The merchant fleet, escorted by Nordic's Sea Horse fleet, had departed from Vritannis, the largest trading city in the Holy See's circle. It headed into the depths of the Western Sea. Its natural destination was the Junction and the Island of Fairies.
According to the plan, the merchant fleet would first dock at the Golden Tree Harbor on the Island of Fairies for trade and resupply. Then it would sail along the Junction's coast to Castle Morne, then to Stormveil City, and finally return.
The Kingdom of Ys was an island nation, isolated across the sea, with relatively scarce materials. It had once been considered a closed country. But thanks to this profitable maritime trade route, it was gradually showing signs of prosperity.
Nordic was determined to protect this route and never allow the other heirs to the Ys royal family to interfere.
However, it was obvious that not only the heirs to the Ys royal family had their eyes on this route.
The route passed through the Northern and Western Seas, traversing the four city-states of the Kingdom of Ys, the Tudor Empire, the Kingdom of Midland, and the four city-states of Rana, Farris, Nisser, and Vritannis from the Balding League...
Now, add the Kushan Empire's fleet from the Mediterranean Sea.
It could be said that many were watching.
Nordic came to his senses, but when the merchant fleet he was escorting was about to arrive at the Island of Fairies, he still relaxed a little. He didn't notice the strange sea fog approaching.
When the sailors reported the thick sea fog behind them, like a man-eating creature, Nordic took a telescope to the stern of the ship to observe. He still didn't realize the danger.
Until strange warships appeared within the sea fog.
The main feature of these warships was a huge ornament, like a memorial mask. Flying from the mast was the flag of the Kushan Empire, with a horizontal, glaring pattern of a single eye.
These were the formidable galleass warships of the Kushan Empire.
It had to be said, first the ominous sea fog, then the terrifying fanged mask and the one-eyed flag—such a naval fleet truly caused serious intimidation and plunged the merchant fleet into panic.
Having traveled with Nidhogg and the others, Nordic was now well-informed. He immediately understood that this sea fog must be related to the supposed "sorcery" of the Kushan Empire!
It was this sea fog that had prevented the fleet from knowing of the enemy's existence until they were so close!
He immediately ordered the merchant fleet to speed towards the Island of Fairies. The Ys fleet under the command of the Sea Horse stayed behind. All the warships opened fire on the galleass ships.
The galleass warships seized the opportunity and fired first.
For a time, the roar of artillery thundered across the sea!
Nordic had lost the initiative. Several merchant and warships were sunk. His side had only sunk one of the enemy's warships. He was on the verge of a crushing defeat.
But what troubled him even more was that as the galleass warships approached, the enemies boarding the Ys fleet's battleships were not all brown-skinned Kushans.
Among the enemies climbing onto the Ys fleet's battleships were also monsters with crocodile heads and spiked spears!
They were called "Crocodile Soldiers." They were one of the secret weapons of the Kushan Empire during this invasion of the Holy See's kingdoms. Now they were deployed on this galleass fleet.
Whether it was their fierce strength or the thickness of their own leathery hide, the crocodile soldiers were far superior to the Ys naval soldiers.
When they boarded the Ys naval battleships, a bloody and one-sided slaughter immediately began.
Seeing that failure was inevitable, Nordic immediately ordered the remaining Ys warships and merchant ships to retreat at top speed.
It's just that the galleass warship fleet was like the crocodile soldiers—chasing behind and biting, along with the thick sea fog. This had effectively caused Nordic's fleet to lose its way at sea.
If this continued, Nordic's fleet wouldn't just fail; it would be completely annihilated.
When Nordic was in a daze, a group of mermaids emerged from the seabed. They sang loudly, interfering with the movements of the crocodile soldiers and giving Nordic's fleet a chance to catch its breath.
However, this also forced the leader of the galleass warship fleet, the "Immortal General" Daiba, to act.
Daiba was an old man with a white cloth wrapped around his head, a wrinkled face, white hair braided and hanging down, and a long, wavy white beard. He always gave people an inscrutable feeling.
He called himself the "Great Sorcerer." He was the leader of the Galilean warship fleet and the Kushan monster corps, as well as the right-hand man of the Kushan Empire's emperor—the Terrifying Emperor.
The reason he had two main nicknames—"Immortal General" and "Great Sorcerer" —was naturally because this sea fog and these crocodile soldiers were inseparable from his sorcery.
Furthermore, Daiba could hover cross-legged in the air, condescendingly observing the battle situation and responding to various changes in a timely manner.
He thought it was already nine out of ten—he would devour this Ys fleet and merchant fleet. But he didn't expect a group of mermaids to emerge and cause trouble.
Daiba was not in a hurry. He stroked his long beard, smiled, and pinched a seal. He saw waves surging underwater, and an even more terrifying monster appeared!
"Hehe, since you want to resist, then try the ferocity of this 'Sea Monster' Makara. It's enough to sink ten warships!"
The sea monster Makara suddenly emerged. It had a long elephant's trunk and a mouth full of sharp teeth, but the torso of a whale, larger than giants. It roared and charged at the Ys fleet and merchant ships!
CRUNCH—!
With one bite, it caught and sank a merchant ship!
Nordic, the fleet sailors, and the mermaids were shocked by this scene. They could no longer resist and wanted to flee, but were misled by the sea fog and were helpless for a time!
The mermaids could still dive to the seabed. But the people on the ships were doomed.
Could they only surrender to the barbaric and cruel Kushans?
Seeing the sea monster Makara, the galleass warship fleet, the crocodile soldiers, and the Kushan soldiers gradually approaching, baring their fangs to completely devour the Ys fleet and merchant ships in the thick fog, everyone fell into despair!
Until a warship suddenly burst through the sea fog, piercing it like a sharp blade!
Daiba, hovering in the air, saw this warship capable of breaking through this layer of sea fog. He frowned and felt a sense of alarm.
And Nordic and the mermaids were overjoyed when they saw the battleship.
Because they knew it best. This battleship was the first battleship recently built by the master shipwrights of the Kingdom of Ys and delivered to the Junction and the Island of Fairies, to Liurnia of the Lakes!
Standing at the bow of the Liurnia of the Lakes was the person they most wanted to see at this time—Nidhogg.