Chapter 260
Chapter 260
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 260
Chapter Title: Assault from the Skies
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"Just as the captain predicted. Or have those Mermaid Pirates finally lost their minds en masse, after holing up on that island for so long?"
The vice captain of the Gadric Pirates, Avery, gulped dryly as the Mermaid Pirates struck the Western Admiral's rear, exactly as Captain Drake had foreseen despite his own skepticism.
"Martel has harbored resentment toward the king's actions for a long time now. I figured she'd make a move eventually."
"She's insane... Completely mad. Defying the king? Is she in her right mind?"
"Well, you could call it the privilege of youth."
Drake had closely observed Martel every time he visited the home island.
She had spent her years there, without even requesting dominion over another sea, all in an attempt to persuade a king mired in boredom.
And in the end, tormented by unchanging reality, she had chosen to turn her back on him.
Foolishly so.
The king was strong. Stronger than them. So why not just obey the strong like proper pirates and live quietly? Why risk their lives like this?
Because of that choice, Martel and the Mermaid Pirates would lose all the wealth and honor they had amassed as nobles of the sea.
'Young and inexperienced, that's why she made such a foolish decision.'
Now it was time for her to pay the price for that stupidity. The treasures of the Mermaid Pirates would be divided among the other three admirals.
And Drake himself would claim the lion's share.
"Pull alongside tight. Help the Western Admiral smash the Mermaid Pirates quick, then follow the king's rear...?!"
-Kieeeek!
A shrill cry pierced Drake's ears as he gripped his iron club.
A colossal shadow blotting out the sun overhead.
"What is...?"
It wasn't a bird. No bird was ever that ferocious or massive.
Wyverns.
Monsters that ruled the Dragon Mountains, not native to these warm southern seas, had appeared over the ocean.
Suspended from the wyverns' bellies were enormous leather pouches.
-Kieeeek!
As the swiftly descending wyverns approached their galleons, the pouches dropped onto the decks with a rush.
Kuuuung!
The pouches thudded onto the deck like massive rocks or ore chunks.
Before the sailors could inspect them, movement stirred from within.
Piuuung! Pfft!
Some pirates collapsed, pierced by arrow-like beams of light shot from the pouches.
Kiiing! Slash!
Others lost their heads to silver trajectories bursting forth.
"Graaaargh!"
Still more were torn apart by beastly roars and claws.
"Captain, what is that?!"
Avery's eyes widened at the carnage on the galleon beside the flagship.
"Reinforcements from Olivia. Taming wyverns, no less—impressive. Well then, shall we clean that up first?"
Even as his men died horribly around him, Drake's expression remained unchanged.
Drake moved to join Avery on the adjacent ship, but the intruders were a step faster.
"Wauuuu!"
A threatening howl echoed as claws plummeted toward Drake's head.
"Winds, obey!"
Shwaaaa!
Simultaneously, an arrow infused with wind energy targeted Drake's heart.
Seeing the threat, Avery's hands moved urgently.
Clang!
His right tonfa blocked the wolf's strike.
Crack!
His left tonfa spun at high speed, snapping the arrow aimed at Drake's heart in two.
As Avery clashed with the wolf-man and the elf archer, three knights boarded the flagship and surrounded Drake.
"This bone-chilling cold... I see. You must be Beskin, the so-called Ice Knight."
"For the famed Eastern Admiral to know this humble knight's name—truly an honor."
"Anyone in the trade who doesn't know one pillar of the Shield Family's boasted Hexagon should pack it in. But... surely you're not thinking of ganging up on me?"
"Regrettably, the title of Eastern Admiral is too heavy for me to handle alone."
"A knight resorting to a group attack? The Shield Family has fallen far."
"I'll gladly accept any rebuke. But we've come here not for a duel, but for war."
Shring!
Starting with Beskin, vice-captain Ravins and chief squad member Cherion slowly drew their swords.
"You're undoubtedly stronger than me. Clinging to honor with inferior skill is mere bravado. So I trust you'll understand."
"Fine, I can understand the desire to gang up. But this, I just can't comprehend."
Grrr!
Drake lifted his obliquely poised iron club as he spoke.
"The psychology of crawling into a deathtrap when you know you'll die. You really think this handful can escape alive?"
"Guess we'll find out."
Despite Drake's chilling warning, Beskin responded calmly.
He soon signaled his two comrades.
"Let's go."
"If you have to taste shit or peanut butter to be satisfied, then by all means."
With Drake's words as the cue, the four warriors tangled in combat.
"Grr. This human's got some bite."
"Agreed."
Baukalrak and Ash faced off against Avery, who had single-handedly blocked their attacks.
His defense clearly had its merits.
Whoosh!
Avery assumed a flawless stance with his tonfas, devoid of any openings.
"I'd prefer to stall if it were just me, but..."
Glance!
Avery eyed the fierce clash between Iron Maiden and Mermaid before continuing.
"We have our own situation here, so let's end this quick."
Ash and Baukalrak shifted into ready stances at his words.
"Music to my ears. We're short on time ourselves."
Shwaaaa! Splash!
A casual swing of the massive greatsword toppled the galleon's mast like a toy, sending it plunging into the sea.
Screeech!
