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The Anchor Archipelago was a general term for several dozen islands located between the eastern part of the empire and the eastern continent.
It was named so because the islands, which stretch out in an upside-down 'T' shape, look exactly like anchors, and also because the anchors came down from the 'Ship Graveyard' archipelago, located slightly further north.
Most of the islands that stretched out to the left and right to form wings were barren rocky islands that did not even have enough soil.
It was good for a fortress to block enemies, but it was not a place where people could settle, so the few pioneers who came to dream of a new life, the many convicts who were abandoned in the new land, and the pirates who were appointed captains of privateer ships made their homes in the main part of the anchor that extended up and down.
The largest harbor was, of course, the huge bay where the anchor wing and the anchor body met.
The bay had relatively weak waves due to its concave terrain and large and small reefs, and the anchor wing islands served as shields, making it less prone to attacks by fish-people. Crucially, Cariosa's large warships were unable to enter the shallow waters there.
But 'Pirate King' Aquila knew that 'White Shark' Cariosa would never give up.
It was not the result of political calculation, but a sailor's instinct.
She is a distant descendant of a monster that ruled the seas, and she will never stop until these seas are in her hands again.
thus.
He told a few lies to the convicts who came over to start a new life on the island.
“Let’s start by building a fortress.”
Before reclaiming the land, some labor was ordered.
By 'somewhat of a toil', I meant the long, extended wings of the anchor, the ballista batteries extending all the way to the harbor, the huge walls that protected the entire harbor, and the fat towers that were dozens of meters high and seemed capable of blocking a hundred 'spears of power'.
thus.
“Eww!”
“I was completely fooled!”
“I told you I would give you a new life!”
“Where is my farm? The pastures where the gentle sea breeze blows? The tanned beauties? Why are they back to chains and whips!”
Tens of thousands of prisoners were forced to quarry rocks on the islands off the Anchor's Wing, cut them into appropriate sizes, pave the harbor, and build walls and forts.
Their legs were chained to prevent them from escaping, barnacles grew from the cuts they made on the sharp rocks and burrows, and pus and pus oozed endlessly from the poisoned spots where the rusted iron had been applied.
The pirates brandished a fearsome whip called the 'Nine-Tailed Cat' to pressure the prisoners, and many of them dyed the sea red with their blood.
But eventually a fort and a triple wall were built behind the harbour, a breakwater was built on the outer edge of the bay, and a battery of ballistae was prepared along the wings of the anchor.
* * *
'Pirate King' Aquila watched the scene from his mansion built on the highest hill in the port town.
He was a mixed race of Eastern Continent citizen and Imperial citizen, and had an appearance that would attract the attention of many people from either side.
His face was sharp and serious, his eyes were light brown, and there were dark circles under his eyes.
He had neatly styled black hair and wore a wide-brimmed blue hat that was rumored to never be taken off, even when he slept.
He wore a sturdy magic tool chest armor, carried a magic sword, wore a blue coat embroidered with gold thread, and filled an ivory pipe with damp tobacco and lit it with his magic tool 'lighter'.
He looked more like a nobleman of a port city than a pirate king.
He took a couple of puffs of smoke to gather his thoughts, then returned to his seat at the head of the table.
“Yes. Now my head is clearing a little. Now, great admirals, I am ready to listen. Please share your wisdom for me.”
The privateer captains gathered around a long table watched the king.
They were all pirate admirals who had been granted permission to engage in privateering activities by the royal families and nobles of the Eastern Continent.
The first to speak was Tarti, a fallen noble from the Eastern Continent.
“Your Majesty, we must attack them quickly and defeat them.”
He was a swordsman wearing splendid red armor and a deer-horned helmet, and a powerful admiral commanding over thirty ships.
“Spring is coming soon, and a full-blown food shortage will begin. The Great Lord, the White Shark, will be fine, but we will be in a critical situation because we have a large number of people and a low ratio of elite soldiers. Let’s decide before our strengths turn into weaknesses.”
“Stop talking nonsense.”
A healthy, beautiful woman with red hair and brown skin interrupted her with a huff.
“Do you know how nervous Cariosa is when it comes to scouts? She uses wyverns as a basic weapon, and she even has her druid wizards fly water eagles all day long. Don’t you know that if you go out to the ocean and fight against giant battleships, there’s no answer?”
She was the pirate admiral, Pagin, who had followed Aquila for a long time.
She was an excellent sorcerer and also Aquila's lover.
Of course, Tarti was a vicious pirate who didn't care about such backgrounds.
“Are you saying we should just hide here and tremble? Like cowards? Are you really a privateer captain? Let’s just have a go.”
