dropped to rest idly at his side. "They're in position to start an artillery attack on your mark." In that moment the stone chiseled expression on Howard's face gained a breath of life and he seemed human again.

A look of astonishment overcame him. "Oh? Oh my, how long have I been standing here?" The Commodore was used to the Admiral's behavior, he often got lost in thought for several minutes on end causing him to stare out into space as if paralyzed. "Ro- roughly twenty-five minutes sir." Howard's eyes widened and he turned his head to see the Commodore before chuckling. "My goodness, I should really remember to be taking that medicine shouldn't I? Boy do I have a story for the Doc next visit, eye to eye with Wallace D. Rose and I'm day dreaming about taking my grandchildren to Sabaody Park. Do you have the firecracker?" The Commodore forced out a bit of laughter and nodded nervously. Moving his idle hand and opening the fist, he presented the forlorn firecracker to the Admiral who smiled at the single pea sized wrapping with contentment. "Thank you, alright, bring the sails down and advance. I'm going to go on ahead." The Commodore brought his hand back up in a powerful salute after Howard took the firecracker. "Sir!" After he confirmed he heard Howard, he got away from the man, so he could make his departure without blowing the Marine overboard. Down on the deck all the Marines seemed to stop in unison, all eyes on Howard D. Saint.

The man would then leap upwards out out over the open waters of the Grandline. Then faster than one could blink a sound like the clap of thunder would sound and a powerful blast of displaced air would expel outwards. It seemed like in the same moment, at least well before the clap stopped echoing, Howard's frame could be seen well above the ship that wasn't dispatched by Wallace to deal with the reinforcements. With the reappearance of his body came another boom of thunder, that rocked both ships that were underneath Howard. "Such a shame when they put a Veteran like me on one of you young pups." With that, he flicked the firecracker that was in his right hand with his middle finger and thumb. Projected towards the ship that was below him, prior to being flicked and after the words he uttered, his mouth moved once more. The movement of his mouth was violent as if he were expressing vehement rage for someone, but it made not a single sound. With the speed the firecracker was shot, it was hard for anyone to see and even then the size of the firecracker would make it hard to target. Once it made contact with the deck of the ship, all that could be heard was "Boom!" But in the voice of Howard D. Saint himself. Having wrapped the firecracker in the sound of his own shout, he delayed the moment it would sound and also amplified it, so when it would sound it would be like the literal force of thunder. Needless to say, the ship was decimated and those that were aboard the vessel were blown about, to pieces, and suffered savage like amounts of damage from the brunt force of the sound. "Still feeling confident lad?!"

His spirit burning with the flames of valor and the momentum of ceaseless victories working like wind behind the sails of his ship, Wallace's two ship fleet pressed on, with their thoughts already on collecting their spoils of war and seeing their names in the paper. Surely this battle would earn a spotlight, given these two names had come face to face alone, regardless if blood was shed or not, this encounter was one for the books. However, literally as fast as sound itself, the illusion that Wallace was living in was shattered and Howard D. Saint had forced the cruel reality of this world down his throat. His men were scattered about like the insignificant debris produced from the thunder clap that collided with his 1st Division's vessel. The ship he was on nearly tipped over and as its body cried out in agony from seeing what had happened to sibling and knowing its time was coming, but Wallace wouldn't allow for it. He had came up in this world faster than all before him, so many called him inexperienced, but his tenacity kept his crew on the map and even with this inexperience he faired the seas better than nearly all could say they ever did. He was blessed.


With speed attributed to the wind, Wallace had vanished from his spot on the helm, the clean draw of his one of his katanas sounding with his body's disappearance. While one would think his body lost physical form during this travel from the speed that he moved at, it was just due to the Paramecia that he had eaten that he could operate on such a level. "Wall-! Shit I told him not to fight Howard head on, he doesn't know he's a Logia." The First Mate of the Red Lion Pirates, Taichi, had the roll of keeping his Captain's head on his shoulders given his quick to fight nature. He also doubled as one who had a great deal of information on things that often gave the group the upper hand in their battles, like the fact that Howard was the consumer of an extremely powerful fruit. As was Taichi himself however. "Gah! He'll learn, just focus on getting the survivors from the 1st Division." Taichi himself pitted his attention on the incoming fleet that was lead by Howard.

