Chapter 111: Big Moves! [Volume Three Completed]
Taro Port, Ocean Temple.
The Naga Priestess sat in the back of the temple, dressed in a splendid priest robe, looking as if she were preparing for something important, her expression quite serious. However, after listening to a report from a certain twisted sea creature, her face gradually turned gloomy as she furrowed her brow, staring at the azure sea before her, murmuring, “What the hell does Soren plan to do?”
“Gathering the fleet at a time like this!”
“Does he have any big moves recently? Is he preparing to retaliate against the Rosad Duchy? Or does he have bigger schemes?”
“Damn it!”
The Naga Priestess struck the ground with her scepter, solemnly asking, “How many navies has he gathered?”
Army.
At some point, her reference to Soren’s forces had shifted from ‘pirates’ to ‘navy.’
Distorted shadows lurked beneath the waters of the Ocean Temple, unable to be clearly discerned, but one could sense that it was a kind of mutated sea creature, exuding a powerful aura, resembling a hybrid of some marine life and ocean monster, possessing strength beyond that of a high-level professionist but not yet in the legendary domain. Such creatures had appeared more than once within the Ocean Temple.
Its entire body concealed in the water, it spoke in a deep Naga tongue: “Over a hundred warships have gathered near Taro Port. The Dragon Head Battleship is also docked nearby.”
“Snake Island has mobilized over fifty medium-sized warships, and a batch of materials has recently been transported away from there.”
“The fleet in Shipwreck Bay is vast.”
“Excluding small fast boats, there are probably over three hundred warships. If we include small pirate ships, it probably exceeds six hundred.”
“And more warships are on their way back!”
“From Arendelle in the Frozen Kingdom, the patrol fleets of the Southern Islands, and the subdued pirates from the West Coast.”
“These are just part of it.”
“Soren has already controlled and annexed many merchant associations during this time. The merchant ships and escort warships he can secretly mobilize are also numerous; conservatively estimating, he can command thousands of medium-sized vessels.”
The Naga Priestess gasped in shock.
She fell into silence, and after a long while, she murmured, “Has he really become this powerful?”
“This guy!”
“How can his strength grow so fast!?”
The twisted figure in the water also fell silent, and after a moment spoke: “Your Excellency the Priestess! Since Soren’s rise, it seems he has never experienced defeat. This gives him an unimaginable influence among pirates, not to mention his own shrewdness. Now, from the Southern Coast to Arendelle, any merchant association that wishes to navigate the seas safely must heed his countenance.”
“Originally, pirates’ sources of income came from plunder, but now many pirates have actually taken on the responsibilities of escorting ships.”
“Though this is based on exploiting other merchant associations.”
“Doesn’t it feel like a tax within the kingdom? Soren has carved out his territory on the ocean, and then uses pirates to control these waters. In the end, he uses overwhelming force to compel others to pay taxes!…”
Before the rise of strength.
Soren’s actions should be seen as extortion for protection money, but when his strength becomes powerful enough, everything transforms into a legitimate ‘tax.’
He provides protection for merchant associations and then collects the taxes that sustain the pirates.
This is the embryonic form of an army!
The Naga Priestess’s complexion grew increasingly serious, her expression revealing an emotion that seemed to be a mix of unwillingness and something else. She murmured, “If things continue like this, his influence will surely grow stronger!”
The shadow in the water fell silent again, slowly saying, “Your Excellency the Priestess!”
“I’m afraid the current Soren is no longer something we can influence. Since he began annexing other pirates along the Southern Coast, his strength has been growing rapidly. The naval battle in Arendelle allowed him to successfully defeat the kingdom’s regular army, causing his fleet to expand dramatically. Many pirate groups that were originally just watching have now flocked to his side.”
“And.”
“With the Pirate King’s command, attacking the Southern Islands, he also achieved ultimate victory!”
“After that battle, Soren nearly won over all the pirates of the Southern Coast. Even the merchant caravans from Shipwreck Bay to Taro Port have many leaning toward him.”
