Chapter 175: We Shall Be the Champions of the Narrow Sea
Struck by Dyson’s powerful kick, I plummeted down to the deck of the Black Cedar warship far below.
Quickly getting to my feet, I faced Dyson, who stood nonchalantly before me despite the fall from such a height, sword in hand.
But something felt off about Dyson. The Fist Slave Emperor, who had always focused solely on his fists, now, ‘throws kicks?’. His flabby biceps hung limply, and his eyes, once burning with the determination to crush everything in the world, now seemed vacant.
Moreover, when facing a martial artist of Dyson’s caliber, I should have felt more pressure from his fists, but there was none. He seemed like an entirely different person. Was this really the same Dyson?
「Hey, what have you done, Revenant!」
Descending to pursue us, the Great Fire Dragon High Salamander landed on the deck. From its back, Revenant descended, robes billowing in the sea breeze, looking smug.
「Your mistake was not disposing of Dyson’s corpse and handing it over to us, Hero of Silesie!」
「Could it be that you forcibly turned Dyson’s corpse into an undead?」
Dyson, who lived by the fist and died by the fist, would never have desired to become an undead. In other words, this was just an empty vessel, a mere shadow manipulated by Revenant.
「Kukuku, of course, I didn’t merely turn him into a zombie. I embedded the ‘Demon King’s Core’ I obtained in the Afri continent into Dyson’s body. His flesh has been reinforced with El Armadura, the legendary full-body armor of Castilia. He is now the supreme being we should rightfully call the Demon Emperor Dyson!」 「Miasma holes aren’t your playthings!」
Here we go again. You guys seriously underestimate the power of chaos. It’s not something humans can control, and retribution will surely come.
「Kukukuu, call it cowardly or evil as you like. The Germania Empire has done it, and there’s no reason Castilia shouldn’t. Now, show me how you’ll face the most powerful Demon Emperor Dyson!」
「What strategy? We’ll see, but—」
Dyson’s corpse, seemingly controlled by Revenant, unleashed sharp punches as commanded.
Superficially, they resembled Dyson’s punches. The impact of his fist hitting my arm reverberated through the sturdy oak deck.
Impressive punches, undoubtedly powerful. But… this soulless strike couldn’t possibly be Dyson’s true technique.
As I blocked the punch with my own fist, the Zombie Dyson followed up by swinging its ankle like a blade and delivering a kick. Cunning moves.
「Why would Dyson resort to such feeble kicks?」
I deflected the approaching kick with my magic sword, stepping back to create distance.
It was disheartening. Whether powerful strikes or leg techniques, the range was too shallow. No matter how strong, this wouldn’t harm me.
Fist Slave Emperor Dyson had always delivered desperate blows that shattered not only bones but also souls. That’s why he never relied on trivial combos.
The weight behind each strike was terrifying. In comparison, this lump of dead flesh—this material once Dyson—was pitiable.
Even though he was a usurper who had committed unspeakable evils, disrespecting a warrior who died with honor as a human was unforgivable.
Revenant, a mage, clearly didn’t understand the heart of a warrior.
「Hero, allow me to end this.」
Descending with dragon wings, Are landed beside me. Her expression went beyond anger, reaching a stoic intensity that conveyed his fury.
If even I found it unsettling, Are’s rage, as a fellow warrior, was entirely justified.
「Are, crush this abomination of flesh, ensuring it’s never exploited again!」
As I shouted, Ale leaped toward the Zombie Dyson. Without needing his lethal claws, he calmly pummeled Dyson with his fists.
The Zombie Dyson, clad in rigid armor, awkwardly flailed its limbs in an attempt to counterattack. However, its strikes failed to land even once, and it continued to suffer a one-sided assault.
The armor it wore appeared to be of legendary quality, but if Are kept pounding it relentlessly, it would eventually crumble.
Indeed, the Zombie Dyson was strong, but only on paper.
The strongest martial artist’s deceased flesh, combined with the hero’s full-body armor and infused with the power of the Demon King’s Core.
Yet, this haphazard assembly couldn’t possibly match the might of the half-dragon deity, Dragonmaid Ale.
What could this soulless zombie, stripped of its warrior spirit, achieve against Are’s speed and power?
「Why… Why is it that the mightiest Demon Emperor falls so easily to a Dragon maid?」
「Revenant, you fundamentally misunderstand.」
Dyson’s strength stemmed from being ‘human’.
As a proud human, he had relentlessly pursued greatness using only the body he was born with, relying solely on his fists.
I don’t know Dyson’s upbringing, the life experiences that shaped him, or the emotions that fueled his battles.
