The boundless blue finally showed impurities.
"Land! I see land!"
A pirate on the lookout post let out an excited shriek.
The sound almost scared the seabirds on the mast into shock.
On the deck, all the pirates' heads turned uniformly in that direction.
Roger put down his telescope and yawned.
He rubbed his waist, which was slightly sore from "late-night teaching," and walked to the bow.
A long, narrow island silhouette, like a green ribbon, appeared at the horizon where the sea met the sky.
The mountains were not high, but lush and green, looking like an underdeveloped bonsai.
"Wow, is this Japan?"
Roger smacked his lips.
This appearance, no matter how he looked at it, exuded a sense of poverty.
"Captain, I looked at that magical sea chart, and this should be Japan."
Hector, the newly appointed "Centennial Striker," was dutifully playing the role of first mate at this moment.
Roger chuckled.
He handed the telescope to Hector.
"Look at those things on the shore, they're all ugly."
"I don't know how their mothers gave birth to them."
As the explorer slowly approached, the scene on the shore became clearer.
Low wooden houses were crowded together, haphazardly arranged.
Several fishermen in tattered kimonos were busy on the dock, and their height... well, how should he put it.
Roger felt that his 1.85-meter height was like a crane among chickens here.
No, it was like a giraffe in a pony park.
"What did these sons of bitches eat to grow up? Concentrated fertilizer?"
Roger couldn't help but curse.
"They all look like radishes just pulled from the ground, not even as tall as the cannons on my ship."
[Ding! Hector Barbossa's loyalty +5! Current loyalty: 110/100! Status: My boss's regional discriminatory remarks make me uncomfortable, but inexplicably refreshed.]
Roger rolled his eyes, too lazy to bother with the system's complaints.
Just then, on the other side of the port, several strangely shaped ships slowly sailed out.
These ships had square hulls, high-rising bows, and tall wooden arrow towers built on their bodies, flying flags with strange family crests.
They were practically several mobile bunkers on the water.
"What are those?" Roger asked the system curiously.
[atakebune.]
The system's answer was very professional.
[The main warship of the Wokou, not fast, but with a sturdy hull, many crew members, suitable for close-quarters combat in coastal waters.]
"atakebune?"
Roger curled his lips.
"I think 'mobile coffin' is more like it."
"With this junk, one shot of greek fire from me can cremate it, people and ship alike, leaving no ashes behind."
Those several atakebune had obviously also discovered the explorer, the uninvited guest.
They quickly formed a semi-encircling formation and charged over aggressively.
Standing at the bow was an even shorter samurai.
He had a ridiculous chonmage hairstyle, with a shiny forehead.
He was wearing expensive-looking armor and holding a katana.
He was pointing at the explorer and yelling loudly.
"What did he say?"
Roger picked his ears.
"Captain, I don't understand, but I feel like he's cursing us."
"He's just mumbling, I don't know what he's saying."
Gibbs said from the side.
Roger was not polite either; he picked up the tin megaphone and replied with full vigor.
"You son of a bitch, who are you cursing!"
"Listen up, you grandsons opposite!"
"Your grandpa is here to bring you warmth!"
The Wokou opposite obviously didn't understand a single word of the language coming from the megaphone.
But they could feel the arrogance and disdain that assailed them.
The Wokou Leader at the front turned green with anger.
He brandished the katana in his hand, yelling even louder in his gibberish.
Immediately after, on the atakebune behind him, dozens of equally short Ashigaru archers drew their longbows.
"Swish swish swish!"
A dense rain of arrows shot towards the explorer.
The pirates on the explorer didn't even move.
They even had the leisure to comment on the incoming arrows.
"These arrows are so soft, they don't even have as much force as my grandma scratching an itch."
"Then your grandma is pretty awesome."
Another pirate even had time to reply.
Billy extended his boney hand, easily caught an arrow, and then broke it in half in front of everyone.
"What do you know, my grandma's strength is legendary."
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
Most of the arrows landed on the explorer's black deck and hull, bouncing off weakly without leaving even a white mark.
"That's it?"
Roger shook his head in disappointment.
He felt like he wasn't facing a group of fierce Wokou.
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