Chapter 207 “The Encounter Has Begun”

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The intense confrontation was initiated with the deafening sound of the first cannon barrage launched by the Sea Mist. As the ship unleashed its firepower, the resulting blast echoed over the vast expanse of the ocean, comparable to the deafening roar of thunder. The artillery shells darted across the horizon, their trajectory resembling shooting stars, but despite their menace, they only managed to stir the sea, creating colossal sprays of water, resulting in no direct hit.

Much like the initial salvo, the subsequent attempt by the Sea Mist was fruitless, with all shells falling off target. It was only during the third onslaught that the Sea Mist managed to land a blow, grazing the hull of the Vanished.

Fiery spectral flames erupted, engulfing the Vanished and making it look like a phantom ship ablaze. The flames seeped through every crevice, dancing around the mast and reflecting its eerie glow on the water below. As the ghostly vessel moved majestically, Duncan clutched the helm, ensuring its course remained steady. He wasn’t deterred by the massive sprays caused by the near-miss cannonballs or the treacherous waves that tried to throw his ship off course. Yet, amidst this turmoil, Duncan’s attention was drawn to an ominous shadow rapidly approaching the ship’s rear.

It was an artillery shell fired from the Sea Mist. After numerous unsuccessful attempts, the steel behemoth had finally adjusted its aim. The incoming projectile was unrelenting and looked almost destined to strike the Vanished’s rear. In the realm of reality, one couldn’t merely turn a ship’s wheel abruptly and expect to evade such threats. Regardless of how supernatural the Vanished might be, it too was bound by the foundational laws of physics, or so one would think.

As impact seemed imminent, Duncan experienced a sudden surge in perception. His vision hyper-focused, enabling him to discern the minutest details. He could visualize the trajectory of the off-kilter shell, perceive the heat haze surrounding it, understand the air disturbances caused by its flight, and even observe the glowing-red grooves on the projectile. It felt as if the cannonball itself was locking eyes with him.

Then, in a bizarre twist, the exterior of the shell from the Sea Mist became enveloped by an ethereal green flame, mirroring the ghostly blaze that surrounded the Vanished. The once deadly projectile transformed into a luminescent green meteor, making a graceful arc as it descended. When it finally landed on the Vanished’s deck, the impact was palpable, but miraculously, the ship remained unscathed.

From the depths of his mind, Duncan heard Goathead exclaim in astonishment, “A beautiful catch!” Recovering from his trance, Duncan was questioned by Goathead about how he managed to achieve such a feat, to which he nonchalantly responded, “Subconsciously, I didn’t think much about it.” But their brief respite was short-lived as more cannonballs screamed through the sky, heralding the onset of another barrage.

The moment he perceived the imminent threat, Duncan’s reflexes snapped into action. Harnessing his expertise and intuition, he quickly manipulated the vast structure of the Vanished, making minute adjustments to its trajectory in order to dodge the menacing dark projectiles headed their way. However, just as he managed to avoid one threat, the sky above the ship illuminated with a series of radiant green “meteors.”

But even Duncan, skilled as he was, had his limits. The gap between the Vanished and the Sea Mist began to diminish, causing the latter’s attacks to grow more precise and relentless. Adding to the dire situation was the fact that the secondary cannons aboard the Sea Mist had come into their effective range, unleashing a barrage upon the Vanished. This overwhelming offensive momentarily disoriented Duncan, allowing several of the enemy’s shots to breach his defensive measures.

The initial impact struck the front portion of the Vanished, where a dark cannonball tore through the wooden planks, creating a gaping hole from which shards and splinters were ejected. However, contrary to expectations, these fragments didn’t plummet into the waters below. They remained suspended in the atmosphere, moving in tandem with the Vanished’s pace.

Witnessing this, Duncan was reminded of the ship’s uncanny nature. It was as if the parts of the ship that were obliterated in the physical realm were still intrinsically connected to the Vanished in a different, superior plane of existence. This eerie realization brought back memories of the ship’s submerged portion and its seemingly damaged yet fully operational bulkhead submerged in subspace.

Before his very eyes, Duncan watched as the damaged parts of the ship started reverting to their former state as if time had turned back its hands.

The sight of the ship’s quick recovery captured his full attention, making him shift his focus away from the impending threats. It was his first experience witnessing the Vanished endure damage and then miraculously heal at such a rapid pace. The recuperation seemed as if the ship was returning to a state before it had taken any damage. This phenomenal ability made Duncan realize why a technologically superior and heavily armed warship like the Sea Mist stood no chance against an ancient spectral vessel.

Subspace had metamorphosed the very essence of the Vanished. The ship existed in such an anomalous structural state that conventional armaments from the tangible world couldn’t harm it.

Breaking Duncan’s contemplation, Goathead’s voice echoed in his mind, exuding pride, “Captain, isn’t the Vanished the greatest ship to ever sail?”

Pausing momentarily, Duncan responded affirmatively, “Indeed, as you say.”

