"Did they hit?!"
However, the cannonballs, as they flew, didn't even reach the walls but exploded upon hitting the ground. Whoosh-boom!
"..."
Poker clicked his tongue in disdain as his subordinates, mouths agape, watched the spectacle.
"Those idiots don't even know the range of our cannons... Hey. Hundreds of years have passed since we died. How much do you think artillery has advanced since then? Shit, now our cannons are just short-ranged, powerless antiques."
The point where the ghost ships had run aground was precisely near the maximum range of Crossroad's cannons.
The defenders on the human side had deliberately set a trap in this area.
Naturally, compared to the upgraded cannons of Crossroad, the range of the pirates' cannons they used in life was inferior.
The very idea of responding to their fire with our fire was flawed from the start.
"Since when did our fleet engage in artillery battles? Return fire, return fire... Wake up, idiots. Whether before or after death, we only rely on ramming and close-quarters combat."
As Poker was clucking his tongue,
Boom! Boom-boom!
Cannons from the Crossroad walls bombarded ships number 1 and 12.
Having exposed their broad sides to aim their cannons, they were now vulnerable, and Crossroad's superior cannon fire poured into their exposed flanks.
Boom-boom-boom...!
The two ships couldn't withstand it and were torn apart by the explosions.
Watching the rising pillars of fire, the two subordinate pirates were agape. Poker grumbled and opened another bottle of liquor.
"Those idiots forgot that our ships' defensive black magic is concentrated on the bow. Sigh, with the ships immobile and exposing their sides, of course they’d be easy targets..."
"Ships number 1 and 12, they're... sunk!"
"Ah... burning well, burning well."
Watching the two ships burn without leaving any shape behind, Poker patted his thick belly.
"With our mobility blocked, the best we can do is to stick out the bow, covered in defensive black magic! Give power to the ship! And wait for the seawater to rise again."
"..."
"If only they listened to me, who even in my dreams thinks of snacks for drinks, but these damn fools always disobey and end up dead. Whether before or after death, still a bunch of idiots..."
Poker, fuming, chugged down the liquor in his hand. That's when it happened.
"Captain!"
"What now, what. What is it this time?"
A third subordinate pirate crawled over on all fours. He shouted,
"Ships number 3 and 10 have mutinied! They say they're tired of your smart-alecky ways!"
"Really turning over a new leaf with their cute little tantrums. Where would they find a more humble pirate than me... So what now? They want to return fire like the first two ships?"
"No, they say they can't just sit around taking hits..."
The subordinate pirate pointed towards those ships.
"They're jumping off!"
Looking in that direction, it was quite a sight.
"Disembark! Run towards the walls!"
"Disembark!"
Pirates from ships number 3 and 10 cheered as they ran towards the walls of Crossroad.
Giant octopuses and squids wriggled as they followed behind.
"The first to capture the walls will be the new captain of the fleet!"
"I'll be the new captain, and we'll banish that cowardly, piss-scared Poker!"
"That alcoholic bastard, was a pain from the start!"
"Rebellion rocks! Looting rocks!"
"Kyah-ho~!"
Watching his foolish subordinates abandon their ships and run towards the walls, Poker shook his head.
"Those brainless, disorganized idiots. Where did they sell their brains?"
The strength of the Ghost Pirate Legion comes from the ghost fleet.
Which fortress would ever fear pirates running on foot after disembarking from their ships?
And it happened just as Poker predicted.
Bang!
Crack-zap!
The ghost pirates stepped on mines and exploded,
Pshh! Pshh!
Thud-thud-thud...!
They became like porcupines under a barrage of arrows,
Bang! Bang!
Whoosh...
And were burnt to a crisp by the flames spewed from a skull artifact.
Not even reaching the walls, the pirates from ships number 3 and 10 were annihilated.
Poker sighed deeply and waved dismissively.
"Right... Better for you lot to die here, yeah. How could blockheads like you follow in the wake of my great journey ahead..."
The mutinous ghost ships number 1, 3, 10, and 12, along with their pirate crews, were finished.
The rest of the fleet and pirates obediently watched Poker’s actions, opting to stay put as ordered.
And this proved to be an effective choice.
These ghost ships, fanatically devoted to ramming tactics, had concentrated all their durability in the bow.
If they rammed headfirst, even walls could be smashed due to their insane sturdiness.
This was due not only to the quality materials, various black magics, and curses of the specters that were generously applied to the bow, but also because:
'Their ships’ bows could not be destroyed.'
All the pirates genuinely believed this, without a hint of doubt.
As a result, after death, these ghost ships 'resurrected' as giant monsters, and their bows obtained transcendental defensive power.
Most of the bombardment from Crossroad's walls was blocked by these bows, with only a few stray cannonballs striking the ships' bodies.
The pirates lying flat on the ships began to think.
'Can we actually withstand this?'
Perhaps, just as the captain said, if they endured until the seawater rose again-
We can still do this!
As the pirates exchanged confident smiles, it happened.
Tut-tut-tut-tut-tut-
A large mechanical sound started to come from high above. The pirates looked up in confusion.
"Huh?"
Against the dazzling sun, amidst the pouring storm.
Something resembling a clunky hunk of metal was flying towards them.
"What's that..."
Poker squinted, then widened his eyes in disbelief.
"A flying ship...?!"
A relic from the past like these ghost ships, but a modern airship, fully refurbished – the 'Geronimo' – was making a wide turn approaching the ghost fleet.
With deafening noise from its two propellers, Geronimo approached ghost ship number 2 first.