Yet, even after just a few encounters, I’ve gleaned something.
Dyson’s honorable existence as a fist fighter transcended mere logic. It reached the other side of reality, opposing the very fabric of this world—a stark contrast to the principles of Asama.
That’s why he could defy the seemingly invincible ‘furuki sha’ with fists alone. That’s why he received the mother of chaos’ favor and the power of her blessing.
As the recipient of the ‘Neutral Sword’ from a ‘furuki sha’, I can also feel the mother of chaos’ divine protection.
The decayed flesh of the current Dyson lacks the divine protection of chaos he once possessed. Instead, it relies solely on the inferior power of the Demon King’s Core.
The raging soul of the Fist Slave Emperor Dyson isn’t there—a mere empty shell.
「Even with that armor, the El Armadura—the legendary full-body armor—Dyson wears, it’s inconceivable that he’s being beaten so one-sidedly!」
「That was a misguided choice. No matter how sturdy the material, who in their right mind puts full armor on a martial artist?」
I try to explain, but perhaps it’s lost on the mage who lacks respect for warriors.
Are fights with bandages wrapped around his chest for a reason. Even Dyson, in his prime, fought half-naked in boxer shorts. There’s a purpose behind it.
Martial artists eschew armor not just to reduce weight. Feeling the wind against their skin allows them to react with paper-thin precision to their opponents’ movements.
Heavy, rigid full-body armor dulls the senses and agility of a fighter who relies solely on their body as a weapon. For martial artists, heavy armor is more of a hindrance.
And above all, there’s an unwritten rule: ‘Boss characters returning for a rematch are pushovers.’
If you’re aiming for a final showdown, you should have studied flag management, Revenant.
「I’ve studied every war to date. I’ve built up strategies, even using the Invincible Armada as decoy. Is it acceptable for something so stupid to happen?」
「Such foolishness is entirely possible. It’s just the shallow wisdom of a mage. Now, Revenant, what will you do? If you persist, this time, you’ll face me!」
Even as I raise my magic sword, Revenant stands there dumbfounded.
His options are limited. Even the Great Fire Dragon High Salamander, is struggling against the red head dragon slayer that’s on its neck.
There is no way it can do anything now.
Are continues to pummel Dyson. She won’t stop until that decayed flesh disappears from this world.
While it feels a bit wasteful to crush legendary-class armor, I understand Are’s sentiment as she yells, ‘You dare mock warriorssss!’ so, I’ll let her be.
「Ura, ura, ura, uraaa!」
The relentless fists of Are continued to pummel, piercing through the abdomen of the Zombie Dyson. The Demon King’s Core shattered into pieces before our eyes.
With this, Ale had also slain a Demon King.
「Kukuku, kuhahaha, it seems there’s no other choice!」
Revenant’s laughter echoed as he contorted his face, almost on the verge of tears. From his pocket, he drew a silver dagger and unsheathed its blade.
「Hey, what are you planning?」
「This is how it’s done!」
Revenant drove the silver knife deep into his own shoulder. He twisted it, crying out in pain and rolling on the ground. What was he doing all of a sudden?
「Wait, are you intending to use your own blood for some ritual? Is there something else you’re about to do?」
「Well… hahaha, what are you saying? My last resort has been exhausted. Even if I swing it upside down, nothing more will happen. Ah, it hurts, it’s agonizing… I’ve been wounded, I surrender!」
What a bizarre scene.
As I watched, Revenant continued to writhe in pain, periodically glancing at me with pleading eyes. Apparently, his self-inflicted wounds were part of his desperate plea for mercy.
I couldn’t make sense of it.
「What is the point of your self harming behavior?」
「Higyaaa! It hurts, hurts. Surely, the hero of Silesie wouldn’t kill someone wounded and helpless. Please help me. Hihihi, hiii don’t kill me!」
Revenant was sprawled out bleeding. He probably thought ‘I can no longer face the study king’. But there’s no way that’s the case.
Truly, he was operating on a different plane of imagination……
Mage General Revenant seemed utterly unhinged in his actions. Yet, his strategic prowess remained undeniably high.
Revenant declared, ‘We’ll use the Invincible Armada as bait’.
In the face of the largest naval battle in world history, Revenant seemed indifferent to its outcome. His intention was not to win with the fleet but to sacrifice it, targeting only our lives.
At first glance, he appeared foolish, but he had set victory conditions in unexpected places—making him an unpredictable and cunning strategist.
Likely, Revenant’s influence extended even to the suicidal charge of the Invincible Armada. He was a troublesome individual.
