Chapter 111 - 111. Battle on the Ship and Naval Gunfire
A few minutes later, a second cannonball struck. The first had fallen to the port side, but this time it landed to starboard. The ship lurched violently again.
"Prepare to evacuate!"
The captain’s voice echoed across the deck.
"Master, those are probably the 46cm triple-barreled cannons from the Special Skill list, right?"
Fam called out to me.
"No, the trajectory’s single, so it’s probably a single-barreled cannon. Fam, do you know what cannons are?"
"Weapons that fire metal balls from long tubes using explosive force, used to attack enemies. When I tried to choose the 46cm triple-barreled cannon when acquiring my Special Skill, an image popped into my head."
Nothing came to mind when I was choosing my Special Skill, but I could somehow picture it from the name. Special Skills must be designed for those from other worlds. When someone from this world gains the power of a Special Skill, the gods provide revelations, even teaching them how to use the ability. That’s probably why they call Special Skills "Divine Blessings" in this world.
"If it were a 46cm triple-barreled cannon, a direct hit would have blown our ship to bits from the shockwave alone, and their ship would’ve been obliterated at the moment of firing. Fam, do you still have the Special Skill list?"
"No, it disappeared after I acquired my Special Skill."
That Racshell—being thorough where she doesn’t need to be.
"Why aren’t they firing directly at the ship?"
Fam tilted her head.
"The distance and the movement of both ships make accurate targeting difficult, I suppose."
They're also firing to intimidate us, to weaken our resolve while closing the distance.
"If we maintain the distance, can we outrun them?"
"Maybe. But at some point they’ll realize it. From the Galley ships' speed they could close the distance. Their firepower will only increase the closer they get."
"I can block them with my Special Skill!"
"No, the firing intervals are too long. Save your Special Skill, Fam."
"Understood."
Fam nodded gravely.
"...Fam, do you have a Divine Blessing? And, you had access to a Divine Blessing list?"
Marie’s voice was laced with surprise. She had somehow appeared beside me on the opposite side of Fam.
"It's a secret. Fam got his Special Skill from Racshell."
"...Could I get one from Mash too?"
"Maybe? I heard you need the blood of someone from another world."
"...So it isn't possible."
Her voice reverted to its usual quiet, detached tone, tinged with disappointment. Preparations for battle were steadily underway on deck. Sailors who had retreated from the Galley vessels returned, and some of the removed fixed shields were being redeployed. If the cannon fire wasn't meant to intimidate, the enemy's goal had shifted from capture to sinking. This fight would be even fiercer than the first. Avera, sensing my concerns, approached with a grim expression.
"We need to avoid the cannon fire, endure a storm of arrows, evade the agile Galleys, and win in close combat. Is that even possible?"
I asked her.
"Who knows? We should’ve just turned tail and run. Instead, someone was sleeping soundly, and another started arguing with a woman."
"..."
I ignored the last two. To my surprise, Avera also agreed that we should have fled. Her mission was to transport me and Claire to Migul. Come to think of it, Marie and the others probably wouldn’t care much for a temporary income either.
"Wake, what do you think?"
Just then, the sound of a third cannonball exploded. The cannonball tore through the sails and splashed into the water ahead of the ship. Another violent tremor shook us. I grabbed onto a fixed shield to avoid falling. Marie clung tightly to me and remained upright, but Cecily had fallen on her rear. Fam, Mizuki, Maira, and Aira supported each other, while Avera and Wake mananged to keep their stance. I extended a hand and pulled Cecily back to her feet.
"If that cannonball had hit us directly, this ship wouldn't stand a chance. Our odds of winning on the ship itself are slim. Use the Galleys as shields against their fire. It might not be much help, but it’s better than nothing. Keep steering toward the shore without cutting the vessels loose. Abandon the cargo and prisoners and evacuate to the jungle."
I glanced toward the bank. Trees grew wildly right up to the cliff-like shore. A dense, jungle-like forest.
"Escape into the jungle and wage guerrilla warfare... It's unfamiliar territory. The jungle's undergrowth makes it difficult to move inland, which could backfire as easily."
"It’s better than taking that cannon fire on the ship. We’ll have an easier time countering their numbers, and it makes crossbow fire easier to manage. There are settlements upstream and downstream. Before we take that gamble, it’d be smarter to see if any crew members know the jungle."
We have more adventurers on our side, so we should be more accustomed to land battles. We have the potential to gain the upper hand.
"Do you think they’d chase us onto land?"
"We don’t know how valuable Master Mash is to them, or how much value they place in defeating someone from another world."
Wake was right. If they captured Marie, the Demon Kingdom would reward them handsomely. Their decision would likely depend on how much they trust the Demon Kingdom. And if the enemy had someone from another world, they’d probably see this as the perfect opportunity to defeat me before I could use my Special Skill again. Their decision would depend on how much value they placed in defeating me. But we didn't know enough about the enemy.
"Alright, let’s tell the captain about the shore evacuation plan."
