(338)
WHOOSH!
The farthest southern reaches of the empire.
A week into slicing through the southern seas after departing from the massive naval port known as the “End-of-the-Line Port.”
WHOOSH!
A colossal battleship constructed from giant timber, ranked as an impregnable warship, cleaved through the waves with all five of its sails fully extended.
WHOOSH!
A flag emblazoned with a black spear and black tentacle on a crimson field flapped violently atop the towering central mast.
The name of this ship, which resembled a floating island, was the ‘Eternal Slumber.’ It was the flagship of the most powerful fleet in the empire.
“Captain of the deck! There they are! The Amir Dukedom’s trade fleet!”
From atop the central mast, a crew member shouted at the top of his lungs.
“!”
In the next moment, all the sailors and crew aboard lit up with excitement and began bustling about.
“Turn it!”
“Turn!”
On the vast deck that resembled an open field, soldiers, combat mages, and knights jostled together.
SCRAPING!
Eight sailors turned a capstan to load a massive ballista. A colossal black arrow, larger than any spear, was placed in position, and three combat mages began chanting spells over it.
“In one fell swoop, pierce through.”
“In a suffocating wind.”
“In pure strength.”
The ‘Penetration’ spell to pierce enemy ships.
The ‘Paralyzing Smoke’ and ‘Tear Gas’ spells to create chaos on the enemy deck and cabins.
And the ‘Arrow of Strength’ spell to amplify raw power.
For a single shot, three different spells were prepared.
Even on this expansive deck, where one could ride a horse, twelve such ballistae stood ready.
“Take in the sails!”
“Lower the oars!”
“Raise the flag of the Three-Headed Dragon!”
Knight Officers shouted commands as they pushed the sailors, the experienced crew quietly prayed, and combat mages checked their remaining quantities of coral reagent.
“Your Excellency.”
The lively tension and activity didn’t last long.
When a woman stepped out of the captain’s quarters, the crew and sailors parted to make way for her.
Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack.
Although it was widely believed that a woman aboard a ship would bring bad luck, in reality, both rulers of the eastern and southern seas in the empire were women.
SWISH.
A crisp wind, out of place under the blazing sun, blew through her lustrous red hair.
Her red hair cascaded like a flowing cloak down her back and, despite the salty sea breeze, flowed in elegant waves.
Her eyes were the color of the sea, her skin as pale as if powdered, and on her slightly exposed ankle, small, gleaming green scales could occasionally be seen.
Admiral Schub Ardelra, formally known as Schub Ardelra Ardelra, or simply Schub Ardelra, helms the Eternal Slumber as the flagship of the Celestial Fleet, wielding dominion over the southern seas on behalf of the Imperial Court.
Her main task? To plunder Amir Dukedom trade ships, crush Amir Dukedom pirates, escort imperial trade vessels, and confront all manner of sea monsters.
Contradictory as it might seem, the navy, trade, and piracy were not too distant concepts.
“…”
Schub Ardelra gazed out at the Amir Dukedom’s trade fleet.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Hundreds of ships appeared to be fleeing in unison.
Ideally, sails should have been hoisted for an immediate pursuit, but the crew aboard the Eternal Slumber were furiously taking them down.
This was not a misjudgment but an analysis born from years of experience.
“Your Excellency, they’re coming!”
Her trusted ensign, Eriann, pointed west.
WHOOSH!
Ahead of the fleeing trade fleet, a battleship painted navy blue began to pivot.
That ship too was constructed from giant timber, its sheer presence dwarfing even the 60-meter trade ships to mere dolphins next to a great whale.
The name of the Amir Dukedom’s battleship was ‘Mercy of the Sultan,’ commanded by Admiral Al Azif.
‘The Mercy of the Sultan’ was a worthy rival to the ‘Eternal Slumber,’ having clashed with it five times.
Of course, Schub Ardelra didn’t recognize any rivals.
‘I’m just sick of all this.’
She wasn’t doing this out of choice.
“Prepare the ballistae for launch. After the bombardment, we will close in for boarding operations.”
The admiral’s command rang out, and soldiers and combat mages sprang into frenzied action.
* * *
WHOOSH!
