The new lookout aboard the Storm spotted the unusual changes in the five Magic Towers immediately. Before he could report them, the other players on the stern deck below, including Knife-in-the-Butt, had also seen what was happening through their Telescopes.
The closer the fleet drew to the port, the brighter the light shining from its five Magic Towers became.
"Motherfuckers! These long-ears want to play nuclear deterrence with us!"
Knife-in-the-Butt knew at a glance what the elves were planning.
Although Knife-in-the-Butt and the other players were magical muggles in this world, this wasn't the only game they had played. In other game worlds, quite a few of them had been archmages or something similar.
So, when the players saw the unusual activity in the port, they guessed the long-ears' intentions almost immediately.
"What do we do?"
Little Minion, who served as chief gunner, asked nervously.
Knife-in-the-Butt lowered his Telescope. Far from looking afraid, he wore the grin of a man ready to gamble his life.
"We fucking hit them, of course. The long-ears are betting their lives against ours. Like the saying goes, when two enemies meet on a narrow path, the brave one wins. Well, this is our narrow path."
Knife-in-the-Butt spat on the ground, then roared.
"We don't have time for a democratic vote! Tell everyone the Storm is to keep advancing until we're within five hundred meters. The other ships in the Revenge Fleet are to fall back and stay at least two hundred meters away from the Storm.
"No matter how powerful the long-ears' magic is, the most it can do is take out the Storm!"
Far from causing panic, Knife-in-the-Butt's almost insane order for a lone-ship charge set off a wave of wild, excited howling over the communications channel.
"Holy shit, boss, you're a fucking