The global situation was changing rapidly.
Receiving information through various channels, including Serenade, Princess Yun, and Dusk Bringar, I clasped my aching head.
Lark and his army were finished.
The Emperor was trapped in the spirit realm, unable to escape back to reality.
The Imperial Capital, and the Empire, were completely in Fernandez's grasp.
What would become of the world now?
How would Fernandez act?
...But here at the monster front, there was a more immediate problem.
The Ghost Pirate Legion would erupt from the Black Lake by tomorrow.
And with defense lines like forward bases not activated, they would advance towards Crossroad without any hindrance.
I could only hope that the 'facility' the people here had been busily preparing in front of the southern wall of Crossroad for the past few days would work effectively.
I had some confidence and self-assurance, but it was inevitable to feel a bit anxious. I had prepared a Plan B just in case.
***
As time passed, the night before the monsters' invasion,
I opened my inventory for the first time in a while and took out boxes I hadn't used before.
One golden SSR grade reward box, three purple SR grade reward boxes.
Rewards for defeating the Goblin God-King. Time to open them now.
There were more lower-grade boxes farmed by the heroes while I was away, but I decided to keep them and open these four high-grade boxes today.
I first grasped the golden box.
"..."
I had a feeling.
I felt like I knew what was inside. So, I opened the box calmly, without praying or seeking the SSR God as usual.
Flash-!
After a dazzling burst of light, inside the box was...
"As expected, this."
A familiar piece of a flag.
[Great Commander's Flag Piece] (4/5)
- One of the five pieces of character 'Ash's exclusive equipment [Great Commander's Flag (EX)].
- Collect all five pieces to complete one flag.
I knew it would be this. Holding the flag piece fluttering in my hand, I clicked my tongue.
"Just one left now."
I would have been disappointed if it was something else.
I really want to collect all these pieces and complete the item. I'm curious about how amazing this flag must be to consume five golden boxes.
After storing the flag piece in the inventory, I opened the remaining three SR grade boxes.
Flash! Flash! Flash!
From the first box, a common SR grade Magic Core rolled out. Not as good as a complete product, but still not bad.
I'm grateful it came out, considering how much Magic Core consumption there has been recently.
And what came out of the second and third boxes was...
"...!"
A dazzling silver mace.
And a large, thick rectangular shield.
I swallowed as I examined the heavy equipment.
"This is...!"
[Goddess Blessed Mace (SR)]
[Goddess Blessed Greatshield (SR)]
Holy Gardis!
"It's the Goddess Blessed Set!"
Equipment prefixed with 'Goddess Blessed-' exists only once in each equipment category.
So, there's a Goddess Blessed Longsword, a Goddess Blessed Crossbow, and so on.
"Ugh...! How could it be so perfectly suited?"
True to equipment blessed personally by the goddess, they are natural predator gear against ghosts and undead type monsters.
Very appropriate and excellent items for us, who are about to face the Ghost Pirate Legion.
Is it because it's been a while since I've opened boxes? It's so timely to get such apt items.
'...So, it's good to have nice equipment, but.'
I rested my chin on my hand and pondered.
To whom should I give this? To whom would it be best to give it, so that rumors of a well-done job spread...
"...Hmm."
After pondering with closed eyes, I slowly opened them.
Indeed, the person to give this to...
"Is that guy alone."
***
The next day.
South, the Black Lake.
Bubble, bubble...
The surface of the pitch-black lake churned violently,
Whoosh!
Suddenly, the water's surface exploded, and a massive warship burst forth.
The warship was a ghastly sight.
Its entire rotting and decayed hull was covered with grotesque deep-sea monsters, and on its tattered black sails were drawn bizarre skull patterns.
On the front, back, left, right, and diagonal eight directions of the ship, skeletons tied with chains were hanging, with blue flames flickering inside their empty skulls.
On both sides were densely packed cannons and bladed hooks for capturing enemy ships.
Screeeech...!
