Reborn In 17th century India with Black Technology-Chapter 1195: WWI: Battle of the Atlantic (10)

28th February 1701.

The course of the battle might have sounded long, but in reality, only four days had passed. During those four days, Vijay did not allow the battleships he was travelling with to stop even once. Ever since setting off from Cape Town, the battleships had been running continuously, without rest.

Normally, a fleet’s movement is limited by its slowest vessels, forcing the entire formation to cruise at a relatively steady pace of eight to ten knots, far below the maximum speed the battleships could achieve. This time, however, Vijay chose to take a risk. He advanced with only the battleships of the reinforcement fleet, leaving the remaining warships behind. Freed from slower ships, their speed increased dramatically, and it was because of this decision that he was able to reach the battlefield ahead of schedule.

Such a manoeuvre was usually extremely dangerous. Without the presence and protection of the battleships, the smaller warships could become vulnerable when facing an enemy force with capital ships. Yet Vijay made the decision regardless. First, he had a strong feeling that delaying his arrival would lead to something disastrous, and after surviving countless dangerous situations, he trusted his instincts deeply.

Second, with the European Mediterranean Fleet engaged against the Empire’s Atlantic Fleet, and the European Atlantic Fleet still en route, there was no force left to flank the Empire’s frigates and clippers while the battleships pushed forward on their own.

Taking these factors into account, he felt a measure of confidence in his choice.

As he reached the northwestern coast of Africa, where the battle was unfolding, he could not help but feel grateful that he had trusted his judgment. The Atlantic Fleet was in terrible condition. Lowering the telescope, Vijay found himself at a loss for words at the sheer extent of the damage it had suffered. He had known the Atlantic Fleet would face a formidable opponent, but he had not expected them to be this strong.

"Your Majesty, we have established contact with the Atlantic Fleet."

Hearing the rear admiral’s report, Vijay nodded. "What is the current situation, and how did the fleet become like this?" he asked, his brows furrowing.

The rear admiral hesitated for a moment, a hint of trepidation showing on his face. "At present, Your Majesty, what remains of the Atlantic Fleet, roughly three hundred warships, is deployed at multiple points along the coast. They are relying on coastal defences to hold back the European fleet, which numbers over five hundred ships, and even then, they are only just managing to hold on. According to our reports, the Empire’s warships have suffered severe damage, while the enemy fleet has retained a significant portion of its combat effectiveness."

Taking a deep breath, he continued, unable to hide the anger burning in his eyes.

"As for how it came to this, Your Majesty, it is because the Europeans committed an overwhelming number of warships against the Atlantic Fleet, twelve hundred warships in total."

As soon as he heard the number, Vijay’s eyes widened. Twelve hundred? He was stunned. No wonder the Atlantic Fleet had been so badly battered. From the moment he set off from the Empire, and later realised that the attack on the Red Sea was merely a feint while the true target was the northwestern coast of Africa, he had already known, from the intensity of danger he felt, that the Europeans would go all out. Even so, he had never imagined that they would commit the entire naval might of the European continent, launching an attack from the Mediterranean with such overwhelming force.

The first time he laid eyes on the remnants of the once-glorious Atlantic Fleet, anger had filled his heart. He had thought that the admiral in command was incompetent. But now, understanding that the Atlantic Fleet had not been facing a single European fleet, but the entire naval might of a continent disguised as one, his complaints vanished.

In their place came amazement. Not only had Yashvardhan managed to preserve a significant portion of the Atlantic Fleet’s strength, but he had also inflicted devastating losses on the European Mediterranean Fleet, destroying over seven hundred warships in the process.

He could still hear that distant roar of cannon fire. It was the sound of two navies desperately trying to obliterate the other party. And knowing everything that transpired, Vijay did not have the heart to sit still. He immediately ordered the rear admiral to attack.

"Right away, your majesty." The rear admiral was also itching to get into the battle as quickly as possible. Even hearing about a fleet of 500 ships going up against a fleet of twelve hundred ships, and taking down over 700 ships, made him all fired up and motivated. He was practically shaking with anticipation. So the moment his majesty, the emperor, gave the order, he quickly jumped into action and ordered the battleships forward.

