3. The Red Hawk Flying in the Sky
1
Around the time the monster legion and the 1st and 2nd armies began their battle in the northwest of the kingdom.
The Blood Hawk Knights, who had teleported to Lamer City via a long-distance teleport gate, were greeted by the mayor, Pavel.
“Welcome, Lord Hwangbo Sung.”
“It’s been a while, Count Pavel.”
Pavel, Viktor, and other vassals of the old Volga Kingdom were granted new titles by Luke after the founding of the Symphonia Kingdom.
Among them, Pavel was officially appointed as the mayor of Lamer, along with the title of Count.
Being the mayor of the second-largest city and the largest trading port in the Symphonia Kingdom after the capital, Brenden, was proof of how much Luke trusted him.
“Haha, I would love to hold a small banquet for you all, but everyone is busy preparing for the war, so it will have to be postponed.”
“We are well aware of the situation, so you don’t have to worry about it. More importantly, where is His Majesty?”
“He led the fleet out early this morning to meet the enemies.”
“Tsk, I was hoping to see him, it’s a shame.”
After a brief conversation, the two led the knights to a field near Lamer City.
There, dozens of mages dispatched from the magic tower and several times more engineers were gathered in small groups, assembling something.
Some were already injecting air into about a dozen flying devices, indicating they were completed.
“Is this the hot air balloon we’ll be riding?”
Hot air balloons were mainly used for weather observation or reconnaissance.
However, they were not often used because they were vulnerable to crosswinds and difficult to control.
Emperor Rudolph had brought them back into the spotlight when he used them in large numbers to defeat the Western rebels.
“But the size and shape are very different from what I’ve heard.”
Pavel nodded at Hwangbo Sung’s question and said,
“That’s right. I heard that the size of the passenger space and the balloon was increased several times to carry more soldiers, and various artifacts and Taoist devices were attached to improve stability and control efficiency.”
The improved hot air balloon was a collaboration between Luke and Zhuge Soha.
As a result of their efforts to overcome the inferior fleet power, they devised a raid operation using hot air balloons.
Of course, to carry soldiers, the size of the hot air balloon had to be increased and its stability improved.
To this end, magic circles and Taoist equipment devised by the two were incorporated.
“Ah, the person who will train you on the hot air balloon is right over there.”
Pavel, who was explaining to Hwangbo Sung, pointed to a woman giving instructions to the mages and engineers over there.
It was Zhuge Soha.
She had disappeared from the capital for a while, and it turned out she was here.
Zhuge Soha also seemed to have noticed Hwangbo Sung and approached him.
“Has it been two months?”
“Yes. It’s the first time I’ve seen you since returning from the Southern Continent, so it must have been about that long.”
After a brief greeting, Zhuge Soha got straight to the point.
“Unfortunately, His Majesty has only given us two days for training, so we need to start practicing right away.”
“Understood.”
Zhuge Soha immediately gathered the Blood Hawk Knights and explained how to board the hot air balloon and the precautions to take.
The mages on board would be in charge of controlling the hot air balloon, so there was nothing special for the knights to learn about the hot air balloon itself.
However, it was important to learn how to use a magic item called the ‘Wing Suit’ that would be used during the raid.
“Wing Suit? Does that mean a suit with wings?”
“I thought it would look grand, but… it looks like a flying squirrel.”
“Can we really fly with that?”
The knights were whispering among themselves as Zhuge Soha demonstrated how to wear the wing suit.
At their reaction, Zhuge Soha stopped explaining and slammed the sword she was wearing on her waist to the ground.
“Everyone, focus! If you don’t learn how to use it properly now, you will land in the wrong place, or fall and die!”
The Blood Hawk Knights immediately quieted down at her stern shout, befitting a Taoist and a master of the highest level.
Then, Kyochon raised his hand on behalf of everyone and asked a question.
“Master of the Azure Response, no, Court Taoist. Do we really need to learn this? Can’t we just be taken close to the target by the hot air balloon?”
Everyone nodded at Kyochon’s words.
From their point of view, they could easily jump down from about 10 meters if they were taken to the desired location by the hot air balloon, so they wondered if they really needed to wear the cumbersome wing suit.