Kyaaah...!
Around the ship, dark specters continuously emitted terrifying screams, converging and dispersing repeatedly.
Whoosh!
The warship, spewing black spray in all directions, righted itself.
"Hmm~!"
Splash. Splash.
A ghostly figure, dressed like an admiral, walked onto the prow of the ship, dripping seawater all over.
With each step, sea water splashed from his submerged boots, dragging a fish-smelling coat along the floor, a ghostly pirate with a bottle of liquor in his mouth.
On his back, a giant greatsword and cannon were crossed in an X shape.
"Huuh!"
The ghost spread his arms wide, took a deep breath, then clicked his tongue and bit into the bottle of rum again.
"Land's smell, always shitty as ever."
Nightmare Legion's 8th in the hierarchy.
The Legionnaire of the Ghost Pirate Legion.
Fleet Commander of the Ghost Raiding Fleet - Bernardt Poker.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Grumbling, new ships began to appear on either side of his.
Each one was a terribly damaged and broken ghost ship.
The ships, carrying a creepy turquoise aura, were all surrounded by specters, and on one side of each ship, hideous monsters like giant crustaceans or octopuses clung, their eyes glinting murderously.
Trudge! Trudge! Trudge!
Suddenly, the previously empty deck was crowded with ghosts.
In the hands of the dead were rusty swords, pistols, hooks, and ropes.
As if they were ready to steer the ship into the enemy and board it for close-quarters combat...
"..."
Watching his crew, Bernardt Poker swallowed another mouthful from the bottle.
Originally, the time for the deluge should have come, and it should have been his turn to invade the surface.
But quite a commotion had occurred in the depths of the Lake Kingdom.
Raven and Salome, two Nightmare Legionnaires, had collapsed after fighting each other, and before Raven's death, the plague he spread had swept over dozens of monster legions, causing terrible damage...
It was only recently that the chaotic situation had calmed down, and with the arrival of the time for the deluge, the King of Kings had generously ordered Bernardt Poker to march.
- I'll give you a fair wind. Advance at full speed and bring ruin to the humans.
"Fair wind, my ass. It's just because I'm the easiest pick among those left, they're throwing me out first."
The sight of the red liquor flowing down the blue and transparent throat of the ghost captain was clearly visible.
Originally, a ghost's body was unable to eat or drink anything, but his desire for alcohol couldn't be quenched even in death.
He used his magic to decompose the alcohol and forcibly absorbed it into his body. The ectoplasm of the ghost's body turned slightly red.
Bernardt Poker tossed the empty bottle aside with a swift motion. As the glass shattered, Poker belched.
"Always the sailor's lot to clean up, damn high and mighty bastards..."
At that, the ghost subordinates who had gathered around Poker chuckled and shouted.
"So, are we not going to attack, Admiral?!"
"After a long time, we get to stab and kill the living! A chance to rob them of everything they have!"
"Men! Women! The elderly! Children! Those in between and beyond! Kill them all!"
"Gold! Jewels! Silk! Tobacco! Pepper! Coffee! Let's steal everything!"
"And alcohol too!"
"Beer! Wine! Brandy! Rum! Whiskey! Our captain doesn't discriminate!"
Poker unwittingly smiled as he looked around at his subordinates, who were spontaneously singing in tune.
Before and after death, they were consistently foolish.
His subordinates, some with starfish stuck on their heads, arrows embedded in them, missing eyes, lacking lower jaws, or even heads entirely, were quickly glanced over.
"...However."
Poker hummed as he took out a new bottle and popped the cork.
"The best of them all is the cheap moonshine made by the wife who left~"
"Kyah-ho!"
"Our admiral's voice is so sweet!"
"I think I'm falling for you, Captain!"
Energized, Poker's subordinates cheered, and he barked an order.
"Set sail! You damned bastards! Raise the anchor and unfurl the sails! Catch the wind-!"