“I’m not a coward, I’m just cautious. You want to die as a squatter on the sea, but I want to live as a landlord on this island.”
“Once the land is stained with blood, it is too late. ‘If you want peace, prepare for war.’ Don’t you know that?”
“Who wouldn’t fight? Why are you crawling away after building a fortress? You can just intercept and block them whenever they send a landing ship. Let’s buy time like that and negotiate properly to protect our land. Then we’ll become true nobles.”
Tarti and Pajin's voices grew louder, and one captain slowly raised his hand.
"I……."
Arinth was a master archer, and although his face was hidden by a hooded cloak and mask, he was so handsome that one could tell he was a great handsome man just by looking at his exposed eyes.
“Can’t we do both? We can draw them in as much as possible, then surprise the landing ship, and when our combat forces are exhausted, we can send a diversionary force to the battleship.”
It is not known where he came from, but because his voice was soft and dignified, everyone assumed he was from the imperial nobility.
It was a pretty good compromise, so Tarti and Pagin let go of each other's hair.
* * *
Aquila nodded and looked at a man.
“Tenye. What do you think, Your Highness?”
Tenye was a tall man with his head shaved and his hair growing out in a braid at the back. He was so big that he had to push two chairs together to fit, and his personality matched his appearance.
He spoke in a booming voice.
“For now, the port defenses are ready. The sharks of the eastern part of the empire will never set foot on land. As for the attack… … I think it would be worth a try.”
“Is that so?”
“Cariosa has a responsibility to protect her subjects and allied lords. If we spread our hands in any direction, she will have no choice but to rush to stop us.”
"hmm."
“We are pirates. The advantage is that we can always take an offensive stance. Let’s not cling to land and harbor. Let’s go out to the sea.”
Next to Tenye, the swordsman captain wearing a plum blossom-patterned outfit also nodded.
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Aquila smiled contentedly and said:
“I have listened carefully to your opinions. I am very satisfied.”
He took two more sips of smoke and laughed heartily.
“Okay. Let’s do this. Tenye will defend the port, Pagin will attack Cariosa, and Tarti will attack the eastern part of the empire. The other captains will join under the lord of their choice. Is everyone in agreement?”
The pirate lords gathered at the table thought about it for a moment.
'If we stick to Tenye, it will be easy to get the land.'
'Under Tarti there is an opportunity to plunder.'
'If you only consider the profit and loss, Pajin is a failure. However, if Cariosa really comes, everyone will be pushed back to the battlefield, and if you have a slightly higher position, you will be able to stay in the rear for a while. And if the situation worsens, you can even run away.'
And he bowed his head politely.
“Let’s do that.”
“Very good.”
“As expected, Your Majesty.”
The sailors had many fair and democratic aspects.
At the moment when the three grand strategies were about to be decided, the monster occupying one of the seats at the table shook his head.
“Your Majesty Aquila. Your measures against Cariosa seem somewhat inadequate.”
He was wrapped in a blue vine-patterned robe, and inside the hood of his robe was a strange darkness swirling, so unlike Arinth, he could not even see his eyes.
Because he wielded powers similar to divine power, the pirate lords called him the Violet Priest and secretly suspected him of being a corruptor.
He was a powerful figure who enjoyed Aquila's deep trust, but anyone who brought up new words just as things were about to be concluded was not treated well anywhere, especially if they came from a suspicious source.
So the pirate lords gave him a cold look.
“Tch!”
“You don’t even have any sense.”
“I should have told you earlier.”
The purple priest continued speaking as if the reaction was nothing.
“We can never face that swordsman.”
Tarti glared.
“So, are you saying we should run away?”
The priest didn't even look at him.
“Please call for help. I am calling for the Graveyard Islands of Ships and the Serpent Islands of the Fishmen.”
“… … !”
As soon as those words came out, the pirate lords started cursing.
“This fu*king son of a bitch! He’s talking nonsense with his mouth wide open.”
The cannibalistic fish-people were a people who aroused fear and wrath even among pirates.
Boom! Boom!
There was a loud noise of people kicking tables here and there.
Spit spewed from his gaping mouth, his hooked hand swung threateningly, and his eyes on the other side of the blindfold gleamed.
wickedness!
There were also many who drew swords and daggers on the spot.
The chandeliers and silver candlesticks swayed, and the shadows that had been so elegant and noble also swayed.
Admiral, his true self hidden behind the alias of captain of a privateer ship.
“Someone light that fu*king robe on fire. Let me see the face.”
“It’s just that there’s no X-.”
“Do you want to be thrown into the water?”
“Let go, let go! If I don’t kill that bastard today, I’m going to the castle.”
bang!