As the situation would have it, the battleships that came to reinforce the Atlantic Fleet of the empire came in from the left flank of the enemy that was fighting against the Bharatiya fleet entrenched on the coast. So as soon as the firing began, the artillery pieces cut through the hulls of the European warships and immediately sank several warships in the very first salvo.

But the worst was yet to come.

"Release the torpedoes!" The rear admiral immediately ordered. Looking at the European warships that had all shown their sides, he felt like it was the best opportunity for the torpedoes to be launched, and he did not hesitate.

The underwater missiles of the Bharatiya Empire swarmed under the European warships at unimaginable speeds and directly made contact with the hulls of the European warships.

"BOOM!"

Loud explosions sounded one after another, and as the explosions occurred, warships could be seen sinking to the bottom of the ocean. There were even some warships that were directly split in half, not even allowing the sailors of the warships to get on the lifeboats and escape.

"Ohh my god!!!"

"Quick, turn the ship around, turn the ship around."

"Oh lord, save me!"

Screams and exclamations were immediately heard from the European sailors, and in panic, the captains of various warships began to turn their ships around even before they received the order from the command to do so. The Europeans were so panicked that the supervisors in each warship did not even stop the captains from making their own decisions without the order of the central command. After all, they wanted to live. Dying in a battle is one thing, and getting slaughtered without having the ability to resist is another. Naturally, they did not want to get slaughtered without having the ability to resist.

"Damn it!" Edward Russell cursed, his fists clenched and his eyes bloodshot. He had been so close, just a single day away from completely wiping out the Bharatiya fleet from the Atlantic. But now, as he looked to the right at the Bharatiya battleships, looming like harbingers of death in his eyes, fury boiled over.

’These lowlifes ruined it for me,’ he thought as he spat onto the ground. At last, he issued the orders everyone had been waiting for.

"Retreat!!"

John De Witt quickly passed the order throughout the remaining fleet, and the various captains who had already decided to turn the ships around and retreat let out a sigh of relief. It was as if they had received amnesty. They patted their chests in lingering fear and felt like they had survived another day.

But is it really that simple?

"Give chase, don’t let them run away!"

The rear admiral ordered. Now the roles were completely reversed. A few hours ago, the European fleet chased the Bharatiya Atlantic fleet to the coast, but now the Bharatiya reinforcements chased the European Mediterranean fleet, biting its tail and not letting go.

The shelling from the 25-calibre and 35-calibre main guns ripped through the rear of the retreating European warships, destroying a few every passing moment.

The number of European warships dwindled at the fastest speed, and the chase continued for several hours. The Europeans tried many methods to lose the Bharatiya battleships on its tail, but it was all for nothing.

Edward Russell was now gripped by panic. Cold sweat broke out across his back, and he could feel the breath of death closing in on him. This was only the second time in his life he had been pushed into such a desperate situation, and the fact that it was once again the Bharatiya Empire responsible made it feel even more terrifying. It was as if a demon stood right behind him, and the moment he turned around, he would be torn apart.

Even after trying everything, even after giving it his all, things had not gone as he had anticipated. Of the five hundred warships that remained after his battle with the Bharatiya Atlantic Fleet, only around four hundred and twenty were still afloat. More than eighty ships had already sunk to the bottom of the ocean, and with every passing moment, more continued to go down.

Maybe the god listened to his plea, or maybe he felt pity for him. The Bharatiya battleships that were chasing his fleet like rabid dogs suddenly halted and started to retreat back to where the battle had taken place.

Edward did not know what happened for the Bharatiyas to change their mind, but anyway, he let out a huge sigh of relief. He managed to live once again, but unfortunately, his hands did not stop shaking, and the shadow left by the Bharatiya Empire in his heart grew only bigger.

He did not know if he could stand in the position of an admiral and command a battle as he did once again.

John De Witt, his deputy commander, seemed to have noticed his condition and felt a little sad. He vaguely felt that His Excellency Edward no longer had the courage to face the Bharatiyas once again. He knew that the admiral wasn’t weak. He knew he used the best tactic possible, and he also knew that the admiral was the only European commander who came so close to completely wiping out a major Bharatiya fleet, but in the end, the wretched Bharatiyas messed up everything.