A sheet of ebon spheres headed towards their ship, the First Mate took it upon himself to attend to defending the crew. As if the product of his mind willing such a thing to happen, from the Marine's perspective their assault would have been turned against them with just Taichi taking a stand at the helm of the now settled ship. Moving his right arm in an upward fashion with both his index and middle fingers working to also beckon in such a direction, the cannon balls would by robbed of their forward propulsion and be directed to sail upwards. From there, the cannonballs would be forced towards the fleet of Marine ships from a diagonal angle.

With the devastation of one of the Pirate King's ships, Howard wiped his nose with a sense of security. Even when the keen edge of Wallace's katana impacted his body and their frames collided, Howard remained calm. Much to Wallace's surprise, the lad would find his blade drawing no blood, only the production of a painful screaming noise as if extremely high pressures were being released from a tank of compressed fumes. And that was pretty much what it was in essence. "Come on now, I was looking forward to this for quite some time now Wallace." He spoke with a serene smile on his face, until his attention was drawn else where from the presence of the metallic cannonballs entering his peripheral vision. Looking beyond Wallace, he saw the one he suspected of such a feat, but his crew's safety was of upmost importance. Vanishing yet again, it was like this tank of compressed air had the entirety of its volumes spontaneously released. With the sound of thunder rolling over the Grandline's waters, Wallace was forced into the deck of his ship, his body crashing through the wood to be lodged in the body of the King of Red Lions uncomfortably. The front portion of his torso was but a messy display of blood and with the intense force his chest was blasted with, some of his bone's had gave away and collapsed. The exact result of the wound was hard to see, for the volumes of blood made the depth of the affliction something that couldn't be assessed from looking at Wallace now. But it was needless to say he had suffered for his ignorant mistake.

As for Howard, where he reappeared this time was in between his fleet and the bombardment of cannonballs. His hands were cupped around his mouth in a way that would let the sound of shout fan out more than normal. "Rear Admiral Sanson, don't let me defeat the Pirate King before you defeat his detachment!" His words were heard in clarity for ears well beyond the Rear Admiral's ship, should there be someone out there. Not only was his message heard, but his words also neutralized the threat that was the cannonballs. Each of them losing their horizontal force, they only moved towards the ocean to fall in the waters.


"Ugh. I'd rather not have to hear his bragging later on. So lets get this over with and start the artillery fire!" The men of the three ships under his command scrambled to their stations and in time their cannons were busy firing away at the 2nd Division's ship of the Red Lion Pirates.

Having experienced a quick wave of satisfaction when his blade had jousted into Howard’s frame, Wallace’s false sense of success was swallowed when the Admiral’s unbothered gaze met his tenacious glare. His well composed battle trance was broken by this gaze and his teeth ground against each other as the screeching noise began to stream out of Howard’s body. His ears were in pain enough to even begin bleeding, but he couldn’t let go of his blade. Learning Howard was a Logia first hand though that knowledge could have potentially ended this fight right here, Wallace was about to imbue his blades with Armament Haki to force solidity to Howard’s body. It was too late though. The Admiral’s body detonated with a loud boom with enough force to cause Wallace’s bones to snap and many layers of his flesh to be tore off from the lashing out of the displaced air. Dismissed from the Admiral’s presence and sent back to his own ship, he crashed into the wood of the King of Red Lion’s with an unforgiving crack. The wood splintering and cracking underneath his body, he laid there taking sharp labored breaths. He wasn’t worried about dying, he was installing the lesson he just learned into his mind, so that he may apply it for the next round of the battle.

