Seeing Baldwin's somewhat eye-catching appearance right now.

Aiven, who was ready to record with a notebook beside him, couldn't help but pause his pen tip.

This "skin" put on, without needing a fight, their morale would cut in half, hey!

Change it, it must be changed!

"Cough... let's test the combat ability, shall we? Fleck, you go face Baldwin!"

"Yes, sir!"

Fleck stepped out from the crowd once again.

After performing a duel ceremony with his sword.

Step!

Simultaneously, they stepped toward each other.

The sharp wind whistled, and the two wielding training swords quickly moved on the deck, clashing fiercely.

Clang! Clang! Clang!...

Now, they somewhat resembled the scene from when Aiven fought "Blood Anchor" Zack on the "Yellow Crane".

Soon.

Aiven already had a rough assessment of his first "Activated Beast Hide" piece.

Having received the basic version of "Extraordinary Military Swordsmanship" inheritance, after long arduous training, Baldwin barely reached mid-stage apprentice level, representing the level of most battleship crew.

At this moment, he could actually engage Fleck back and forth.

Bear in mind that Fleck had securely stepped into late-stage apprentice knight and had received Aiven's several exclusive instructions on swordsmanship, making him one of the few good fighters among ordinary crew.

Even if it was just an ordinary shark-made "Activated Skin", it elevated Baldwin by at least one minor realm, granting him the ability to fight late-stage apprentice.

And in the ocean, suitable demonized creatures are hard to come by, but aren't ordinary ferocious fish plentiful?

"Alright, stop!"

Without needing to see the end, Aiven could guess the result.

Though "Activated Beast Hide" is powerful, its own strength is limited; after exceeding a certain time limit and exhausting its power, it begins to absorb the host's strength.

Or, disengage from the possession state, soak it in a specially made potion to recharge, before using it again.

The duration correlates with the quality of "Activated Beast Hide" and the host's physical fitness.

The swordsmanship level of both was only beginner-level, none had a decisive advantage, reaching a gradual stalemate.

Fighting until the end result in "Activated Beast Hide" reaching its limit, completely absorbing Baldwin's strength, turning back to its original form.

Continuing is pointless.

Moreover...

The enemy target for this supply line blockade mission has already appeared!

Feeling a stir within.

"Attention all units, the target has appeared! Repeat, attention all units, the target has appeared!"

A slightly immature yet earnest voice echoed on the ship.

At the same time, a snow-white owl with a wingspan close to two meters flew out from the captain's quarters, landing on the sail boom of the warship's main mast.

Facing the deck, the curved bird beak opened and closed:

"Attention all units, the target has appeared, direct distance 180 kilometers, be ready!"

The alert just came from Bess.

Simultaneously as Aiven advanced to an official wizard level, it evidently benefitted greatly, appearing sturdier despite some reduction in size.

Wisdom too was inspired, nearly similar to a typical teenager, even the vocal system was modified, gaining the ability to speak.

Keeping a mind connection with Aiven, Bess' learning speed was rapid; even simple tactical terms posed no challenge to it, and it likely recognized more words than many crew members who hadn't properly attended a grammar school.

At this moment, besides being Aiven the captain's pet, it also acquired another identity—Order Officer of battleship "Storm Horn"!

The officers on the ship were linked by Milan's mind connection to a shared channel, seeing the situation on the distant sea.

"Hmm? A fleet of pirate ships? And those people are... Bastards! Really damned!!"

South of the two battleships.

Around 180 kilometers away.

A mixed fleet, consisting of four pirate ships flying different flags, appeared on the sea surface.

"I can't stand Marlori, that disgusting guy. Butcher! Butcher! What's the point in brutally murdering ordinary people like slaughtering pigs?

Leaving the ship drenched in blood, never cleaning it, stinking to high heaven.

On any ship he's been on, others can't stand it at all! How can his crew tolerate such a fellow?"

This mixed fleet was composed of a three-masted galleon and three single-masted sloops typically only sailing in coastal waters.

Especially that three-masted galleon with the red headsail, its form surprisingly resembled a military-level 5 ship!

It belonged to a great pirate, "Butcher" Marlori, who had recently arrived from the Old Continent to the "Golden Sea" and was a fugitive from the "Navy New Star Plan".

Although Marlori hadn't been in the New Continent for long, he established his foothold in Pirate City's Sunken Ship Bay through his insane and bloodthirsty nature towards "enemies", indiscriminate of gender or age.

He believed in his own strength, needing neither enemies nor allies!

As long as there was someone to sail for him and a jug of wine, he alone was a pirate gang!

Despite obtaining this Level 5 Thessaly Kingdom ship long ago, Marlori never considered giving it a proper name, gaining fame with the blood sail in "Golden Sea".

Even if his crew's quality is somewhat lacking, a senior-level Knight is by no means common.

From the route of this Pirate Fleet, it's evident that under the call of Bradley, the Pirate King of the "Golden Sea," even a newcomer like Marlori is one of the responders harassing the colonies of two Kingdoms.

And still, the main force of this fleet!

However, even fellow pirates find his vile tastes hard to stomach.

Branding irons, spikes, bone breaking, whipping... scene after scene pushes a normal person's psychological limits.

