85 Vol 2. pt. 22 Patch 4.0: The First Round (1/2)
”Can we ram it?” Fenrir asks Tabitha.
Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.
”If ya want to sink,” Tabitha answers.
Fenrir grips the side of the ship as he tries thinking of a strategy. Pull along its side and shoot it with cannons? Regular cannon balls won't do anything lasting to that ship, and it won't save Morven and his crew.
Use carcass shots? That might work, but only if the longship's crew isn't able to summon another one of those sprites. Even then, the fire and chemicals have a chance of spreading to The Yellow Minnow and wouldn't stop those who've already boarded it.
Ramming the longship is out of the question as it will simply break The Shoebill, and once more, any damage done to the longship will most likely be repaired almost instantly.
Fenrir spots a few of The Yellow Minnow's crew jumping overboard to escape their fates, but he only counts three of them.
”Fen, I don't think there's anything we can do,” Cassiel says, placing a hand on his shoulder.
”There has to be something,” Fenrir replies.
”Captain, it would be best for us to just gather those whom have jumped overboard,” Corwin suggests.
”Anybody left already dead,” Bonekraka says, having come up from below deck after hearing all of the commotion.
”There might still be some left onboard,” Fenrir says.
”You know that not true.”
Fenrir clenches his fists.
The hull of The Shoebill begins creaking.
”Oi, deer boy, slow down!” Tabitha shouts back at Oleander.
”Don't!” Fenrir orders. ”The Shoebill won't break. She'll make it.”
Looking around, Fenrir sees one thing that might be able to help out in this situation.
”What're you doin'?! It's not time for that yet!” Tabitha shouts as Fenrir cuts the ropes holding the tarp down over her construction at the ship's bow.
The tarp flies into the mast once its final binding is severed, revealing the secretive construction meant to capture the infant serpent in the final round.
It looks like a large ballista mounted on a swivel with a seat to sit at the back of it, and in front of the seat is the small telescope that Tabitha requested in her list back when they were first gathering parts for this. She built a scoped ballista with a three-sixty field of view. Rather than shoot ballista bolts, there is a single shot connected to chain spooled around a reel attached to the side of the contraption, and the shot has that oversized fishing hook that Fenrir bought attached to the tip of it.
”Now I know what happened to the anchor's chain,” Fenrir says.
”I don't see how this is gonna help with whatever you're plannin',” Tabitha replies.
”Serra, you've got the most experience with shooting the cannons, so you're up.”
Serra responds with a confident smirk and hops up onto the chair at the back of the ballista.
”Tabs, load the carcass shots into the starboard cannons after the second volley. Bone, Corwin, and Cass, man the cannons and get ready to fire when I say. Wait three seconds before igniting each fuse from the front to the back. You need to reload the cannons as fast as possible after you shoot. Olly! Bring in the sails and cut the engine when I give the order! Serra, aim for their mast – right into the middle of their sails, and fire when I say.”
A lever on the side of Serra's seat allows her to spin the ballista around to assist with aiming as The Shoebill soars across the water toward the longship.
Everybody else jumps to attention and does exactly as Fenrir has ordered.
”Bone is right. Anybody left on The Yellow Minnow is already dead, so we're going to do what damage we can to the longship and scoop up those who jumped into the water. We're not going to win by recklessly charging in there and trying to fight in melee. So, let's see how those bastards like getting shot by cannons and lit on fire. Everybody ready?”
The crew of The Shoebill all shout ”Aye!” at once.
…
”Oh? Looks like that wolf is planning on playing hero to those yellows,” Ull says, handing the spyglass over to Blackstache.
”Must not realize going against yers is a death trap. Not a damn clue what he's thinkin' tryin' ta go against 'em,” Blackstache replies. ”Tha crew already be dead anyways.”
”You sound disappointed. I take it that you're upset about my champions killing your yellows?”
”It wasn't an official rule.”
”I see. Well, if it makes you feel any better, look in the water on the other side of the yellows' ship.”
Blackstache adjusts the spyglass and sees three of The Yellow Minnow's crew struggling to stay afloat in the water.