leonardwarren Chapter 350: Execution by Firing Squad at Sea 3
Chapter 350: Execution by Firing Squad at Sea 3
Chapter 350: Execution by Firing Squad at Sea 3
TL: Etude
Under the command of their leader Zod, the pirates’ V-shaped fleet swiftly sailed due north. However, after traveling some distance, Nathan, who was responsible for observing the northwest fleet, noticed something amiss.
“Leader Zod, the enemy’s movements seem strange! They seem to be turning towards our north, not towards the southern port! It looks like... they’re intercepting us?” he reported.
“What?” exclaimed Zod in surprise. “Have they discovered us from such a distance?”
Nathan lowered his head in thought, pondering the possibility that the northwesterners had detected them. Did they also have spellcasters skilled in long-range scouting on their ships?
He immediately looked up and advised, “Abandon the plan for a flank attack! Leader Zod, we need to devise new tactics right away!”
Zod clenched his fist and swung it fiercely, declaring, “Humph! Then let’s engage in a straightforward, face-to-face duel!”
Under his command, the pirate fleet turned left, forming two rows with nine warships in each.
Once the pirate fleet had completed their formation, both sides were visible to the naked eye.
“Brothers! Kill those cowardly landlubbers! Show them who truly rules the seas!” Zod stood at the bow, rallying his eager crew. His flagship was positioned right in the center of the first row.
The leader’s motivation sent a wave of enthusiasm through his men, who howled in response. As other ships saw the activity on the flagship, they beat their drums in solidarity, and a cacophony of varied slogans and battle cries filled the air.
The rowers exerted their full strength, pushing the ships towards the northwest fleet.
Zod, Nathan, and the other sub-leaders stood at the bows, watching their opponents intently as the distance between them closed.
“Incredible! Their masts are so tall.”
“Yes, wouldn’t the ships capsize if the wind got any stronger?”
The leaders commented on the northwestern fleet’s sailboats.
The drumming on each pirate ship grew more frantic, and the rowers increased the speed of their strokes, their chants penetrating the decks and hulls.
...
On the deck of the Unicorn, which also housed the second row of cannons, each cannon pointed through square windows towards the sea. The area was quiet, with only the sound of the waves crashing. The sailors at each gun station were silent and tense, watching the distant pirate fleet.
The artillery officer felt the ship’s sway and turned to the shorter cadet beside him. “The sea is calm today. We can fire when they’re within 300 meters. A classic T-position advantage. Commander Tirpitz must be thrilled with these pirates.”
Allen nodded vigorously, trying to imprint the current sensation into his memory.
Truthfully, he felt a mix of emotions – tension, fear, desire, excitement – making his heart race. Despite the cold sea breeze pouring in through the gun ports, sweat kept breaking out on his skin.
He had never experienced such a thrilling situation before. Since joining the navy, Allen had two war-related experiences. The first was a rescue operation organized by Captain Quick of the Southern during the night in Horn Bay, but he and other cadets weren’t allowed to participate, spending a frustrating night in the captain’s cabin. The second was during the Usurper’s War when Alda’s troops landed in Fish Tail Town. The navy’s ships moved up the Weiss River, conducting a frontal feint while Fish Tail Town’s defenders, with only a few crossbow cannons, were easily overpowered by the navy’s artillery.
But a confrontation like today’s, a direct “bayonet fight” on the vast sea, was a first in his military career.
...
The fleets were now only a few hundred meters apart. Nathan retreated to the stern castle of the pirate flagship, quietly waiting for the spectacle to begin.
“So, before the main show starts, let me play the overture!” he declared.
He skillfully took out several substances, mixed them in his right palm, and then held his hand forward. Simultaneously, he quietly chanted an indescribable verse, neither poem nor song, yet rhythmically profound.
Accompanying the chant, a small flame ignited in Nathan’s right hand, yet it did not harm him. The flame grew into a fireball, still not injuring his hand.
The young spellcaster’s eyes sparkled. “Spirit of Fire, convey my will!”
With a whoosh, the fireball left his hand, flying straight towards the northwestern fleet.
Almost simultaneously, the northwestern fleet was enveloped in a thick white smoke!