Chapter 643: Volume Seventeen: Dark Descends on Earth - Fourteen: Worth More Than Its Price
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Komer, having sent off Hoffman and Renta, didn’t find himself with any respite; the pressure from the Gray Skull was mounting. Gote, the old man, had already issued three warnings to Komer, stating that if he did not deliver the promised Magic-armed gun, not only would he cease to protect Mattdam, but he would also trigger unforeseen consequences.
This was undoubtedly an ultimatum, and Mattdam’s importance to Caucasus was almost indispensable. Those pirates might even traverse up the Catania River to blockade the entire river’s navigation route, and by then, the whole Caucasus and Leon would likely be plunged into trouble. Currently, Homer is gradually easing the blockade at the Mouth of Nissai River, but should they learn that Gray Skull has turned against Caucasus, they would definitely not miss the chance to strangle both Caucasus and Leon.
Gazing at the rounded prop on the desk, Komer was lost in a daze. It was a device almost entirely crafted from Magic Metal, the cylindrical tube shimmering with a calm luster under the surrounding Luminous Flame, dark and faint. Processing this cannon barrel alone had taken three months, and Maximilian had been constantly nagging in front of him, complaining that this inexplicable metal tube consumed too much high-quality smokeless coal from his workshop. He dared not demand more money—it was specified in the agreement—his complaints amounted to nothing more than a show of force, hoping that Komer would look after his workshop in future dealings.
Apart from the cannon barrel, Komer chose not to have the rest of the parts processed by Maximilian’s workshop. He didn’t want this thing to be associated with him once it was unveiled, at least not in the short term. The urgency displayed by Gray Skull must be related to the situation in the Mediterranean.
According to the news from Hayreddin, Gray Skull has been on the losing side in the past few months in their struggle against the Red-haired Witch Katerina. It’s rumored that an informant sent by Katerina had infiltrated the ranks of Gray Skull, and one of the four Mirror of Thousand Miles Komer had made for them fell into the opponent’s hands, which is likely the main reason why Gote didn’t dare to truly turn against Komer.
The initial agreement was crystal clear: the Mirror of Thousand Miles could be damaged, but absolutely could not fall into the hands of anyone outside of Gray Skull. Gote probably feared pushing Komer too far, worried about the troubles that would ensue should the secret of the Mirror of Thousand Miles leak. He still thought Komer was oblivious to the situation in the Nether Sea and the Mediterranean, unaware that Komer had already planted Hayreddin as a hidden asset.
No one knows what changes such a weapon would bring to the already tumultuous Nether Sea and Mediterranean once it emerged. The Magic-armed gun and Mirror of Thousand Miles are fundamentally different; the latter is merely an auxiliary tool. Naval warfare has always been decided by strength, and while gaining the upper hand through intelligence can provide some advantage, the final outcome still depends on a head-to-head confrontation, and the Magic-armed gun is a game-changer to break the longstanding balance of power.
Caucasus and Leon have no say over the Nether Sea and the Mediterranean, and the majority of vessels that pass between Mattdam and Bahomon come from outside Caucasus. Ships from the Homer region, Galle Region, the Ferdinand family-controlled Baden-Futon region, the Middle and Upper Reaches of Catania River and cities, colonies on the Continent and the Southern Region are especially numerous, particularly ships from Homer and Galle regions. And now, the number of vessels from the Middle and Upper Reaches of Catania River region is also increasing rapidly. Komer has tried several times to meet with the Jellyfish People’s leader, hoping to increase the quota for merchant ships passing through the Catania River channel but has so far not obtained approval.
Given the current situation, if Caucasus and Leon do not possess the power to control the waterways and the ocean, they will always be at the mercy of others. Homer’s naval force is quite weak, yet it can easily blockade Caucasus and Leon. If it weren’t for the support of Gray Skull in the background, perhaps Caucasus would have collapsed long ago.
It was under these conditions that Komer resolutely allowed Puber to allocate a huge sum of money to purchase ships and secretly established Caucasus’s first commercial fleet for direct involvement in the goods transport of the Caucasus and Leon regions. On the one hand, this could yield high profits, and on the other hand, it laid the groundwork in case Gray Skull turned hostile.