The captain of the pirate ship "Sturgeon," the "Greedily Vile" Jobri, couldn't help but utter those words to his First Mate.

However.

If you think he's a "chivalrous" pirate with a conscience, you're gravely mistaken!

Jobri wouldn't tell anyone he really covets the military Level 5 Battleship, disregarded by the "Butcher." In the hands of someone like Marlori, it's a total waste.

It's said that even among officially organized Privateer Fleets, the relatively balanced Level 5 Cruiser is the absolute mainstay.

Any pirate who acquires a warship as a ride would definitely gain fame and fortune, a dual boost in power and prestige.

Only need to be wary of another person... His eyes instinctively glanced at the single-masted lateen ship behind him adorned with various Southern Continent Anuma decorations.

Echoes of rodents gnawing human bones on an iron altar reverberated in his ears.

He cursed inwardly: "Will peeling off their skin even reveal humans beneath? Whether it's Marlori or the shadowy Moplati, they are both deranged!"

After intercepting a passing Phaletis merchant ship halfway, hardly anyone under their command has survived. Just selling these people as slaves could fetch quite a sum, right?

"Ah!"

"No... Spare me, please!"

Listening to the pitiful yet feeble pleas from the Level 5 Battleship not far away, someone who clearly was not genuinely sympathetic nevertheless twisted his face into a sinister smile and laughed:

"Heh heh! I think Marlori is almost half-mad. Who knows when he might lose it and turn into a beast someday.

If that happens, seizing his Level 5 Battleship without breaking a sweat might well be possible!"

Standing on the leading ship "Sturgeon," the "Greedily Vile" Jobri was indulging in fantasies when he suddenly noticed a thin mist rising over the sea ahead.

"Huh? Why is it suddenly foggy at sea this season? Shouldn't we still be far from the Giant Horn Cape Fishery?"

....

"Confirm the target!

A Level 5 Cruiser, confirmed to be a Tulip Alliance configuration warship, Pirate Captain Senior Knight 'Butcher' Marlori.

Three single-masted lateen ships, total number of Extraordinary not less than 3.

Total number of pirates not less than 500, Shipborne Artillery number 80, mostly 9-pounders...

Repeat mission objective: Block the route to the maximum extent possible, prevent all enemy vessels from entering the combat area!"

Bess has already informed the crew of the intelligence on the Pirate Fleet; just by the words alone, it appears formidable.

With the strength of three to four Extraordinary captains and over 500 bloodthirsty pirates, they are already capable of conquering some small colonial city.

At this moment.

Aiven's reconnaissance network has expanded beyond 200 kilometers, the limitation on further expansion now lies in the hardware capacity of the Sea Birds themselves.

However, the current reconnaissance range is just right, even if expanded further, it won't provide Aiven with more significant strategic benefits.

Firstly, under a hundred Sea Birds, even if all are sent out, a too-large range would surely create vacuum areas where the reconnaissance network has gaps.

Secondly, excessively distant ranges exceed the operational limit of the "Storm Horn." If the enemy is found beyond 200 kilometers and the direction is wrong, it's nearly impossible to catch up with them, forcing one to watch helplessly as they slip away under one's nose.

Besides self-improvement, enhancing the Sea Bird network, expanding the flight squadron, improving warship mobility, and increasing crew combat power... all require Aiven to steadily perfect and refine.

Even so.

Aiven has already effortlessly discovered Marlori, who has exterminated all Phaletis captives, and Moplati, the Anuma who is perched on an iron altar, savoring the bloody human bones.

This worldview-shattering scene made Aiven and all the military officers connected with him have their hair stand on end.

Being killed upon defeat at sea is quite ordinary, but to be slaughtered like livestock and cannibalized like cattle and sheep far surpasses any psychological threshold!

Moreover, the victims are Phaletis Kingdom citizens who should be under their protection!

Commands that Aiven issued afterward carried a chilling aura.

"Captain Robbins! V-formation, let's properly teach these damned bastards how to behave!"

"Milan! Determine the timing to activate the Mist Silver Lamp!"

The "War Fog" combined with "kiting" tactics has already proven effective in the previous pirate hunt. With larger ships and more powerful cannons, such tactics will only be more potent this time.

If hit by the 24-pound cannons on the lower gun decks, just one round could send those fragile single-masted lateen ships to the sea floor.

Thus.

Two Battleships were positioned tightly in a pocket formation, ready for action long before entering pirate visibility.

But the time to engage was protracted.

Even though both sides were relatively sailing towards each other, the 180-kilometer distance took over six hours and finally drew the four pirate ships into the fog released by the "Mist Silver Lamp."

On the "Storm Horn," Aiven seldom used formal speech:

"Mr. Boris, it's up to you! I'm very eager to see what effect 'Extreme Cannon Skill,' with its maximum artillery performance, will have on these sea vermin."

Even if it wasn't for the task of blocking the supply line, Aiven didn't intend to give these individuals, who blatantly lack any semblance of humanity, the chance to continue living.

Among the officers on the ship, a tall, middle-aged officer with unkempt beard and light golden hair stepped forward and replied solemnly:

"As you command, Captain! I won't disappoint you!"

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