"shut up!"
Then Aquila slammed the table and shouted.
The polite mask he had been wearing was torn apart, revealing his true nature as a sea thug.
"Be quiet!
He was also the leader of such people.
The pirate admirals clenched their teeth and trembled, and Aquila glared at the violet priest.
“Why not? If we attack by surprise while the White Shark is distracted by looting, then even that White Shark will have no choice but to retreat.”
The purple priest continued speaking calmly.
“They say that the Dragon Blood Emperor has come from the imperial family. We don’t know how strong he is.”
Tarti stammered in anger.
“Oh, you’re calling me a mercenary just because of one guy-”
The purple priest shook his head.
“It’s not about one person. It’s not about how strong they are. It’s about not knowing how strong they are. If they’re weak, you can catch them. If they’re strong, you can avoid them. But if you don’t know them, you can’t.”
puck!
Tartiga threw a cup of tea at the purple priest.
“This fu*king idiot! Where the hell do you sell your drugs!”
match!
“How dare you!”
Aquila struck Tarti on the cheek.
Tarti fell off the chair and fainted, and Aquila spoke in a tone that seemed to be about to chew him out.
“Let me think about it, Violet Priest.”
The pirate lords gritted their teeth and looked at Aquila and the Violet Priest.
To them, too, someone like the purple priest was a thorn in their side.
'I'm not even a pirate.'
* * *
Deep night.
The sound of busy footsteps began to echo through the Ketushion military port.
The most dangerous sailors and soldiers in the East ran about in unison, clad in scaly iron armor.
The officer's sergeant called the junior officers and non-commissioned officers over and did a final check of the supplies.
"biscuit."
“Loading is complete!”
“Salted meat.”
“Loading is complete!”
“Rum and water.”
'Loading is complete!'
“Two types of magic tools. A pill and a large water bottle.”
“Loading is complete!”
I asked, puzzled by the word I had never heard before even before the regression.
“Peacock. What is this pill essence magic tool?”
Cariosa answered as if asking why something so obvious was being asked.
“A magical tool that changes seawater into freshwater and sinks waste to the bottom. It is put into each individual water bottle. It is placed in a waterproof bag and given to each individual. It is mainly used when drifting.”
I said, wondering how much I could buy the recipe for.
“You value the lives of your soldiers.”
“Because a navy and sailors can’t be raised overnight.”
I watched as various potions were loaded into the hold of the transport ship, healing priests reluctantly boarded the landing craft, eastern battle mages gathered reagents, and wyvern-mounted dragon knights took flight from Kethusion's wyvernpit.
Cariosa said, as if she couldn't stand the excitement.
“Then, should we go too?”
A luxurious 50m long speedboat was ours.
Until they left port, the sailors rowed from below.
Because the speed was not very fast, some doubted whether ocean voyages would be possible.
“Captain?”
“Yes. Now!”
Those worries were fleeting, as soon as the ship left the port, the sailors unfurled the sails, and Cariosa, who was standing at the sign, drew the magic sword 'Tailwind'.
Sir Tentia, who had been dealing with that sword, flinched for a moment, and Cariosa pointed to the sail and shouted as if singing.
“I brought the wind!”
All the battle wizards on board the transport ships, landing ships, speedboats, and escort ships simultaneously shouted toward the sails of their own ships.
“I brought the wind!”
The next moment, a wind like the giant's breath blew from behind.
Phew!
The sails were so puffed out they seemed ready to burst.
At that moment, I could see why this ship was a speedboat.
It felt like it was faster than words.
Choaaaah-!
The waves parted at the bow, and the harbor shining behind them disappeared into the distance in an instant.
It was amazing that a ship over 50 meters long could move at this speed.
“Archduke Valen. What do you think?”
Cariosa shouted confidently.
Her aquamarine hair flowed forward.
I answered with a bright smile.
“That’s the best.”
After walking for about 30 minutes, lights started to appear ahead.
It was the light from the lanterns attached to the bow, tail, and mast of the ship.
Cariosa withdrew her magic, and Sir Tentia blinked as if she were dreaming.
“Your Majesty. How many ships are lined up there now?”
For me, these were ships I had seen before returning, but seeing them again was just as overwhelming.
“I told you, sir. The real battleships are about the same size as Marcus’ Nibelungen.”
The description of a battleship made of giant water and measuring 150 meters in length as a floating island was not at all out of place.
Cariosa looked back at me with a triumphant expression.
“Welcome to the Storm Fleet, Your Highness.”
Warships so huge that the sea appears narrow.
It was the most powerful fleet in the Eastern Sea.