“Hot air balloons have the disadvantage of being vulnerable to external attacks. They are slow, and if the balloon part made of cloth is torn, they will almost certainly crash.”
Therefore, they would only move to the sky above the target with the hot air balloon.
They were planning to jump from hundreds of meters above, where arrows and cannonballs could not reach, and land on the target, but without the wing suit, they would all be dead.
“Still, jumping down with just that piece of cloth…”
“It’s not just a piece of cloth. This wing suit has levitation magic, weight reduction magic, and anti-gravity magic circles layered on it, so if you can handle it well, you don’t have to worry about safety.”
Zhuge Soha repeatedly emphasized that ‘you don’t have to worry about safety,’ but the knights heard the prerequisite ‘if you can handle it well’ more loudly.
Anyway, after explaining the specifications and usage of the wing suit, Zhuge Soha demonstrated jumping off a 20-meter-high tower set up at the temporary training ground shortly after.
“Remember that you must first read the direction and strength of the wind to glide!”
Zhuge Soha, having gauged the wind direction, jumped off the tower.
Flap!
She spread her arms and legs like a flying squirrel and flew quite a distance from the tower before landing softly.
Everyone applauded without realizing it.
“Now, you’ve all seen what the Court Taoist did, right? We’ll start training right now.”
The faces of the Blood Hawk Knights turned pale at Hwangbo Sung’s words.
Still, they couldn’t disobey the words of their superior, who was glaring at them, so they all put on their wing suits and climbed up the tower one by one.
‘Ugh! It’s higher than I thought!’
Kyochon, who was unlucky enough to be number one, looked down at the bottom of the tower and broke out in a cold sweat.
At this height, a master who could skillfully handle internal energy would not die instantly even if they fell.
Moreover, priests and healers were on standby below in case of an emergency.
So, there was no fear of death, but Kyochon couldn’t easily jump.
He had a fear of heights.
“What are you doing? Why aren’t you jumping down?”
“Aaaaaaah!”
As Kyochon continued to hesitate, Hwangbo Sung, who had climbed up the tower, pushed him off.
Kyochon, who had suddenly fallen, struggled to survive.
Flap!
The wing suit unfolded.
However, his posture was very poor, so he couldn’t fly far and rolled on the ground without landing properly.
Still, thanks to the magic on the wing suit and the internal energy in his body, he only suffered minor abrasions.
“Now, you see? That’s what you shouldn’t do. Remember that if you hesitate, you can get hurt.”
‘B-But the commander pushed me!’
The knights, who had clearly seen Kyochon’s case, no longer hesitated.
“Waaaaaah!”
“Mother—!”
“Lina! Please marry me!”
Everyone screamed, looked for their families, or shouted the names of their favorite women as they jumped off the tower.
Thus, the first glide was a mess, but it ended without anyone being seriously injured.
And as people who had trained in martial arts for a long time, they quickly adapted after trying it a few times.
While the Blood Hawk Knights were undergoing raid training for two days, the mages and engineers succeeded in assembling all the large hot air balloons.
Now, they just had to wait for Luke’s order to depart.
2
Luke, who had left Lamer City with the fleet two days ago.
A smile appeared on his lips as he looked out at the vast ocean. He was reminded of the magic communication he had received from Reina and Karen this morning.
-You have to be careful. I pray to God that you will win.
-Cheer up! You can’t lose, Daddy!
Luke thought that he should visit the Holy Palace after the war, thanks to the encouragement and requests of the two people who wished him victory.
‘But I need to defeat Arsen before he fully regains his power…’
Luke was convinced that Arsen was behind this war.
He thought that the simultaneous invasions in the south and north could not be a coincidence.
Moreover, according to the intelligence department’s report, someone had seen Magreta in the Grenada Kingdom just before King Drake passed away, so he couldn’t help but be even more suspicious.
‘It seems like he’s trying to prevent me from coming to the Lybia Kingdom. I need to put out the fire that’s on my feet first and then discuss it with my vassals.’
Even if it was him, he couldn’t just charge into the Lybia Royal Castle alone.
It would be difficult to deal with the Gigantes [a race of giants] and monsters that would swarm to defend the castle.
