CHAPTER 475: CHAPTER 304: IT’S ALREADY OVER_2

This was why Lance considered their arrival so perfect, so timely.

As the two sides began their clash, the disparity in equipment became evident.

The soldiers, upon seeing the Pirates approach, fired their muskets straight away. Shells whistled through the air, tearing through flesh. If many soldiers hadn’t panicked, causing misfires or repeated targeting, this first round might have wiped out the boarding Pirates.

This formidable effect of the muskets also created a problem for the soldiers. They subconsciously wanted to rely on their firearms. Even when the Pirates were in their faces, they still thought about reloading rather than drawing their weapons to overpower the invaders.

This timid display immediately gave the Pirates a chance to react.

"Hurry up, don’t let them reload."

The enemy would not allow them time to adjust on the battlefield. The Pirates swarmed in while the soldiers were still fumbling with their muskets.

Once overwhelmed by the Pirate charge, these men would likely collapse instantly.

Fortunately, Lance had anticipated this scenario. Why else would he have sent Reynard and Dismas aboard the ship to bolster the ranks?

"Damn bunch of useless idiots, draw your weapons now!" Dismas cursed as he drew his Short Sword and charged at the Pirates.

His strength was overwhelming. With his Short Sword parrying and slicing, his movements were so fast that the Pirates couldn’t keep up.

A Pirate, frenzied just a second ago, suddenly went cold as his throat was slit open, his blood spurting out, draining him of his last spark of fervor.

Reynard did not rush into the fray. The gaze beneath his helmet was searching.

"What’s there to fear? Take them down just like we trained. The Lord is waiting to celebrate our victory," Wilson brandished his sword at the forefront, showing not a hint of fear against the onrushing Pirates.

"Go to hell, old fool!"

A Pirate swung a sailor’s knife at him, but the next second a gunshot rang out and he dropped dead.

Wilson put his pistol back at his waist then swung his sword at another enemy, not forgetting to instruct as he fought.

"See that? Just grab your weapons and finish them off like we trained," he said.

Humans are strange creatures; sometimes the line between fear and frenzy is very thin.

"For Hamlet!"

Wilson’s move greatly inspired the new soldiers, filling them with enough courage to no longer fear the crazed Pirates.

Wilson knew very well that even if the new recruits had undergone strict training, they might be no match for the cunning, frenzied Pirates when it came to a fight for survival.

So he had the soldiers team up in threes. If one couldn’t beat a Pirate alone, then three would gang up on one.

It must be said that while this method was not particularly elegant, it was definitely practical. When three blades struck a Pirate at once, it invariably meant death for the Pirate, and they momentarily stabilized the situation.

Reynard made no rash moves. Instead, he observed the battlefield, mindful of the Lord’s mission.

In fact, Pirates were much the same. If there weren’t any distinctive features, it was really hard to spot the leader.

But the Pirate captain stood out with a coat draped over his shoulders, catching Reynard’s attention instantly.

"HEH HEH HEH!" The captain swung his scimitar at the enemy before him. When he saw the neat equipment of these men, he knew they had backers.

But he had also seen through them. These were greenhorns who hadn’t tasted blood; their fancy gear was only good for defense after that initial volley.

He believed that just killing a few of them would cause them to fall apart, and all of this would belong to him.

Damn it! With this equipment, I could recruit soldiers and bolster my forces, and perhaps even climb higher.

As for who was behind this ship, he didn’t care at all.

Because I’m a Pirate!

This fantasy gave him even more drive, cackling as he hacked at the soldiers with his blade.

But just at that moment, a fully armored Knight charged into the fray, his intent unmistakably clear, instantly drawing the captain’s attention.

Why the hell am I encountering a Knight in a naval battle?

Meanwhile, Reynard alone charged and scattered the Pirates’ already chaotic and disorganized formation, appearing before the captain.

"Surrender and you won’t be killed!" The muffled, even slightly dull voice echoed from within the helmet, accompanied by the cold gleam of a Longsword that arrived simultaneously.

The captain, of course, refused to submit. He swung his scimitar, aiming to fight back, but the force of the impact nearly overwhelmed his solid frame.

Yet, Pirates are often skilled at fighting on ships, and he, with his stout build, was no exception. After retreating a step and taking a closer look, he saw a clear notch on his scimitar.

Just moments before, he had been indulging in his dreams of victory and was naturally unwilling to retreat, daring to continue his attack.

Reynard had been holding back. If he hadn’t been trying to capture him alive, the captain would have died from that last move.

But not only did the Pirate refuse to surrender, he even launched an attack. How could Reynard tolerate that?

"Sinner, receive the judgment of the scorching sun!"

With a roar, Reynard swung down his Longsword. The captain had to raise his scimitar to block, but it shattered on contact. The Longsword, carrying terrifying force, pressed down directly. If the captain hadn’t reacted quickly by lifting his other hand to support the back of his blade, that strike would have cost him his life.

After that blow, I know the gap in strength. How can I possibly continue to fight?

Without any hesitation, he turned and fled, completely unburdened.

But Reynard reacted even quicker. Even in Heavy Armor, his movements weren’t significantly hindered. He struck the captain’s head with the hilt of his sword.

"AH!" A cry of pain arose as the captain was struck. He became dizzy, and his escape faltered abruptly.

Reynard strode forward quickly, grabbed the captain, pressed his Longsword against his neck, and shouted loudly,

"Your captain is here! Lay down your arms and surrender! Continue to resist, and you will be killed without mercy!"

「...」

Lance hadn’t ordered a suppression of news about the Pirate sightings, so it didn’t take long for the townspeople to learn of the situation.

Walter, resting at home, was disturbed by this news and hurried to gather his family to seek refuge.

However, when he found his daughter, Tiffany seemed rather nonchalant.

"Huh? Hide from what?" Tiffany looked up, gestured towards the street outside, and said, "Hamlet isn’t a place where a few Pirates can cause trouble anymore."

Walter also seemed to realize this as he looked outside. The town was indeed bustling. However, the citizens were not panicked by the news; it seemed more like they had gained a new topic of conversation.

Far from being scared of Pirates, some even hoped the Lord would call upon the militia, giving them a chance to earn military accolades on the battlefield or gain honor by making an appearance before the Lord.

Walter knew that Hamlet was special under the Lord’s governance, but having been away for some time, he felt somewhat estranged from this familiar place.

But Tiffany knew exactly why this was the reaction—the Lord’s rewards were simply too high. Killing a few Pirates could earn them a year’s wages.

"The Lord has established many plans. If the situation becomes serious, someone will inform us to evacuate. Everything is normal now, so there’s no need to worry," Tiffany explained, also outlining Hamlet’s rules and regulations to ease her father’s safety concerns.

After speaking, she rummaged through her desk, pulled out a document, and handed it to him. "However, Father, you should get to know Hamlet anew. This is the third edition of the regulations, recently rewritten. It would be great if you could help your daughter check for any issues."

Walter took the document, still somewhat in disbelief. To some extent, he had watched this town grow. Just six months ago, he had been a Rich Merchant of this town. Yet today, he was expected to reacquaint himself with it.

Carrying the document home, Walter never imagined a day when his daughter would be giving him work.

However, he truly wished to understand what Hamlet had become.

But before he could reach home, excited cheers began to spread through the streets and alleys.

"Victory! The Pirates have been crushed by the Navy! Not a single one escaped! Most were slain, and the rest captured. Even their ship has been towed back!"

The moment Walter heard this, he stopped in his tracks. It’s only been about ten minutes since I heard the news, and it’s already over?

In that moment, Walter knew he indeed needed to reacquaint himself with Hamlet.