Chapter 38
A light sea fog hung over the waters in front of Bennessa.
And…
Under Arcroyal’s orders, five warships were stationed to blockade the harbor.
These medium-sized ships, each equipped with 30 cannons, were preparing to fire their artillery at the ‘enemy’ who had just come into view.
Of course, the possibility of them actually firing cannons toward the city was low.
If Admiral Arcroyal gave the command, they would execute it without hesitation, but their primary mission was to intercept any enemies attempting to flee by ship.
In charge of the warships at this moment was the Vice-Admiral of Bennessa’s Navy,
Conte di Cavour.
While he was following orders, he assumed there wouldn’t be much for them to do.
The navy stationed along the coastline was formidable on its own.
And above all, the individual leading the operation was none other than Admiral Arcroyal herself.
Despite being from the Britannian Empire, she was the only commander Cavour acknowledged, someone he trusted above all others.
With her at the helm, no matter how capable the enemy might be, they would ultimately be humiliated and forced to the ground.
“Well, well… It’s been a while since I’ve seen our Admiral in action.”
A Britannian officer who had flawlessly instilled the naval doctrines and infantry tactics of the Britannian Empire into Bennessa’s forces.
She herself was a 10th Rank Grand Warrior, one of fewer than 50 top-tier combatants on the continent.
Her battles, both in leadership and direct participation, served as an excellent learning opportunity for those who observed.
Watching with growing anticipation,
Cavour waited eagerly to see how she would handle these few audacious ‘enemies.’
At that moment…
-BOOM!!!
“!!!”
A sudden massive explosion erupted behind them.
The unexpected shock caused Cavour and the sailors aboard the warships to be thrown to the deck.
“Ugh…”
“What… What the hell is going on?”
The enemies were still in front of the harbor.
But the earlier shock had come from behind.
Confused and bewildered,
Cavour and the sailors turned around.
And then…
“What… what is that…?”
“That… that flag… Could it be…?”
Piercing through the sea fog, a massive silhouette began to come into view.
A warship twice as large as the medium-sized ships gathered here.
And…
The flag displayed prominently on the ship,
The skull adorned with golden beards…
The moment they saw the golden-bearded skull flag,
Cavour and the navy’s faces turned pale with shock and terror.
“How… how is this possible?”
“Why is the Pirate King here… here of all places?!”
The flagship of the Pirate King.
The Golden Cross.
A massive warship featuring a golden and black color scheme,
With its signature pirate flag and the figurehead of a golden angel wielding a cross-shaped sword.
Equipped with 86 cannons, it was excessively large for a pirate ship.
Yet, powered by the rare black mana stone, it possessed speed rivaling that of light patrol ships.
A vessel with unparalleled firepower and above-average speed,
A terrifying presence capable of instilling fear by its mere appearance.
As the sea’s disaster loomed before them,
Cavour and the navy froze in shock, their minds unable to process the situation.
And then…
Numerous cannonballs rained down on them once again.
Seeing this, Cavour felt as though cold water had been poured over him and shouted in a sharp voice.
“Everyone, take cover!!!”
-BOOM!!!
With his command, the cannonballs struck the warships directly.
The navy vessels, unable to counterattack, were mercilessly bombarded.
In naval warfare, even more than on land, formation was the most crucial factor.
Due to the placement of cannons, ships had significantly different firepower on their front and sides, and adjusting direction was no simple matter.
Because the navy ships were positioned in a crescent shape to block the harbor,
They could not respond quickly to this unexpected ambush.
“Damn it! Turn the ships around immediately! Right now!”
Despite Cavour’s orders, the ships couldn’t move easily.
The shallow waters near the harbor made maneuvering difficult, and with the ships stationed close together for the blockade, any misstep could lead to a massive collision.
Although they had the numerical advantage with five ships against one, the sudden ambush had neutralized that advantage completely.
-BOOM!!!
Unfazed by the navy’s predicament, the Pirate King’s side continued their relentless and brutal bombardment.
The 86 cannons fired in unison.
Each cannonball, infused with magic, pierced through the iron-plated warships with ease, burrowing into their interiors.
And then…
-BOOM!!!
“Aaaargh!!!”
“Damn it! Put out the fires! Hurry up!”
“We can’t just sit here! Counterattack! Ugh… Aaaaah!!!”
The overwhelming firepower resulted in a merciless barrage.