Goathead’s next query was, “So, what’s our next move?”

With determination in his eyes, Duncan fixed his gaze on the looming silhouette of the Sea Mist, declaring, “…It’s time to teach that youngster a lesson.”

……

“Captain! The enemy ship is accelerating!” First Mate Aiden’s voice rang out anxiously across the bridge. “There’s something off… Our firepower isn’t having the impact we expected. It’s nothing like the skirmish fifty years ago! Over half of our artillery rounds have mysteriously disappeared into the flames from the ‘Vanished’!”

“I’m well aware,” Tyrian responded, standing tall and resolute on the bridge. His gaze was unwavering as he watched the ghostly ship speed up, subtly changing its trajectory.

“It’s more formidable than during our last face-off,” Tyrian observed, a shadow crossing his face. As he spoke, his fingers instinctively tightened around the ship’s guardrail.

“So, what’s our next move, Captain?” Aiden inquired, raising his voice to be heard. “Given the circumstances, repelling the ghost ship back into subspace might not be as straightforward as before. And judging by the ship’s newfound speed, I can only imagine your father’s anger. It’s moving at an unbelievable pace!”

Tyrian fell silent for a moment, contemplating. After what seemed like an eternity, he responded in a solemn, hushed tone: “We continue the fight.” As he said this, his attention was unwaveringly focused on the main deck of the massive, blazing ship ahead.

Tyrian’s thoughts drifted to the helm wheel, its usual position on the ship, where in his faded memories, his father always stood.

Was his father still there? Could he possibly be watching their ship, the Sea Mist, at this very moment?

Suddenly, a thick plume of smoke erupted from the sea’s surface, followed closely by a distant, echoing boom.

“They’ve fired! The ‘Vanished’ is attacking!” some of the undead crew members shouted.

Tyrian remained steadfast at his captain’s post, resembling an immovable iceberg amidst the icy waves, but a crease of concern appeared on his brow.

The ‘Vanished’ hadn’t properly aligned itself for a full-on assault. Instead, it released a barrage in a slightly diagonal arc towards the Sea Mist. This meant that only a fraction of its side guns were in play.

“Are they merely making a symbolic counterattack? Do they not intend to engage the Sea Mist in a full-fledged battle?”

“This isn’t how my father operates,” Tyrian mused aloud, “and it certainly doesn’t align with what we faced fifty years ago. In that clash, both the ‘Vanished’ and the Sea Mist were locked in a brutal battle, with damages so severe that any regular ship would have sunk.”

He remembered how, after that ferocious battle, the ‘Vanished’ had exhausted its repair capabilities and had been forced to retreat temporarily into subspace. Meanwhile, the Sea Mist had required extensive repairs, taking nearly three years with the help of its supporting fleet.

However, there was little time for reminiscence. The counterfire from the ‘Vanished’ was nearing, and every cannonball it launched within striking range was eerily precise.

More than a dozen blazing green fireballs streaked over the sea and smashed onto the steel battleship’s hull. In an instant, explosive roars and ghost fire rose from the impact one after the other.

Layers of light floated around the Sea Mist, and the ship’s church and various holy relics spontaneously activated to resist the spread of pollution caused by the flame. Unfortunately, a large number of terrifying holes still appeared on the hull of the steel battleship in an instant – the burning cast iron cannonballs were like fire hitting the snow. Everything it touched, whether steel or wood, melted away and was swallowed away in a flash.

Under such circumstances, no amount of armor would matter when the enemy’s attack completely disregards the principles of matter. The flames didn’t care about the protective barrier, nor did they care about material substance. All it cared about was what it could devour and erase. Before long, large chunks of the Sea Mist were gone instead of merely taking a few hits. If not for the unsinkable characteristic of the undead ship, it would’ve also long sunk by now.

However, unsinkable doesn’t mean unstoppable. The Sea Mist had lost its power to fight back and continue moving forward.

Tyrian’s eyes widened.

“Wrong… It’s different. It’s completely different from the last time!”

He didn’t know this ship! This wasn’t the ship he remembered!

And in the midst of his dismay, he noticed that the Vanished had suddenly stopped shelling.

The ghost ship inflated all its sails, engulfing the huge waves of the entire sea, and sped up to the limit as it rushed past the Sea Mist.

“…Full turn on the left rudder! Move! Move!” First Mate Aiden suddenly roared, sending the already frantic helmsman to turn the wheel with all his undeadly might. Sadly, the efforts failed because they were now on a collision course with the ghost ship!

“The rudder has failed!” The helmsman shouted in horror, “It’s turning on its own!” We are taking the initiative to meet the other ship!”

As the helmsman said, the Sea Mist was actively meeting the ghost ship.

Tyrian had already sensed the movement. First, he had heard the abnormal hissing from the machine under his feet, ratting and rumbling with a hair-raising tune. Then came the standing down of the guns and cannons on his own ship, which had obviously never occurred half a century ago.

The worst possible nightmare had become true – the Sea Mist recognized its flagship!

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