The sea was calm and still, enveloped in a dense marine fog that smothered even sound.
The only noise was that of the ships cutting through the waves.
However, no matter how quietly they moved, it was impossible to conceal the sound made by 43 ships.
"...!"
And Nidavellir, which had been waiting silently, was precisely waiting for that sound.
"It's an attack!"
With the desperate shout of the lookout, fire began to spread from within the fog.
The flash that started from an unseen place suddenly flew fiercely towards Barbosa's fleet on the wind.
"Cannonballs are flying!"
"They're dwarves! Everyone, wake up!"
Kwakagagagang-!
It started quietly, but when it hit, it was like a disaster.
Wood fragments rebounded in all directions.The sailors' screams spread along with it and began to resonate through the thick fog.
"Successful hit!"
"Most of the fired cannons hit their targets!"
It was a surprise attack aimed at an opportunity and a preemptive strike.
Nidavellir's attack, taking advantage of the fog, mercilessly struck Barbosa's ships.
Seeing that the enemies couldn't even respond properly, the sailors began to unleash the cries they had been holding back for so long.
"...No wonder they were so slow."
However, despite the success, Olmukar's expression remained stiff.
Despite the strong projectiles, not a single one of Barbosa's ships stopped.
"What... what's that?"
"What the hell?"
The sailors, enthusiastically firing projectiles amidst cheers, sensed something strange and began to panic.
This was because what they saw only after the thick smoke of the projectiles cleared was completely different from what they expected.
"Those lunatics..."
Barbosa's fleet of 43 ships advanced in a diamond formation.
The ships on the outer edges of the formation were reduced to rags by the bombardment just moments ago, but they did not stop advancing.
This meant that, although the exterior was terribly affected, the internal functions were still intact.
"Armor! They're armored!"
"Those lunatics armored their ships!"
Although the wind was favorable, the enemy's movements were exceptionally slow due to the weight of their armor.
"...How much money did they spend on that?"
The dwarves of Nidavellir were speechless as they looked at the iron armor placed on each ship.
As warriors and blacksmiths, they knew very well how many resources and gold coins would be consumed to use such preparations.
"It's too soon to be surprised."
In the middle of the diamond formation, there was a man smiling under a brightly red sail.
He was slowly gauging the direction of the wind, looking at the flag fluttering above.
"The enemy fleet has opened fire!"
"Full speed ahead! Let's get out of here!"
In the South, it is their duty to return what they have received.
Olmukar realized that the wind was blowing towards them and quickly ordered them to leave the battlefield.
"Where are you going? Dwarves!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Colored flames began to rise from the castle walls floating on the sea.
Following the wind that blows, at a certain angle.
"You should receive everything you give!"
Barbosa's red beard trembled.
This was because his wild senses were certain that the current attack would succeed.
However, although he knew the sea, he was a person who didn't know what dwarves were.
"...What's this!"
Measuring the gap between opponents is one of the important virtues a captain must have.
However, when Barbosa saw that the gap had subtly closed, he let out a sound as if he were astonished.
Puuuuuu!
Unless they rowed, or even if they did, the current maneuver made no sense.
However, the ships of Nidavellir had already turned their bows and were narrowly escaping the range of the bombardment.
"Watermill?"
Ships throwing fog and disappearing into the mist.
Barbosa made a noise of amazement upon seeing the Nidavellir ships disappear before he realized it.
"...We'll lure them to the reef area. Send the signal to the submarines."
"Understood!"
A fleet that does not stop no matter how much you shoot and a fleet that does not move with the wind.
Barbosa and Olmukar's thoughts began to complicate as they looked at the unknown world they had encountered for the first time in their lives.
***
- What is that?
- It's ships! It's Barbosa's flag!
The fierce sound of artillery fire resonated loudly through the fog, but the screams of fear echoed in the waters heading north.
They were the cries of a procession heading to Nassau for evacuation.
"They've caught us. I didn't expect them to move so quickly."
"..."
After hearing Joseph's sigh, Vlad abruptly dropped the telescope he was holding.
This was because through his distant view, he saw ships blocking the way to Nassau from afar.
A total of five ships were identified, flying colorful golden flags that had never been seen before in the North.
"They moved much faster than we expected. It seems the golden lord has already established his domain up to the western waters."
"What do we do now?"
Although it wasn't certain they were targeting the refugees, the golden lord's ships had already advanced into the northern waters.
The ships blocking the path were likely sent by Barbosa to block any potential support from the north.
"...I don't always have the answer."
Joseph cautiously opened his mouth and turned his head to look at the sea.
