The Jackdaw and the Swordfish raised their black flags and charged towards the Spanish treasure ship.
Zhang Heng and the Swordfish were closer to the treasure ship, but the Swordfish was faster, catching up to them in no time. Full Sail Brook then slowed his ship down to the same speed as the Jackdaw. Clearly, they didn't want to get too close to the Spanish treasure ship. If they did, the Spanish treasure ship's firepower would be focused on them.
In the end, there was a distance of about 200 meters between the two ships. This was a distance where they could support each other and not lose their flexibility because they were too close.
At the same time, the three Spanish ships noticed the enemy. They immediately slowed down, raised their hulls, and assumed a standard combat stance.
Billy and Anne were also standing on the deck, looking at the gigantic creature not far away. Everyone's face involuntarily revealed a solemn expression.
Black Prince Sam's intel was accurate, but seeing it with one's own eyes was another. This was the second giant ship he had seen since he entered the dungeon. This Spanish treasure ship was only slightly smaller than the pride of the British Royal Navy, the Scarborough, the hegemon of the Caribbean Sea.
Compared to ordinary merchant ships, the Jackdaw's design was already intimidating. However, compared to the Spanish treasure ship, the Jackdaw's design paled in comparison.
"Are we really going to have to exchange fire with that thing?" a new cannoneer who had just been recruited could not help but ask.
"It's not a fight. We just need to attract its attention and lure it to Parrot Island. There, the four ships will ambush it," explained Dufresne.
However, his words did not reassure them. Looking at the densely packed cannons, many of them swallowed their saliva. In contrast, the veterans who had participated in the battle for the Scarborough were much better at this time.
Fifteen minutes later, the Jackdaw entered the enemy's firing range. However, the enemy still remained calm.
Zhang Heng, Billy, and the others weren't happy at all. Instead, they looked even more serious.
This meant that their opponent this time was very difficult to deal with. Rookies often made the mistake of hastily firing the cannon the moment their opponent entered their attack range, thinking that they could snatch two more rounds of attacks. Little did they know that every cannon had a firing limit. Firing continuously would quickly cause the cannon barrel to overheat, requiring it to cool down before it could be used again.
On the other hand, the first few rounds of artillery shells would generally have a hard time hitting the enemy. Even if they were lucky enough to hit the enemy, they wouldn't cause too much damage. Therefore, a truly experienced commander would wait for the enemy to enter an effective killing range before opening fire.
In other words, once the enemy fired their cannons, the destructive power would be astonishing.
"Should we go further?" Billy asked. From now on, with every step the Jackdaw took, the danger they faced would increase.
"Not yet." Zhang Heng shook his head. "They can't hurt us at this distance, but it's difficult for us to cause any trouble for them. Once they open fire, it'll be impossible for us to get close to them. Since they're giving us a chance now, let's get closer."
The Swordfish next door obviously had the same idea, so it showed no signs of slowing down.
On the other hand, the three Spanish ships on the opposite side of the Jackdaw did not fire a single shot.
The two pirate ships continued to sail forward until they could see the figures on the opposite deck. Almost at the same time, Zhang Heng and Brook gave the order to turn their ships around and enter combat mode.
The Spanish commander on the opposite ship had a regretful look on his face. Although both sides had not fired their cannons, the battle between them had already begun.
He was restraining his desire to open fire, baiting the enemy to come closer. His plan was about to succeed. If the enemy could get within a hundred yards of them, he was confident that he could sink them with three rounds of attacks.
However, the two pirate ships seemed to have sensed the danger and stopped abruptly at the critical moment. The Spanish commander could not help but feel that it was a pity. After that, he did not waste the opportunity of the other party to turn around. He immediately ordered, "Fire!"
The cannons on the side of the three Spanish ships spat out flames at the same time, and the sound it produced was like a clap of thunder.
Some people lost their footing and fell to the ground in fright from the terrifying commotion.
"Everyone, get ready for the cannons!" Zhang Heng shouted from the bow of the ship.
As soon as he finished speaking, the cannonballs were already flying towards them. At least a quarter of the first round of cannonballs hit the two pirate ships, and this was without the previous round of cannonballs to adjust their landing points. This was a testament to the strength of the enemy's cannoneers.
As part of the navy, these three Spanish ships were different from the Scarborough, which was filled with newbies. Obviously, they were all experienced veterans.
At least seven or eight cannonballs landed on the Jackdaw's deck, and it was a complete mess.
The sailor in charge of the helm was the unluckiest. A piece of wood pierced his throat, and he fell to the helm. Just as the Jackdaw was about to turn around, he pushed the corpse away and turned the rudder back to its original position. Fortunately, Zhang Heng was right beside him. He pushed the corpse away and turned the rudder back to its original position. The Jackdaw continued to turn around.
The second round of cannonballs came, and this time, more cannonballs hit the Jackdaw. Not only the deck, but the hull of the Jackdaw was also damaged. The carpenters who had been on standby immediately got to work, fixing the damage according to the severity of the damage.
Zhang Heng shook the sawdust off his head and continued to stabilize the rudder. At the same time, he turned around to look at the situation on the deck.
The enemy's firepower was not beyond his expectations, but their accuracy was terrifying. If this continued, he would have to reevaluate the timing of his retreat.
However, when the third round of bombardment arrived, only a few of the cannonballs landed on the Jackdaw. This was beyond Billy and the others' expectations. Based on the Jackdaw's performance in the first two rounds, even if they were inaccurate, they shouldn't be this bad.
Suddenly, they thought of something, and their expressions changed. They quickly looked at the Swordfish on the other side. The three Spanish ships were focused on the Jackdaw, and it was in an unprecedented state.
Although Brook dodged most of the attacks with his excellent steering skills, there were just too many cannonballs. The Swordfish had been modified to the extreme, sacrificing a lot of its defensive capabilities for the sake of speed. In the end, the Swordfish's bow was destroyed, and two of its masts were broken.
Little Adorkable said.
I have a feeling that I'll have to wish you a Happy New Year in a month's time. Also, Happy 2019!
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