Blessed he was, as if he were undying or immortal, in roughly half a minute Wallace was back on his feet and taking his partially destroyed tiger skin and bear furs off. Using the Moa Moa no Mi, he sped up his bodies regeneration rate and while he still wasn’t at 100%, he could function as a normal human. He needed a bit more time to be back at his apex. Wound closed, his body pushed the foreign matter out of him, his bones worked to piece themselves back together and his red blood cell count was working its way back up to where it should be. What was different however, was the large red scar that looked like a fire spread out in a diamond from the center of chest out to where his arms began and a bit below the belly button. “Taichi, I’m ready for round two.” His katana had fallen with him and dug itself blade down in the deck. Grabbing the blade by the handle with his left hand, he drew the other with his right. Taichi just shook his head, this wasn’t the first time Wallace had used his Moa Moa to save his life. Taichi had told him it wasn’t something he should rely on however. Though he healed faster, he was forcing cells to go through their lifespan at a quickened pace, shaving off his own life span with each use.

"Well now that you know he's a Logia, try not to get your chest blown off again okay?" Wallace chuckled and they both stood at the helm of the King of Red Lions, the distance between their vessel and the Marine Fleet being a mere 25m. Some of his crew that was blown off the 1st Division's ship was now on this ship. Some being treated and some ready to fight with their Captain. "Here's where we shake the world one more time before we dip into the New World!"

Meanwhile the 2nd Division's ship had come under cannon fire from the Rear Admiral's Fleet, but with them they had the 2nd Division Commander of the Red Lion Pirates, Oscar D. Rose, Wallace's cousin. "Keep moving forward, I'll deal with these cannonballs." Taking off a jacket he had on, he only had a tight flexible leather black vest on his chest. Utilizing a custom made combination between Soru and Geppo from Rokushiki he had learned, he quickly made it out above the waters of the Grandline in the middle of the armada of moving cannonballs. Using this same technique, he blurred out of sight. The only way to trace him being by seeing which cannonballs were kicked in any direction but towards his own vessel, that direction being where the other battlefield was. Some of these cannonballs being kicked back at the Rear Admiral's fleet, one of the ships were sank from an accurate hit on their mast. When the minefield of cannonballs was cleared, Oscar remained suspended in mid air for but a moment before his frame dashed downwards towards the waters. A splash of water was enough to know he had entered the depths of the Grandline. With a grin and a deep breath of oxygen before entering the ocean, once he was underwater, about 5m deep, he used Geppo to carry him forward towards the two remaining Marine ships lead by the Rear Admiral.

The Distance between Howard and Wallace’s forces was reaching a devastating intimate range with both forces pretty much being on top of each other though Howard had decided it was time to bring this conflict to and end with the defeat of one of his Rear Admirals ships being sunk. Bringing both his hands together creating a double-handed fist with slight gaps between his fingers "THIS ENDS RIGHT NOW Nowwwwwowowwowowwowowowowowowowwo". Howards voice spreads forwarded engulfing the pirate kings ship in an echoing bubble of sorts as Howards words begin to stretch continuously. The frequency sends shivers down the core and spine of Wallace’s ships damaging the very martial itself as spikes and damage start to generate all over including the ears of most of the crew.  

Meanwhile, on the other side of this complicit Sanson is standing on the very edge of his ship with his war battleaxe ready to strike at the ocean itself to not only strike at the second commander but at the enemy vessel before him. Filing his blade with a black red outlined Haki and using the power of destruction launches a powerful slash at a tight angle before him breaking through the ocean before him and launching a large chunk towards the vessel before him including the mass 2nd Division Commander was located. "That all you got, Right get those from the sunken vessel to safety".

Wallace D. Rosewould used his devil fruit in response and rapidly was striking the hands of Howard with his sword both parties making use of powerful Haki creating Red and black sparks fly back in all directions facing out to also engulf the pirate kings ship as Howard would sustain his attack despite clashing with Howard face to face. The battle of wills had begun as the pirate king's ship was starting to take damage in this conflict; meanwhile, the rest of the marines behind Howard would aim their rifles at Wallace who had somewhat left himself open.

