Returning to the sea battles dominated by mortals, all sides can rely only on sturdy ships, powerful cannons, and the combat skills obtained through the crew mbers’ long-term rigorous training.
The "Dragon Cavalry Pirate Gang," trained in military tactics by elite officers of the Kingdom, aside from their mbers’ combat skills, has already demonstrated superiority with their equipnt utilizing various shipbuilding technologies ahead of the tis.
Heavy Cruiser "Venus."
[Specifications] Displacent 2340 tons, length 56.42 ters, width 14.90 ters, sail area 3213 square ters, crew capacity 450 people, top speed twelve knots.
[Military Preparation] Double-layered continuous cannon deck: 28 32-pound cannons, 28 24-pound cannons, 2 24-pound bow and stern cannons.
Small Privateer Ship "Bregentine-type Two-Masted Mixed Sail Ship."
Displacent 210 tons, equipped with 1 24-pound cannon and 8 6-pound cannons, the firepower of which is already considered... excessive for a small privateer ship.
Square sails on the foremast, fore-and-aft sails on the mainmast, maximum speed easily exceeding eleven knots.
Furthermore, sail manipulation is much more convenient than ordinary square rigged ships, greatly reducing the required proficiency and number of sailor crew, enabling normal operation with just six crew mbers without needing gunners.
For the era’s sailing ship developnt history, they could be regarded as solid advanced technology.
Besides.
Even though the two captains serving as the backbone and all core pirate officers of the pirate gang were absent, all sailors of the "Dragon Cavalry" had undergone Aiven’s ntal screening, ensuring loyalty.
Moreover, the "Mind Network" was still faithfully functioning, ensuring smooth operation of the substitute command system led by Eleanor, the second mate of "Venus."
Whoosh—
Black sails rose.
Consisting of "Venus," six Level 5 cruisers or the sa level pirate ships, fifteen Bregentine-type two-masted sloops, the pirate fleet split into three separate sub-fleets.
The black dragon-head banner on the mast fluttered, making the sa choice as most forces, charging aggressively towards the fleet under the banner of Crowned Skull Blood-Dripping Saber of the "Oathbreaker."
The continuous cannon fire roared, and the pervasive smoke almost took over the do below this mist.
Accessing the Mind Network, Eleanor, the second mate of "Venus," precisely conveyed her orders to the temporary captains:
"Order, the first sub-fleet adjusts two compass points to the right, all portside cannons prepare, load solid shots!"
In the privateer fleet, adhering to the standard configuration of the Phaletis Kingdom Navy, six-person gun teams, cannon commanders, and fire control officers were all present. Even dressed in military uniforms, they could convincingly impersonate the Kingdom Navy.
"Yes! Each gun team, load solid shots."
No need to pass the order through ranks, it was implented directly.
Under the orderly command of pirate officers, sailors with soot-covered faces skillfully loaded shells, adjusted firing angles according to the gun operating procedures. Although they still had a slight gap compared to regular military, their gun operating ability already far surpassed ordinary pirate gangs.
"Prepare, fire!"
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!...
Amidst the orange-red cannon flas, occasionally, an exceptionally dazzling rage fla shot out.
Given the fleet’s entire crew equipped with heavy artillery, even the smallest Bregentine privateer ship might threaten the strongest warship in the enemy’s formation.
But 24-pounder heavy artillery on such a sailing ship is not sothing ordinary pirates can afford to handle, for reliable cannon casting technology is almost exclusively possessed by those few first-line kingdoms on the Old Continent.
Compared to regular artillery, they are viewed by rulers of various countries much like firearms and controlled blades were in Aiven’s previous life. Whether it’s casting, trade, transport... any mishap in any segnt could cause imnse property loss and extrely serious consequences.
Though major pirate gangs often have a few heavy artillery pieces as their trump card, so far, no pirate force has been as well-connected as Aiven, able to equip a whole privateer fleet with such weapons.
And with the 32-pound cannon only equipped on "Venus," sufficient to fight battleships, let alone a group of pirate ships?
Of course, thanks are owed here to the friendship sponsorship from Hilus People to Dragon Cavalry.
"Ah, fight back!"
"Re... report! Waterline hit, hull penetrated."
"....."
Clearly, pirate ships, usually prioritizing speed, far inferior to warships in raw material, defense, and other aspects, once targeted by heavy artillery, perform little better than cardboard.
In coordination with multiple forces encircling them, after more than four hours of fierce battle, the fleet under the top power of this sea area, the "Oathbreaker," had been dissected and obliterated by the pack of ravenous wolves attacking it.
Despite being the largest and most robust, the complex structure and chaotic command system evidently prevent them from achieving the coherent control like "Dragon Cavalry."
Undoubtedly.
The core battlefield of this sea belongs to the flagship confrontation among "Venus" under Anita’s command of "Jade Light," "Winged Bone Dragon" under Rudolph’s command of "Dead Bone," "Chisel Teeth" under Bradley’s command of "Oathbreaker."
Rudolph didn’t make it to the maze to besiege Bradley in combat, but in the sea battle, "Winged Bone Dragon" was notably present.
Amid the lee, "Venus" glided like an elegant black swan on the surface, "Winged Bone Dragon’s" sails seed sowhat ragged like a ghost ship adrift for long, while the "Chisel Teeth" covered in all sorts of giant beast teeth charged ahead like a fierce elephant.
Even facing one against two, it doesn’t lose its dominant deanor.
