Several thunderous explosions rang out, and a great many ships sank one after another.
Watching the largest vessel, the Crimson Tiger, get swallowed by the ocean as well, William's face held a look of bewilderment.
"So we've… won?"
Yet at this moment, an even more difficult question loomed before him: should they carry out a landing operation?
"What should we do now?"
William looked to Polujie beside him, troubled.
"I sense a large number of life fluctuations on the island. They're probably still up there, but I can't pinpoint anything precisely — even my divination is being heavily disrupted. After all… they have wizards on their side as well…"
Several layers of spell-light flickered across Polujie's body. He gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
"Why bother attacking? We just need to keep this place tightly blockaded. Without any ships, they'll starve on the island. Apart from a few high-ranking officers, nobody else stands a chance of surviving…"
A cunning, pirate's craftiness showed on Kelo's face.
"That's a solid plan, but we also have to consider the possibility that they're deliberately trying to keep us tied up here. I'm very worried about the family fleet back there…"
No matter how loyal the pirates they had privately gathered might be, they could never compare to one's own dogs — William understood this principle quite well.
Moreover, those pirates had no concept of loyalty or honor to speak of. They were nothing more than madmen who obeyed nothing but their instincts and whoever was strongest!
Just then, a flash of communication spell-light blazed. Polujie's expression shifted.
"I've received word. The Pirates' Harbor is dead serious this time — they've even unleashed the 'Tide of Pirates.' The slave-catching fleet has taken devastating losses over there, and some high-ranking officers were even assassinated. They suspect the God of Murder's forces are behind it…"
"The God of Murder? Damn it!"
No matter who heard that deranged deity's name, their face would turn grim. William felt a throbbing pain building in his temples.
At the same time, he sensed the gazes of the two great pirate fleet captains standing beside him seem to change.
The Louis family had been able to keep these pirates in line largely by relying on the family's enormous armed fleet.
If they suffered major losses this time and lost the Crimson Tiger's restraining influence, even outright rebellion was not out of the question.
Ordinary countermeasures would be completely useless against people who had discarded all sentiment and honor.
"Sir! The rogues we sent out have returned!"
At that very moment, a subordinate brought over a figure clad head to toe in a tight black bodysuit.
"Master, this is intelligence from 'Night Owl'!" The rogue deferentially presented an arcane letter.
William tilted his head, and a white-haired steward standing nearby immediately took the letter and inspected it carefully.
"No issues!" After a long moment, he handed the paper to William.
William seized the intelligence impatiently, and a look of delighted surprise quickly surfaced on his face. "I've made my decision — we land immediately and wipe out the Crimson Tiger pirates!"
"Judging by the looks of it, they had already planted a mole inside the Crimson Tiger pirate crew?"
Kelo watched in silence, a sharp gleam flickering through his eyes.
"They have roughly five hundred pirates. If it comes to a head-on clash, are you confident you can defeat them, Captain Kelo?"
William turned to Kelo.
"Without a sufficient number of professionals holding the line, in my eyes that's just five hundred fish to be gutted! My men alone could slaughter every last one of them!" A flash of ferocity crossed Kelo's face.
That bloodthirsty expression sent a chill through William's heart. "They say those with powerful bloodlines all have psychological issues — they become more irritable, violent, or even blood-crazed. Looks like the rumors are true!"
"Then it's settled! Captain Kelo will take his men ashore with me. Jadama will hold this position!"
William made his decision at once.
Most of Jadama's strength lay in the tiger shark swarm in the ocean, so very few of his people could go ashore. This arrangement was perfectly reasonable.
"And besides, I need to prove myself with some real accomplishments. As long as Teacher Polujie is here, everything will be fine!"
William glanced at the expressionless high-ranking wizard beside him and silently encouraged himself.
Soon, a team of four to five hundred — built around the core of the Black Skull Pirates and supplemented by a handful of William's personal guards and the elite of the Tiger Shark Pirates — rowed small boats toward the barren island.
Though the team numbered only four or five hundred total, their quality far surpassed the motley rabble under Leilin's command.
"They've set up a simple camp here and stored a decent amount of fresh water and food — enough to last over two months!"
"Plus, in this canyon they've laid numerous traps, mostly involving large numbers of venomous snakes!"
The inside agent had apparently provided William with a fair amount of intelligence, including even a rough map.
"That's more than enough!" Kelo's bloodthirsty grin widened further, sending chills down the spine.
Following the inside agent's information and the reports of the surrounding rogues, the group successfully navigated the trap-laden canyon and soon laid eyes on a crude pirate encampment.