Leaping high, the follow-up slash cleaved through the deck and into the keel.
Shwaaaaa! Plop plop!
The staggering force sent water droplets soaring skyward, only to succumb to gravity and rain back onto the surface.
Each attack unleashed such immense power that the surrounding sea churned like a typhoon.
A terrifying might that toyed with nature itself.
This was the power of one who claimed a seat on the Jade Throne.
Though the shockwave devoured the area enough to shatter ships, Jerome landed softly atop the splintered wreckage that had been a vessel moments before, unscathed.
"......"
Jerome silently glanced behind him. There, Lampang touched down on another ship, Delo and Dwayne secured at his sides.
The rearmost ship in the main fleet. Safe while Jerome handled Balak.
Jerome gave Lampang a subtle nod as their eyes met.
"......"
Splash!
Reading his intent, Lampang gently set Delo and Dwayne down before vanishing into the depths.
Undoubtedly to summon the megalodon's power and ravage the sea.
From now on, Lampang would systematically hunt the captains under the admirals plaguing the navy.
"Rookie, nothing left to distract you now?"
Balak, standing rigidly atop a floating barrel like Jerome, grinned ferociously.
"Speak if you need more prep time. I'll gladly wait."
"...Doubt you'd wait even if I asked."
Jerome's voice was steady and low.
That previous strike had carried excessive force for mere probing.
His intent was clear: annihilate the navy aboard the flagship. Jerome had blocked as much as possible, but covering the full area was impossible.
As a result, countless navy sailors perished.
In short, Balak aimed to destroy anything Jerome cared about, forcing single-minded focus.
"Heh heh heh! Spot on. Quick on the uptake—good. So from now on, don't spare a thought for anything else."
Swoosh!
Balak's enormous greatsword swung toward Jerome's brow.
Despite the distance, the chill felt like the blade pressed directly against his skin.
"If you want to protect those maggots behind you, come at me with everything. The more you entertain me, the longer those seals survive."
Glance!
Surveying the surroundings revealed not just ship debris but also navy corpses bobbing lifelessly amid the waves from Balak's strike.
Crunch!
Rage surged from deep within Jerome's chest.
"...Now I get it."
Ascending the Jade Throne was a title granted to only eleven on the continent. It signified warriors of commensurate 'stature'.
The Holy Empire's three dukes, Forest Queen Paula, Sword Family's Brawn, even his father.
None could claim they hadn't taken lives— for nations, tribes, ambitions.
But none killed the weak for 'fun'.
Not even Black Wing Veras would stoop to such depravity.
Thus.
Though the bald brute wielded Jade Throne-level power,
he lacked the 'dignity' of a true sovereign.
Thus.
Jerome could not accept it.
The fact that such a one held a throne.
Therefore.
"...I'll take that seat."
Kuuuung!
Denser golden aura erupted.
With it, Jerome summoned steel to blacken his body, kicking off the water to charge.
From this moment, he would etch his name upon the Jade Throne.
With Lampang's aid, Dwayne and Delo had shifted to the navy's main fleet rear, observing the rapidly evolving battlefield.
"Quartermaster, what do you think?"
Delo asked, wiping sweat while issuing nonstop orders to the navy ships.
Delo and Dwayne were both specialists in strategy and operations.
Thus, they had agreed beforehand to focus on their respective strengths.
Delo on ship handling, Dwayne on strategic shifts and execution.
Unlike his old days planning alone, Delo now poured everything into fleet operations.
To sink one more pirate ship, save one more sailor.
He couldn't spare attention for the main fighters.
Dwayne scanned the field through his spyglass and let out a short sigh.
"...Some twists and turns, but it looks like the fights have kicked off as we planned."
Thanks to the Southern Admiral's betrayal, the navy—routed by the Western Admiral's assault—had time to reform lines.
Jerome's timely awakening allowed Lampang to relieve the struggling navy.
Slight unease about Beskin handling the Eastern Admiral alone, but with elves and lycanthropes, they'd hold for a while.
Jerome versus the Pirate King... Hard to tell. Flashy, but not overwhelmingly outmatched. If truly dire, Lampang would assist.
"That leaves..."
Swipe!
Dwayne's gaze turned left.
There, amid purple mist shrouding damaged Olivia navy ships, the rest of the fleet had withdrawn.
At a glance, it seemed an abandoned front—but it was at Saladin's request.
-In this war, I need to move independently as much as possible. Too many allies will hinder controlling Mima and Nene. If I face the admiral, order the navy to fall back.
'Young Master Saladin, was that mist the reason?'
The Iron Maiden ships encircling the damaged navy vessels floated motionless, like ghost ships.
The mist was likely a lethal poison to dispatch pirates swiftly. Deadly to allies too, no doubt.
'But...'
Dwayne understood Saladin's thinking, but Buccaneer Pirate ships approached from behind.
Left unchecked, they'd be re-enveloped.
Of course, contingencies existed—like Seira and Aria's mage corps on the right—for the left as well.
But timing depended on Saladin's signal.
Thus, Dwayne watched the left flank closer than others.
If Saladin fell to the Northern Admiral without signaling, he'd act unilaterally.
Saladin was a precious comrade, having spent as much time with Lord Jerome as he had.
He would never let him die. Absolutely.