As I responded, Wake gave me an unexpected look.
"Are you sure? Not just the prisoners, but you’re giving up the merchant ship and its cargo. All of it."
"It's not worth comparing it to the lives of our companions."
The ship continued down the river, heading toward the shore. The two pursuing Galley ships continued their relentless pursuit, closing the distance. We’d abandon the ship and escape into the jungle as soon as we reached the shore. All we could do was hope that we wouldn’t be hit by another cannonball before then.
"Could we defend against those cannonballs with magic?"
Cecily muttered wearily, wiping a spray of water from her face.
"Deflecting it might be possible. But knowing its destructive power and the strength of our defensive magic is key. It's impossible to know."
"What about trying to shoot them down with magic?"
"The target is too fast. By the time we're ready to fire, they’ll have hit us."
Marie joined the conversation.
"Scatter shot... What if we fired countless bullets at the same time as their cannons, creating a bullet hell to shoot them down?"
"...Mash, do you know anything about those cannonballs?"
"A guess. A cylindrical chunk of iron. The tapered tip reduces air resistance and improves straight-line stability. The cannonballs probably contain gunpowder, designed to explode upon impact."
I used Earth magic to form a shape that resembled the cannonball, showing it to Cecily and Marie. Considering the intervals between bursts, they are probably old cannons. The only ones I could think of are Armstrong cannons or Ni-jū-hachi danﾘゅうdan (28-inch howitzers), both of which were fixed land batteries. Could they even fire such things from the deck of a wooden ship? The older ones wouldn't have the precision to accurately adjust their range. The fourth cannonball fired, this time even farther from the ship than before. They must’ve guessed that we’re steering to hit the shallow areas near the shore. The gunners haven't realized that we're trying to escape to the jungle.
"Why don't they fire at closer range to catch us off guard? It seems more reliable."
Cecily brushed off the water droplets sprinkled by the cannonball.
"Because they’re trying to defeat a ship that defeated three Galleys with only two. And they suspect that we have someone with a Special Skill on board. One has used their Special Skill, but the other hasn't yet. They’re playing it safe, firing from outside our Special Skill's range to sink us."
"I see."
"...If we had a catalyst, we could construct a large-scale spell."
"Catalyst?"
"...Something that holds high magical power and enhances the effects of magic, like magic cores or powerstones."
"Marie, can you control magic cores?"
Can she manipulate magic cores even without a Special Skill like Mii's?
"...No. But I can draw out their power to amplify my spells."
I pulled out a magic core and a powerstone from my storage. Marie's eyes widened as she stared at them.
"...Are you sure?"
"Use them as much as you want."
I nodded, and she accepted both, cradling the magic core in her arms. I’ll keep quiet about the fact that I only took them for their resale value.
"...I'll create a defensive barrier. Cecily, help me."
Cecily nodded to Marie.
Just as Cecily and Marie were discussing their plan, another cannonball fired. This time, it hit the Galley that was being towed behind the ship. A deafening explosion rocked us, and the ship went up in flames.
"Cut it loose!" the captain roared. A few sailors rushed to the stern and began detaching the Galley.
"Are there any people still on the Galley?"
"We hadn’t yet released the chained slaves."
One of the sailors working on the ropes answered my question. If they were the enemy’s slaves, they were probably former citizens of the Empire.
"Cecily. Use water magic to extinguish the fire!"
"I-I can't! The firepower is too strong!"
"What about you, Mash?"
"...If I can use the magic core, I'll try."
I nodded, and Marie began forming a water sphere above her head. In the meantime, I also dampened my body with my own water magic.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
Avera grabbed my shoulder.
"We’re going to help."
"Stop being foolish. We’re approaching the shore soon. Prepare to escape."
"Master, I'm coming with you!"
Fam said, and the other members of Levante nodded in agreement.
"Mizuki, you stay behind."
"Why?!"
Mizuki was angry.
"That swimsuit is weak against heat, right? You’ll be naked before you know it. I’m not complaining, but please don’t."
"D-Do you mean you, too?"
"The stronger I get, the more clothes I shed."
"Even if you strip, you’re only wearing one layer!"
"You should know how strong I am when I'm naked!"
Mizuki ignored my words and pulled a shirt from the storage to wear over her swimsuit, protecting it from the heat. Take it from End! The visual is a commentary on her playing hard to get.
"...What are you looking at? Hurry up and get dressed, Mash."
As I dressed, Cecily doused us with water magic.
"I'm staying with you, Master Mash."
"I'm staying with Marie, too, to create spells to block cannon fire."
"Oh, leave it to me."
Cecily nodded.
"...Alright, do your best."
Marie said, a massive sphere of water forming above her head. She dropped it onto the burning Galley. Water poured down like a waterfall, momentarily extinguishing the raging flames. But as the water drained, the fire seemed to regain its strength.
"...What’s happening?"
Marie muttered. Had the fire been too strong to cool down the ignition point sufficiently?
"No, that's enough. I'm going. Take care of the cannonballs."
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