Moreover, there was a high possibility that the innocent people of the Lybia Kingdom would suffer great damage during the battle.
Therefore, Luke decided to defeat the enemies in front of him first and then discuss the method with his vassals.
‘Anyway, I’ve also drawn a card to hold you back. Don’t think that things will go your way, Arsen!’
What Luke learned as he went from being a lord to a king was that even if you had a brilliant mind, ruling a country was not easy.
In the Southern Continent, they say that ‘a monarch is a person who does ten thousand things,’ and it was not much different in the Rodisia Continent.
Luke was secretly implementing a plan to hold Arsen back by using this point.
As long as he was disguised as Shai Khan, he couldn’t completely ignore the duties of a king.
‘If you neglect your duties, someone will engage in corruption. And if that corruption causes unexpected strife…’
The greater the strife, the more chaotic the Lybia Kingdom’s national affairs would become, and the weaker Arsen’s control over the country would become.
In severe cases, there could even be rebellions or sabotage by the nobles.
To this end, Luke was using the information from Zehat, whom he had interrogated on Thanatos Island, to move the Grain Merchant Guild from behind the scenes and shake the economy of the Lybia Kingdom.
‘It’s still in the early stages, so the problem hasn’t surfaced yet, but it won’t be long before something difficult happens.’
Luke, who glanced up at the sky and smiled slyly, asked behind him,
“What is the situation in the northwest?”
Sebastian, his secretary who was waiting, answered his question.
“I checked a little while ago, and Marquis Rogers is holding off the monsters well.”
When Rogers first informed him that he would stop the monster army in the mountains, not on the plains near Berangze Castle, Luke wondered what he was talking about.
However, he had no choice but to approve the change of plan after the detailed explanation that followed.
Even if the monster legion was defeated, the sacrifice of the people should not occur.
However, he couldn’t help but be a little worried about the sudden change of plan.
But it seemed that Marquis Rogers, as an experienced commander, was dealing with the monster army well.
“The engineering unit is almost done installing the traps, so we will soon hear good news.”
“Good. Where are the Song Empire and Yemaek navies now?”
“They are hiding in the reef area near Greg Island, as planned in advance. They have decided to attack as soon as we lure them.”
Greg Island was an island located in the middle of the trade route between the Grenada Kingdom and the Symphonia Kingdom.
It was an uninhabited island created by volcanic activity a long time ago, where sailors tired of sailing would rest for a while or get drinking water.
There was a reef area consisting of hundreds of rocky islands around it, and Luke had hidden the navies of the Song Empire and Yemaek, who had come to help Symphonia, there.
This series of operations was discussed through Taoist telegrams [a form of communication using Taoist magic].
Zhuge Soha was the one who created the Taoist communication devices that allowed communication with the Yemaek and Song Empire navies.
For Luke, still a novice in Taoist arts, magical communication was simpler, but since there were no mages in the allied forces, he had no choice.
“How is the installation of the undersea cables progressing?”
“They have just finished, My Lord.”
“Hahahaha, it’s satisfying to see the preparations going so smoothly.”
To be honest, Luke had never seen a grand fleet of over 1,300 ships before.
Even a hundred ships would be enough to overwhelm most kingdoms’ navies, but 1,300 ships was an entirely different matter!
To win against such a massive fleet, ordinary methods would be impossible.
Therefore, Luke had devised several strategies, one of which was to use the complex reef area as a battlefield.
Of course, to increase the chances of victory, he had also developed undersea cables and wing suits.
‘The newly developed ironclad ships will also play a big role. No matter how large the enemy’s scale is, it’s not an unwinnable battle.’
Just as Luke was steeling his resolve, the magical communication device in his pocket vibrated.
‘What is it?’
When Luke channeled mana into the magical communication device, Marquis Volant, the commander of the 5th Army and the naval commander, appeared.
He was aboard the lead gyro ship, and as soon as Luke answered the call, he spoke.
– Your Majesty, we have received word from the scout ships that the enemy fleet has been located.
“Really? What is their position?”
– They are about six hours away to the southeast. If we continue at this pace, we will encounter them around 3 PM.
“Hahahaha, the timing is perfect. Good, proceed as planned!”
– Understood! I will follow your orders!
