Stepstones, a narrow, small rowboat rapidly approached the ruins of Grey Gallows Island's port.
Logically, this port should have been abandoned long ago, and these ships shouldn't be able to berth normally.
But this narrow, small rowboat actually charged directly onto the shallows of the port ruins.
Then, thirty to forty sailors, wearing light leather armor and with longswords and short axes at their waists, jumped off the boat.
From the Ironmen sigil on these sailors' leather armor, it could be known that they were the Ironmen, famous for cultivating (qiang) seeds (jie) with iron tools.
And that narrow, small rowboat was the famous Ironmen longship.
Seeing this group of Ironmen shout a few times, they all lifted the longship and walked towards the port ruins.
The highly Agile Ironmen longship had a pure wooden structure, drew very little water, and was built specifically to optimize speed.
Therefore, this group of Ironmen could easily carry this longship, which could accommodate up to a hundred people.
After they moved the ship to a place some distance from the coast, they covered it with pre-prepared branches and other debris.
Having done all this, they walked to a nearby spot on the ground, lifted a camouflage board, and crawled inside.
If Jacaerys were here, he would definitely feel a sense of familiarity.
Because his first battle in the Stepstones was an air raid on the Dorne hiding on Grey Gallows Island.
The tunnel where these sailors were hiding was exactly what those Dorne had left behind.
This tunnel was not only dug deep, but also very wide, and walking in it did not make people feel cramped.
Wall lamps were hung every few meters on the surrounding walls, and the lighting conditions were quite good.
Moreover, the tunnel was designed with many hidden ventilation openings, so there was no need to worry about lack of oxygen.
After walking through the winding tunnel for a while, the view suddenly opened up.
Those Dorne, who were good at fighting Dragons, had actually built a huge underground bunker.
Inside the bunker, hundreds of Ironmen were eating meat and drinking wine heartily.
Women, dressed in disheveled clothes and with bruised faces, stood obediently by the side, pouring wine and serving these Ironmen.
They were the salt wives plundered by the Ironmen. Judging by their appearance and hair color, most of these women were Essos, and a small number were Westeros.
The status of these salt wives was very low, almost the same as slaves.
Moreover, they were all newly captured and had not undergone a simple salt wife wedding presided over by a Drowned God Priest, so they could still be bought and sold to each other.
Some Ironmen, drunk, took an interest in other people's salt wives. After negotiating a price and buying them, they roughly dragged them to an empty passage.
The salt wife who was originally pouring wine and serving immediately accepted the rough acupuncture service of the drunken Ironmen amidst screams.
On a stone chair in the center of the bunker, a burly young Ironman, about twenty years old, was sitting with a light and beautiful salt wife in his arms.
On both sides of this stone chair, two young and beautiful salt wives were kneeling. Some of them were holding fine wine, and some were holding delicious food.
There was also someone holding a black cross-sword with a handle twisted like a pretzel from his previous life.
This young Ironman was the Commander of the Iron Fleet, the King of the Iron Islands, 'the Red Kraken' Dalton Greyjoy.
And that strange black cross-sword was not simple either; it was a Valyrian Steel weapon named 'nightfall'.
Seeing the Ironmen who had gone out to search for prey return, Dalton immediately threw the salt wife he was playing with aside and asked, "Veyron, you came back in person.
It seems that a big fat sheep worth my action has appeared, right?"
Dalton's younger brother, Veyron Greyjoy, immediately replied when he heard this: "Not a big fat sheep, but a Dragon!
The Iron Throne's Conqueror Fleet has stationed itself in Mi Jie Island. It seems that the Evil Dragon King is preparing to take back the Stepstones.
By the way, my first sentence just now was not a metaphor.
A Dragon about ten meters long is currently circling the sky over Mi Jie Island.
Brother, should we take the gold, silver treasures, food, and salt wives we've harvested during this period and Around back to the Iron Islands?"
"The Iron Throne's Conqueror Fleet is here? No wonder the Free Cities have been moving their fleets so frequently recently.
I initially thought they were here to encircle and suppress us. It seems a big battle is about to happen here!
Hmm...
More than half a year ago, I originally planned to take advantage of the Lannister family's participation in the Targaryen family's civil war to plunder the Westerlands.
