Chapter 63

In this moment, this entire battlefield had plunged into deathly silence, intimidated by Sheyan's showing of force. A split second later, the leftover pirates picked up their blades and roared with frenzy. Under normal circumstances, aggressors of naval boarding skirmishes would prepare a layer of gunmen to suppress their enemies. Judging from Sheyan's rash behavior, he should have been shot into a sieve long ago. Despite so, the lack of space in the jolly boats, prevented them from bringing additional gunmen, and even if they did, their rifles would've been rendered worthless by the raging waves. Thus, the lack of long range firearms ultimately became the spanish's fatal flaw!

Right now, the situation was one where the Bell and Mug no longer required much manpower to fend off the aggressors. Instead, they only lacked courageous warriors who dared to form the first line of defence.

After Sheyan's bold attempts, several richly experienced pirates, who were already injured, became enlightened to the enemy's flaw. Hastily wrapping their wounds, they similarly picked up their weapons and scrambled forward. Following that, their actions were savage and intelligent, chopping away at the climbing ropes instead of their enemies. As long as the spanish troops had no ability to scale this towering ship, that would be enough!

Sometimes, a tiny solution could turn the whole course of the battle and change its eventual outcome. A single exemplary action could instigate a soar in morale. As such, the initially hopeless pirates suddenly felt that their enemies were not so scary after all. Confidence and bravery were restored to them.

Meanwhile, the other two spanish jolly boats had reached the Bell and Mug and were starting their naval boarding assault. To their horror, they found that the resistive force from above had grown fiercer. Several spanish soldiers attempted to scale the ship with their bare hands as the climbings ropes were constantly being chopped off. However, their actions only resulted in tragic conclusions; having their fingers sliced off when they ascended.

Presently, there was no longer a need for Sheyan to act. Instead, his gaze fell towards the distant spanish ship that was engaged with the Black Pearl.

"If this attack was really the product of a contestant... then he wouldn't stop at this point, there is definitely a plan B! Usually on a pirate ship, the core characters are the captain and the chief mate, under normal circumstances, the captain would lead the naval boarding while the chief mate kept guard. Therefore, you'll definitely have a plan that can confidently defeat the chief mate and the rest of the pirates on guard!"

All of a sudden, a pirate screamed out, covering his face with his hands as he staggered backward. Blood gushed out from the webbing between his fingers, as he collapsed to the floor and rolled around in agony.

Instantaneously, Sheyan witnessed a spanish soldier climbing up. Taking a step forward, that heavy hatchet once again swooped down onto the poor soldier; hacking him into two as his mutilated body fell disgustingly back to the jolly boat.

To his surprise, Sheyan realized the enemy's jolly boat seemed to have grown taller. Beforehand it was said that the Bell and Mug towered over them by 3 metres, however now, the gap wasn't even 2 metres! With such a short distance, the Spanish soldiers could reach the pirates easily and began assaulting them with their weapons. Although, the slight gap lowered their potential, it was not as hopeless as their previous self, where they could only remain passive.

Sheyan's thoughts momentarily flashed by; his wealth of sailing experience was immeasurable. Soon enough, he realized the enemy's sinister plan! That was the ballast material!

A ship is most afraid of an empty cabin; once its own weight is inadequate, its core will become unsteady. Within the raging storm and churning sea, especially in the case of using a jolly boat in combat, it will easily capsize when the drawing of water is inadequate. Hence, when the 3 jolly boats started their attack, they had placed large amounts of ballast materials to press down the draft* of the ship; causing it to stabilize the hull of the ship. Yet during naval boarding battles, when the jolly boats had already stuck itself beside the Bell and Mug, there was no longer need for such precautions! Therefore, the spanish soldiers had started tossing out the ballast materials. As a result, the jolly boats became light as it drew lesser water and subsequently, the hull started to float up.

(*Draft is the distance between the waterline and the lowest point of the ship's keel)

In such a time, Sheyan quickly rotated to the side. Then, he immediately saw that the spanish soldier's ballast materials comprised of 1 metre wide wooden crates that had stones stored within it. After tossing the stones into the sea, they had transported the crates to the side closer to their enemy's ship, before piling them up! This ultimately gave the close combat soldiers a bonus foothold! Eventually, when those spanish soldiers stood up, their heads were now taller than the deck of the Bell and Mug. In this case, their attacks became more savage, and battling became more comfortable. With every opening, they could easily leap up onto the deck without climbing ropes!

"Interesting." Sheyan leaked out a cold chuckle. He began to advance, swinging his hand to smack a nearby pirate on his head who was running around aimlessly. "Where ya running to, go and help out over there!"

