Onthehighwaters,severalshipsinatriangularformationwerequicklystormingaheadwithoutacareintheworld.

Andtheothershipsthatnoticedthemightyfleetimmediatelyknewwhatwasgoingon.

\"Goodness!

Theyallhavethesameflagandwereallswimmingasone!

There\'snodoubtaboutit,they\'redefinitelymarchingouttowar!\"

\"Father,Ithinkyou\'reright!

Butwhocouldtheyhavebeefwith?\"

\"Wait!

Fromthedirectiontheyaresailingtowards,eithertheybranchtosomepartsofArcadina,ortheygostraighttowardsBaymard.

ButthechancesofthemattackingAlecBarn\'sterritoryisalmostimpossible.

Afterall,whiletheirfleetlooksterrifying...afigurelikeAlecBarncouldtakedownthatfleetinnotime.\"

\"SotheregoingtowardsBaymard?

Butthat\'swherewearegoing!\"

\"Hmm....let\'sturnaroundandheadtowardsCarona.\"

\"Butfather,wearejustafewhoursawayfromBaymardwhileCaronaisamonthaway.\"

\"True...thenlet\'sbranchtowardsoneoftheneighbouringcoastaltownsorcitiesinArcadina.

Fromthere,wecansendsomepeopleonhorsebacktoheadtowardsBaymardafterafewdays...soastogetnewsregardingthematterfast.\"

\"Yes,father!

Allrightmen....headtowardstheclosestArcadinianlandaround.\"

\"Yessir!\"

Severalshipsthatweresailingbehindoralongsidethefleetguessedtheirthoughtsandquicklypulledaway.

Afterall,noonewouldwanttobecaughtbetweenwhatlookedlikeafiercebattle.

Andeventhoughthesizeofthefleetcouldn\'tdomuchtolargerempires,Baymardwasrelativelysmall.

Sotheycouldn\'thelpbutwonderifitwouldbepossibleforBaymardtoattainvictory.

Plus,itlookedliketheenemymightbeattackingtheminsurprise...atleastthathadn\'theardanynewsaboutthis.

Sothechancesofthemwinningdidn\'tlooktoogoodnow.

Anyway,almosteveryonedecidedtoheadonovertoArcadinaandwaitfornews.

Itwasbettertobesafethansorry.

Additionally,theyfeltthatthiswastherighttimetotestjusthowpowerfulthisnewlyestablishedempirewaswhenitdidn\'thaveCaronaaidingit.

Oneshouldknowthatsomeofthemwerenoblesofotherempires,whohadoncethoughtthattheirempireshouldannexBaymard.

ButwithCarona\'sprotection,thingsmightbealittletoohard.

Theydidn\'tknowwhichempireorgrouphaddecidedtoattackBaymard...butthiswouldgivethemaclearpictureofjusthowpowerfulBaymardreallywas.

NoonehadeverseenorheardofBaymard\'sstrength,exceptthelandporttaserincidences.

SonobodyknewjustwhattheseBaymardianshaduptheirsleeves.

Butnow,theywouldseehowtheyfaredinthisupcomingbattle.

Sure,theymightnotbeabletowitnesswhatwentdown.

ButiftheBaymardianswin,thenthatwouldmeanthattheydidhavesomehiddenskills.

Nonetheless,theplacehadnoswordacademyoranything.

Sohowweretheygoingtowin?

Thiswasindeedamysterythatunfortunatelywouldn\'tbesolvedsincetheycouldn\'tpersonallywitnessthebattle.

Sigh...

.

\"Captain...in3hours,weshouldbereachingBaymard\'sshores.\"

\"Good!\"CaptainNicodemussaid,beforeclimbingupthestairsandwalkingtowardsthebiggestroomintheship.

Allthistime,hehadbeenrunningthings.

Buthewasn\'ttheonewhoissuedoutthecommands.

That\'sright,thepersonhewasgoingtoseewastheirFleetCommander...CommanderPirus.

Eversincetheyleftthatpirateisland,thecommanderhadkepthimselflockedupwithinhisroom.

Ofcourse,thecrewonlysawaglimpseoftheCommanderwhenhetypicallystoodonhisprivatebalconyforfreshairorwhenhepracticedhisswordmarksmanshipeverymorning.

TheirCommanderwasaveryproud,arrogantandstrongman...wholikedprovinghispointwithhissword.

HewassomeonewhohadneverlostasinglebattlesincehejoinedNopline\'sforces.

Thatwasoneofthereasonswhyhewassenttoleadall68shipstostormBaymard.

Theyweresoconfidentinhisabilities,thattheywerepositiveofnothingelsebutvictoryinthisupcomingbattle.

AndbecauseofPirus\'accomplishmentsandstrength,hewasevenmorerespectedbythemenonboard.

Theylookedathiminaweandreverencewhenevertheywerefortunatetogetevenaglimpseofhishair.

Intheireyes,justseeinghimalonewasakintogainingsomegoodfortune.

Nowonderthemanhad7wivesand11concubines.

Withhiscredentials,whichwomanwouldn\'tfallforhim?

Ofcourse,thatwastheirownwayofthinking.

Anyway,hehadbeencoopedupwithinhispersonalchamber,trainingandpreparingforbattle.

Hegotupasearlyas5A.Mandspent3hoursperfectinghismovesonhisprivatebalcony.

Forsure,whilehewasfocusedonreadyinghimself,heallowedhisCaptainstohandleallminorcrewrelatedmatters.

.

\'Knock!Knock!Knock!\'

\"Commander...it\'sCaptainNicodemushere.\"

Nicodemuswaitedoutsideforabitbeforeheheardthewoodenboltsontheothersideopenup.

\"Comein!\"

\"Yessir!\"

NicodemusquicklyfollowedtheshirtlessPirusinandwaitedforthecommandertotakehisseat.

\"Report!\"

\"Yes,Commander.

3hoursfromnow,weshouldbearrivingontheshores.\"

\"Wonderful!

InformtheCaptainsontheothershipstoreadythemenandstationtheshipsasplanned.

Iwanttheformationtobeperfect!

Also,makesurethatthemenhavetheirweaponsandanchorropes.

Anddon\'tforgettheblackpowder.

Alright,we\'redonehere.

Sogo!\"

\"Yes,commander!\"Nicodemussaidbeforeexitingtheroom.

Ofcourseallsailorsneededropesthathadhead-sizedanchorsonthem.

Thatway,theycouldhookonthesideoftheenemyshipsandpulltheirwayuptotheenemy\'sshipdeckasfastastheycould.

Forsure,thearcherswouldalsohavetobeready...soastoshootallthosewhowanttotakedowntheanchors.

Rightnow,allshipsneededtobeinformationandinsyncfortheirplantowork.

Nicodemussmiledandhastilydidashewastold.

Hehehe!

Soon,theirCommanderwouldhaveyetanothervictoryunderhisbelt.

Andnodoubtaboutit,withthewayLordNoplinevaluedthismission....theirCommanderwoulddefinitelyberewardedhandsomelywhentheyemergedvictorious.

Sohowcouldhenotbeglad?

TherichertheirCommander,thedoubletheirrewardsandsalaries.

\'Ah,Baymard...

Sorry,butyouwilljusthavetobeourticketforthegoodlife.\'

Andsotheincomingintrudersallhadtheirownthoughtsandideasonhowthisbattlewouldactuallybe.

Butwhiletheywerethinkingabouttherewards,Baymard\'sCoastalguardhadalreadyspottedtheirfleet!