**Chapter 28: The Requiem Advances**
May 21, 2015
Author: Floating Tower
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The continuous sound of cannon fire echoed.
No one noticed the shadowy figures approaching these warships beneath the calm sea. With a creaking sound, a warship from the Southern Islands suddenly shook, and a massive shadow crashed into it, flipping the ship over and sending many sailors into the sea. The mist on the water thickened, and although sounds could be heard from this direction, they became unclear amidst the cannon blasts.
The Viking pirates’ warships caught up with Arendelle’s warships, and the pirates threw grappling hooks to board the deck, resulting in a brutal melee battle.
Shouts of battle were everywhere!
The sky was obscured by mist, making it hard to navigate through it. It was at this moment that Prince Hans realized he had completely lost control of the fleet, and he could only command the thirty or so warships near him. Once the distance exceeded five hundred meters, not only was it impossible to issue commands, but even the shadows of the warships were lost from sight. A warship typically exceeded five meters in height, and unless one was right alongside another, it would easily disappear from view once a distance was created.
“Curse this mist!”
Prince Hans slammed the deck and said solemnly, “Can it not be dispelled? The other warships have lost contact, and they can’t even see the flags!”
The mist limited visibility to a maximum of ten meters; beyond that, everything was vague.
Faint screams came from nearby, but it was unclear whether they were from Arendelle’s navy or from Prince Hans’s own men.
“Not good!”
A high-ranking sorcerer beside him suddenly changed expression, speaking in a low voice, “The deep-sea monster has surfaced!”
Boom!
A crashing sound came from ahead, along with the excited howls of Viking pirates; it seemed they had caught up with an Arendelle warship.
Crack!
The sound of splintering wood filled the air.
Drenched in seawater and covered in seaweed, the drowned undead emerged, grinning as they lunged forward. They wielded sharp blades, reaping those who had fallen into the sea. In the ocean, even those with higher profession levels might not be able to defeat these breathing-less ocean undead, as the water was their main battlefield, giving them a clear advantage. From the dark waters, animated ropes shot forth, binding the bodies of enemies before dragging them into the depths, like a massive bloodied maw devouring everything.
bl**d spread across the sea.
The ghost ship, The Requiem, experienced a slight mutation. The ghostly sails were adorned with many deceased souls, and faint dark red lines appeared upon the ghostly sails.
These were naturally formed lines, resembling veins, not something enchanted by others.
Soren’s expression was cold.
He focused intently on controlling the animated ropes aboard The Requiem, pausing slightly after dispatching the enemies from one warship before shifting his target to another group of foes.
However, just then, he noticed an Arendelle warship that seemed to be on the brink of sinking.
The ferocity of the Viking pirates was stronger than those of the Southern Coast. If they weren’t so few in number and overly brute, they might truly be the real overlords.
In terms of combat power, the Viking pirates should be the most ferocious among all pirates!
“Hmm?”
Soren frowned in thought for a moment, then ordered the drowned undead to board, while simultaneously controlling a mutated orca to charge forward.
The Arendelle navy still had some usefulness.
With their presence, the fleet of the Southern Islands didn’t react as quickly. These warships could at least confuse the enemies’ sight and temporarily draw attention, allowing Soren to act.
On the surface of the sea.
Sharply pointed bone spires emerged.
The mutated orca surfaced with its massive body and collided directly with a Viking pirate ship.
A violent shake ensued.
Many Viking pirates attempting to land on the enemy warship fell into the sea, where they were welcomed by a bloodied maw. The mutated orca opened its gigantic mouth and swallowed a group whole.
Five layers of razor-sharp teeth shredded the enemies into pieces, leaving almost no survivors.
“Ascend!”
Soren glanced at the surrounding encroaching pirate ships and decisively commanded, “Prepare the Requiem cannons! Load the rotating heavy cannons!”
After so many battles, the number of drowned undead had not increased much, but the vengeful sea spirits working aboard the ghost ship had increased significantly.
These undead trapped within the ship moved swiftly as a blackened mast broke through the surface, and the Requiem cannons were fully loaded.
The surrounding waves parted!
Through the dense fog, The Requiem surged through the waves, followed by a series of muffled cannon fire: twenty-four Requiem cannons fired in succession, instantly turning the pirate ships on either side into Swiss cheese. Meanwhile, the rotating heavy cannons fired continuously, piercing through the hull of a dragon head warship, causing large amounts of seawater to flood in, and it was nearly sinking.