Following his gesture, he thrust his hand forward,
"It's time for a storm!"
Rumble, rumble...
Dark clouds gathered in the sky,
Whoosh!
and began to pour down a terrifying downpour.
The sea opened in the sky. Somewhere in the southern vast sea was magically connected to this place's sky.
Saltwater fell like a waterfall. Sea creatures swept up in it scattered their scales as they plummeted.
Dancing in the rain, the ghost pirates moved forward as Poker stretched his hand out again.
"Let's go! Plunder everything from the humans!"
Cutting through the pouring seawater, the giant ghost ships began to advance.
There were twelve in total.
Twelve ghost ships surged northward through the storm, accompanied by the singing of the ghost pirates on board, and the hideous cries of the specters and sea monsters hanging from the ships.
***
The King of Kings' promise of a fair wind was no empty boast.
The ghost fleet moved much faster than usual, and the twelve ghost ships covered a distance that would normally take three days in just a day and a half.
"Admiraaaaal! I see it!"
A pirate with a telescope on the crow's nest shouted noisily.
"The walls of the human city!"
"...!"
Bernardt Poker squinted through his dim eyes ahead.
Indeed, there they were. Insignificant walls made of iron and bricks.
"Did four Nightmare Legionnaires really die here, unable to breach such a frail wall?"
A sneer formed on Poker's lips.
A sneer for the foolhardy legionnaires who died here without overcoming this wall.
Spiders, vampires, werewolves, goblins.
All boasting about nearly destroying the world, but they perished here, unable to breach such a wall?
"Idiots, all of them."
He snorted with the resolve to show what true plundering was.
"It's business as usual!"
Poker fiercely commanded his subordinates.
"Charge in-!"
Whoa!
At his straightforward and intuitive command, the ghost pirates cheered in unison.
"No one has ever withstood our fleet's simultaneous ramming tactic. This time will be no different!"
Riding the waves to approach the enemy's fortress, they don't slow down but instead crash the ghost ships directly into it.
Then, entering close combat, they release the ghost pirates and sea monsters into the bellies of the enemy.
The humans, confident in their walls, will be dismayed. At the fact that ships can run on land.
And the fact that the collision of the ships could bring down the walls.
"Let's go! Kill them all, take everything!"
"Kyah-ho~!"
"Sing a song!"
"Plunder the treasures-!"
As the rain of seawater poured from the sky, the twelve ghost ships spread out to the sides.
Now, the walls were right in front of them. Poker took out a cannon and a greatsword from his back and grasped one in each hand.
Then he shouted.
"Everyone! Prepare for close-quarters comba..."
...combat, he was about to say.
Crack!
Whoosh!
Crunch, whoosh!
A terrible noise resounded, and the ship vibrated intensely.
The ghost ships, abruptly halting, one by one stopped in their tracks. The ghost pirates screamed as they were thrown noisily across the deck.
A flustered Poker barely regained his balance and shouted.
"What's going on?!"
"The ship, the ship has..."
A pirate, who had been flung overboard and barely managed to crawl back up, shouted.
"The ship has stopped, Captain!"
"What...?"
"I don't know! We can't move forward anymore! That's why we've stopped! This is... we're screwed!"
"What nonsense is this, you idi..."
Before Poker could finish his swear.
"-Is your showboating done, idiots?"
The human commander who interrupted Poker's intended curse - Ash - waved from atop the walls.
With a wicked, smirking smile.
"Then it's our turn."
Ash's hand shot forward.
"All units! Fire!"
Cannons lined up on the wall spewed flames in unison with his command.
Boom! Boom-boom-boom!
Dozens, hundreds of cannonballs poured down like a shower, a sight that was imprinted on Bernardt Poker's retina.
The pirate captain slowly bit into his bottle and muttered in defeat.
"...Damn, we're really screwed now."
Whoosh!
Immediately afterward, the immobilized ghost ships were bombarded with a fierce crossfire of red cannonballs.