Firearms in a Fantasy World

Chapter 118: Decisive Battle 1

Translator: Cinder Translations

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Thanks to the presence of telescopes, the navy's patrol boats spotted the pirates before the pirates could notice them.

Sailors immediately exerted all their strength to row the ship back to base. Even before entering the harbor, they informed the on-duty soldiers of the enemy situation using the newly practiced flag signals.

"This is not an exercise!" "This is not an exercise!" "This is not an exercise!" The communications officer repeated this message three times consecutively.

Once again, the base alarm sounded, and all officers and soldiers assembled.

"It appears the pirates are indeed playing a 'deceive the east to strike the west' game. It seems the Third Infantry Battalion's trip wasn't in vain."

Upon learning of the pirates' approach to Frand Port, the officers were extremely grateful for Commander Austin's previous decision. The credit for annihilating the Eel pirate gang would finally fall into the hands of the navy itself.

Austin ordered all hands to board and engage the pirates in combat. Simultaneously, he dispatched messengers to notify the City Hall to muster the militia to defend the coast, preventing any pirates who slipped through from sneaking ashore.

He chose the Hope as the flagship, leading six other sailships charging towards the pirates.

This was the first real battle for the sail warships. Every officer and sailor on board was extremely nervous. Captain Quik paced back and forth on the deck, constantly motivating his subordinates, "Our ship is the most powerful warship in the Northwest Bay. Give just a tenth of your usual training performance, and we can send those fools across from us to feed the fish."

Finally catching the Eel, Quik was very excited. The pirate force assembled in the Northwest Bay could only be this one.

"Heh, Jaden, Jaden, you better not run anymore. Use your blood to baptize my new life."

Even when he was a pirate, he couldn't stand this timid little man, especially when this guy messed with him when they agreed to attack Alden Town together.

Sailors equipped with swords watched the direction of the pirate ship, preparing for possible boarding actions. Sailors armed with firearms carefully inspected their weapons, igniting the match cords and continuously blowing on them to ensure they were burning.

Especially the gun crews, they were about to face their first real naval artillery battle. Their rigorous training paid off. Under the command of their gun captains, the gunners systematically prepared for firing.

"Loosen the gun carriage!"

The gunners untied the pulley chains wrapped around the gun carriage and cut the ropes tightly securing the breech.

"Level the gun carriage!"

The gunners rotated the screw beneath the rear of the gun barrel, adjusting the gun carriage to a level, direct-firing position.

"Pull out the gun plug!"

They quickly positioned the gun into place. As the gun barrel moved a foot towards the center of the ship, they used the breech rope to stop the cannon from sliding towards the center of the ship, and then one gunner pulled out the plug in the muzzle of the cannon.

"Load the ammunition!"

The loader wrapped the propellant, encased in flannel, and a 6-pound cannonball, into the breech one after the other. Another gunner held the rammer and pounded forcefully into the breech to compact the ammunition.