Chapter 1433: Chapter 658: The Opening Move of War—Who’s Here to Deal with Laundry Detergent?
The Invincible Fleet of the Pyrenees Empire and the Interdiction Cruiser Fleet of the North Sea Empire each represented the pinnacle of naval warfare during the age of sail battleships.
However, this time most of the former’s ships were second-tier cruisers, while the latter possessed main warships with firepower stronger than ordinary Third Level battleships with 74 guns, and in greater numbers.
More is strong, big is beautiful, and there is no suspense in such a naval battle; the gaps of a few Middle Sequence Extraordinary cannot change the outcome.
The effect of the [Unbeatable Banner] also reversed with the shift in strength, instantly weakening to the extreme.
No soldier in the North Sea Empire’s navy fears the Invincible Fleet anymore, and the Pyrenees morale plummeted on the spot, becoming a scene of chaos.
When nearly two thousand heavy cannon shells roared in, the two cruisers closest to the [Pearl Bay] suffered first.
Especially the [Gun Squid] which was too close to the unlucky ghost Raymond.
Boom!
It first took five cannon shots, got torn apart, and then had its keel snapped by a single 32-pound cannon close to the water from a Heavy Cruiser.
Facing battleship-level heavy cannons, a cruiser emphasizing agility was like a flyweight boxer facing a heavyweight, likely to be slapped dead in a slap competition.
“Water is entering the hold, evacuate quickly.”
“Quick, lower the small boats, let the officers go first.”
Other than Byron’s North Sea Empire, the navies of other nations basically used regular sailors as slaves, replenishing them as needed; officers had priority at all times.
Unfortunately, Raymond’s superior, the ship’s captain, had just been blown into two parts by cannon fire, with half his body hanging on the mast, no chance to escape now.
The first small boat was lowered into the water by sailors who didn’t qualify to flee, just as the surviving officers leapt onto it.
The severely damaged keel could no longer bear the ship’s own weight, accompanied by a tooth-grinding “crunch,” the entire ship cracked into two under its massive weight.
The unlucky ghost Raymond’s crew, unable to board the boats, plunged “plunk plunk” into the sea.
A major nighttime taboo during ocean voyages:
“Never let fresh human blood drip into the sea, it may become a flavorful bait inviting unknown disasters.”
The thick bloody air of the sea battle had already attracted various bizarre creatures and evil spirits from the Sea of Monsters.
Unless one was a powerful Middle Sequence Extraordinary, falling into the water at this time surely meant no chance to climb back up.
But Raymond, the first mate, was already sitting in the small boat escaping toward the fleet’s flagship [Twelve Apostles].
His tactic was very simple: “Fire at me, and I won’t die.”
Utilizing his bad luck, he amplified the minute chance of solid cannonballs sinking wooden sailboats infinitely, leading them to their demise.
Of course, the bad luck accumulated with the [Unlucky Ghost] title was limited over a short time, so how many he could actually doom wasn’t entirely up to him.
“Order: Keep distance, fire freely, avoid boarding battles, send this Invincible Fleet to the bottom of the sea.”
The Lancaster remnants who escaped the Red and White Rose War’s ordeal, the Storm Knight [Preempting the Enemy] Beret Tanya, have now become a Vice Admiral in the Navy, also serving as deputy commander of the Interdiction Fleet.
Moreover, relying on the resources of the North Sea Empire, he followed the knight’s frontier-expanding path and successfully advanced to Fourth Order [Storm Lord].
Using the improved [Storm King’s Seal] by Byron, he reverses control of the opposing Fourth Order Navigator’s [Meteorological Scepter] over natural weather.
Woooo…
The heavens erupted with fierce winds and rolling thunder, as if two invisible furious dragons were fiercely battling in the sky.
Bean-sized raindrops and hail pelted “pitter-patter” onto the battlefield.
After losing the force advantage, the Invincible Fleet evidently even lost their Heavenly Time, at least no longer able to have a negative impact on the Interdiction Fleet.
“Task failed, scatter and retreat.”
Fleet Commander [Human-shaped Gun Platform] Franco Bampton, seeing their ships suffering damage one after another with fires raging, closed his eyes in pain and issued the retreat order.
However, facing a group of heavily armed cruisers equipped with standard Miracle Object Ship Figureheads, who could guarantee a successful escape?
To plan for defeat before counting victory is naturally wise, but such a manner of defeat is unimaginable even by seasoned counselors at the staff headquarters.
Now they could only hope for the creator’s blessing, that whoever could escape would escape.
Just as the flagship [Twelve Apostles] began to accelerate in its breakout, the unlucky ghost Raymond had already secretly killed all the officers on the escape boat, and sneaked onto the flagship.
Upon boarding the ship, he immediately heard a chorus of prayers:
“Oh creator, please heed my words and consider my thoughts. My king, my God, listen to my cries…”
This Miracle Battleship, named after an Apostle, was blessed by three Cardinal Bishops during construction, endowed with transcendent abilities like [Holy Prayer].
The devout crew, under the guidance of the accompanying Priest, prayed together to activate various supporting abilities, with high adaptability.
Currently, there were the shadows of twelve Angels enveloping the warship, extending wide wings to form a massive deflection field.
While enhancing its defense, it boosted the wind to accelerate this nominal battleship’s retreat.
Raymond knew that in the Pyrenees Empire, a devout Orthodox Church nation, accompanying Priests were standard, holding great esteem.