How the Villainous Consort Avoids His Death Ending - Chapter 95.2
Privateer fleets are officially sanctioned pirate fleets that receive an imperial decree to attack foreign navies. Put another way, they are forbidden from attacking their own nation’s fleet. The moment they do, they lose their status as a privateer fleet and are treated as ordinary pirates.
“Then is that why they used such crude disguises? Since no one except our fleet ever passes through the waters off Hezekia, once they sink us into the sea, there will be no way to prove that a Rubyere privateer fleet attacked its own nation’s ships.”
Tristan did not answer. Before he had the chance, a thunderous roar struck the ship like lightning and violently shook the hull.
Kwa kwaaang! Kwaaang!
Kwa kwa kwa kwa kwang!
The first cannon strike fell into the sea near the flagship, sending seawater surging upward before crashing down onto the deck. As if they had been waiting nearby, successive volleys followed immediately from the other ships.
Unlike the first attack, which had been narrowly avoided, this time Hezekia’s luck ran out. A cannonball seemed to hit somewhere along the flagship’s hull, and the ship lurched violently as screams erupted.
“Prepare battle formation!”
“Battle formation ready!”
“Artillery unit loaded and ready!”
Following Tristan’s command, the deck officer and the artillery captain shouted reports in rapid succession. The sound of hurried footsteps tangled roughly across the deck.
Before we knew it, the enemy fleet had drawn even closer, black sails raised high. The sight of the ships pressing in like a wall of darkness was suffocating. From the lookout tower, the trembling voice of the watch rang out once more.
“An additional enemy ship is approaching. Total count confirmed at nine ships.”
At that moment, the System, after a long absence, opened a transparent window before my eyes.
[♡ Checking enemy fleet status ♡] Fleet Name: Dearsby Privateer Fleet Fleet Composition: Total of 9 ships Five mid sized privateer galleasses Four small to mid sized galleys Aliases: Noble Hunting Hounds, The Prince’s Shadow, Pirates of Fresh Blood Stats: Attack Power: Very High Main armament: Each of the five privateer ships equipped with 10 to 16 cannons, supply ships with 3 to 5 cannons Primary combat style focuses on boarding actions Speed: Medium Galleasses use a hybrid system combining oar powered propulsion with sail based maneuvering Galleys rely on oar propulsion Crew Size: Galleasses average 100 to 120 crew per ship Elite pirate soldiers 70 to 90, remaining crew consist of combat support personnel and rowers Galleys average 70 to 90 crew per ship Elite pirate soldiers 40 to 50, remaining crew consist of combat support personnel and rowers Crew Condition: Extremely experienced in combat Loyalty is unstable, but they display frenzied aggression during battle Specialties: Approach using disguised vessels followed by a simultaneous cannon volley Overwhelm enemy ships by driving them in with a large scale fleet Board psychologically weakened enemy ships and capture them through close combat Weaknesses: Armed with Rubyere Empire manufactured iron cannons Low cannon durability and poor accuracy Possibility of internal conflict during prolonged engagements due to loose coordination among pirates Many rowers are poorly trained and vulnerable during long distance voyages
‘System, this is information that does not help at all even if you show it to me.’
The moment I finished reading the information, I felt drained. Compared to the eastern continent pirates armed with new Sarr Empire cannons, the fact that they were equipped with Rubyere made cannons was at least a small mercy. Given their characteristics, sinking our ships purely through bombardment might be difficult.
‘No, that only applies when the scale is roughly equal.’
But the longer I stared at the status window, the harder it was to feel reassured. Even if it seemed unlikely, if all nine enemy ships clung to our flagship and concentrated their fire, there was no guarantee we would not sink. Even short of sinking, a numerical assault of that magnitude could result in not only the flagship but all three Hezekia ships being captured.
Moreover, unlike last time, this was not a situation where we could place our hopes on the Fire of Hezekia.
‘The wind is terrible.’
As if to confirm it, Tristan stood there with his teeth clenched, his face pale as he stared up at the sky. More precisely, at the pitch black clouds being driven toward us by the fierce wind that felt as though it might sweep us away.
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