The following sound was a series of explosive barks. They were the distinct roars of high-pressure runic explosions propelling heavy slugs. Steam belched from the rifle barrels. Briefly obscuring the deck.
Dozens of bullets streaked across the water. Aimed at the nearest pirate ship. The Sea Serpent.
Jack's shot found its mark cleanly. A headshot. A pirate at the helm didn't even have any chance to shriek. His head exploded as the bullet struck at it.
Reina's shot was fired with graceful precision. It also hit her target. Knocking down a gunner from his station.
Following their lead, Leon Drake, Bell, Ned, and Moby also landed their bullets on exposed pirate crewmen. However, theirs were not exactly killing shots. They hit non-vital body parts instead the vital ones. But they were still much better than the others.
The rest of the crew, as expected, showed their inexperience in this matter. Their shots, while powerful, were wild. A few even missed the Sea Serpent altogether. Splashing harmlessly into the water.
A significant number, however, still fell on the ship. Despite missing their targets. Wood splintered from the hull. A sail billowed outward as a slug tore through it. And a section of rope rigging snapped with a sharp crack. It wasn't precision. Instead, it was collective impacts.
The pirates were shaken and terrified. They didn't expect a ghost ship would appear suddenly and attack them savagely. And the ghost ship was eerily terrifying.
Jack grinned as he saw their pale opponents. He knew they couldn't see him, and the other crew members of the Silent Mermaid, clearly. The ghost ship's internal runic camouflage would overlay the crew's appearance with spectral shadow in the vision of the others. Enhancing the eerie atmosphere of the sloop.
However, the pirates were hardy people with great experience of violent battles. They quickly shook off their fear and surprise.
They returned fire. Cannon smoke erupted from the Sea Serpent and the Harbinger of Ruin. Massive iron cannonballs arced through the air towards the Silent Mermaid.
"Argust! Evasive maneuvers!" Jack barked. Already moving.
The Silent Mermaid responded with unnatural speed. Designed as a ghost ship, it defied the laws of conventional sailing. It darted to the port, then veered sharply to starboard. Moving like a phantom dancer on the waves.
The cannonballs sailed harmlessly past the ship. Plunging into the water with geysers of spray that were already far behind the sloop.
The ship moved with an agility that left the pirates cursing and the merchant crews staring in disbelief. It was a blur of dark wood and ethereal energy. Making it a frustratingly elusive target.
"Keep firing!" Jack urged. Reloading his sniper rifle with practiced ease. "Aim for those pirates! But don't mind missing! Just get familiar with shooting!"
The crew had just witnessed their ship's uncanny evasion. They gained a measure of confidence. The initial terror of being under the enemy's retaliation of cannon fire gave way to a grim determination. The rifles roared again.
This time, more shots found their marks. Mirella, either on purpose or simply by luck, even managed to cleanly shear a rope on the Sea Serpent's mizzenmast.
Don Donson somehow hit a pirate on the ship's crow nest. Sending him falling and crashing to the deck.
Barnaby also managed to put a hole through a pirate on the deck. Although his expression of disbelief seemed to indicate that the man might not be his actual target.
The ghost ship continued its impossibly fast circuit around the three pirate vessels. It was a whirlwind of controlled chaos.
Jack and Reina were like ranged grim reapers. Their shots were devastatingly accurate. Every time their rifles cracked, a pirate fell.
Leon, Bell, Ned, and Moby was not as precise as Jack and Reina. But they added their own steady, well-aimed fire against pirate personnel or vital pieces of equipment on the enemy ships.
Meanwhile, the other members of the expedition also gradually found their rhythm. The sheer bulk of the pirate ships made them easier targets for the unpracticed shooters.
Jack quickly took out many sets of special runic ammunitions from his [Spatial Bag]. The [Explosive Bullets]. He gave them to the less accurate crew members. Now, as long as the bullet hit the target ship, they could cause damage.
Shot after shot slammed into the hulls of the Sea Serpent, the Harbinger of Ruin, and the Night Terror. Splinters flew. Wood groaned.
Jack's [Explosive Bullets] were extremely destructive. They exploded when they hit anything solid enough. It was like launching mini grenades with bullet speed.
The ships' sails, previously full and taut, began to resemble the ghost ship's tattered flags. Riddled with holes and shredded segments. Their rope rigging also snapped with alarming frequency. Causing the sails to flop uselessly or yardarms to swing precariously.
The pirates were thoroughly disoriented by the Silent Mermaid's speed and the unexpected, relentless gunfire. They struggled to react.