With Wallace D. Rose's Blade crashing head on into the attack of Howards, it would seem as thus they were evenly matched despite Howards attack still damaging his ship it was time for him to really unleash the power of his devil fruit....."More More Hyakubai COUNTDOWN!!". Wallace swords increase in size, weight and power creating a panic onboard Howards vessel as the blades shadow alone engulfing the ship itself while the flowing Haki throughout and around sword reaching even the ships either side of Howards. Howards digs in and really puts allot more power into his hands so much sound ripples throughs hi veins and muscles as holes forum throughout his arms. "TAKE TWO CHURCH!" 

Blood squirts out from each arm as Howard increases his force yet slowly the force Wallace is presenting pushed Howard back slowly but consistently. Siminaltaniously a wonderful song begins to flow as if each arm was an organ tuned for battle. Howard would tell his men to leave the vessel knowing its fate was doomed and thus the commodore would see to a rapid evacuation.

Meanwhile, the 2nd divisions ship which was engaging the rear admiral had been defeated with the vessel being shredded to bits. This was due to such a powerful attack by the rear admiral though the 2nd Division Commander of the Red Lion Pirates, Oscar D. Rose was still alive and currently air bound with the intention of taking the entire rear guard force with himself, "Mighty Reliant Piercing Karate". Oscar grabs all the water lifted up with himself, launches a powerful attack at the two remaining ships of the rear admiral; taking the forum of two drilling cyclones these attacks will peirce through anything they reach, breaching into the very cores.

Howard was holding back Wallaces extremely force as much as he could while damaging his own body in order not only give his men time to leave the vessel but to make use of his years of experience letting his enemy apply massive amounts of force down a single strike. Once he was ready he would rapidly move to the side parrying the massive Sword in his hands into his own ship; his ship would be smashed in half with so much force each side would launch horizontally crashing into the parallel vessels of Howards fleet.

Though despite losing three vessels in a single strike Howard had caused Wallace to commit to an extremely powerful motion leaving him wide open for an attack and thus Wallace grabs Wallace skull tightly in a Claw-like hold with his hand covered in Armoured Haki "YOU OVER CONFIDENT, IN EXPERIENCE, PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A FIGHTER...THIS FIGHT IS OVER  Ryusoken DRAGON BITE". With this attack, Howard crushes Wallace skull in 5 places and with his pinky and ring finger entering through Wallace's eye socket, before sending him flying to the 5th vessel of his fleet where Marines were waiting with sea prison stone Handcuffs.

Meanwhile, back over in the conflict between the rear admiral and Wallaces 2nd commander an epic class between Fishman karate and power of destruction would meet creating a large Purple and Ball ball explosion leaving nothing in sight at all though it would be certain both the 2nd commander and the rear admiral would survive. It would be unclear as to how, or what specifically happened but alas the battle for now had ended. 
"We have captured Wallace, defeated both his supporting vessel and all that remains is his battled Flag Ship, ATTACK" Howard would make his way to the vessel holding Wallace in order to to make sure it was secure"

With Wallace D rose extremely injured and captured by Howard he would let out one final order to his crew though that of an extreme scream as the reality of the events sunk in "RUN YOU FOOLS, FIGHT ANOTHER DAY" at which point he would pass out from blood loss and the damage inflicted to his skull. "I will not allow your crew to escape, under any circumstances". Marine informs Howard that Wallace has passed out and that he is speaking to himself. Howard uses his breath in the forum of a slamming door to push the marine away "I'm never talking to myself."

The first commander of Wallace would go into a rage not allowing his captain to fall though still following orders and forcing the last remaining ship into the air and flinging it off into the distance using gravity itself meanwhile maintaining his own personal location. several meters above the ocean floor. The fight between the first commander and the wounded Howard and his remaining force would last for about an hour as flaming rocks from the sky, the ocean tide and even vacuums of air would create a screaming battlefield reaching a point considered hell.

---

The next day there is a message in the Local paper that Howards has Captured Wallace D Rose and Killed his first in command Taichi. The Red Lion Pirates had been obligated with very few survivors though this does include the second in command who had managed to reunite with those of the main ship which would be in dire need of repair.


............................
Wallace Captured
First Commander Taichi Dead
Second Commander escaped with a few survivors
Wallace injured and needing time to recover
major casualties on both side
Rose Pirates last ship needs major repair or won't' last the week.