“What!… What is that thing?!…”
The Viking pirates who had been fiercely attacking Arendelle’s navy were instantly stunned.
None of them had expected a warship to suddenly rise from the seabed, and with such fierce firepower that left them no chance to react.
“A g… ghost ship!…”
Screams of terror erupted, and with the emergence of The Requiem, some managed to see its true form through the fog: a ravaged ship, with dark ghostly sails and potent d*ath energy radiating outward, causing a chilling sensation to anyone who approached. Twisted souls danced in the air, and numerous wails could be faintly heard as sea spirit wraiths and shark-like undead began boarding the enemy’s warships.
A ghost ship!
Even among the fiercest of pirates, the Viking pirates felt a chill run down their spines.
After all, the undead were not living beings.
The terrifying legends of ghost ships had spread far and wide, and while they may not fear living powerful enemies, facing these gruesome undead was undeniably horrifying.
“Sea wraiths, attack!”
After countless battles, The Requiem had gained significant enhancements, though these enhancements had not led to a qualitative change; they remained an accumulation of quantitative changes.
With Soren’s command, some semi-ethereal sea wraiths soared into the air, clawing and lunging at the enemies.
Then more screams echoed.
At this point, The Requiem’s attributes had changed significantly!
“Biological Name: Ghost Ship [The Requiem], [Mutated Undead Construct Life]
Biological Type: [Activated Ghost Ship]
Biological Description: This is a warship that sank after running aground hundreds of years ago. It awakened during its long years underwater, with the deceased souls and wraiths gradually assimilating into it, turning it into a ghost ship drifting in the sea. There are many legends about it, eventually attracting the attention of the Ocean Goddess’s believers, who were captured by a legendary priest, and under the divine power of the Ocean Goddess, these ghost ships were secretly activated into low-level undead life forms. It possesses basic awareness, will regenerate like an undead, and can sail in any sea, striking fear into the hearts of those who encounter it! (Note: Slaughter and d*ath have caused slight mutations.)
Captain: Soren.
Crew: Drowned Undead (72), Sea Wraiths (24), Ocean Ghosts (108), Naga Witches (12), Sharkmen Undead (11), Requiem Binding Spirits (1105) [Locked].
Equipment: Sinking Wail (Ramming Shield), Requiem Cannons (24), Ghostly Sails (Mutated), Rotating Heavy Cannons (2).
Basic Skills: Summon Mist, Ghost Ship Traits, Deep Sea Diving, Animate Life, Animate Ropes, Curse the Ship’s Body, Requiem Traits.
Special Ability: [Soul Devourer] Trait.”
…
The changes of The Requiem occurred after the number of Requiem Binding Spirits surpassed 1000, a difference Soren had only recently noticed.
In addition to its original ghost ship traits, it had gained a special form of [Mutated Undead Construct Life].
Moreover, the undead sailors on the ship had gradually increased due to the rise of Requiem Binding Spirits, with the most significant improvements seen in the Sea Wraiths and Ocean Ghosts. The former ‘underwater sailing’ ability had become ‘deep sea diving’; Soren was still unsure of the exact effects, as he had not yet piloted The Requiem into significantly deep waters.
Lastly, The Requiem gained a special characteristic of [Soul Devourer].
Even Soren didn’t fully understand this trait, but with the emergence of this [Soul Devourer] trait, the original binding trait of The Requiem disappeared.
While the previous Requiem had a [Binding Trait], it now only possessed the [Soul Devourer] trait.
Waves of Ocean Ghosts surged forth.
These semi-ethereal undead creatures naturally possessed a 50% physical attack evasion ability; in the past, Soren had to rely on holy water to defeat the ghosts he encountered, and now dealing with them would be even more difficult for the Viking pirates.
…
“What is that? A ghost ship?!!!”
On the Arendelle vessel, a bearded navy commander wiped the bl**d from his face and stared at the front in disbelief; a ghost ship had suddenly appeared beside their warship, and it seemed to be helping them fight the Viking pirates. This turn of events felt too bizarre, without any preparation, but he quickly seized the opportunity, gathering his men to eliminate the enemies boarding the deck. One ghost ship alone might not change the tide of battle; the immediate priority was to find a way to escape before being surrounded by the enemy. (To be continued ~^~)