Marquis Volant, who had saluted at Luke’s command, ended the magical communication.
Shortly after, the vanguard of the fleet became busy, and about 50 fast gyro ships and sailing ships began to move ahead.
The operation, later named the Battle of Greg Island by historians, had finally begun.
3
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Numerous ships, with the wind at their backs, were heading northwest.
The large Barbarossa-class battleships and gyro-sailing ships at the center could have moved faster using their magic steam engines.
However, they deliberately did not do so.
If they sped up, the relatively slower transport ships and supply ships would fall behind.
It was necessary to move together until a landing point was secured.
Fernan was standing at the bow, enjoying the wind with a pleasant expression when Duke Nayson approached him.
“Your Majesty, we are about to enter the waters of the Symphonia Kingdom, so please be careful.”
“Hmph, I know that much. Send scout ships in all directions to find the enemy’s whereabouts and carefully check for any possible tricks.”
In the previous battle, the Grenada navy, despite its superior strength, had fallen into a trap set by the enemy and suffered a defeat.
They had taken the bait called the ‘One-Night Castle’ and their fleet was severely damaged by mines, and the ground forces isolated on the Tulead Peninsula had surrendered without a proper fight.
Therefore, this time, they sent fast scout ships in advance to carefully check if the Symphonia Kingdom had laid any traps.
Fortunately, the scout ships that returned shortly after reported that there were no abnormalities.
“Do they think we’ll fall for the same trick twice! This time, we will overwhelm them with our superior forces and completely devastate their coast!”
The main point of this operation was a war of attrition.
The plan was to annihilate the Symphonia navy blocking their path with a massive fleet of over 1,300 ships and more than 100,000 ground troops, and then devastate the coastline.
It was then, as they entered Symphonia’s territorial waters, that the lookout on the mast suddenly shouted.
“Enemy! Enemy fleet sighted!”
Indeed, the lookout was right.
When Fernan checked with his telescope item, he could see about fifty ships floating on the horizon.
Among them were several ships that had been seized from the Symphonia Kingdom in the past.
It was clear that they had deliberately placed them at the front to humiliate him.
Clench!
Fernan, reminded of his past humiliation, gritted his teeth and gave the order.
“Send the 1st Fleet to attack!”
The Royal 1st Fleet was the elite of the Grenada navy, consisting entirely of gyro ships and large battleships.
They alone were enough to crush the entire Symphonia Kingdom navy.
Duke Nayson immediately tried to dissuade Fernan from his angry command.
“Your Majesty, sending the 1st Fleet is like using an ogre-slaying sword to catch a kobold [a small, mischievous goblin-like creature]. How about sending the privateer fleets of the noble lords first?”
“Hmm, do that then.”
Upon reflection, it seemed better to follow his advice. After all, he was more of an expert in land battles than naval ones.
It was better to leave it to the experts than to stubbornly insist and suffer another defeat.
As Fernan agreed, Duke Nayson quickly gave orders to the privateer fleet.
Then, about 300 large and small wooden ships, positioned on the right side of the fleet, surged forward.
Although the size and performance of the ships were no match for the regular navy, the pirates were far more ferocious.
“Hahahaha! They’re swarming like a pack of wolves.”
Marquis Volant, aboard the lead gyro ship, smiled as he observed the enemies with a magic item.
The enemies had willingly taken the bait.
Indeed, even he wouldn’t have hesitated or turned away when facing such a significant difference in power.
Tap!
Volant, taking the telescope item off his eyes, gave an order to his adjutant.
“Execute the plan.”
“Yes, Commander.”
The 50 or so ships, including the gyro ships, formed a line and waited until the privateer fleet came closer.
Then, as the enemies entered their firing range, they began to fire their cannons all at once.
Bang! Bang! Boom! Boom!
Some of the lead privateer ships were hit by cannonballs and began to break apart. The smaller wooden ships sank immediately after being hit two or three times.
Nevertheless, the pirates didn’t even flinch.
They lacked camaraderie due to their different affiliations, and the damage was insignificant compared to their total numbers.
Moreover, the privateer ships, which specialized in looting, did not carry many cannons, so they could not stop.
