Pirate Kingship-Chapter 723 - 479: King of the Great Seas Patrols Here—Follow Me and Prosper, Defy Me and Perish! (6500)_2

As the Kingdom's core independent faction, they have the right to remain neutral, loyal only to the throne; whoever seizes the throne in the future will dictate their actions.

Coincidentally, the Treasure Fleet is not the personal property of the [Incompetent] Enrique, but belongs to the entire nation.

Only a neutral faction like the Debo Family, with its own formidable strength and strict adherence to rules without bias, is qualified to lead such a nation-wealthy maritime operation.

Both the King's faction and Princess Isabella's faction trust them enough to entrust their respective "secrets" for transport.

The Debo Siblings themselves are Fourth Order Transcendents, with a fellow Fourth Order Deputy Commander to support, along with the world's best Marine Corps, epitomizing caution.

Unfortunately, to this day, they are just following the maritime code step by step, unaware they have been inadvertently drawn into the whirling maelstrom of the throne struggle.

The fleet sails full-mast, winding leisurely through the Sapphire Sea.

Initially, a few large Garen merchant ships trailed behind the Treasure Fleet, attempting to match their speed and locate the fleet's position.

But as the distance widened slightly, all those trailing ships vanished from sight.

After several days of sailing in peace and calm, the Treasure Fleet finally re-entered the northwestward "First Circulation Zone."

Unlike on the way here, the fleet takes the center of the circulation zone, maximizing the use of ocean currents.

This time, they choose to sail along the edges, minimizing the influence of opposing currents while using its shelter to resist the bizarre and mischievous forces of the Stormy Ocean and the Sea of Monsters on both sides.

Another factor impacting the sail was the wind, or rather the three-cell atmospheric circulation system.

The three cells are: 0-30 degrees low latitude circulation; 30-60 degrees mid-latitude circulation; 60-90 degrees high latitude circulation.

During the journey back north from the Bantaan Archipelago to the Old Continent, they had to sail against the northeasterly trade winds prevailing in the low latitude circulation from 0-30 degrees north latitude.

Once they successfully crossed the "Horse Latitudes" Doldrums at 30 degrees north (Chapter 215), they would enter the 30-60 degrees mid-latitude circulation, where southwesterly winds prevail, until sailing smoothly back home.

Every year, the nation's long-range fleets chose to return before the end of October because the monsoon season from April to November in the Bantaan Archipelago made the Source Tide particularly active.

The tides' induced storms disrupted the usual low latitude circulation system, greatly reducing headwinds, sometimes even allowing a smooth sail altogether.

However, when a puppet thread at the bow of the fleet's flagship and lead ship, the Ox City, started to quiver lightly, it was clear that someone didn't want them to return smoothly.

The stage was already being set for the grand event to come.

Wooooo...

The fleet members were stunned to find that today, the northeasterly trade winds, which typically prevailed in the low latitude circulation, were blowing even stronger than usual!

A Third Order [Navigator] on board was the first to predict the weather change and report immediately to the Fleet Commander, Beast Nemesis Wickliffe:

"Commander, sir, the weather is abnormal, and this northeasterly wind is likely to persist for another three days. Should we take shelter before proceeding?

Sailing these large Garrens under such weather conditions is genuinely strenuous."

This [Navigator] was also an Old Sea Dog, having traversed the Old Continent and colonies countless times, intimately familiar with the state of their warships.

Since the Kingdom of Castilia began the Great Nautical Age and established colonies in the Bantaan Archipelago, the primary ship types were the Carrack Ships and Caravel Ships.

Over time, these ships gradually struggled to fulfill the heavy-duty of transoceanic transport of vast quantities of goods or soldiers across the "First Circulation Zone."

Thus, [shipwrights] merged the strengths of these two ship types into a hybrid new ship, ultimately giving birth to Castilia's Garen Sailship.

Typically three-masted, with square sails on the first two masts and a lateen sail on the last mast.

The standard length is 46 meters to 55 meters, with a displacement of 300-1000 tons, featuring several layers of continuous decks, and towering stern superstructures. Large Garen sterns could even be seven stories high, with a draft of 8 meters.

It was suitable for carrying goods over long sea routes with enduring endurance, remaining the world's largest ship type for decades.

Unfortunately, the hull itself was a massive sail, offering no advantage during Qiangfeng maneuvers.

Now, apart from Byron, who wasn't too particular, the mainstream ships of various nations always maintained towering superstructures that provided better living conditions, but were permanently disadvantaged against headwinds.

Fleet Commander Beast Nemesis Wickliffe, however, decisively dismissed the navigator's suggestion, ordering:

"The entire fleet continues forward.

Orders: the lead ship adjusts Qiangfeng sail with the wind, and the fleet follows, maintaining formation.

Even if we have to crab sideways, we'll inch our way back."

Ordinary small cruisers could switch the square sail to a fore-and-aft sail, achieving "sailing into the wind" maneuvering, thereby sailing against the wind.

These large Garrens were essentially massive square sails and could only navigate one wind circle at a time with the maximum windward angle.

Moreover, because the entire fleet needed to maintain formation for defensive purposes, all ships, regardless of size, had to remain consistent with the slowest and least maneuverable large warships and squadron flagships.

Thus, the ocean was instantly transformed into a spectacle, with hundreds of large Garrens "crabbing" sideways in a rare display.

However, because the Treasure Fleet needed to control the Qiangfeng's radius, the fleet involuntarily split into three sub-fleets, each beginning to circle independently.