As the surface of the sparkling southern sea glimmered under the sun, the Eternal Slumber and the Mercy of the Sultan drew closer to each other.
The red battleship and the blue battleship neared each other as if about to collide.
From above, they seemed just an arm’s length apart—though, naturally, one would need an arm at least 100 meters long.
When the foreheads of the two ships crossed paths, the combat mages aboard each vessel cast their spells with all their might.
RUMBLE!
“Just a little more! A little more!”
The immense arrows of the ballistae began to glow with a faint purple hue.
The decks were filled with the mana energy gathered by the mages.
At last, the two ships passed each other, presenting their sides.
“FIRE!”
“Let it loose!”
The Knight Officers of both ships shouted in unison.
BOOM!
Arrows the size of long spears were discharged from ballistae as large as houses.
BOOM!
These large arrows made of silver and black iron were not only valuable in themselves; the amount of mana used to enchant such arrows could have yielded significant quantities of fertile land if it had been used for cultivation. Moreover, the artisans who crafted these ballistae had once wielded hammers and saws to create furniture and homes.
BOOM!
The arrows, which had the potential to create so much if channeled differently, fulfilled their destiny of destruction.
KABOOM! KABOOM! KABOOM!
The thick planks of the giant timber battleship were measured not in centimeters but in meters.
Yet the arrows enchanted with destructive spells managed to penetrate the reinforced planks.
SQUEAK!
POWDER!
Soon after, an obnoxious smoke poured out from the arrows embedded in the ship’s hull.
This smoke caused tears, nosebleeds, stiffness, or a combination of both upon inhalation.
The labyrinth-like corridors, cabins, and decks were engulfed by the advancing smoke.
“AAAAAARGH!”
Several brave soldiers rushed forward, holding their breath as they tore the arrows out and tossed them into the sea.
“RELOAD!”
“RELOAD!”
CLANKING!
Sailors furiously turned the capstans, combat mages poured reagents and mana into enchantments, and Knight Officers shouted wildly, running about.
BOOM!
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
The blue battleship and the red battleship exchanged salvos once more.
“AAARGH!”
Wood splintered, unfortunate sailors fell, and deep wounds appeared along the ship sides.
Yet the impregnable battleships were too massive to be shattered by mere long spear-sized arrows.
Their purpose was not to destroy the ships but to incapacitate as many sailors as possible to gain the upper hand in close combat.
Thus, Schub Ardelra observed the frantic battle on both sides with a stoic gaze.
WHOOOOSH!
The sea breeze stirred, causing ripples in the waves and her red hair to cascade.
BOOM!
“AAAAGH!”
She wasn’t looking at the enemy ballista her allies had just destroyed or the fallen comrades, but rather at the waves lapping against the sea.
OHHH!
Just then, a mysterious aura forced her to lift her head.
On the ‘Mercy of the Sultan,’ one of the ballistae wasn’t glowing purple but a sinister combination of black and crimson.
KRRAAAKK!
Dozens of writhing black specters were bound within that arrow, ready to unleash a variety of terrible curses upon the Eternal Slumber’s crew upon impact.
‘An ancient charm? A powerful mage specializing in corruption magic, I see.’
The captains of the Amir Dukedom feared the unpredictable appearance of enemy admirals who would seize their ships and cargo, so the ‘Mercy of the Sultan’ had brought aboard a powerful mage in addition to its usual crew.
Schub Ardelra wasn’t aware of these details, nor did she particularly care, but there was no way she could let that arrow stay untouched.
-If that arrow strikes, we could lose this battle.
-If we lose the battle, it breaches our contract.
-Didn’t you vow to protect these seas?
The strange headache shook the beautiful woman with her mysterious and passionate demeanor.
“GRRRHHH!”
She let out a groan unbecoming of her beauty, staring at the scarlet-glowing ballista, and sang softly, almost inaudibly.
“Ra, RaRaRa. RaRaRa. Ra. RaRaRa.”
It wasn’t so much that she wanted to keep it hidden—she just didn’t want to do it.
WHOOSH!
Suddenly, a massive wave surged between the two ships without warning.
