866 Great Naval Battle (1/2)
Blackbeard's territory.
A massive fleet was slowly gathering.
With over a hundred ships and more than ten thousand sailors, the scale of this fleet could definitely be considered enormous.
The flagship at the core was Blackbeard's ship—Monster!
The Blackbeard flag that represented the Nightmare Ocean's pirate governor hung on the mast, waving in the wind. In addition, there were numerous other pirate flags along the periphery of the fleet.
The pirates who really wanted to take the risk and fight had all already gathered here.
This fleet was the last of the pirate forces in the Nightmare Ocean.
With such a force, it might not be unrivaled across the world, but at least any country in the Opher Continent would not be able to beat it easily.
Even the past Ettoman would not dare to brazenly fight Blackbeard in fear of obtaining victory at the cost of sustaining heavy losses.
However, the gathering of this fleet now had a hint of solemness.
”Captain… the negotiator is back!” Blackbeard's most trusted chief officer stepped forward. ”He returned with Ettoman's latest terms. They demand that we abandon sovereignty of Blackbeard Island and the Nightmare Ocean and retain only one colony. Furthermore, we are to turn over seventy percent of all our wealth! If we do this, Ettoman's newly established Far Ocean Development Corporation will accept us as privateer captains…”
Far Ocean Development Corporation—another new thing that Ettoman had invented.
Colonial methods were too underhanded. Using official means to carry them out would inevitably leave blemishes behind, while private means would not have too many scruples. Furthermore, a company's paramount objective was to pursue its own interests. Thus, its operations were simple and highly efficient. It could also accept a certain amount of private capital to participate in its business.
”This isn't a peace agreement, but a humiliating unconditional surrender!” Blackbeard suddenly stood up, and his iron leg produced a string of sounds on the deck. ”Even if we fight till the last man, I won't surrender! Pass the order down—prepare for battle!”
”Your will shall be carried out!”
The chief officer hesitated to say something, but he eventually obediently retreated.
Soon, Ettoman's enormous fleet appeared in the Blackbeard Pirates' line of sight.
Taking the lead were dozens of black smoke pillars soaring toward the sky, like a grim reaper's cage that was continuously approaching at lightning speed.
An ordinary sailing ship could at most sail at twenty knots, but these experienced pirates only needed a glance to realize that all these warships sailed above twenty knots.
Soon, a group of densely packed black dots emerged from the horizon and was growing larger, eventually turning into numerous steel mountains giving off incomparable pressure.
”Their entire hull is made of steel. Even using our largest cannon, it probably won't be able to cause any damage…”
”The smallest ship is over a hundred meters long, not to mention its displacement tonnage. It's practically a steel mountain…”
”Even without doing anything, our ships would definitely sink if they collide into us…”
The old pirates instantly gained a huge amount of parameters from observation, and their faces lost color.
One would not be able to understand the terror of Ettoman's Invincible Steel Fleet before seeing it with their own eyes.
”What are you scum afraid of?” On Monster, Blackbeard's voice could be heard from afar. ”We are pirates! Free pirates! The rulers of the sea!!! Now, someone wants to banish us, the sons of the ocean, away from our home. Can we agree to this?”
”Can't!”
No matter what, the pirates currently gathered here were still relatively determined to fight. Upon hearing this, they immediately drew their weapons and shouted. The extremely low morale due to seeing the ironclads slightly rose.
”Besides, we aren't fighting by ourselves!”
Blackbeard continued his speech vehemently, ”Golden Ocean's Pirate Prince, Coral Ocean's Merfolk King, as well as Devil Ocean's and Star Clusters Archipelago's pirate governors are all supporting us! As long as we obtain even the slightest victory and advantage, our allied forces will not hesitate to dispatch troops and tear Ettoman into pieces… When that moment comes, all of its colonies and ports across the world and even its mainland will face the fury of pirates!”
”Long live the son of the Nightmare Ocean!”
”For freedom!”
One could not help but admit that Blackbeard's speech was quite provocative.
The lowest rung of pirates was obviously unaware of the fact that the allied forces were nowhere to be seen at all and cheered wildly.
Soon, the full view of Ettoman's Invincible Steel Fleet entered their vision.
Behind the thirty ironclads, it was thickly dotted with large sailing ships that were at least third-level warships.
They were surrounding Blackbeard's forces like an open pocket.
The cheers suddenly stopped.
Facing an absolute disadvantage in numbers and ships, only fools would believe that they could still obtain victory today.
”Battle!”
Blackbeard took a deep breath and drew his cutlass.
”Roar! Roar!”
Monster immediately roared and slowly sailed forward.
A naval battle of the largest scale was about to break out!
Swoosh!
Right at this moment, a high-speed water arrow came flying over from outside the battlefield. However, it did not dash into the battlefield and took the stance of an onlooker instead.
Only after the waves fell did it reveal the ship's smooth hull and the flag that was famous across the Golden Ocean.