Chapter 19: Vying for power! Chop Off
Translated by: Chua
Edited by: I and Elkassar
In this moment, the entire battle zone was plunged into a deathly silence, intimidated by Sheyan’s showing of force. Following that, the other pirates picked up their blades and frenziedly shouted out. Under normal circumstances in this sort of side to side hand combat battle, the attackers would prepare a layer of gunmen to suppress the enemies. Judging from Sheyan’s rash behavior, he should have been shot into a sieve long ago. However, the waves were raging and the lifeboats were small, even if they brought their muskets it would be worthless. Thus, the lack of any long range firearms became the spanish’s fatal flaw!
Right now, the situation had changed as the Bell and Mug was no longer lacking in manpower. They only lacked courageous warriors who dared to form the first line of defence. Once Sheyan boldly came forth, several richly experienced pirates who were already injured became enlightened to the enemy’s flaw. Hastily wrapping their wounds, they similarly picked up their weapons and charged forward. Their actions were savage and intelligent, chopping away at the climbing ropes instead of their enemies. As long as the spanish troops had no ability to scale this towering ship, that was enough!
Sometimes, a small solution could turn the course of the battle and change its eventual outcome. A few people’s exemplary actions could instigate a soar in morale, as the initially hopeless pirates suddenly felt that their enemies were not so scary after all. Confidence and bravery were restored to them. Meanwhile, the other two spanish lifeboats had reached the Bell and Mug and were starting their side assault. Instead, they found that the resistive force from above had grown fiercer. Several spanish soldiers attempted to scale the ship with their bare hands as the climbings ropes were constantly being chopped off. However their actions only resulted in a tragic conclusion, as their fingers were being sliced off when they ascended.
Presently, there was no more need for Sheyan to act, his gaze fell towards the distant spanish ship that was engaged with the Black Pearl.
“If this time’s attack was really the product of a contestant… then he would never stop at this point, there is definitely a plan B! Usually on a pirate ship, the core characters are the captain and the chief officer, under normal circumstances, the captain would lead the hand-to-hand fighting while the chief officer kept guard. Therefore, you’ll definitely have a plan that would confidently defeat the chief officer and the rest of the pirates on guard!”
Suddenly, a pirate screamed out, covering his face with his hands as he staggered backward. Blood was gushing out from the webbing between his fingers, as he collapsed to the floor and rolled around in agony. Sheyan then witnessed a spanish soldier starting to climb up. Taking a step forward, once again that heavy hatchet swished down onto the poor soldier hacking him into two as his mutilated body fell disgustingly back to the lifeboat. To his surprise, he realized the enemy’s lifeboat seemed to have grown taller. Beforehand it was said that the Bell and Mug towered over them by 3 metres, however now the gap could not even reach 2 metres! In such a short distance, the Spanish soldiers could reach the pirates easily and began assaulting them with their weapons. Although, the slight gap lowered their potential, it was not as hopeless as their previous self where they could only remain passive.
Sheyan’s thoughts momentarily flashed by, his wealth of overseas experience was immeasurable, instantly realizing the enemy’s sinister plan! That was the ballast material!
A ship is most afraid of an empty cabin, once its own weight was inadequate, its core will become unsteady. In such a raging storm and churning sea, especially in the case of using a lifeboat in combat, when it’s drawing in the water is inadequate, it will easily capsize. Hence when the 3 lifeboats started their attack, they had placed large amounts of ballast materials to press down the draft* of the ship causing it to stabilize the hull of the ship. Thus during side-to-side battle, the lifeboat had already stuck itself beside the Bell and Mug, there was no longer need for such precautions! Therefore the spanish soldiers had started tossing out the ballast materials, the lifeboats became light as it drew lesser water and the hull started to float up.
(*Draft is the distance between the waterline and the lowest point of the ship’s keel)
In such a time, Sheyan rotated to the side, he saw that the spanish soldier’s ballast materials comprised of 1 metre wide wooden crates which had stones stored within it. Tossing the stones in the sea, they transported the crates to the side closer to their enemy’s ship and started piling them up! This ultimately gave the close combat soldiers a bonus foothold! Finally, these spanish soldiers when standing up, their heads were already taller than the Bell and Mug’s deck. In this case, their attacks became more savage, and battling became more comfortable. Once there was an opening, they could easily leap up onto the deck without climbing ropes!
“Interesting.” Sheyan leaked out a cold laughter. He began to advance, swinging his hand to smack a nearby pirate on his head as he was running around aimlessly. “Where ya running to, go and help out over there!”