“His Majesty said that if we capture the enemy, we will have all rights to the ships and prisoners! The lords have also promised separate rewards, so we must capture the most Symphonia bastards!”
“Waaaaaah!”
“Charge! Charge!”
True to their pirate origins, they shouted and raised their morale.
However, just as the distance between the two fleets narrowed to within 100 meters, the Symphonia Kingdom ships, which had been firing fiercely, turned and began to flee all at once.
“W-what?”
The pirates, who never expected the Symphonia navy to run away, blinked in disbelief.
But only for a moment.
Blinded by the promise of rewards, they soon began to chase the enemies fiercely, shouting.
“Hahaha! Stop right there, you cowards!”
“You pathetic fools! Is that how a man of the sea acts!”
Although the pirates’ jeers and curses poured from behind, the Symphonia navy did not react at all.
For the sake of victory, they could ignore such humiliation.
4
The chase continued for about two hours.
Although the privateer ships were confident in their speed, the Symphonia navy’s ships were faster than expected.
“Damn it, we can’t catch them even with the wind at our backs!”
“Why are those warships so fast?”
The privateer ships, which specialized in raids and looting, prioritized speed over firepower and were faster than warships that carried dozens of cannons.
It was more profitable to capture merchant ships and seize their cargo than to destroy them.
Naturally, they were also skilled in melee combat on the deck.
However, the Symphonia navy’s ships, no matter how they were built, boasted speeds comparable to the privateer ships despite carrying cannons.
This was because they used advanced magic engineering technology to reduce the hull’s resistance to water or improved their magic steam engines.
They even drew magic circles on the sails to catch even more wind.
“Damn it, how long do we have to chase them?”
“I want to fight already…”
The chase, where they could never quite catch up, continued.
Just as the pirates’ patience was wearing thin, the situation changed.
Suddenly, a region of small and large rocky islands and reefs appeared.
“Stop!”
“Lower the sails now!”
The privateer fleet, starting with the lead ships, gradually came to a halt in front of the reef area.
“What happened? Why did they stop chasing?”
Fernan, who was leisurely following behind with the main fleet, frowned at the sight of the privateer fleet stopping.
Duke Nayson, who was examining the nautical chart, replied with a troubled expression.
“Your Majesty, Greg Island is ahead, and the waters around this island are full of rocky islands and reefs.”
Whether it was a merchant ship or a privateer ship, they would avoid entering reef areas and go around them whenever possible. There were quite a few reefs that were not visible above the water.
“If we recklessly pursue them, we could run aground on a reef. So, it would be safer to go around and pursue them…”
“The enemy ships are entering the reef area?”
At Fernan’s remark, Nayson took the telescope item he was using and looked at the enemy fleet.
Indeed, the Symphonia fleet was entering the reef area without slowing down at all.
It seemed that not a single ship was running aground, and they were moving without hesitation.
‘What is this? Do they know the way?’
It wasn’t that strange.
Since it was their own waters, it was entirely possible that they had already figured out a way to pass through the reef area.
“If they went in, there’s no reason why we can’t go in too, is there? Immediately signal the privateer fleet to resume the chase.”
“But… No, I will follow your orders.”
Nayson, who had initially tried to object, changed his mind.
He thought it might be an enemy lure, but he judged that they could handle it since their forces were overwhelmingly larger.
“However, let’s leave the pursuit to the privateer fleet only. If we get caught in mines laid by the enemy like last time, our fleet will suffer great damage.”
“Yes, there’s no need to deliberately invite damage. The main fleet will go around.”
As the king’s approval was given, Nayson immediately signaled the privateer fleet with flags.
“Lord, His Majesty has ordered a pursuit.”
“Enter the reef area, is it? Well, the enemy has entered too…”
The pirate lord, who was leading the vanguard of the privateer fleet, ordered his captains to advance.
“Follow them! Be careful and stick close!”