Ship number 1 was already destroyed, and ship number 3 had been annihilated. Isolated between them, ship number 2 was helpless on its own.
As the pirates panicked above,
Click-!
The hatch of the airship opened, and five figures dropped down in succession.
"Yahoo! Time to jump!"
"Uh, wait... did I ever mention I have acrophobiaaaa?!"
"Quiet, kid! You're too big for whining! Jump now!"
"Even so, kicking someone off... This is why dragons are..."
Evangeline.
Kuilan.
Dusk Bringar.
Verdandi.
Four of them landed first, followed by the last.
Swoosh!
"...Phew."
Lucas, with his blonde hair fluttering, landed lightly and straightened his tousled hair.
Composed entirely of party leaders, Crossroad's strongest vanguard of five descended onto the ship.
With weapons drawn, the five looked leisurely at the encircling ghost pirates.
"Operation Dropship."
Shrrk!
Lucas unsheathed the Blade of Light - [Bestowed Sword] - from his waistband and calmly commanded.
"Let's begin."
At the same time, pirates holding their own weapons swarmed in from all directions.
Woaaaaah!
"These damned knights think they can just barge in here!"
"Jumping into our ship without fear, you living fools!"
"You don’t value your lives, huh?! Huh?!"
"Now that you’ve come to this hell’s mouth, join us in hell..."
However, the pirates couldn't even get close to the party of five.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
From the open hatch of the airship Geronimo.
A sniper seated at an angle began firing with a long rifle in hand.
It was Damien. Despite the violently shaking and flying airship, Damien's shots were precise, shattering the pirates' cores without error.
Ratatatatat!
The airship's guns also spat fire.
The pirates couldn't even get close to the party of five, being torn to shreds before they could. In the midst of this, the five-member special forces team charged forward relentlessly.
"Capture the helm!"
Waiting in front of the ship's helm were the captain of ship number 2 and her direct subordinates.
Furthermore, a giant crab armored like a tank and numerous swirling specters surged towards the five.
"You think you can take my ship, you brazen fools! I am the captain of the Ghost Raiding Fleet ship number 2..."
The large female pirate, about to introduce herself, was cut off mid-sentence.
Bang!
A magic bullet fired by Damien had pierced her neck.
Spilling white ectoplasm instead of blood, she could only mutter 'That's dirty...' before collapsing.
Bang! Bang!
Following Damien's sniper support, the specters scattered, screaming horribly. The five heroes advanced effortlessly.
Thump! Thud-thud!
A giant crab approached the five, swinging its pincers like maces.
But,
"No chance!"
Boom!
Evangeline blocked the attack with her shield,
"Is this one seafood too?! Would it taste good if cooked?!"
"Of course, it's a delicacy! I'll steam it myself after the battle!"
Thwack! Crack!
Kuilan's fist and Dusk Bringar's kick shattered its joints.
"Why would you eat a monster?!"
Flash!
Verdandi blinded it with a blink dagger slash and teleportation cut,
And finally,
"Huuurgh!"
Swoosh!
Lucas's Blade of Light bisected the giant crab.
Standing in front of the obliterated crab, Lucas remarked carefully,
"...If I knew it was edible, I would have sliced it more delicately."
"What a waste. This one's really tasty..."
Dusk Bringar genuinely lamented, while Evangeline and Kuilan licked their lips in regret. Only Verdandi sweated coldly.
"Don't eat the monster..."
"Let's focus on our original mission, anticipating the sashimi our Lord will serve later."
Lucas soothed his team members, and they all nodded, looking towards the ship's helm.
"..."
"..."
The pirates, who had been watching the terrifying performance of the human heroes, eyed each other before one asked,
"Uh, if we surrender, will you spare us?"
Dusk Bringar let out a menacing laugh, spitting out a flame.
"Do we look like we'll spare you?"
"No, fuck..."
"Sigh. This is why mom told me to live a good life."
"But we're already dead, aren't we?"
"If we die again, can we go see mom?"
"I dunno, not sure..."
The grumbling pirates suddenly screamed and charged.
"Shall we go find out now?!"
"Mommmmm! Your unfilial son is coming to see youuuuu!"
"Just a bunch of crazies..."
Facing them, the five vanguards brandished their weapons forward.
***
The capture of ship number 2 was complete.
Lucas, who had taken the helm, forcefully turned the bow.
The helm of this ghost ship was a device that used magic to set the ship's direction, unlike the operational principles of a real ship.
While there wasn't enough seawater to move forward, it was still possible to ignore the damage to the ship and turn it around.
Creak, crack-crack...!
The sound of the ship's bottom scraping against the dry ground was chillingly resonant.
After exposing the ship's side to Crossroad’s line of fire, the five-member assault team boarded the airship Geronimo and escaped.
"Operation complete."
Boom! Boom-boom!
Whoosh-boom...!
Under the barrage of coordinated fire from Crossroad, ship number 2, with its side exposed, was reduced to ashes.
Indifferently observing the destruction, Lucas lifted his head to look at the next target.
"We move to the next ship."
Tut-tut-tut-tut-tut-
The hair of the heroes sitting in the airship's hatch whipped wildly in the wind, their eyes fiercely flashing.
There were still many enemies left to deal with.
And,
Whoosh!
The storm in the sky continued to pour down seawater heavily.
"..."
Looking up at the storm, Lucas then lowered his gaze and faintly furrowed his brow.
Water was gradually accumulating on the plains.
The drainage facilities were soon to reach their limit.
--TL Notes--
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