Their cannons, despite being reloaded and aimed again and again, were constantly being evaded. Their own muskets and pistols were largely ineffective against the darting, phantom-like sloop.
They could not hit what they could barely track. And even if they managed a lucky hit, it didn't really damage the ghost ship. This was definitely... an excessive one way bullying.
Jack observed their progress. It was... great.
The Sea Serpent now moved sluggishly. Its primary sails were largely ruined. Shredded to even worse condition than those of their ghost ship. And, unlike the Silent Mermaid, that pirate ship had no other way of navigation other than using sails. Its movements were basically... crippled.
The Harbinger of Ruin had taken significant hull damage. And its foremast looked compromised. It was also crippled in movements.
The Night Terror was in slightly better shape. But its deck was scattered with fallen crew. And its stern suffered heavily from several large holes.
The wails and swearing from the pirates intensified with their frustration and fear. They were losing morale. Their shouts were turning to desperate yells.
Reina, sensing the shift of the morale, created a localized, illusionary fog around the three struggling pirate ships.
The fog was thin and seemingly harmless. But, it enhanced the creepy atmosphere and distracted the pirate crew. Making their movements clumsier and their concentration much worse. It was a subtle, elegant touch. Further disrupting their ability to retaliate effectively.
"Excellent job, Love." Jack praised with a grin, while reloading his sniper rifle again.
He quickly aimed and fired. Fluidly. Hitting a pirate attempting to cut away a fallen sail. Headshot again. The man dropped dead instantly.
Rune, hovering near Jack, glowed a vibrant, excited blue. Almost like a tiny spark of electricity.
The Silent Mermaid made another swift pass. Cutting across the bow of the Harbinger of Ruin. Cannons boomed from the pirate ship. All the cannon balls missed. Unable to hit the elusive sloop.
The crew, now almost completely confident in their ship's invulnerability, kept up a steady barrage.
Their aim had improved dramatically. They were now hitting more than just the ships. They were hitting specific targets on the ships. A few pirates fell with direct hits. And the remaining vital rigging suffered further damage.
The three pirate ships were significantly weakened.
The Sea Serpent was dead in the water. A floating wreck of torn sails and splintered wood. Its crew members were busy trying to extinguish fire burning some parts of the ship.
The Harbinger of Ruin was badly attempting to maneuver. But its mainmast had broke down and fallen. And its deck and hull were badly damaged.
The Night Terror, while still moving, was steering erratically. Its crew members were few and in disarray. Its deck was littered with casualties.
The battle was effectively over for these pirate ships. They were no longer a threat to the merchant fleet or to anyone else.
The merchant ships were still damaged and were reeling from their initial engagement. But they were now safe.
Their crews stared blankly. All felt a mix of emotions at the incredible display... bewildered, terrified, and grateful.
They had no idea who their saviors were. Only that a ghost ship had appeared and moved with impossible grace. While, its phantom-like crew members decimated the pirates with their loud, demonic ranged weapons.
...
"Do we need to establish contact with the pirates or the merchants, Dear?" Reina asked.
"No!" Jack quickly replied decisively. He then grinned mischievously. "We are a crew members of a ghost ship now. We needed to maintain our mysterious characteristics."
"Argust!" Jack gave further instruction. "Reactivate the ship's mystical invisibility cloak. Full speed ahead. Back to our original route."
"Acknowledged, Captain!" Argust replied. A hint of awe could be seen in his usually daydreaming tone. Maneuvering the ship during the battle, while evading the cannonballs, was an exhilarating experience for him.
With another shimmering ripple, the Silent Mermaid vanished as abruptly as it had appeared. One moment, it was there. An eerie, supernatural predator. The next, it was gone. Leaving behind only the distant sounds of a crippled pirate fleet and a bewildered, thankful merchant convoy.
The roar of the steamrune rifles ceased. The deck grew quiet. Save for the hum of the ship's runic engines and the whisper of the wind.
The crew lowered their rifles. Many still felt the recoil in their shoulders. A mix of adrenaline and disbelief on their faces.
They had just engaged in their first real battle. And that was way easier than what they had thought. They couldn't believe that they had been a part of that impossibly easy victory.
Jack glanced at Reina. Giving a subtle nod of approval. "Well done, Love."
Reina smiled. A soft, loving expression. "You too, Dear. That was quite a show." She brushed a stray strand of hair from her face.
Rune was still glowing a bright, excited blue color. She flew wildly, circling Reina's head.
The Silent Mermaid, now invisible once more, cut through the water. Leaving the chaos behind. Their route to Crescent Island was clear again. The expedition had just received its first taste of Jack's unique methods.
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