The Starting Poem of the Abyss Seventh

After the Seventh and Ten Flashing Ferdinand

At dawn, Ferdinand, who was sleeping in his sleep, was awakened by the noisy footsteps. After reluctantly opening his eyes, he vaguely felt the shock generated by the take-up of the warship. With the sudden surge of the idea of "war soon", Ferdinand quickly climbed out of bed and took a well-trained and quick action in five minutes. After grooming and dressing, as soon as he opened the door, Vice Captain Kerzer ran over from the other end of the corridor:

"How early you got up, captain! We still have 15 minutes to eat, and then we need to gather the troops in place. In two hours, it will be the agreed time to start the war!"

"Is it time to start the war unconsciously..."

Fednan's breathing suddenly began to be short, and he shouted "ha" twice to calm his nervousness:

"Kherzer... is afraid to ask you an inappropriate question?"

"Of course! No one can calm down at this moment! My heart is about to jump out! Maybe we will be torn apart by a shell in two hours... But it's useless to think about it now!"

"That's right... I just can't control my trembling. What a shame. I'm not even in the mood to eat now, because the thought that this may be my last meal... Hahaha, what's the use of saying these frustrated words! You go to dinner first. I want to go to the deck to adjust my mood..."

"It's a coincidence that I'm not in the mood to eat. The chef's craftsmanship on the warship is really bad! I'll accompany you to the deck! The feeling of the warship flying at high speed in the air is really indescribable!"

"You guy... are really a face-to-face person!"

Because of the impact caused by the emotion, Ferdinand's anxiety and panic subsided slightly. Two young people with different personalities but similar intentions quickly ran to the stairs and were about to rush up the deck. A majestic voice behind them stopped them:

"You two! What are you doing there?"

Turning around, it was Harrys, the commander-in-chief of the warship, and the two quickly straightened up and made a military salute:

"It's rude to General Harris! We just want to run..."

Running? Is it because of the tension before the war? I often did this kind of thing when I was young, and I can understand your current mood very well. However, such noise is forbidden in the warship! As an officer, you should pay attention to your words and deeds and don't have an unnecessary negative impact on the soldiers!"

"I see!"

They were scolded early in the morning... The two answered loudly angrily. Harris didn't care about the tone of the two people, and laughed a few times:

"Just have that kind of momentum! If you lose the courage to speak loudly before the war is not clear, it is the real cowardice! Follow me after the battle begins. Maybe the minds of you young people will bring an effective turnaround to the battle..."

"After the general? Does the general mean that we should command with you in a safe rear?

"What is the 'safe rear'? How can the commander boost morale and command the battle if he is not at the forefront of the deck? And don't forget who our opponent is this time! If you two are afraid, I can arrange the so-called 'safe rear' for you, or you can hide in the room..."

"General! Although I'm really a little scared now... we are not the kind of coward you said who will hide in the room because of gunfire!"

Feeled to be despised, Kerzer roared back angrily, and Harris nodded with satisfaction:

"Well said! I hope you will always shout so loudly in my ear in the fierce battle after that! I'm looking forward to your performance. Give full play to your talents! If we can win this one-on-three battle... it's a desirable result, isn't it?"

After witnessing Hallis leave, Ferdinand unconsciously smiled:

"Does the commander want to come to the front line in person... It seems that at least this general is not what you said. He will only hide behind a safe side and give orders. Is our misunderstanding of him a little too much?"

"Maybe, my feelings about him have indeed changed... But this doesn't mean that he is the kind of character I'm looking forward to. When the battle starts, let me confirm whether what he just said is true!"

"So... you are really not an ordinary face-to-face man."

"What does it matter? Nobles are just a group of people who want face at all times!"

"So you will definitely become a superior aristocrat in the future! And with this kind of ideal person, he will never lose his life now. As long as I follow you, I can feel at ease.

"You can say something like that... I think it's more appropriate for us to eat now? If you are hungry, you can't fully mobilize your mind.

"That's right. Maybe it's because I just ran for a while, and my stomach was indeed a little empty. Even if it's really the last meal, you can't suffer losses. After all, nobles are face-saving guys.

The three warships of Silas lined up in a horizontal formation, and General Lagna couldn't help but be a little surprised after confirming the position of the battleship Durand in the telescope:

"What a huge warship! In Silas, the 350-meter captain's 'Glorious' under my feet is already a giant, but the other party's one is at least 500 meters... Is there any strategic significance for them to build such a huge warship?