No man loved being smacked on head, much less these malicious pirates. However, once that brat raised his head and saw Sheyan, he was startled and respectfully replied. "Yes boss." He then compliantly headed to where Sheyan pointed to.

Presently, Sheyan's reputation had risen to a high level amongst the pirates who stayed back. His words were the absolute orders, where most of them obediently complied.

Sheyan was like a tireless firefighter, with any problem that arose, he would rush there. These pirates, after regaining their senses, understood that this was a matter of life and death; an absolute bloodbath without any regards to casualties!

Although the Spanish Paragon fleet soldiers were stubbornly bold, the pirates had the favourable high ground position. Furthermore, they could use their muskets, allowing the two sides to fight to a stalemate. Under such a situation, Sheyan displayed his frightening battle capabilities, as well as his leadership skills. His ability to command caused people to be in awe!

One must never forget, before entering the nightmare realm, Sheyan was an established second-in-command of his merchant ship. He had accumulated vast experiences abroad, his methods in managing and administration was akin to leading in this world for a millennium!

Moreover, the crippled, aging and sickly guarding soldiers were now exhibiting a fearless courage towards death. Under Sheyan's constant shoutings of commands, they swiftly formed into a line of iron defense! Afterwards, Sheyan then gathered a dozen gunners, and directed them on where to aim. Whenever a wave of spanish troops charged forward, they immediately fired off! Even elite marine soldiers would be forced to retreat!

Beholding this scene, the spectating Ammand on the merchant ship's deck heaved a sigh of relief.

After being surrounded, his heart had been thrown into despair. No one was clearer of the horrific consequences than him. Furthermore, Guatas was a formidable and sly opponent, although his strength could not compare to Ammand, he was slippery and could drag his opponent around. Initially, Ammand was anxious and impulsive but still had to compose himself to deal with Guatas. Otherwise, without mentioning the Bell and Mug, even his own life would be wasted here!

Furthermore, Ammand was also distracted by the happenings on his own ship. Glancing at Sheyan stepping up to beat back the ferocious aggressors one step at a time, he couldn't stop his heart from raging with excitement. The silver sword in his hand flashed with brilliance, piercing mercilessly into one of the guards in front of Guatas. The slender pointed tip shimmered with a gleaming silvery brilliance, as though not a single drop of blood had landed on it.

Meanwhile, the decaying undead had ruthlessly slaughtered Cuaron's gang. Yet in his dying moments, One-eyed Cuaron had exploded in anger as he drenched himself in oil. Lighting himself up, he pounced forward with both arms, before tightly wrapping around that monstrous beast! The raging flames consumed Cuaron, and caused the decaying undead to burn and bellow repeatedly; frantically waving its arms and knocking around aimlessly like a headless housefly. It had completely lost control.

Presently, the remaining pirate ships had finally arrived to battle, surrounding the other two merchant ships to begin their naval boarding skirmishes. The scenario had reached a climax, there was a visible stalemate, and yet the distant Spanish Paragon fleet had once again dispatched several jolly boats to aid those merchant ships. Although a few jolly boats were consumed by the billowing sea, two more jolly boats had latched themselves onto the Bell and Mug. Soon after, more spanish soldiers started flocking up, causing the situation to turn dire once again.

Fortunately, several elite fighting pirates had managed to escape from the merchant ship and had returned to the Bell and Mug. They immediately joined in the deadlock; pumping much needed confidence to the bitterly resisting pirates. In spite of that, Sheyan treated those pirate reinforcements indifferently, commanding them at the top of his voice; directing them to the areas that needed the most support. Although those pirates were violent and not peaceful by nature, when looking at Sheyan's earlier performance, they were sincerely convinced to obey his orders.

Nevertheless, there would always be exceptions. Just when the returning pirates had gone to reinforce the left side of the deck under Sheyan's orders, they were blocked by a male wearing a brown turban. This brat slanted his head and pressed onto the hilt of his sabre before he scoffed.

"Where be yer eyes? Lame Tommy's side obviously needs more help, it's gonna be breached anytime!"

"Sheyan sweeped a look at him before coldly asking.

"Who are you?"

Brown Turban raised his chest.

"Without the captain around and with Scarface Harry unconscious, why should a newcomer like you be giving orders. It obviously should be me, Venomous Erwin, who should be in charge! Everyone follow me!"

His words were directed to the group of gunmen behind Sheyan, Sheyan grinned widely as he replied gently.

"You are correct."

Presently, in order to easily give commands, Sheyan had placed his heavy hatchet down and had traded it for a dead spanish soldier's sabre. Before completing his sentence, Sheyan abruptly sliced Erwin in the middle, all the way from head to down!