Chapter 62 - Hard to Starboard (2)

"If that's our only hope to save them," Mei sighed, feeling as if a burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She seemed different now, slightly more powerful. Her spirit energy seemed to naturally gather around her.

"She seems to have made a breakthrough of sorts," Lingqi whispered to Lance. "It's similar to your own transformation, but less drastic."

"Hmph. She's nothing like me. I can still kill her without much effort. Just move the mana cannons to the starboard side. They must aim to flank us. It is obvious that they are aiming for the mast but can only hit the stern of the ship. Tell the captain to focus all mana cannons on the right side and prepare to go overboard. We'll lose the ship anyway, but we can take one down with us and make our chances of escape a little bit higher," Lance ordered, with Lingqi nodding as she ran to tell the captain. "Panther, go with her in case the captain needs some encouragement to follow my orders."

"Yes, master," the panther purred and sped off after Lingqi.

"I want all mana cannons focused on the starboard side now! Any sailor or fighter not on a mana cannon better arm themselves with one of the pirates' rifles. I want all civilians not fighting to prepare to ride the lifeboats and escape. We'll position our starboard side at the pirate ships while our port side faces the island. The ship will act as a shield as the lifeboats break for land. We live or die today, ladies and gentlemen. Get moving and prepare to abandon ship or abandon life and hope," the captain ordered, and the sailors rushed to position the mana cannons on the right side of the ship.

"Take the one at dawn. The one at sunset is more dangerous. You won't get attacked by pirates during the day. They don't have the guts. Fucking whore. When I get home, I swear I'm knocking the teeth out of that woman," a merchant cursed, and Lance was mildly amused.

"Your wife?" Lance asked.

"My shrink. Trying to get back on my feet after the drugs," the merchant said. "My wife said I had an anger problem. She said she'd leave me if I didn't learn how to stay calm."

"You help the passengers get on the lifeboats in a calm manner, and you'll be on the first one out," Lance said, the merchant's eyes twinkling as the two shared a laugh.

"Nice work," Mei noted as all the mana cannons were positioned on the starboard side.

"Don't get too excited. Merchants are those who prioritize their lives. If their life is at stake, nothing will stop them from getting away with their valuables. You just have to know which people to direct and which ones you shouldn't. Observation before decision. That is how you win," Lance smiled evilly and stared at the two pirate ships as the captain's cabin was finally blown apart.

"They're moving apart. They aim to flank us!" the sailor atop the mast reported. "They've got oars out."

"That's a relief," Lingqi said, with Lance turning to her.

"Why's that?" he asked.

"If they've got oars out, that means they are prioritizing speed. With the recoils of the mana cannons, the sailors below would have difficulty moving the ship. They won't be firing at us," Lingqi explained.

"Good. If they've got oars, I’ve got bones. I'll be at the bottom of the boat. Don't worry about me. You guys just prepare for the assault on the starboard side and keep watch on the other ship. As we make hard to starboard, the other ship will be at our stern. Stay near the bow during the assault," Lance said, rushing downstairs.

"What does he mean by bones? The bone fish?" Lingqi asked Mei.

"I try not to think about it. Asking only makes you dread it more," Mei replied, moving to the front of the ship.

"They're going to blow up the ship. They'll blow up the ship. I got bones. I got bones," Lance muttered as he took out the Necromonicon. "This is gonna be fun. Oh, so much fun. Come out, little wolf. It's time to begin the fireworks."

A sea wolf came out of his storage ring and howled. Lance also took out a mana cannon and began summoning bone snakes. The floor became heavily submerged in fog, and the temperature in the room dropped to freezing. Lance took out a magical beast core of the Element Adept Stage and admired it before inserting it into the cannon.

"A lot of people will die today. Me, my girls, and my cat will live today. We're gonna take a swim and gut some rats. We'll make a killing and make off with their stash," Lance sang and hummed as he finished his preparations.

