Chapter 117: A Fight to the Death 1
TL: Etude
Due to the presence of telescopes, the naval patrol ships spotted the pirates earlier than the latter noticed them.
The sailors exerted their utmost effort, rowing towards the base. Before even entering the harbor, they communicated the enemys presence to the guards on duty using newly practiced flag signals.
This is not a drill! This is not a drill! This is not a drill! The signalman repeated this message three times at the end.
The alarm bell in the base rang once again, and all the officers and soldiers quickly assembled.
The pirates are indeed employing a feint strategy; it looks like the third infantry battalions efforts will be in vain.
Upon learning of the pirates approach to Port Fran, the military officers were relieved and grateful for the decision previously made by Commander Austin. It seemed the glory of annihilating the Mudfish Pirate Group would finally belong to the navy.
Austin ordered all hands to board their ships and prepare for battle against the pirates. He also sent messengers to inform the city hall to gather the militia for coastal defense, to prevent any pirates from stealthily reaching the shore.
He chose the Hope as his flagship and led the other six sailing ships towards the pirates.
This was the first real battle for the sail warships, and every officer and sailor was extremely tense. Captain Quik paced the deck, continually encouraging his crew: Our ship is the mightiest warship in the Northwest Bay. Just show a tenth of what youve trained for, and we can feed those fools to the fish.
Quik was thrilled to finally catch the Mudfish, as the only pirate force in the Northwest Bay capable of assembling so many ships was this one.
Heh, Gaden, oh Gaden, dont you dare run away this time. Let your blood be the baptism for my rebirth.
Even when he was a pirate, Quik despised this cowardly man, especially since Gaden had tricked him during their agreed attack on Lakeheart Town.
Sailors armed with swords watched the direction of the pirate ships, ready for a potential boarding battle. Those equipped with muskets carefully checked their weapons, keeping their matchlocks lit and blowing on them to ensure they remained ignited.
The gun crews, in particular, were about to experience their first real naval artillery battle. Their rigorous training paid off as, under the commands of their gun captains, they methodically prepared to fire.
Loosen the cannon!
The gunners released the pulley chains wrapped around the cannon barrels and cut the ropes tightly binding the breech. The creaking of the cannon carriage wheels indicated that the cannon was loosened, and a gunner held onto the pulleys on either side of the barrel to prevent it from moving towards the center of the ship before a new command was given.
Level the barrel!
The aimer vigorously rotated the screw beneath the cannons breech, adjusting the barrel to a horizontal firing position.
Remove the muzzle plug!
They quickly positioned the cannon, stopping it from sliding towards the center of the ship with the recoil ropes after it had moved a foot inward, and then a gunner pulled out the plug from the muzzle.
Load the ammunition!
The loader inserted a wool-wrapped charge and a six-pound cannonball into the bore, followed by another gunner who used a ramrod to compact the ammunition firmly.
Extend the muzzle!
Immediately, they grabbed the pulley chains, hand over hand, pulling them to barely rest the carriage against the side of the ship. After extending the barrel out of the gunport, the chains fell from their hands, neatly coiling on the deck.
The gun captain began to load the priming powder, picking up the vent pick and inserting it through the vent at the top of the breech into the barrel, piercing the wool wrapping the charge. He then poured finely ground powder into the priming pan and vent, carefully compacting it with a bent quill.
Meanwhile, another gunner shielded the priming powder with his palm to prevent the sea breeze from blowing it away. After loading the powder, the gun captain hung the conical barrel behind him.
The gunner responsible for igniting the charge lit the slow match on his linstock, occasionally blowing gently on it to prevent it from extinguishing. The loader, holding a bag of powder for the next shot, stood ready beside the cannon.
The fleet, led by the Hope, drew increasingly closer to the pirate ships, wound up like a tightly coiled spring, awaiting the moment of engagement.
While the navy personnel were busily preparing for battle, the situation on the pirate ships was less favorable. They had mistakenly believed that the navys main force was not in the harbor and had run straight into the enemys blade.
Gaden angrily grabbed the collar of his deputy who was responsible for contact with informants, his eyes red with fury. Damn it, what the hell is going on? Tell me, whats happening?
I I I dont know, boss! The information from Fish Hawk was clear; the navy had left Port Fran, the deputy explained with a pale face.
Gaden, infuriated, slapped the deputy hard, sending him spinning and groaning on the deck.
A subordinate asked, Boss, shall we do it like before? Feed the slaves some drugs to increase their speed and turn around to leave?
Previously, when they were nearly caught by the Alda Navy, the Mudfish Pirates had relied on a mysterious drug to suddenly boost the slaves endurance and strength, enabling them to row desperately and escape.
After several trials, they had managed to control the dosage precisely, enhancing the slaves strength without allowing them to break free from their shackles.
The lieutenants suggestion snapped Gaden back to reality. Should they fight or flee?
After a few seconds of contemplation, Gaden made his decision, shouting loudly, Everyone take the secret medicine; lets have a decisive battle with those blue-stripe dogs!
Yes, he wanted to stay and fight the Alda Navy. The Mudfish Pirate Group was no longer the small band of a mere hundred, constantly chased around by the navy.
To truly unite the Northwest Bay, they had to establish their reputation and become the next Edward. The Alda Navy was a hurdle they had to overcome.
Continuously avoiding the navy would turn them into a laughingstock and weaken Gadens authority among his men.
The lieutenant punched the air and shouted, Boss, were with you all the way!
The pirates, fierce and belligerent by nature, and buoyed by the mysterious drugs that had helped them annex several rival groups, had developed an overconfidence in their abilities and had long resented their leaders strategy of avoiding the Alda Navy.
Kill all the blue-stripe dogs, plunder Port Fran!
I want to tear them apart alive!
Gadens order quickly spread to the other ships using the pirates own signaling methods, and the decks erupted with their frenzied cries.
The pirates took out the pills that had been distributed to them and swallowed them.
Soon, the shouts and chaos on the decks intensified. The pirates overseeing the oar-slave rowers moved back and forth in the hold, violently lashing at those they perceived as not rowing hard enough.
The fleets of both sides rapidly approached each other