“Yes, I understand!” The captain of the lead privateer ship shouted to the lookout on the mast. “Keep a sharp eye on the path the enemy ships took and report it! If our ship runs aground on a reef, your head will be the first to go!” “Yes, yes, don’t worry!” The lookout diligently scanned the area, tracking the movements of the Symphonia fleet. The navigator and helmsman carefully steered the ship, following the lookout’s directions, and entered the reef zone. As the lead ship moved, the other ships, which had hesitated for a moment, bravely followed. It was then, after all 300 privateer ships had entered the reef zone, that it happened. Thud! Creak! Thump! Squeak! “Uwaaaah!” Suddenly, the lead privateer ships lurched violently and came to a halt. The pirates on deck were thrown off their feet by the impact. “What happened? Did we run aground?” “Lookout, you bastard! What were you looking at!” The navigator, who had jumped up, roared, and the lookout, who was barely clinging to the mast, looked aggrieved. “I was watching carefully! The enemy ships passed this way too!” “Then why did our ship get stuck… Uwaaaah!” The navigator’s eyes widened. A privateer ship was approaching from behind, about to ram them. “Aaaah! We’re going to crash!” “Everyone, be careful!” Crash! Bang! With the ships in front stopped, a bottleneck occurred between the rocky islands. The majority of the privateer ships were sailing ships that used sails. Therefore, they could not suddenly change direction or stop. Moreover, the privateer ships in the center had no room to turn because of the ships on their left and right. In the end, the ships had no choice but to collide one after another. In an instant, dozens of privateer ships became entangled and crashed into each other, while the ships in the rear, which had been following at a distance, hurriedly turned left and right. However, many of them also crashed into the reefs. “Hey, you crazy bastards! Why did you suddenly stop?” “We don’t know either…” The pirates, who were screaming on the entangled ships, did not realize that there were thick underwater cables made of iron chains installed below the surface. These underwater cables, which had been installed in advance by the Symphonia Navy, were operated by mechanical devices and magic circles installed in various places on the rocky islands. They were designed to be loosely released and then pulled taut when the allied fleet passed. “Captain, water is leaking from the impact area!” “Take the crew and stop it quickly! But what are those?” The captain of the grounded ship looked puzzled at the small boats that appeared from behind the rocky islands. The boats, slightly larger than rowboats, were carrying Symphonia Navy soldiers and mages. They were the ones who had wound up the underwater cables. “Hehehe! Serves you right, pirate scum.” “Mage, let’s give them one more before we go!” At the words of the sailors rowing the boats, the mage nodded and cast a fireball spell. There were a total of six mages in charge of the underwater cables here. Even if these young mages, who were around the 3rd circle [a level of magical proficiency], joined forces, it would be difficult to sink a single pirate ship. However, magic is different depending on how it is used. Bang! Whoosh! “Aaaah! Fire!” “Put out the fire quickly!” The six fireballs collided in mid-air, scattering sparks in all directions. The sparks landed on the sails of the privateer ships or on the gunpowder of the cannons on the deck. Soon, black smoke and flames rose from various parts of the entangled fleet. Pirates who were nearby and caught fire screamed and jumped into the sea. “Hahaha! How does it ta… Huh!” Swish! Swish! The Symphonia sailors, who had been cheering, were horrified to see arrows flying towards them and rowed away frantically. A few privateer ships that had bypassed the area with the underwater cables had attacked. “Damn Symphonia bastards! They can’t fight fair, so they resort to tricks…” Thud! One of the privateer ships that had just attacked the boats lurched and stopped. It had run aground on a reef in the water. The small boats had passed over it easily, but the privateer ships had a deep draft and could not avoid it. “Kuaaak! I’ll skin you alive!” The pirate lord, enraged that another of his ships had been hit, chased after the boats, firing cannons and arrows furiously. He gritted his teeth, vowing to torture them in the most cruel way possible before killing them if he caught them. The captain stopped him. “My lord, further pursuit is impossible. Soon the sun will set completely, and darkness will fall on the sea.” As the captain said, the surroundings were gradually darkening as the sunset approached. Night navigation in the reef zone was like jumping into a fire with your eyes closed. “Shut up! Just light up the area! Use whatever you can, lamps or torches!” “B-but if we do that…” Clang! The captain stopped protesting when the pirate lord’s sword was held to his