"Maybe it is to symbolize the strength of the country or the authority of the royal family? To be honest, such a huge warship may still play a considerable role in coordinated operations, but a single ship battle will only become a huge target. Unless they can come up with effective ways to avoid artillery fire or extend the effective range of shelling, but so far, our cannons should be the most powerful weapon on the mainland, and I'm afraid the other party can't do it so easily.

"So that's why I'm confused about their intentions. According to common sense, it is incredible to launch a challenge with a single ship, not to mention what kind of formation can they form to fight against us? If it weren't for the fact that they had fallen crazy, it might only be explained that they have enough confidence and a chance to win..."

"The latter... should not be possible, right?"

"That's not necessarily true. War is not a script written by an individual. Maybe it's just a second error, which will lead to the overall tilt or even reversal of the balance. We must keep all possible speculations until the results of the battle are confirmed.

"I understand that the general means that from the beginning of the battle, he must fight with all his strength with the idea that 'the enemy has full confidence and strength', right?"

"Not only at the beginning, but from now on, we must have such an awareness. Once we enter the range of shelling, we can't have any other distractions except continuous attack. A moment of hesitation or a small retreat may kill us. Order the soldiers to hang up the signal flag that 'I will fire at your ship at any time' and prepare for battle and wait for my order!"

Under the leadership of the Brilliant, the other two battleships Victory and Warrior adjusted their angles and maintained the established formation towards the Haier Milan army. On the other side of the battlefield, General Harris handed over the telescope to Ferdinand, the interim adjutant:

"The other party has hung the signal flag of ' shelling at any time', and the battle will begin in five minutes. While it's now... Are you two going to the toilet as soon as possible?"

"We have just done it, and now we can't force any water no matter how hard we try."

Kerze still answered so angrily. In his eyes, whether it was a joke or not, the officer's words seemed to satirize him. The generals around him looked angry, but Harris still kept an understanding smile:

"Hahaha... That's really good, otherwise you may pee your pants as soon as the cannon sounds. Such a thing is not uncommon. Every time on the battlefield, I always have to send someone to clean the special 'battlefield' for those recruits. That's the joke, Ferdinand. Now we only have one warship. The only advantage is that the warship is bigger than them. How do you think we should fight against such a formation?

"Speaking of advantages... In addition to the huge size of warships, we also have high engine power that the other party can't reach, don't we? If it is met like this, the whole army will definitely be destroyed by hundreds of cannons on their side. I suggest that the warship turn quickly and face the bow of the other party's command ship on our side.

"That is to say... find a way to turn the enemy's current horizontal team into a column?"

"Relying on our high speed, we can get out of the enemy's pursuit within two minutes, and it will take five minutes to complete the steering until it moves directly in front of the enemy ship. If everything is accurate to this number, it may change the current passive situation."

"But the premise is that it can be accurate to this number, right? The enemy may not be aware of our combat intentions. If they also change their formation with our movements, then we will throw ourselves into the net. And... even if the enemy does not change the formation, in these five minutes, we will become a giant target with no ability to fight back. Isn't this too risky?

"We're taking risks, aren't we, Kerzer? Who can fight against three ships with a single ship except adventurers or crazy people? General Harris, what's your opinion?

"If your strategy succeeds, maybe we can break through the enemy's flagship and take the initiative on the battlefield, but if the action fails... The soldiers on the warship will become dust in the air. Can you afford this result, Mr. Ferdinand?"

"Although I really want to say 'Can', I'm not a general in command after all. So..."

"So from now on, let you become the temporary commander-in-chief. Although your strategy is risky, I was an adventurous guy when I was young, so I would like to gamble. In fact, I can't think of any feasible way except to do what you said. Mr. Ferdinand, do it boldly. I will stand beside you and give my life to you.

The muscles on Ferdinand's face ** a few times, as if he hesitated repeatedly because of the heavy responsibility. It was not until he turned his head to confirm that the enemy ship had reached a critical distance that he was determined to nod hard:

"Then please forgive me for acting beyond my authority, General Harris!"

With Ferdinand's order, Durand began to turn rapidly, and the arc movement began from the left with the goal of Silas's flagship "Glorious". With an efficient engine mechanism and a magic device that condensed the magician's painstaking efforts, the 500-meter giant warship completed a clumsy turn at an incredible speed and traveled at a high speed along the temporarily determined route. Ferdinand and others held their breath on the deck and calculated the passage of time. Although the necessary time has been roughly estimated, after all, the warship is not a living thing with independent consciousness. As long as a certain link is only the resistance of a slightly changing wind, it may affect the whole result. At this time, the "brilliant" has entered the effective range, and the muzzle of the sideboard immediately spit out dazzling sparks.