The place Joseph looked at was filled with dwarves trembling with anxiety on old fishing boats.
"I don't have a plan, but we must act."
At the same time those words were spoken, Joseph and Vlad's eyes simultaneously focused on one person.
On Harven, the owner of this ship.
"...I told you this before. The state of the ship is barely enough to reach Nassau. No, and in the first place, there are five ships there!"
"We did it once before."
"That was before, now we have no support!"
As they spoke, Barbosa's ships approached.
However, the only ship that could withstand the approaching giant ships was the Zemina.
Harven couldn't find an answer no matter how much he calculated, so he ended up tearing at his hair.
"We have no fog to hide in or hidden chains among the reefs. If we rush like this, we'll be dust before we reach them."
"..."
While the Zemina hesitated in doubt, a solitary figure moved forward.
Vulcan's submarine, which was underwater, advanced.
"Vulcan will clear the way. We'll take advantage of that gap."
"Then, we do it, right?"
Although avoiding confrontation would be ideal, there comes a time when you must face it. Especially when there are people to protect.
"...Well, anyway, without you, I wouldn't have become a captain and would have died in that small room."
Harven's expression as he faced Vlad still seemed worried, but the angle of his captain's hat was sharp once more.
"Alright, we'll do it."
From being the owner of a miserable room, he was now the captain of a vast sea.
Even if there were walls surrounding him on all sides, Harven now knew well that in the end, we must keep moving forward.
"The knight wants to go once more! Everyone, prepare yourselves!"
"I knew this would happen!"
"Damn it! I'm going to die at sea!"
The crew, noticing the captain's determination, quickly found their respective positions and began to settle in.
However, the reason they show not a single complaint despite the ridiculous orders is probably because the existence of Vlad and Harven is a source of pride for them.
People who were born in the same mud but became a source of pride.
"Mage! Go to your post!"
"Since when is it my post?"
Nibelun, who was treated as a mere power source, grumbled unusually, but Harven's word was law on the ship.
Nibelun muttered that he was lucky to have gained some warmth in the forge on Lemnos Island. With a familiar hand gesture, he pulled a small bellows from his backpack and stood behind the mast.
"Vlad, wait a minute."
While everyone was taking their seats as they did last time, a voice stopped Vlad, who was trying to move to the bow.
"What is it, Baradis?"
"I'm sorry. This time it's certain."
Vlad turned his head and looked at the elves gathered beside Baradis.
The elves of Ausurin were clinging to the railing, looking out to sea, even in this urgent situation where the sailors were running back and forth.
"There are spirits nearby. They are more gathered than before."
Baradis' finger, which had been pointing out to sea, now pointed at Vlad's sword.
"These are spirits that originate from the World Tree Mother. They've been out for a long time, but I think I recognize them."
Hearing Baradis' words, Vlad quickly closed his left eye.
Then, in the world he viewed, he could detect the blue light flowing from the sword's sheath, just as was said.
"Release the sails! All of them!"
"Aaaah!"
Following Baradis' finger, Vlad saw flashes of light in the sea, confirming that he should be high up, not at the bow, to show the trail of the World Tree.
"Everyone, say goodbye to Zemina! From now on, we're heading to hell!"
The wind of mystery began to blow on the sails lowered by the humans.
Then Zemina advanced as if gliding.
However, Harven, who realized that the momentum was far beyond what he expected, looked at Nibelun with a surprised expression.
"It's not me!"
"...Then, what is it?"
The dwarves around us widened their eyes as they watched Zemina advance without a single movement.
The strange-looking movement was indeed movement, but the color of the sea, which somehow looked different, seemed brighter than usual.
[There's no time! Release your aura immediately!]
Kihano gave urgent advice to Vlad who was climbing the mast.
This was because the world seen from below was already full of glowing squid.
"I know!"
I know where I need to be.
The place I must be now is not the foremost, but the highest.
Because this was the only way to show the traces of the World Tree flowing through the sword from afar.
"Good thing we didn't accept the refugees from the beginning!"
I couldn't protect Justia, but I wanted to be different this time.
Although revelation is something you face before you realize it, I still wanted to be a little prepared.
Thanks to that determination, the current Zemina could move forward without hesitation.
"Ha..."
Vlad reached the dizzying watchtower and drew his sword with all his might.
Then the golden world shone brightly.
Bubbles in the sea began to bubble along the world that shone like a beacon.
A golden light shining alone over an increasingly turbulent sea.
The scene viewed from afar looked exactly like the image drawn by the priestess of the World Tree.
____
Join the discord!
https://dsc.gg/indra
____