Who knew the civil war would end so quickly, and the Lannister family even successfully defected to the Evil Dragon's banner.
This resulted in our Iron Islands having no harvest during that time, directly affecting the lives of all Ironmen.
And if it weren't for the fear of the Dragons in King's Landing, why would we run to such a distant place to plunder.
Hmph, go back to the Iron Islands for what.
This time, we will transform from the invincible Kraken into a pack of hyenas. As long as one side is seriously injured, we will directly pounce on it and tear it to pieces!"
Dalton was not surprised but delighted after hearing Veyron's report. After a moment of contemplation, he decided to sit back and reap the benefits.
"Brother...King Dalton! Please reconsider!
That Evil Dragon King has already wiped out House Hightower of Oldtown, the Martell Family of Dorne, and the Mountain Clans from Westeros.
Let's not talk about the possibility of us successfully plundering in front of a Dragon. Even if we successfully return to the Iron Islands.
The Evil Dragon King, upon receiving the news, will definitely come in person for revenge.
From the numerous intelligence we have collected, he not only possesses seven Dragons that can fight, but is also likely an extraordinary being!"
It was clear that Veyron was significantly more rational.
His face changed dramatically upon hearing his brother's words, and he advised him in a very serious and formal tone.
"Hehe, an extraordinary being? It's not like I haven't killed one myself!
It's just that Dragons are indeed a bit tricky, and we don't have any means to deal with them right now.
Veyron, from now on, you will take the majority of our brothers out to carefully scout the Stepstones waters.
We will decide how to act based on the situation on the battlefield!"
The Red Kraken first scoffed at the remark, then felt that his brother's words did have some merit, so he slightly changed his decision.
The reason he was so confident was that he started rowing at the age of five, began plundering with his family on the Basilisk Isles at ten, and became a battle-hardened Iron Captain at fourteen, leading expeditions to the ruins of the Ghiscari Empire.
It was there that he obtained the Valyrian steel longsword nightfall and killed some extraordinary beings with strange abilities.
Rustle, rustle!
As soon as Dalton's order was given, the Ironmen drunkards who had been lounging around immediately sprang into action.
They poured out of the bunker's exit, carrying the covered and hidden Ironmen longships, and began to put them into the sea.
Moreover, the Ironmen did not just have this one bunker; at least five to six thousand Ironmen, carrying over a hundred longships, entered the sea from the ruins of Grey Gallows Island's port.
If you only looked from the sea or the sky, you would never have imagined that this ruined island could hide so many people.
Because Jacaerys had focused his attention on Westeros for nearly a year.
Except for Mi Jie Island, which had always had a garrison, the other islands in the Stepstones had long become pirate havens.
And Lys and Volantis, which had been on the defensive since their ambush failure last time, seemed to be happy to see this happen.
But this time, just as the Ironmen had scouted, the Joint Fleet of these two cities began to move frequently.
It was obvious that Jacaerys's Dragon's Claw organization was not the only one extending its reach into Essos.
The Free Cities also sent many spies to infiltrate King's Landing, and they were well aware of the movements of the Conqueror Fleet.
Organized large pirate groups like the Ironmen in the Stepstones were fine; they noticed something was wrong early on and took timely countermeasures.
But the vast majority of small and medium-sized pirate groups were like mantises blocking a carriage.
They were directly crushed by the terrifying combat power of the Conqueror Fleet and the Joint Fleet, turning into ship debris and countless corpses on the sea.
It was either a coincidence or a specially chosen location.
The location where the Conqueror Fleet and the Joint Fleet met head-on was precisely Bloodstone Island, where Jacaerys was first crowned King.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Burning pitch barrels were hurled from the Conqueror Fleet's catapults.
The splashing hot pitch instantly burned the Joint Fleet soldiers, causing them to scream continuously.
The hot pitch spreading on the decks and sails also ignited the attacked Joint Fleet warships, sending up thick smoke.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Spear-like arrows shot out from the Joint Fleet's large ballistae.
The Frey Family soldiers on the Conqueror Fleet's decks were strung together like candied haws, successively pierced by the spear arrows, and finally nailed to the outer wall of the ship's cabin.
Moreover, those large ballistae were clearly modified to target Dragons, greatly increasing their penetration and lethality.