The upper deck of the impregnable battleship was nearly 20 meters high, yet the wave swelled to a curtain-like height above it.
Both sides of the soldiers were momentarily taken aback by the unexpected miracle. The wave mercilessly crashed forward, covering the ballistae and mages.
WHOOSH!
Though an immense wave might struggle to overpower the combined efforts of determined superhumans, this one unleashed hundreds of foam-formed hands just before collapsing.
“AAAGGHH!”
WHOOSH!
The wave grabbed the Amir Dukedom mage by the collar and dragged them beneath the sea.
SSSSSHHHH…
The crimson glow emanating from the ballista faded in an instant.
“MAGE!”
“Damn it!”
“The empire’s sorcerers are beneath their own dishonorable tricks—!”
The sailors of the ‘Mercy of the Sultan’ shouted curses in unison.
“Stay calm!”
“Regain your wits!”
“We’re ready to maneuver again!”
The Amir Dukedom Knight Officers, clad in chainmail armor and turbans, shouted frantically, but the sailors paid them no heed.
“AAAAH!”
“KEEEH!”
“SSSSHH!”
The helmsman recklessly turned the wheel, charging directly toward the Eternal Slumber.
The bodies of the Amir Dukedom sailors twisted and transformed into terrifying and powerful forms.
CREEEEEEAAKK!
Doubling in height and bulk was the least of their changes.
Their jaws split into two, blade-like limbs sprouted from their backs, arms multiplied to six, exoskeletons covered their skin, two bodies fused into one, and their bloated flesh released deadly toxins.
Schub Ardelra gave a faint smile upon witnessing this spectacle.
“Ra, RaRaRa. RaRaRa. Ra-.”
This time, her song carried a slightly more enthusiastic tone.
“AAAAH!”
“KRRRHHH!”
“We, soldiers of the empire!”
The sailors and Knight Officers on the Eternal Slumber briefly had their eyes glow with a vacant green color.
Their entire bodies flickered with scales-like patterns before disappearing.
For a moment, they then turned their eyes toward Schub Ardelra with an unwavering gaze of loyalty and servitude, shouting until they were hoarse.
“We will travel to the deepest depths!”
Shadows of the empire’s sailors writhed with tentacles and shimmered with scales.
Their weapons gleamed faintly with a blue hue, their refocused eyes sparkled with green light, and their necks developed gill-like folds.
It was the blessing of the merfolk.
“WAHHH!”
BOOOOM! BOOOOM!
Hooks-laden planks were extended between the two ships, and the humans-turned-monsters and the monsters-turned-humans clashed.
WHOOSH!
“AAAGHH!”
With every slash of a blade, men and beasts screamed as they fell into the sea.
“…”
Once, she had cared for her soldiers, and once, she had sworn loyalty to the Imperial Court.
But in the endless expanse of time, all those emotions had grown dim.
Schub Ardelra and Eriann could only look upon the scene with a mixture of bewilderment and horror.
???? ???? ????
“There are eighteen chests of gold, sixty-two chests of silver. Eight warehouses of silk, twelve carts of low-quality gems, two carts of high-quality gems, and various reagents and spices…”
The sun sank into the western horizon.
Eriann continuously reported updates.
“Finally, we successfully captured 138 ships. Out of these, 107 had magical circuits carved into their hulls, and once the ancient runes are erased, a total of 55 ships can be returned to the capital.”
The Eternal Slumber defeated the Mercy of the Sultan, and during this time, other ships of the Celestial Fleet had surrounded the Amir Dukedom trade fleet.
Schub Ardelra dispassionately watched as Al Azif’s head was cut and tossed into the sea.
“Good.”
“Yes, Admiral.”
She hesitated briefly, counting her fingers, recalculating multiple times, then continued with a voice tinged with relief.
“That should be enough for the final offering.”
Eriann nodded.
“It’s been a millennium now.”
“Yes. It felt like an unbearably long time. Bound by the contract, I couldn’t age or die.”
“There’s some bad news.”
“Is the Governor looking for me?”
Eriann nodded.
Schub Ardelra winced.
Her sea-blue eyes gleamed with clear disdain.
“Summon him. And it’d be even better if the ship sank along the way.”
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