The sudden naval battle was unfolding as a devastating loss for the navy from the very beginning.
***
“What… what is that? Why is the Pirate King’s ship here?”
The completely unexpected turn of events left Arcroyal’s face frozen in shock.
The Pirate King’s ship, the Golden Cross, suddenly appeared through the fog without warning.
Its surprise assault mercilessly pummeled the navy warships blockading the harbor.
It was as if they thought they had trapped all the fish in the net, only for a whale to suddenly appear and thrash their ships.
As Arcroyal momentarily sank into confusion…
-Whoooosh…
“!!!”
The golden magic power gathered into the hand of the Black Crow mask.
Knowing full well the destruction caused by his mere kick earlier, Arcroyal urgently deployed a magic barrier.
“Everyone, assume defensive positions! Brace for the impact—”
But then.
“What?”
-BOOM!!!
The man adeptly twisted his body and directed his attack not at his immediate vicinity but to the rear.
An enormous wave of power swept away the soldiers stationed to guard the harbor.
“This… this is insane!”
A massive gap had instantly been torn in the blockade.
The enemies wasted no time exploiting the breach and swiftly moved into the harbor.
“Fire at will! Do whatever it takes to stop them!”
Following Arcroyal’s command, the navy opened fire with their rifles.
However, the bullets were rendered useless, blocked by the enemies’ magic barriers.
If the warships had been operational, she would have ordered a bombardment. But at present, the ships were locked in combat with the Pirate King’s vessel.
Support fire was out of the question.
“Ad-Admiral!”
“Pursue them! Do not let them escape!”
“B-but Admiral… doesn’t the appearance of the Pirate King’s ship here mean that the enemies are connected with him? If we’re not careful…”
“What nonsense are you spouting? We are the navy! How can we, as navy officers, cower in fear of pirates? How can we call ourselves the proud navy of Bennessa… the Queen of the Adriatic Sea?”
“I… I apologize, Admiral. That was out of line.”
“Give the order to all forces immediately! Do not let them escape, no matter what!”
“Yes, Admiral!”
The soldiers advanced en masse at her command.
But as she observed the situation, Arcroyal bit her lip hard enough to draw blood.
“The Pirate King… why… why does it have to be him?!”
In this vast sea, he was the only person she truly feared.
And objectively speaking, he was someone she could never hope to defeat.
The fact that he was here before her meant that they already had no chance of victory.
But even so, Arcroyal refused to give up.
To give up now would mean condemning her dear friends to the cruel hands of the wicked and violent Pirate King.
Even if it meant losing the auctioned goods, she was determined to stop that outcome.
Radiating magic power, Arcroyal began to move swiftly.
If necessary…
She was prepared to lay down her own life.
***
“Haahhh!!!”
-Slash!!!
A navy soldier’s neck was severed cleanly by Franklin’s sword.
Even though she was carrying Ambasha on her back, her combat prowess was still enough to effortlessly take down ordinary soldiers.
The problem was that there were just too many of them.
It felt as if the entire navy stationed in the city had gathered, their overwhelming numbers seemingly endless.
Having already expended a significant amount of stamina during the operation, Franklin was quickly becoming exhausted.
“Uh… Sister, are you okay?”
“I’m… fine. Just hold on tight and don’t let go… Damn it!!!”
A sudden spear thrust from the side.
Franklin hastily tried to block it, but her delayed reaction, caused by accumulated fatigue, left her a moment too late.
At that moment.
-Crack!!!
The spear was suddenly caught in mid-air.
A massive hand holding the spear twisted it effortlessly, as if it were a mere chopstick, flinging the soldier wielding it away along with the weapon.
-BOOM!!!
A thunderous crash resounded as the navy soldiers were swept aside.
With his usual overwhelming force, the Pirate King stood with his back to them and spoke.
“Hold on just a little longer. We’re almost there.”
“Ah… Y-yes!”
Smiling faintly, Franklin pushed forward once more.
At that moment…
-Thud!!!
“…!”
A sharp pain suddenly surged through her.
Blood gushed from her shoulder.
—
Read More at – GENZNOVEL.COM!!
PLEASE JOIN OUR DISCORD AND SUBSCRIBE THE ROLE TO RECEIVE LATEST NOTIFICATIONS!!
Click here -> https://discord.gg/S8c2kGVr2g
Comment