Captain – Chapter 727 – Then Let’s Begin

For a long time, the two embraced tightly before finally separating.

However, this time they didn’t engage in romantic conversation or idle talk, not even allowing themselves a moment’s delay.

Because everyone knew there wasn’t much time left.

After leaving her first mate’s embrace, Roy stepped back half a pace. The smile on her face had completely faded, leaving only seriousness. She then turned to look at the helmsman who had come with her.

Seeing the captain gesture toward the first mate with her chin, the perceptive Alexis immediately stepped forward and handed the rolled-up chart of unknown waters to Caine.

“This is the inferred position of the isolated island based on reconnaissance and analysis over this period. The boundaries are all marked on the chart for your convenience during the meeting.”

Looking back at her first mate and sensing his questioning gaze, Roy spoke softly.

After the explanation, she remained silent for a moment before adding with some regret: “Also, the fleet that devil left for self-protection is considerably larger than expected.”

“Including those hidden in the fog, it might be several times our number. What’s more troublesome is that without entering that storm, no one knows how many ‘monsters’ are hidden on those ghost ships…”

“Just how many ‘monsters’ are lurking there.”

Knowing the captain’s “monsters” referred to both ghostly skeletons, water ghosts, and the like, as well as souls as powerful as the Night Curtain captain, Caine nodded slightly to show his understanding, his lips curving into a rare arc.

That kind of calm confidence could only come from witnessing countless enemy ships burn and sink.

Seeing this, the young woman was slightly stunned, as if she had never seen her first mate like this before.

In the past, even when defeating the Black Emperor, or first defeating the Deep Sea Captain and later being crowned a legend with the title “Lion,” he had never smiled like this.

Although she knew that before following her, he had been the most remarkable young general star in all the known seas, considering he had left the military for several years now, Roy came to her senses and still felt somewhat uneasy, reminding him:

“I’m telling you to be careful. Don’t get surrounded by those broken ships.”

Not counting the “monsters” she had mentioned earlier and the real ghost ships among the phantom vessels, that fleet with its varied ship designs and ancient origins naturally couldn’t compare to theirs.

But one had to know that no matter how broken and old the opponent was, their numbers were still several times theirs.

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If they made a wrong move and got trapped in that storm, the present world’s fleet could truly be annihilated. Even if they could break through, the losses would be devastating.

“Just rest assured, Captain. You can doubt my ability to handle anything else.”

“But not this one thing.”

Hearing the young woman’s instructions, Caine’s smile grew even broader. Before turning to leave, he even lightly tapped Roy’s head with the chart in his hand.

Of course, it landed on her tricorn hat.

But even so, this scene still appeared indulgent and overly composed.

Conversely, it also made someone feel she had lost face.

Seeing this, Roy nodded to Alexis and several other important pirate figures who had followed her and were prepared to report intelligence from recent days during the tripartite military meeting, indicating they should follow the first mate’s steps.

After doing all this and confirming no one else could hear her movements, the young woman finally let out a light hum about the earlier scene, feeling her cheeks grow slightly warm.

She thought this guy had really gotten carried away after returning to his original position, acting just like a child who had found his lost toy.

After adjusting her emotions, Roy came to the bow of the Pilgrimage, her gaze passing over the giant ship ahead to look at the partially revealed storm sea and the heart-palpitating ghostly blue.

They were really close now.

Although separated by thin fog, neither she nor her father could see the true appearance of that nameless island with their eyes, but the feeling from their bloodline was already extremely strong.

They had naturally “seen” that sun which had been buried by clouds and mist for nearly a thousand years.

“Seen” that blazing sun regaining its radiance, slowly ascending.

Until at some moment, it would burn all those who showed disrespect, or fall before that happened.

The final outcome was really near.

Roy didn’t have to wait long.

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When the morning light finally broke through the heavy clouds and fell upon the sea, the waiting young woman’s eyelashes trembled slightly as she sensed the conference room door that Caine and her subordinates had entered open.

The meeting was also over, proceeding more smoothly than expected.

Roy turned around, looking toward the wooden door leading to the ship’s cabin.

Accompanied by a slight sound that she heard very clearly despite its muffled nature, Caine in his azure military uniform appeared first, leading his adjutant and the pirate dignitaries.

Following were Empire and Federation officers of various uniforms and ranks, along with Island representatives.

Watching the high-ranking officials from all sides disperse efficiently after the meeting ended, Roy’s eyes showed understanding, knowing this meeting was just final confirmation.

It seemed that before joining with the Goddess Hestia, or even before crossing the gateway into the old sea, the officers and various peak figures had already decided everything.

This was good—it wouldn’t be so troublesome.

With her thoughts settled, Roy nodded to Richi who was looking at her from the distant side rail, then looked at her approaching first mate and others, asking how it went.

“Everything’s settled.”

