Chapter 663: The Golden Hare Fleet!
Meanwhile, off the coast of Baltimore, the scars of battle remained even three years later. A merchant fleet that transferred goods between the mainland, the continent and the demon empire sailed like normal.
The merchant guild of Baltimore restructured completely three years ago with a new leader, supported by his wife. In the past, the continent didn’t trade well with the mainland and even avoided the other nations.
"Phew..." A muscular male wiped his brow, the sun shimmering off his head.
"My dear, it’s time to eat something." A tall woman with firm muscles held a tray in her hands, keeping the food and drink perfectly still despite the ship swaying. Her narrow eyes focused on her husband.
"Oh? Thank you, my dear wife."
’It’s a shame my intense workout to become strong made me completely bald though... But Martha loves my new physique!’
Many of the tanned sailors chuckled and made jokes about this interaction.
However, if anyone went too far, the beautiful woman snapped towards them with sharp, malevolent eyes. After she turned away, those men could only tremble in fear like a frog facing a snake.
"It’s been a while since we’ve spoken to his Majesty Asmodeus..." The bald merchant mumbled while checking on his stock and merchandise.
"Darling, should we go visit after finishing this trade, we can call it our second honeymoon."
The merchant looked at his wife with a wild grin, but that soon settled, and he became more nervous. "W-What about our little muffin?"
"Fufu~ our Muffin is safe with my mother. How about we plan for another, darling?"
"H-Hah!?" The bald man began to sweat furiously.
’I want too... but my wife is too crazy, she’ll wring me dry!’
He could only think back to that handsome adventurer who turned out to be a king... and despite that, the king kept his word, and even after becoming an Emperor, he didn’t hold back or forget their deal.
’Thanks to His Majesty, I can trade with elves... beastkin... and even the mainland with this powerful navy.’
"Let’s set the course. We’ve finished our business. Once we reach the mainland, you can take a two-day paid vacation!"
"WOAH!"
’This is also His Majesty’s idea... paid holidays, bonuses for high level of work, thanks to his idea’s my guild grew explosively in two years.’
Of course, it wasn’t completely smooth sailing. When first getting the other merchants to agree to these rules, the amount of money they lost could fill this entire ship with gold coins.
However, thanks to Asmodeus sending additional funds in return for a stake in the guild and priority on certain items, the guild recovered its losses completely.
As the sailors began to work harder, the merchant noticed his wife’s strange look.
"Darling, what’s the matter?"
"N-Nothing, I just thought there was something in the water..."
Brando trusted his wife more than anything else. Martha stopped hiding her true strength once the Battle of Baltimore ended. She then started training her husband in the bedroom and outside, which helped him shed his extra weight, becoming a small, muscular male.
"Martha I will listen to anything you say."
As the head of the Golden Hare Merchant Guild, he might appear arrogant to others. But he didn’t let that affect his marriage; he always listened to her and met her halfway.
"I think we should turn back, Brando."
"!!!"
Brando knew that his wife only used his name when being serious, and his wife’s power and strength after accepting the boon of Asmodeus became stronger than most demon knights.
In reality, she was an honorary member of Queen Velvet’s Black Dragon Order.
"Raise the sails! ALL SHIPS COME ABOUT! Then Hard to starboard!"
"Aye Aye, Captain!"
The crew of Brando’s fleet were a mix of demon warriors, knights and former pirates that he gave a second chance.
Thanks to the diluted demon blood of Asmodeus, it no longer transformed them but also helped them control their destructive impulses to avoid crimes and breaking laws.
’There is something wrong... all the hair on my body is sticking on end!’
Brando looked at his wife with an affectionate gaze. "Honey, if you see anything let me know. We’re heading straight for the Demon Empire! Set a course, and prepare!"
"Aye Aye Captain, setting course for the home of hope and freedom. Lumeria!"
However... it seemed fate had other plans. A giant silhouette floated beneath the surface... larger than any ship or creature the sailors and knights had seen before. At least the size of an enormous castle with long, thick tendrils allowing it to swim at rapid speeds.
"Power the reserve engines! Burn the Mana Crystals!"
"Aye Aye!"
"Engine room, burn the crystals!"
"Roger!"
Shling!
Martha’s body was transformed, a beautiful black plate armour with waterproofing and strange markings rubbed between each plate. An armour created with the help of the dwarves and goblins from Lumeria.
A special plate armour that was lightweight and could withstand the pressure of the ocean. It uses small mana crystals to create a small field of both oxygen and current that allows the wearer to move normally in the water for at least two hours per crystal.
"Knights, arm yourselves!"
"Yes, Ma’am!"