neck. “I understand. I will do as you command.” It was then, after they had lit the area and chased for a while. From behind a large, cake-shaped rocky island in front, a group of ships appeared dimly and began firing at his fleet. Boom! Bang! “W-what is this!” “Be careful, it’s enemy fire!” The captain, who had hurriedly shielded the pirate lord, inwardly clicked his tongue, thinking that he knew this would happen. Lighting up brightly in the dark was like volunteering to be a target. Crash! Crack! “Oh, no!” The pirate lord’s eyes widened as he saw a huge arrow that had just blown away the mast of the ship he was on. The giant arrow, made from a carved log, had not only broken the mast but had also crushed the rudder and helmsman of the ship next to it. “That looks like a Yemaek navy ship…” The old, experienced deckhand’s words surprised the pirate lord. “Yemaek navy? Why would those southern continent bastards be here!” It would take about two weeks of sailing to get here from the southern continent. That was the case for fast merchant ships, and ordinary warships would take even longer, so they did not make such long voyages. “But my lord, those square ships with a watchtower in the middle can only be seen in Yemaek.” Moreover, the log arrow that had just flown was a cannonball called a Daejanggunjeon (Great General Arrow) [a type of large arrow used as a projectile] used in Yemaek. “Damn it, whether it’s Yemaek or Symphonia, get rid of them quickly!” At the pirate lord’s command, the privateer ships fired their cannons all at once. However, the Yemaek ships, which had already fired once, cleverly hid behind the rocky island again. “Aaaah! Those bastards!” The pirate lord, furious, sent all his subordinate ships behind the rocky island. That was a clear mistake. From behind the rocky island, a strange-looking ironclad ship with a dragon’s head and spears sticking out of its back appeared. “W-what is that?! What’s that turtle-like thing?” The deckhand explained again to the surprised lord. “That ship is probably an ironclad ship called a Gwiseon [a type of Korean turtle ship].” “Gwiseon?” “Yes, it’s a ship that Yemaek made to stop the Yamatai pirates’ boarding attempts, but how did they get here too…” If the Grenada pirates were infamous in the Rodisia continent, the Yamatai pirates were notorious for their cruelty in the southern continent. They raided and plundered various parts of the southern continent, and among them, the Song Empire and Yemaek suffered the most damage. In response, Yemaek developed a special warship to deal with the Yamatai pirates, which was the Gwiseon. It was a decisive weapon with a dragon’s head and a deck covered with wood, iron plates, and spears, making boarding and close combat impossible. The deckhand had only heard about the ship in stories, but to think that even that would appear here! “We must turn the ship around immediately! Boarding that Gwiseon is absolutely impossible…” Just as the deckhand was about to shout something to the lord, the Gwiseon, which had penetrated the privateer ships, spewed fire from both sides. Boom! Bang! Bang! “Kuaak!” “Keeek!” The Yemaek cannons were known to be among the most powerful in the southern continent. When such cannons fired at close range, the wooden ships were shattered, and debris flew high into the sky. Not only that, but the Gwiseon also rammed into ships aggressively and spewed flames and poisonous smoke from its dragon head, killing the pirates on deck. “Kuaaak! Save me!” “D-don’t retreat!” The pirates also fired back and threw grappling hooks with ropes. However, the problem was that there was no suitable place to hook the Gwiseon. And even if they were lucky enough to hook it, the back of the Gwiseon was covered with spears, making it difficult to cross over. A few brave pirates tried to cross over using the ropes, but they were either stabbed to death by the spears or slipped and fell into the sea. “Damn it, if we can’t board it, set it on fire!” Unable to use their specialty, boarding and close combat, the pirate lord changed his tactics to fire attacks. They shot fire arrows and threw oil jars, but these also did not work. This was because the back of the Gwiseon was covered with iron plates. In the end, no matter what methods they tried, they did not work, and in the meantime, the Gwiseon went on a rampage, wreaking havoc on the privateer fleet. In the midst of all this, the Yemaek ships that had fled reappeared and began firing. The pirates, whose ranks had been disrupted by the Gwiseon, could not counterattack properly. As the damage accumulated, they began to flee. But that was not easy either. They ran blindly and ran aground on reefs hidden in the dark water or on underwater cables stretched between rocky islands. In addition, when the Yemaek and Song Empire ships that had been ambushing on other rocky islands appeared and began firing, the privateer fleet was completely annihilated three hours after entering the reef zone.