Qualified to board the flagship of the three pirate kings, the pirate crew assuredly underwent rigorous selection, boasting highest loyalty and the most tenacious fighting will.
Through long-term cooperation, they naturally imbibed the pirate kings’ personality traits.
Especially the crew on "Chisel Teeth" donned in uniform leather jackets, tattooed with the pirate king insignia, displaying what is called ferocity to the subordinates of the other two pirate kings.
Realizing that "Venus" was faster than them, with fierce firepower, and even inexplicably dodging their attacks (Ship’s Figurehead: Lucky Gold Coin).
Without hesitation, with other pirate ships in cooperation, they sharply turned and directly charged toward the escape incapacitated "Winged Bone Dragon," boldly initiating boarding action.
Boom!
As soon as the two ships got close, the apprentice knight-level pirates on "Chisel Teeth" roared and sprang out.
"Urah—!"
"Kill! Let them taste the power of the Oathbreakers!"
The "Winged Bone Dragon" concealed several "corpse puppets" belonging to Rudolph, a peak official wizard; they were the ship’s strongest reliance. However, with the Pirate King absent, no one could command these terrifying undead.
At the mont of engagent, the crew of the "Winged Bone Dragon" imdiately fell behind.
The "Venus" obviously couldn’t send the "Winged Bone Dragon" to the bottom of the sea, so it had to approach the other side of "Chisel Teeth" and also engage in a boarding action.
Under normal circumstances, this is a situation that the low-hulled heavy cruiser would try to avoid, but for the "Venus," it was not a disadvantage.
"Invincible in battle!"
As the most core force under the Pirate Gang, the crew of the "Venus" were also the first beneficiaries of "activated beast hide," with the equipnt rate leading the entire Pirate Gang.
Howl——
In the lee between the two groups of pirates, a horde of creatures wrapped in wolf hide, looking more like monstrous wolves than n, surged onto the deck of "Chisel Teeth" like a flood.
Then... they destroyed everything!
...
On the small island that had long returned to peace.
"Tie them up and put on the ’extraordinary handcuffs.’
">Considering the future developnt of the fleet, although having dominated the battlefield with her tier 3 power, Anita wasn’t planning to make too many enemies. Other than capturing the evil alchemist who dared to attack the Dragon Cavalry, she only detained all the subordinates of the "Oathbreakers."
And after the ceremony restrictions were lifted, Anita barely took action, only serving as a deterrent for her side’s extraordinary.
This group of subordinates, who had been trained for a long ti, had finally begun to grow.
Quite like a grand tier 3 leader waving a hand, sending countless small fry charging in with waterlon... cough, serpentine blades from the South Celestial Gate to the East Penglai Road, it was exhilarating.
When Aiven, hands behind his back, strolled onto the battlefield, the pirate officers had already dealt with the aftermath.
Here, a "stick-like object" that was almost just a torso drew his attention. After observing for a while, he showed so disdain:
"Tsk, what a shoddy piece of work."
He found that this thing was not only half-biological and half-alchemy machinery but also had obvious traces of various witchcraft modifications in its remaining flesh.
Within it, he easily spotted elents from his own "flesh puppet," the Necromancy School’s "suturing technique," the Vesalian School’s "organ transplantation," and the Poison Plague School’s "pathogen transformation"...
On its belly and chest were thick, centipede-like but incomplete sutures.
Predictably, this guy was full of "wolfish hearts and dog lungs" or other sses.
No matter, since Aiven wasn’t looking for more subordinates. Since he was already planning to trouble those evil alchemists for the second volu of the "Flesh Sacrifice," this guy who ca gift-wrapped was perfect timing.
Seeing the faintly malicious smile on Aiven’s face, Samuel lost his previous arrogance and squird pleadingly:
"Master, please don’t kill , I am a wizard from the Alchemy School. I’ll serve you well; I’ll be more valuable alive!"
"Don’t worry, I know who you are. As long as you cooperate, you might not have no chance to live."
Half an hour later.
When Rudolph finally returned to the island surface, and the two groups t, they imdiately headed to the coast, ignoring everything else. Even though they escaped the labyrinth, this was still the lair of an ancient god, and Aiven had no intention of lingering.
Before boarding the victorious warships that ca to recover them, Aiven strictly forbade any subordinates from taking the island’s wealth. The treasures were not his will, and he was not prepared to pay the "price" for them.
He believed the one who "dwelt in the deep sea, waiting to return to the surface, whose eyes watched all directions, whose ears listened to all paths" was watching, waiting for any slip to trap them permanently.
Except for signaling the fleet of Tulip, Aiven couldn’t control others’ actions.
Rudolph, unaware of what occurred in the maze, made the sa decision as Aiven.
On the "Venus," Aiven looked at one of the captives:
"Guide Wells, sir? It’s ti for you to shine."
"Yes, yes, master, believe , I’ll surely guide everyone safely out of the Mist Sea."
After that.
They almost left the battlefield uncleared, with the fleet setting sail and disappearing into the mist as quickly as possible.
Aside from the Tulip fleet, so cautious ships followed, while many others rushed toward the island laden with gold and gems!
Behind them, in an obscure and imasurable place.
From the human perspective, inside a massive, magnificent and extrely twisted palace, darkness and coldness prevailed, mixed with filthy gurgling water bubbles.
A tall Demon God with a high hat and eight tentacles played a flute, its eerie sound harmonizing with the filthy bubbling.
As if conveying so ssage.
But for humans, the sound was inaudible, its aning unknowable...
The only certainty was that this was just the beginning, far from an end.
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