Chapter 6: The Mighty Imperial Navy
On the other side!
Out on the vast sea.
A massive fleet was speeding across the surface of the ocean.
Distinct from the World Government, the navy's standardized wooden sail-powered vessels, the Kingdom of Kata's fleet consisted of enormous steel battleships made entirely of steel.
Powered by the heat generated from coal!
The colossal smokestacks on the warships were ceaselessly billowing black smoke.
Traveling at speeds of up to 21 knots, the immense fleet was closing in on dozens of pirate ships ahead.
Laughter and jeers from soldiers on the ships could be heard constantly!
Every so often, they had new recruits manning the cannons, firing two rounds of cannonballs toward the dozens of pirate ships not far ahead.
This left the so-called "freedom-seeking" pirates furious, with hearts racing.
In the past, it had been pirates like them who would chase after merchant ships in this manner.
Now, the tables had turned!
They were the ones being hunted down by the Kingdom of Kata's navy.
"Damn it."
"What's going on with the Kingdom of Kata's navy?"
"Why are they trying to wipe us out?"
Captain Kukas of the Barbarian Bull Pirates was fuming in the ship's cabin, gnashing his teeth in anger.
His tone was filled with bewilderment.
The Kingdom of Kata's navy usually paid no mind to their wandering pirate crew.
Moreover –
Pirate crews near the waters close to the Kingdom of Kata were typically left to their own devices.
Just shooed away in a perfunctory manner.
Why were they acting like they wanted to exterminate them today?
Their Barbarian Bull Pirates had once been a well-known large pirate crew in the South Sea.
Now they were being battered like this!
This was something Aex Cage hadn't anticipated.
Just as they had sailed out of the Kingdom of Kata's territory and split from the two legion commanders, they encountered the Barbarian Bull Pirates, who had just plundered a neighboring town.
They didn't even get a warm welcome.
Aex Cage felt like he owed an apology to the uniform he was wearing!
"Boom~"
"Rumble~"
"...…"
A few more rapid cannonballs shot from a distance.
They exploded near the pirate ship, sending splashes of water around, leaving the pirates soaked like wet chickens.
"These damned bastards."
"Tell the lads to turn the bow and get closer, let's fight them!"
"That's the only way we'll have a fighting chance."
"Otherwise, we'll just be pummeled by their cannonballs."
"But our cannonballs won't reach their Kingdom of Kata battleships."
Captain Kukas of the Barbarian Bull Pirates roared with fury at his first mate beside him:
His tone was resolute.
"Lads~"
"Turn the bow, let's fight those damned Kingdom of Kata navy bastards!"
The first mate shouted loudly to the main ship's crew.
Simultaneously –
Using a Den Den Mushi, he alerted the various squadron leaders to turn the bow.
They were preparing for a life-or-death struggle against the Kingdom of Kata's navy!
Not far away.
On the deck of a warship!
Numerous sailors from the Kingdom of Kata navy were stationed on the immense fleet's ships.
Seeing the Barbarian Bull Pirates ahead turning their bow and ceasing their mockery, they looked at the dozens of pirate ships rushing toward them with a smirk.
As Aex Cage lay on the deck, basking in the sun, he listened to his deputy's report.
A contemptuous smile crept onto his face!
"Ha, these powerless small fry actually dare to fight back?"
"Pass the word,
However.
As Aex Cage's deputy, he still had to strictly follow the orders given by his superiors.
"Activate the fire control radar and open fire at will."
As the deputy took out a Den Den Mushi from his pocket, he issued orders to the officers on the various ships.
The main cannons on the fleet were also rapidly turning, continuously adjusting their targets.
The massive and fierce muzzles proclaimed their terror to the world!
"Boom~ Boom~ Boom~"
"Boom~ Boom~"
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~"
"............"
The barrage of cannonballs, blotting out the sky, poured incessantly from the warships –
Creating an image of an iron firmament on the azure sea.
"What?!"
"How is this possible?"
"How can there be cannons in this world that can fire at such an absurd rate?"
Seeing the enormous barrage of cannonballs rapidly closing in from a distance, Captain Kukas of the Barbarian Bull Pirates felt his eyes nearly pop out of his head!
From his limited perspective, Kukas had never witnessed giant ship cannons firing at such an absurd rate in his lifetime.
This was the result of the World Government deliberately suppressing technological progress in this world.
Once this kind of weapon became widespread.
Then –
On the battlefield, apart from elite combatants and a few lucky survivors, all ordinary folks would be wiped out by this terrifying steel torrent!
It would directly disrupt the peculiar balance upheld by the World Government.
Ambitious individuals and rebels worldwide, upon obtaining these weapons, would undoubtedly incite even larger uprisings!
However.
These cannons required a special alloy steel that Aex Cage had specifically developed.
With ordinary steel used to produce these cannons.
After firing a few rapid shots, they would explode right in the barrel.
So.
The Kingdom of Kata wasn't afraid of spies from various major factions stealing their technology.
Because as long as they retained the formula for creating the special alloy steel.
Then!
Everything was within their grasp.
This was the reason various major factions felt helpless.
Knowing there was a treasure ahead, yet not knowing how to excavate it.
In an instant –
The cannonballs, like a meteor shower, had already poured down upon the Barbarian Bull Pirates.
"Boom~ Bang~ Bang~"
"Boom~ Bang~ Bang~"
"............"
The main deck of the Barbarian Bull Pirates' flagship was instantly struck by cannonballs.
And this wooden warship disintegrated completely in the blink of an eye –
The other ships piloted by various squadron leaders fared no better!
Their ships were bombarded by a dense rain of cannonballs.
The wooden decks splintered and scattered, dyeing the sea red with the pirates' blood!
The intense smell of blood continuously stirred nearby marine predators.
Smelling the scent of blood –
They swarmed over from the surrounding seas!
Indulging in this extravagant feast.
Kukas, who had eaten the Animal-Animal Fruit: Model Bison.
During the first volley of cannon fire, he didn't even have time to transform before he was blown up by the concentrated cannonballs.
Not to mention the small-fry members of their crew, who were just like ordinary people.
They hadn't even had a chance to surrender before being blown to pieces on the spot.
Moreover –
Marine predators drawn by the scent of blood were converging on the sea.
Further narrowing their survival space!
This war was fought with incredible ease.
The so-called "Barbarian Bull Pirates," who had roamed the South Sea, were utterly defeated.
They hadn't even glimpsed Aex Cage's face before being wiped out by the Kingdom of Kata's fleet!
"..............."