"Don't be afraid! Maintain the route!"

The officers loudly conveyed the orders to the soldiers in the office one by one. Although the first round of shelling occasionally burst in the air near the warship, none of them fell on the deck. While thanking and praying for the protection of the goddess, Ferdinand ordered the soldiers not to fight back and move on. After the second round of shelling failed again, General Lagner finally doubted the enemy's failure to fight back:

"Both sides have entered the force, why doesn't the other side fight back? Are they afraid of war?

"It's strange, General! The enemy ship seems to be carrying out strange arc movements, which is really a method of warfare that has never been seen before..."

After the adjutant handed over the telescope to Lagner's hand and carefully confirmed the other party's movements, Lager sighed:

"What an unexpected agility! In less than five minutes, they completely turned the warship around. What kind of technology can reach such a speed? Obviously, their purpose is to approach the bow of the Splendor on the side! Great combat command! Order the soldiers to immediately change the array, turn the direction with our ship as the core, and rearrange them into one word! The gunner is not allowed to stop shooting!"

The Brilliant quickly adjusted its direction while shelling, trying to maintain its sideways to fight against the enemy's warships. One after another, shells hit the Durand. Although the fire ignited, it did not cause fundamental damage, and the soldiers quickly controlled the fire. Finding that the three warships of Silas also began to change their formation quickly, General Harris sincerely praised:

"It's worthy of General Lagna, and it's quite easy to detect the intention of our army. It seems that we must destroy the enemy's signal tower before we can organize the effective operation of the enemy... But can our artillery accurately hit such a small target at such a long distance?

"Let me try General Harris! I still have confidence in the shelling!"

Kherze jumped out and asked for war loudly, but Harris still shook his head hesitantly:

"Even if you are an excellent gunner, you can't hit such a small target from such a long distance. Even Silas, who has the longest artillery range on the mainland, can't easily hit our warship, and you are even more unlikely to do that with our cannon. It seems that we have to risk leaning over the enemy again..."

"Maybe you can do it, General Harris. If you can use wind magic as a boost, you may be able to make the shell hit farther away."

Fednan's suggestion brightened Harry's eyes:

"What you said... I remember you are a wind magician, right? But do you have the confidence to do it? After all, the cannon pops out in an instant. Can your wind magic hit the shell in such a precise time?

"Although I'm not 100% sure, since I've taken a risk, I don't care about taking the second time. General Harris, please let us two have a try!"

After two seconds of silence, Harris nodded victorically:

"Then please! Whether it's victory or defeat depends on your blow!"

"I see!"

The two young people turned around and ran to the fort in the cabin without salute. Harrys immediately ordered the warship to continue to move and try to get as close to the bow of the "Brilliant". The enemy's warship tried to get rid of the high-speed movement of the "Durland" and maintain the advantage of sideboard shelling, and sawed each other. Chengzhong's shelling also stopped temporarily, and Kher in the Durand gun compartment was trying to adjust the angle of the cannon. Ferdinand calculated the loss of time and couldn't help but look anxious:

"How long will it take, Kerzer? The distance between our enemy ships is getting closer and closer, and the enemy's movement is also accelerating. If it goes on like this, we will be besieged by three warships..."

"Don't mention such an unreasonable request, Captain! It is not easy to correctly adjust the angle of the cannon on a high-speed warship. If I don't have this experience, even half a day is not enough! And we are going to hit with one blow. If you have time to complain, it's better to concentrate on singing your magic..."

"I see, I'm really sorry..."

Fednan adjusted his breathing and began to concentrate on chanting spells, and Kerzer continued to fight hard with the cannon. Harrys and others on the deck had begun to be anxious. The shadow of the glorious ship expanded at an alarming speed in front of his eyes, and even the fort began to clear up. The adjutant around him hurriedly stood in front of Harris:

"General! Please avoid first! It has reached the critical range!"

"That two young people are so unreliable! There has been no action at such a range! It's stupid to pin your hopes on them! General, please make a quick decision!"

"We made a mistake from the beginning! Why do you listen to the nonsense of these two hairy boy who have no actual combat experience? Your Excellency..."

Realizing the crisis close at hand, the desperate generals pointed all the spears at Ferdinand and Kherzer. Perhaps in two seconds, they will turn into dust in the air with the Durand, and just as even Harris began to doubt whether he was killed here, the deck suddenly vibrated slightly, and the roar of cannons came from the sideboard.

"Have you fired..."

Everyone's eyes were pulled forward by the sound of gunfire at the same time. A few seconds later, the command tower of the "Brilliant" exploded, and the signal flagpole flew into the air.

