Sea Battle at the Deserted Island

Magic Crystal Cannons dealt extra damage to buildings and terrain, and Ghost Ships and assault boats counted as buildings too.

In the first volley from the odd-numbered cannons, four shots struck three Ghost Ships.

Where the shots hit, powerful magical energy punched holes several meters wide through the middle of the hulls. Seawater gurgled in. The force was comparable to a Lord Tier fighter's all-out attack.

One unlucky Ghost Ship took two shots and was torn into several pieces. Snakefolk warriors and slave soldiers aboard it were killed or wounded in droves. The survivors could only leap into the sea.

Bai Xiaowen finally understood what the cannons' "extra damage" meant. This was nothing like when they had fired on the Steam Element lord. It was far more destructive.

The bombardment stopped the Ghost Ships from closing in.

"Set sail!"

Cecilia cut the ropes. The Ghost Dreadnought's tattered sails dropped, its magic array activated, and the ship headed toward the deserted island.

The assault boats were faster over short distances than the Ghost Dreadnought was when starting up. Before long, the first wave slammed into its side in quick succession, only to be stopped by its automatically activated defensive runes.

An ordinary ship would have suffered a sharp loss of speed once the assault boats struck its hull. If several hit at once, it might even have capsized.

But the Ghost Dreadnought's massive bulk held steady. The impacts barely made it rock.

Far out at sea, an old, gaunt Snakefolk leaning on a staff stood aboard a Ghost Ship slightly larger than the others. He coughed and said, "What a magnificent vessel... Only the noble Snakefolk are worthy of commanding it. We must take it back!"

"Yes, Lord Morken." Nearly ten Snakefolk commanders aboard the Ghost Ships flanking him answered in