On the deck, the sailor atop the mast slid down and said to the captain, "They are beginning to cross to us. It's time."

"Hard to starboard," the captain commanded.

"HARD TO STARBOARD! Put your backs into it! Haul in oars on our port side. Load the cannons and prepare to fire on my mark!" the first mate cried, the sailors and passengers falling silent upon hearing the orders.

A few yards away, Gary stared at the merchant ship with disgust. His eyes widened as the commercial ship started to take a hard right. That meant they predicted their flanking attack!

"Haul in oars! Do not augment your bodies with spirit energy!" Gary cried, but his ship moved too fast and was too difficult to steer to starboard. Gary cursed as he saw Garret's ship attempt to take a hard right as well, only to have the bow of the commercial ship slam into their port side.

"Fire! Aim at the mast and the hull! Sink that ship down with us!" the captain of Garret's ship yelled.

"NO! We can't lose another ship! All hands, fire at our starboard!" Gary screamed.

"We might hit our own allies, Captain," his first mate cautioned.

"But it won't sink! Just fire! We cannot lose another ship. Think of our loot on it!" Gary roared, the pirate paling as he yelled at his men to fire at will. Gary and his pirates suddenly felt their ship quake as they heard an explosion below deck.

"What happened?" he screamed.

"We took damage to our hull! We're taking in water!" a pirate shouted from below deck. "Wait, there's something coming towards us in the water. Oh gods! It's a sea wolf! A sea wolf! Its body is covered in some bone armor! It's flanked by dozens of snakes made of bones!"

"A necromancer, but how did he gain control of a sea wolf?" Gary cursed as screams erupted below deck.

"Gather at the hull and close that breach! Aim our rifles at the sea wolf and take it down!" his first mate cried.

"Belay that! Kill the master, kill the sea wolf! See that hole near the surface by the stern? Damn bastard blew a hole in their ship to damage our own! He knew the ship's doom and is attempting to prevent us from helping my brother's ship! Aim all mana cannons at their stern! Sink it down!" Gary roared.

"But the crew?" his first mate muttered, but he followed orders. After a few screams, several small bangs were heard below deck, and Gary could see a sea wolf run back to the commercial ship as their mana cannons blasted the stern apart. He laughed as the ship tilted backward and began to sink, amused as the sailors and some resistant passengers leaped onto his brother's ship.

"Hmm?" Gary frowned, and his eyes widened as he saw lifeboats speeding toward the island. "They fucking got us! Their main goal was to abandon ship after all! Aim the mana cannons at them!"

"They're out of range, Captain," his first mate said as a bloodied pirate came on deck. "Should we go after them?"

"No! We help my brother and his crew. Then we rain our mana cannons all over that beach. I will not have us dock on any of that accursed island chain," Gary said, superstitious as all pirates were.

"Captain!" the pirate wheezed. "The bone snakes seemed to carry weak magical cores and exploded by overloading their bodies with energy! The explosions damaged some of our mana cannons, and some of our crew were killed. Captain, the explosions made several holes in the barrels of rum."

"The rum?" the captain and first mate gasped. Pirates cherished three things: rum, treasure, and freedom on the high seas. Rum took away their mental struggles of living as pirates. It was like gold to them.

"Plug those holes and save the rum! Take some of our crew and plank the holes in the hull! We can't help the others," Gary ordered through gritted teeth. If he helped his brother and his ship sank due to the length of time it took to save them, then his crew would mutiny, and he'd be dead. They had their own loot and skins to worry about.

"I'll stay on the ship and help control the water from getting in. Take half of my crew and get on those lifeboats. Go to my brother's ship and kill that necromancer. The sea wolf returned to that blasted ship. Also, find the chest they stole," Gary ordered.

"Aye. I hear that. We'll get revenge for Garvin," the pirate nodded, and half of the crew took their swords, axes, and rifles and started to lower the lifeboats into the water.