Saying this, Caine raised his hand slightly, indicating his adjutant should go make arrangements.

The pirates under the young woman’s command also returned to their ships to prepare after receiving her glance.

After the personnel dispersed, the first mate approached the bow railing, standing shoulder to shoulder with Roy as they both gazed at that storm in the distance that was so incompatible with the present world.

At this moment, on their side the sun hung high and the sky was azure blue. Whether the sea surface or the ship-like tide, everything was shrouded in a warm, pale golden radiance.

On the other side, it was deep in violent storms and rain, appearing sinister under the ghostly blue reflection.

It looked exactly like a confrontation between heaven and hell.

Presumably, apart from that devil, no one could observe this entire scene, and naturally no one could paint it.

Roy and her companion paid no attention to this spectacle at all, still speaking in low, gentle voices.

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“Even if there were agreements before coming, it was still too fast.”

Hearing the captain’s puzzlement, Caine explained with praise: “If we were still completely clueless about everything when we arrived here, it certainly wouldn’t have been so fast. The marks you made on the chart and your crew members’ reports helped tremendously.”

“Moreover, for this meeting, we only needed to establish general policies and arrange personnel to investigate and cross-reference the intelligence we gathered. As for specific tactics…”

At this point, Caine paused, glancing at the young woman who was listening earnestly, before smiling and saying: “We can only adapt to circumstances. After all, neither you nor Captain Gerard can confirm the specific situation in the fog.”

Hearing this imitative, rather “disrespectful” tone, Roy remembered the earlier tap, raised her eyebrow, and said unconvinced: “You make it sound easy.”

“When the fighting starts, can you really manage the overall situation?”

Saying this, the young woman suddenly thought of something and looked at Caine with some amazement: “Also, I’m saying, could it be that you’re commanding this entire fleet in this battle?”

One had to know that let alone such a massive fleet, even just dozens of ships couldn’t perfectly execute one person’s commands—they would need messengers to relay orders and various ship commanders to mobilize troops. But judging by the first mate’s tone…

He actually wanted to shoulder it all alone? But this wasn’t a sandbox simulation.

Besides, there was no sandbox in the world large enough to contain over a thousand warships.

“Yes.”

But facing the young woman’s doubt, Caine answered extremely straightforwardly, not forgetting to pat the curved blade at his waist, indicating that with it there, his commands could travel at lightning speed.

What responded to the young man was still Roy’s doubtful gaze.

“But you have to know that even if my father can withstand that devil’s will on the outer perimeter and prevent this blade from becoming scrap metal, it’s not certain deeper in.”

“And if we need to enter the fog, the situation will be even more troublesome.”

Caine naturally thought of this point, so he shifted his gaze, looking at the dozen or so warships that had left formation to make final confirmations, saying: “I naturally know this, Captain, but didn’t you say the purpose of this battle is just to get you onto the island?”

After hearing the young woman’s soft “mm,” the first mate said solemnly: “Then this isn’t a conventional battle, and the fleet’s goal isn’t to break through blocking fortifications.”

“We just need to tear open a hole and let the blade tip penetrate.”

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“Before the ‘blade tip’ enters the fog, I’ll naturally arrange the outer formation first. As for the communication problem in the depths… I’ll have to trouble you to speak with the ship spirit.”

The ghost girl’s form of existence was extremely special, and she had countless connections with the gods. Compared to the raven that might get lost and the giant dragon that had more important tasks, she was naturally the best and only messenger who could function in the fog.

Having said this, the doubts in Roy’s heart finally dissipated.

She gently grasped the cross pendant at her neck, and after maintaining this for a moment, a ghostly, seemingly weightless graceful figure quietly sat on the ship’s rail.

It was naturally the ship spirit.

After hearing the captain’s request and the first mate’s arrangements, the ship spirit nodded slightly before disappearing.

With this, all arrangements were complete. They only needed to wait for the warships serving as sentries to confirm the situation, and war would break out at any moment. The two at the bow also fell into their respective silences.

It wasn’t that they had nothing to say, but rather they were immersed in what might be their last moment of peace.

After this battle, what awaited them was either long-lasting tranquility or endless death silence.

Of course they had to cherish it.

After an unknown amount of time, the morning sun had become scorching, and the reconnaissance warships that had disappeared beyond the horizon on both sides finally returned, unsurprisingly bringing back affirmative replies.

During the period when those warships were returning to formation, the peace at the bow of the Pilgrimage was finally broken.

After listening to Merri’s report, Caine withdrew his gaze from his adjutant’s retreating figure, glanced at Roy who was still focused on watching that storm, then looked far ahead.

Then he said with forced calm: “It’s about to begin.”

A moment later, the answer the young man received was not a “mm” or “yes.”

But rather the captain’s gentle yet utterly firm whisper.

“Then let’s begin.”