If Lyle-sensei were here, even as an intermediate mage, he would likely advise immediate execution. It was one way to sever future repercussions.
However, I’ll handle this my way.
Revenant still had a purpose, and sometimes poison could be used to counter poison.
I looked up at the massive form of the captured High Salamander, the reptilian rider. Revenant had potential.
「Revenant, surrender and become our prisoner. I might even spare your life.」
「Oh, Silesie’s Hero-samaaa! Thank you so much!」
Revenant replied, blood flowing from his shoulder where he’d removed the knife.
He didn’t merely kneel; he prostrated himself on the deck.
「But in return, you’ll work for us. The cost of sparing your life won’t be insignificant.」
「Huh…」
I retrieved a healing potion from my pocket and handed it to Revenant, treating our valuable captive with care.
Sometimes, kindness could be a form of manipulation.
I hoped that even the cunning Revenant would be sufficiently impressed and controlled. But as he drank the potion, his face twisted with bliss. Disgusting…….
It was so disgusting that I stopped treating him and I ordered the soldiers to wrap Revenant in a bundle and hang him from the ship’s mast, just like he did with the poor Sarah-cjam, who had fallen into Revenant’s clutches. Even in this state, his blissful smile remained intact.
Rather than fading, his cheeks even flushed slightly with joy.
「Why endure this to such an extent? It’s disturbing…」
Why was he smiling in a situation where his life was on the line, like a fish on a chopping board?
Mentally, I felt no match for Revenant. Perhaps I should just end it here and now…
※※※
「Drake, is further pursuit impossible?」
「Apologies, King General. The enemy is too fast for us to catch up.」
The remnants of the Invincible Armada, realizing that their last-ditch aerial attack with the fire dragon Salamander had failed, began their retreat. Of course, we wanted to inflict as much damage as possible. Our fleet maneuvered to pursue the escaping enemy, but they remained frustratingly out of reach.
Now, with the wind against them, we thought pursuit would be easier, but they zigzagged, evaded, and kept running. Their skillful seamanship allowed them to move even in their battered state.
Our fleet, too, suffered significant losses due to the enemy’s final aerial assault, leaving us in disarray.
「Well, let it be.」
「King General, something’s approaching from their side!」
Having already dealt near-fatal blows to the enemy fleet, I sighed, considering whether to abandon further pursuit.
On the horizon, a fleet bearing Britannian flags appeared.
First came ten new-model schooners, racing across the sea like hungry wolves. They swiftly encircled the remnants of the Invincible Armada, boarding and silencing them.
Their efficiency was unmatched, a testament to their experience as seafarers—far superior to our hastily assembled Silesie fleet.
「Arthur’s fleet, as expected.」
King Arthur always managed to swoop in and claim the choicest moments. I chuckled. Though part of me wished they’d arrived earlier, I couldn’t complain. Their precision was almost exhilarating.
Indeed, it was fortunate that the Invincible Armada had been captured, and they even helped tow our heavily damaged ships to land. Not only did they put an end to this naval battle, but they also rescued survivors from both sides. We should be grateful for that.
The intense battle in the Narrow Sea had left many ships severely damaged, making self-navigation nearly impossible. If Arthur’s fleet hadn’t come to our aid, the number of casualties would have been even higher.
※※※
The battle known as the Narrow Sea War, or later simply the Narrow Sea Battle, became a turning point in history. It pitted Silesie, a rural agricultural nation, and Britannia, which had primarily engaged in frugal coastal trade to fight against and even defeated the maritime superpower Castilia.
The impact of this battle awakened an ‘Ocean Mind’ among the people of Silesie, who had previously known little of the sea.
Embarrassingly enough, the outcome of this battle was immortalized in a rousing song composed by the court musician Zither of Germania. The lyrics were somewhat secular, but the tune celebrated Silesie’s heroes and continued to be sung in taverns across various regions:
『Silesie’s hero, steadfast guardians of the tempestuous Narrow Sea,
Against all odds, they thwarted the enemy’s advance.
If we reclaim the sea monopolized by Castilian hands,
All will be set right.
Silesie’s hero, show no mercy; vanquish them utterly,
To the point the greedy Castilians will eventually seek peace with us.
The righteous path pointed out by Silesie’s hero lies right here:
Engage in commerce, raise a navy!
And thus, we shall become the champions of the Narrow Sea. 』
This historic battle marked the dawn of the Age of Exploration for the various nations of the Eura continent—a time when young adventurers set sail across the vast ocean, fueled by hope and romance, seeking geographical discoveries beyond the distant horizon.