The magical alchemy array on the alchemical warship began to hum as it activated.
Herolf, the Golden Ram, roared arrogantly into the fray.
Sabastine steadied herself, her focus unwavering. Though she knew their current situation was dire, surrender was not in her nature. The infamous pirate queen, who had once dominated the Seven Seas, was no stranger to adversity. Even though she had crossed paths with exceptional figures like Zimourman and Menielman, suffering defeat at every turn, her resolute spirit remained unbroken.
After all, it was this same defiant will that had led her to defect from the Fars Empire’s navy and return to the life of a pirate queen.
But the radiant glow of the magical array did not descend upon Herolf as expected. Instead, it enveloped Sabastine.
Herolf froze in surprise, while Sabastine let out a long, triumphant howl. With the magic-enhanced rapier in her hand, she unleashed an unprecedented and devastating flurry of attacks.
Herolf managed to block three strikes but could not evade the fourth. Sabastine’s blade, strengthened by the magical array, pierced him. Yet, the veteran pirate leader was no ordinary foe. Even while wounded, he soared into the skies, summoning the projection of Saint Michael, whose sacred light illuminated half the heavens.
Charlot, observing from the magical alchemical warship, knew that even such a formidable vessel stood no chance against the Saint Spirit. He had already ordered the warship to advance toward Menielman’s flagship, aiming to create enough distance for the Saint Spirit’s power to wane. Outside its divine influence, they would be safe.
Menielman, Tumisan, and High Priest Auguslatin had been closely monitoring the battle. Fearing for Sabastine’s life against Herolf, they soared into the sky to assist.
As they approached, the trio saw the alchemical warship’s magical array activate. A chill ran through them—they assumed Sabastine was doomed. Yet, to their astonishment, the array’s power aligned with her instead.
Tumisan couldn’t help but exclaim, “How did they manage to seize that alchemical warship?”
“This must be divine intervention!” replied High Priest Auguslatin.
The old Leopardman warrior snorted coldly, brandishing the enchanted rapier Sea Strider, and surged ahead.
Charlot, still maneuvering the alchemical warship, lamented his inability to simultaneously control the ship’s alchemical cannons. He had no choice but to concentrate on providing support to Sabastine.
The Saint Spirit of Michael descended, its wings unfolding to form a forcefield that immobilized the alchemical warship. Without the warship’s assistance, Sabastine would not last more than a minute. Even as she fought with everything she had, she silently cursed, Charlot is even bolder than Zimourman ever was. He... he might even dare to summon an Evil God.
The Leopardman surged forward, Sea Strider glowing with water magic. Its blade was imbued with an overwhelming oceanic power, combining both weight and speed.
Even Herolf had to retreat momentarily. His heart ached as he saw the weapon—his former enchanted rapier. To this day, he could not fathom what madness had possessed him to hurl it in an attempt to kill Charlot. A high-tier enchanted rapier for Charlot? It was utterly unworthy.
With Tumisan’s help, Sabastine found a brief reprieve. Gaining her footing, she extended her hands, and an invisible arrow shot forth, striking Herolf’s defensive battle energy.
Sabastine refrained from using energy bullets—they were too precious to waste. Regardless of rank, transcendent beings never fought with full power at every turn. Energy conservation was a key principle of all extraordinary combat. Efficiency—achieving the greatest results with the least expenditure—defined the essence of a battle among transcendent beings.
Full-power attacks were rare, typically reserved for three to five crucial moments in a battle, and even then required long recovery periods. While energy bullets didn’t necessitate recovery time, they involved significant energy loss during compression. For a transcendent, crafting an energy bullet equivalent to their full-power strike required nearly a full day’s effort.
Sabastine, lacking an abundance of such bullets and aware that her attacks couldn’t fatally wound Herolf, refrained from wasting resources. This time, with reinforcements arriving, the pirate queen was unwilling to deplete her reserves.
Though skilled with the rapier and proficient in magical firearms, Sabastine’s true strength lay in her archery. Her technique, Ethereal Bow, paired with her enchanted arrows, represented her primary combat style.
Every invisible arrow Sabastine released carried one or more magical effects. If her target couldn’t resist the magic, the consequences were severe.
Herolf, well aware of her capabilities, remained cautious. As one of the Seven Seas’ most notorious pirates, Sabastine was a force to be reckoned with. Before Zimourman’s rise, both Herolf and Sabastine were ranked among the top ten pirates.
Though Sabastine’s rank was slightly lower than Herolf’s, her abilities demanded respect.
Activating his oceanic battle energy, Herolf dispersed the magic of Sabastine’s arrows. However, this defensive maneuver consumed an additional thirty percent of his energy.
Sabastine’s strategy was clear: wear down Herolf’s battle energy. She knew full well that this terrifying pirate, a master of both magic and combat energy, was far too powerful.
Among the four Saint-rank fighters, only Menielman could hold his own against Herolf. Tumisan, Sabastine, and High Priest Auguslatin were no match for him individually.
Sabastine’s relentless barrage of magical arrows, combined with Tumisan’s extraordinary agility and the unyielding force of Sea Strider, allowed them to gain a slight advantage. Even the forcefield created by the Saint Spirit Michael seemed unable to constrain the old Leopardman.
As the skirmish continued, Menielman and High Priest Auguslatin arrived at the battlefield.
Meanwhile, Charlot focused solely on navigating the alchemical warship. With the Saint-rank fighters sharing the burden of the Saint Spirit’s suppression, the warship—powered by its formidable engines—began to inch forward.
After half an hour of relentless effort, Charlot suddenly felt the ship lighten. Overjoyed, he shouted in triumph. Moments later, Menielman, Tumisan, High Priest Auguslatin, and Sabastine descended onto the deck.
Charlot emerged from the cabin with calm poise, offering a graceful imperial salute. “Senior Menielman, please allow me to present you with a small surprise.”
“A magical alchemical warship, crafted over twenty years by the Fars Empire’s finest artisans, once known as the Black Moon.”
“Forget its former name,” Charlot declared. “From today onward, and for all eternity, it shall be called the Imperial Rose.”