CHAPTER 473: CHAPTER 303: PIRATES ATTACK_2

"No, on the contrary, I intend to fight them openly, and make it a splendid, decisive victory. We’ll show them that pirates are nothing to fear, because Hamlet’s Navy has returned, and we have the power to protect them."

Lance was not afraid in the slightest. To him, these pirates were perfect for a show of force.

The birth of any coercive power is always accompanied by blood and death. One can never become a true warrior without experiencing battle firsthand.

"Gather the soldiers and prepare for battle immediately."

It had to be said that Lance’s words instilled a powerful confidence in Wilson, making his blood surge with excitement.

That’s right! I’m not just a merchant captain anymore; I’m an officer in Hamlet’s Navy! Why should I fear those pirates? Let’s do this!

"My Lord, the men are assembled. We can strike on your command."

In truth, Wilson had already summoned all the sailors to battle stations the moment he spotted the suspected pirate vessels.

Lance wasted no time. He went directly to the specially designated military zone for docking warships and faced the already assembled soldiers.

True to his initial promise, Lance had spared no expense on the Navy. They received whatever resources they required, and their treatment was even better than the infantry’s. This was because they endured more complex and rigorous training, the results of which would become evident when they truly faced an enemy.

Their equipment was indeed luxurious.

The infantry had not yet been universally equipped with them, and only the Cavalry possessed short-barreled muskets. In the Navy, however, every man carried one at his waist. Although they lacked full armor, they wore leather armor with iron plates reinforcing vital areas. Each man was also equipped with a Short Sword, a Sailor’s Knife, and some also carried axes.

Lance’s strategy was simple: upon encountering the enemy, fire. In the current state of naval warfare, which still relied on boarding actions, a point-blank shot required no aiming. When they closed in, it would be hand-to-hand combat. No overly elaborate weapons were needed against these unarmored targets, especially when fighting within the confines of a ship’s cabins, where Short Swords and cutlasses were more suitable for combat in tight spaces. The Sailor’s Knife was for cutting ropes and the like, while the axe was for breaking down doors inside the ship.

These loadouts were all arranged by the veteran Wilson based on his experience; Lance was responsible for equipping them.

Now, the Navy’s equipment was far superior to the pirates’. Hamlet was no longer the territory it had been under its old rulers.

No matter what, the advantage in equipment is ours!

"Just moments ago, we detected pirates in nearby waters. They are sailing towards us, bringing plunder, slaughter, death, and bloodshed, intending to destroy everything we have built. Can we stand by and let them do this?"

"No!"

"We have been absent for too long—so long that these pirates have forgotten who the true masters of these seas are. Today, we will remind them that Hamlet’s Navy has returned! The true masters of these waters are back!"

"Hamlet Must Win!"

"Hear my command! Board the ships and prepare to engage the enemy!"

Lance made no attempt to conceal his pre-battle mobilization. Due to frequent training exercises, the nearby civilians initially assumed it was just another drill and didn’t react strongly. It wasn’t until someone actually saw black ships flying Skull Flags sailing this way that a bit of panic set in.

However, before arriving, Lance had already ordered Reynard and his men to deploy to the docks and establish a defensive perimeter. The situation was quickly brought under control.

Barton led men to guard another location: a fortified point at the docks where a constructed watchtower could survey most of the coastline. Also, at this position were placed those two large-caliber cannons. If the battle at sea couldn’t be won, they were to sink the enemy from the coastline.

From these arrangements, it was clear Lance had always been preparing for pirates, ever since the day he dealt with the casino. He had never forgotten this menace.

"Dismas, Reynard, you two take the lead and reinforce the front. Be wary of any Transcendents that might appear. Better yet, capture a leader for me—I need more information about these seas. Paracelsus, you lead a medical team. Be ready to treat the wounded. After the battle, you can also treat captured pirates for practice. One can never achieve true mastery by only studying theory without hands-on experience."

Paracelsus had been diligently advancing her research on human anatomy and had also taken the time to train about a dozen soldiers who showed an aptitude for medicine.

She probably hadn’t expected to become a teacher so quickly.

Lance’s orders were issued one after another. Wilson and the others acknowledged their commands and boarded the ship.

The current Navy had no cannons, nor long-range devastating weapons like torpedoes or missiles. Their main tactic was boarding for close-quarters combat. Similarly, when facing a lone pirate ship, no complex tactics were needed. Just charge and destroy it.

The soldiers scurried back and forth on the deck. Countless training sessions enabled them to execute these orders swiftly. Soon, they raised the sails and headed straight for the pirate ship.

Lance did not board the warship. He knew he couldn’t always be by their side; there were some things they had to face on their own. He was a Lord, not a nanny.

As the warship departed the harbor, Lance didn’t focus on the impending battle. Instead, he turned and shouted to the assembled crowd, "Carry on with your work! It’s just a small fry, nothing serious."

Lance’s relaxed attitude immediately calmed the populace, as if with him present, no problem was insurmountable.

If Lance could spot the pirates, then naturally, the pirates also spotted the fast-approaching ship.

"Captain, look! It looks like a pirate ship!"

"Don’t tell me those two merchantmen have already been taken?"

"..."

This was definitely not good news for them. Seeing the fat prize they had been eyeing seemingly snatched by others caused an immediate uproar. This clearly demonstrated the pirates’ utter lack of discipline; they were nothing but a disorganized rabble.

"Fuck it, stop your cawing!" the captain snapped, visibly impatient, as he seemed to notice something odd about the approaching ship.

Whether it was another pirate crew didn’t matter. What mattered was that this ship flew no flag, so its allegiance was unknown. We pirates have our own rules on the high seas. It isn’t just about attacking whatever we see; we need to assess the situation. In the ocean’s law of ’the weak are prey to the strong,’ there’s absolutely no trust, even among fellow pirates. One condition for peace is matched strength. If we encounter weaker crews, backstabbing and plundering them is common. But if we meet stronger ones, we flee immediately. If we saw a Totnes warship, we’d run faster than anyone. However, now a strangely behaving, unflagged ship has appeared between two fat prizes... it’s perplexing. Should I engage? This trip is for the boss, so there’s no personal profit in it. But if I can capture those two merchant ships, and find a few high-status captives, the Gold Coins from that would be all mine.

Yet, before the captain could make a decision, his pirates noticed that the unidentified ship was actually sailing directly towards them.

This immediately enraged the pirates, who had already considered the merchant ships as good as theirs.

"They’re heading for us!"

"We’re the Redbeard Pirate Crew! How dare they!"

"Brothers, grab your weapons!"

Honestly, the captain hadn’t expected this. I’m flying Redbeard’s flag! The Redbeard Pirates are among the top five strongest crews in these waters—who doesn’t know us? Yet these bastards dare to approach us head-on? They clearly have no respect for Redbeard! And that ship is aiming right for us, looks like they intend to ram!

The ship was in an uproar, but the captain had no intention of restoring order. Instead, he drew his cutlass and began to rally them.

"Who do you think you’re scaring?" The captain strode forward and planted his foot on the ship’s ramming prow, raising his cutlass high as he roared, "Full speed ahead! Let them taste the might of the Redbeard Pirates!"

The sea breeze whipped his greatcoat about, making it snap. His posture was indeed that of a true pirate captain.

They were all veteran pirates. Facing the enemy’s approach, they all took their positions, unfurled the sails, and charged forward to meet them.

Clearly, both sides were gritting their teeth, determined not to be the first to flinch. Whoever broke course and tried to evade would be branded a coward.