“If it weren’t for this mobilization of the fleet, we might still be unaware of how strong his hidden power truly is!”
The Naga Priestess couldn’t help but sigh.
Indeed.
If it weren’t for the fact that Soren’s fleet mobilization startled many, they likely would still be in the dark, unaware of the powerful armed forces he had at his disposal.
Pirates, merchant associations, escorts.
The pirates controlled by Soren are merely the visible force. As he uses violence or annexation to force other merchant associations into submission, the escort forces controlled by those merchant associations also fall into his hands. Marine trade is not like land trade; more than half of the personnel on a merchant ship can be counted as combat power. Sailors have already undergone combat training, and merchants’ escorts include many elite fighters. While Soren has given up part of the benefits, slave trade, ocean trade, and the Eastern Sea Route are almost entirely under his control.
Snake Island, Taro Port, Shipwreck Bay, Fury Sand Island, West Coast, Arendelle, Southern Islands.
Modo!
Since defeating and annexing Pirate King Asrold, Soren’s armed forces have been rapidly expanding; otherwise, it would be impossible to support the Arendelle expedition and the war against the Southern Islands.
“Bring me a map!”
The Naga Priestess suddenly stood up, addressing the temple guards outside: “Bring over the ocean map!”
Heavy footsteps sounded.
The guards of the Ocean Temple quickly brought over a map, which the Naga Priestess swiftly spread out before her, then furrowed her brow and began to examine it carefully. She pointed at Modo City in the Overseas Islands and drew a line directly connecting it to Taro Port. Immediately following, she drew three lines connecting Snake Island, Fury Sand Island, and Shipwreck Bay. Then, the Naga Priestess’s face paled, and her finger connected Fury Sand Island to the Eastern Sea Route, and then from Shipwreck Bay to West Coast—Arendelle—Southern Islands.
“First Fleet.”
“Third Fleet.”
“Fifth Fleet.”
“The Dragon Head Battleship is at Taro Port, with giants, Scarface, and others—Soren’s pirate leaders—at Shipwreck Bay.”
“Here!”
“There are his hidden forces in the City of Wealth.”
“Fury Sand Island.”
“The fleet of Pirate King Asrold that has been incorporated!… This is the sea area of the Rosad Duchy!… The Sixth Fleet of pirates is stationed here!…”
“This guy Soren!”
“He has already deployed such strong naval forces here!… And now he’s even mobilizing the fleets near Arendelle and the Southern Islands!…”
“Damn it!”
“What the hell does this bastard want to do?”
The Naga Priestess struck the wall heavily, turning to glare intensely at the map before her. She sensed that Soren’s scheme was absolutely a major move, but she couldn’t comprehend what Soren truly wanted!
With such an armed force.
Isn’t it enough to launch an operation against a land kingdom?
Thousands of fierce and ruthless pirate troops, a large fleet capable of blockading any kingdom’s coastlines. His ambiguous relationships with the Northern Witch Council and now his connection with Arendelle in the Frozen Kingdom filled her with a sense of fear, tremor, and an indescribable shock as she reviewed the power Soren possessed on the map!
As an opponent and ally of Soren.
The Naga Priestess was well aware of how weak Soren had been at the beginning, completely within her control, but now that man had transformed into a terrifying existence she needed to look up to!
She had witnessed all this, but as a competitor.
Tick-tock.
Wet seawater dripped down, and a slimy tentacle reached out from the water, gently tapping two points on the map and saying in a deep voice, “Your Excellency the Priestess.”
“Soren’s pet has already arrived here, while the Ghost Ship—The Requiem—hides here.”
Crack!
The Naga Priestess shivered upon hearing this.
………………
(PS: Today’s second update. This volume of [Battle Against the Gods] is finished here; starting tomorrow I will write the next volume [Investiture of the Gods]. If anyone has monthly tickets, please cast them; rewards can also encourage Futu’s creative enthusiasm. Um, extending a hand to ask for monthly tickets!) (To be continued ~^~)