"One hit! Two little guys did a good job!"

The destruction of the command tower was only minor damage, but it was enough to affect the war situation. The two warships behind lost their operational command for a while, and their movements stagnated. Due to this unprepared change, the "Brilliant" has rushed into the scope of extreme shelling and did not launch shelling in time. Harris pushed away the adjutant in front of him and raised his right hand high:

"Don't waste this golden time! Aim at the flagship! Shelling!"

The long-pressing cannon roared together, and the deck of the Brilliant burned brightly. Lagner, who hid in the safe area, was stunned by the huge reversal that took place in these seconds:

"What's going on! Why did we suddenly stop exercising!"

"It's the command tower! The command tower was destroyed by the enemy's bombardment!"

The adjutant rushed forward to support the general's shaking body, and Lager raised his head in disbelief:

"Haier Milan's cannon can hit the command tower at that distance? Do they have any secret weapons besides warships?

"According to our shot, it's just an ordinary cannon... Your Excellency, you'd better leave the ship quickly! Leave this to me to command!"

"Depart from the ship?' Is the brilliant number finished?

Lagona looked around. The "Brilliant" after two rounds of shelling has been surrounded by fire at this moment. Obviously, it is difficult to escape the sinking crisis, and it is likely to explode into pieces before sinking. The rear "Victory" quickly leaned up and began to extradite the soldiers on the warship. The situation was already chaotic. Ragnar shook his head and showed a painful look:

"Has it been sunk in such a short time... The victory or defeat is really an unpredictable game, and it seems that the fate of the Brilliant can no longer be recovered. As for you... what are you going to do?"

"Please give it to me, General, at least I need to buy time for the withdrawal of the fleet!"

"What are you kidding? Don't you see that the soldiers have left the ship? Don't you want to..."

The adjutant shook his head and ordered the servants behind him to "protect the general". The considerate servant raised Lager's arm and pulled him in the direction of Victory despite his struggle and scolding. The adjutant straightened himself and saluted the general's figure:

"Thank you for your care over the years, General, even in that world, I will pray for your victory and glory..."

The third round of shelling of Durand has been completed. The Brilliant turned into a huge fireball in front of their eyes, and the two warships behind also retreated. The warships were filled with cheers from the soldiers. Harris smiled with relief:

"It's really right to give hope to those two young people. It seems that the goddess Faris has really favored us this time. I should calm down and express my gratitude to her..."

"But even my heart is about to jump out. The general's vision is really extraordinary to find such a talent.

"It is worthy of being a general to maintain a calm judgment at the moment of this crisis. This is the first defeat of the Sierras army, and the general can also become a great hero in his country..."

"Your Majesty should make a statement to the general, right? Such merits can simply be included in the royal history books. After all, it is difficult to survive the fleet battle of one against three, not to mention that we sank the enemy's flagship in the first battle..."

Although the disgust for the two young people has disappeared, the praise is still full of flattery to Harris. Perhaps this is the reason why Kerzer hated them. Of course, the established pattern of "young people's bloody old banquet" is also a familiar practice, so even if his face showed disapproval, Harris did not immediately refute it and ordered a ceasefire when he was ready to order a ceasefire. And while honoring the two heroes, the soldiers on the tower suddenly shouted:

"Enemy flagship! Come to us at a high speed!"

Harrys and all the generals were shocked and turned their heads. A fireball between them was like a legendary fire demon, rushing towards the ship with deadly fire tongues...

"Do you want to hit us with a suicide attack? Fire! Fire!"

The adjutant conveyed the order in panic, and the cannon on the sideboard roared again. After struggling to advance for a distance, the huge fireball made a huge explosion sound, like a large salute in the festival, bursting out a sad fireworks into the sky, and the subsequent shock wave made the generals on the warship Unable to stop the impact and fell to the ground one after another. Harris finally got up with the help of the guard and found that his arm was bleeding and couldn't help smiling bitterly with regret:

"I didn't expect that I was not injured in the deadly shelling battle, but shed blood disgracefully at the last moment... The price of victory is so ironic! How is the enemy's movement?

"The two warships have withdrawn from the battlefield, and the ground troops have also begun to retreat, showing no sign of seducing the enemy."

"Good, we won today, but it's really a frightening experience. If there are two more battles like this, I guess I will become mentally vulnerable. Anyway, I should also express my gratitude to the two young people. Without them, this victory may be just a luxury. Especially that Ferdinand should give him a suitable title... Isn't it good to be 'Shining Ferdinand'? It is most appropriate to take on this title with a mind and style like him.