"...My wife."
"Brando, that thing isn’t normal. We MUST send word to the continent, this thing isn’t a monster or beast. I have never sensed such foul and distorted mana before."
Gulp!
He swallowed heavily, knowing his wife never joked around. Her title as Captain of the Black Dragon Order wasn’t something she used normally. Only when fighting pirates, bandits and criminals.
"Phew, I will send a message, but you won’t send me away. Martha."
Clack!
The next moment, similar armour enveloped his body. This set was completely different. Asmodeus himself created it for Brando as a sign of his loyalty and appreciation.
"I will stand beside you."
Brando didn’t fight with a sword. He pulled out a huge crossbow, black and covered in metal, but the bolts were huge with a sharp tip, created for use at sea.
Harpoon-type bolts.
"Is that the weapon that His Majesty gave you?" Martha looked surprised. Her once chubby and weak husband now held a huge, anti-monster heavy crossbow with one muscular arm bulging in size.
"Honey... after this, we’re going to a hotel."
"Hahaha~ sure my wife."
’Thank you, Your Majesty Asmodeus... for making my married life so successful.’
"Man the cannons!"
Once the couple set up and prepared, the sails lifted to half and shifted to turn the ship’s starboard. A fleet of hundreds, all turning to avoid a dark shadow rushing at them from the depths.
’I don’t want to fight that thing.’
Brando’s laughter died as the warning bell clanged from the masthead, answered by a deep war-horn blast across the waves. In one heartbeat, they were exchanging a warm grin and the next. The deck erupted in chaos. "All hands, monster off the port bow!" came the lookout’s terrified cry.
In an instant, the Golden Hare Merchant Guild fleet shifted from a tranquil convoy to a battle formation.
Brando snatched up his massive crossbow and dashed to the port rail. Martha was already at his side, jamming her dwarven-goblin helmet in place, her eyes focused on the monster.
"Ma’am!" Behind her, dozens of knights stood in the same armour, but a much lower quality version.
The sea ahead churned, foam and black water swirling as something colossal moved beneath. Brando’s heart slammed against his ribs while watching; his crossbow swayed.
There! A vast, dark shape was rising just below the waves.
"Brace yourselves!" he shouted.
Crew members grabbed hold of rails and weapons. On each ship, mages raised their hands, and runes etched like Paul’s special magic as the hulls burst to life with blue light. The defensive wards wrapped the ships completely.
Martha squeezed Brando’s arm once for silent encouragement.
Then vaulted over the rail, and the other Dragon Knights followed. Immediately, their wings popped out, allowing them to float above the ocean, holding swords, spears and smaller versions of Brando’s harpoon crossbow.
"Follow me!"
"Yes, Ma’am!"
"Hard Starboard!!!"
Water exploded upward as a titanic tentacle burst from the depths beside the fleet. Thick as an ancient oak tree, it slammed into the nearest merchant ship with an earth-shaking crash.
The blue light shimmered and cracked, with wood splintering like kindling. The ship’s mainmast toppled as the hull caved in, and sailors’ screams cut through the howling wind.
Brando swallowed his fear desperately.
’Your Majesty, aid me in this battle. This dedicated Ward heads into battle alone!’
As if a magical chant, the armour on Brando’s body glowed, wrapping his body in a red light that swirled and enveloped the bolt loaded in his crossbow.
Then, a beautiful green light enveloped the damaged ship and repaired the mast, the hull and the barrier as if time had reversed a few seconds.
"A miracle!?"
The sailors knew of the things granted to Brando by the emperor, and looking at the miracle before them, they all changed. Fear became hope, and despair became the drive to survive.
"All hail His Majesty!"
"All hands. Slay this beast!"
"Aye AYE!"
He cranked the windlass of his heavy crossbow.
All around, the fleet’s defenders sprang into action. Archers loosed arrows, and ballistas launched harpoons. A barrage of fireballs from the mage-captain streaked toward the writhing appendages. The sky darkened unnaturally, thunder booming as salt spray lashed the decks.
A second tentacle heaved over a smaller schooner, wrapping around its hull. Captain Sorrano’s command cut through the chaos.
"Raise shields!"
At once, a dome of golden light shimmered around the flagship, absorbing a barrage of jagged ice shards conjured by the beast’s sorcery.
"Protect the boss! All for the Golden Hare!"
With his eyes focused on the huge tentacle, Brando lifted his sights and shouted with excitement as he pulled the trigger.
FWOOM!
The oversized bolt lanced through the rubbery flesh. An unearthly shriek tore through the night. The tentacle recoiled and slithered back beneath the waves, freeing the battered schooner.
"We will win!"