No man loved being smacked on head, much less these malicious pirates. However, once that brat raised his head and saw Sheyan, he was startled and respectfully replied: “Yes boss.” He then compliantly headed to where Sheyan was pointing to.
Presently, Sheyan’s reputation had risen to a high level amongst the pirates who stayed back. His words were the absolute orders, most of them obediently acted.
Sheyan was like a tireless firefighter, any problems that arise he would rush to there. These pirates, after regaining their senses, understood that this was a matter of life and death, an absolute blood bath without any regards to casualties! The Spanish Paragon fleet soldiers were stubbornly bold, however, the pirates had the favourable position of towering over them. Furthermore, they could use their muskets, as the two sides fought to a stalemate. Under such a situation, Sheyan displayed his frightening battle capabilities, as well as his managing abilities. His ability to command caused people to be in awe!
One must never forget, before entering the nightmare realm, Sheyan was an established second in command of his trading ship. He had accumulated vast experiences abroad, his methods in managing and administration was akin to leading in this world for a millennium! These guarding crippled, aging and sickly soldiers exhibited a dying courage under such circumstances, similarly under his constant shoutings of command, they swiftly formed a line of iron defense! After that, Sheyan then gathered a dozen gunners, directing them on where to aim. Once a wave of spanish troops charged forward, they immediately fired off! Even elite marine soldiers would be forced to retreat!
The spectating Ammand on the merchant ship’s deck heaved a sigh of relief.
After being surrounded, his heart was thrown into despair. No one was clearer of the horrific consequences than him. Furthermore, Guatas was a formidable and sly opponent, although his strength could not compare to Ammand, he was slippery and could drag his opponent around. Initially Ammand was anxious and impulsive, but he had to compose himself to deal with him, or else without mentioning the Bell and Mug, even his own life would be wasted here!
Ammand was also distracted by the happenings on his own ship. Glancing at Sheyan stepping up to beat back the ferocious aggressors one step at a time, he couldn’t stop his heart from raging with excitement. The silver sword in his hand flashed with brilliance, piercing mercilessly into one of the guards in front of Guatas. The slender pointed tip shimmered with a gleaming silvery brilliance as though not a single drop of blood had landed on it.
Currently, that decaying undead had ruthlessly slaughtered Cuaron’s gang, yet the one-eyed Cuaron in his dying moments, exploded in anger as he drenched himself in oil. Lighting himself up, he pounced forward with both arms, tightly wrapping around this monstrous beast! The raging flames consumed Cuaron, and caused the decaying undead to burn and bellow repeatedly, frantically waving its arms knocking around aimlessly like a headless housefly. It had completely lost control.
Presently, the remaining pirate ships had finally arrived to battle, surrounding the other two merchant ships to begin their side-to-side skirmishes. The scenario had reached a climax, there was a visible stalemate, and yet the distant Spanish Paragon fleet had once again dispatched several lifeboats to aid these merchant ships. Although a few lifeboats were consumed by the billowing sea,crucially two more lifeboats had latched themselves onto the Bell and Mug. The spanish soldiers started flocking up, causing the situation to turn dire once again.
Fortunately, several elite fighting pirates had managed to escape from the merchant ship and returned to the Bell and Mug. They immediately joined in the deadlock pumping much needed confidence into the bitterly resisting pirates. Sheyan treated these people indifferently, commanding them at the top of his voice to the areas that needed the most support. Although these pirates were violent and not peaceful by nature, looking at Sheyan’s earlier performance, they were sincerely convinced to obey his orders.
However, there is always an exception, just when the returning pirates had gone to reinforce the left side of the deck under Sheyan’s orders, they were blocked by a male wearing a brown turban. This brat slanted his head and pressed onto the hilt of his sabre before he said:
“Where’re your eyes? Lame Tommy’s side obviously needs more help, it’s gonna be breached anytime!”
“Sheyan sweeped a look at him, coldly saying:
“Who are you?”
Brown turban raised his chest:
“Without the captain and with Scarface Harry unconscious, why should a newcomer like you be giving orders. It obviously should be me Venomous Erwin who should be in charged! Everyone follow me!”
His words were directed to the group of gunmen behind Sheyan, Sheyan grinned widely as he replied gently:
“You are correct.”
Presently, in order to easily give commands, Sheyan had placed his heavy hatchet down and had traded it for a dead spanish soldier’s sabre. His words were not done, with a brush he sliced Erwin in the middle from head down!