Even if they didn't hit the Frey Family soldiers, they could still punch holes in the outer hulls of the Conqueror Fleet's warships.
Dalton and his brother, hiding near a certain unnamed island, were observing the warship situation through telescopes.
Based on the current situation, these two sides were fighting back and forth and were evenly matched opponents.
But they clearly hadn't used their full strength yet; at least half of the Joint Fleet's warships had not been put into battle.
And on the Conqueror Fleet's side... Dragons had not yet participated in the battle!
As time passed, the first war between the two continents had entered a heated phase.
The waters near Bloodstone Island were filled with countless ship wrecks and bodies floating on the surface.
Woo!!!
But unexpectedly, it was the Joint Fleet that couldn't hold back first.
Accompanied by a long horn sound, the remaining half of their warships suddenly advanced at full speed, breaking into the Bloodstone Island battlefield.
Dalton and his brother, who were watching the battle, immediately discussed in low voices, guessing that the Joint Fleet's Commander wanted to use a lightning-fast strike to directly break the Conqueror Fleet's defense line.
If the enemy fell into a state of great defeat, even if Dragons participated in the battle, it would be of no avail.
After all, no matter how powerful Dragons were, they could only burn warships one by one, and the Joint Fleet's modified ballistae were not just for show.
When the Joint Fleet attacked with its entire force, a portion of the warships were specifically left idle, with their ship-mounted modified ballistae ready.
Then, Joint Fleet soldiers responsible for operating the modified ballistae kept a close watch on the sky, guarding against possible sneak attacks by enemy Dragons.
But they never expected that they would still be sneak attacked by the other side!
"Huh? What is that thing?"
"Where?"
"The sea surface at four o'clock."
Hearing Veyron's exclamation, Dalton immediately moved the telescope in his hand to observe.
He saw a huge black shadow rapidly crossing the battlefield from the seawater. Judging from its destination, it was clearly the Joint Fleet's flagship.
Splash!
The water surface at the location of the Joint Fleet's flagship suddenly exploded, and a pearl-white Dragon lunged directly at the flagship's bridge.
Whoosh!!!
The slender but deadly Dracarys exploded directly at the most important position of this flagship.
The Commander who was in charge of commanding the entire army's operations on the Joint Fleet's side was instantly burned to charcoal.
Lucerys took off a sealed can that was clamped to his nose and threw it away, then took deep breaths of fresh air.
Although the air can invented by his brother for the Conqueror Fleet was useful, this dive lasted too long, and it became increasingly difficult for him to breathe towards the end.
However, this surprise attack had a miraculous effect, directly destroying the enemy's flagship.
Woo woo woo!!!
Before Lucerys could be happy for a few minutes, a horn sounded from a large warship in the Joint Fleet.
The other warships around the flagship received the signal and immediately attacked Arrax.
Realizing something was wrong, Lucerys took a deep breath and then directly controlled Arrax to dive into the seawater.
Puff, puff!
The flagship, whose bridge was burning fiercely, was directly pierced by dense spear arrows, turning into a sea urchin.
It turned out that after several battles, the higher-ups of the Joint Fleet had already learned their lesson.
The large warships giving orders now were all decoys. The Commander of this fleet was hidden in some warship, quietly transmitting orders.
Although orders transmitted through multiple layers would have some delay, it was much better than a Dragon making a surprise attack and beheading, leaving the entire Joint Fleet without a leader.
After Lucerys controlled Arrax to escape from the center of the enemy fleet, he couldn't help but flap his wings and fly out of the sea to catch his breath.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
A nearby Joint Fleet warship saw this and immediately adjusted its modified ballistae, launching an attack on Arrax.
But with Arrax's Agile, as long as it wasn't targeted by the enemy's modified ballistae, there would be no danger.
Since the decapitation attempt failed, Lucerys began to ride the Dragon and burn the enemy warships, weakening the enemy's attack power as much as possible.
"Tsk tsk, that Dragon doesn't seem to be of much use either.
Brother, the situation is about even now.
Which side should we deal with?"
Veyron, who was concentrating on observing Arrax with his telescope, saw that this Dragon was not as terrifying as he had imagined, and casually asked his brother.
"Deal with, deal with my ass, quick, quick escape!"
But immediately after, he heard Dalton's rather panicked reply.
Veyron immediately put down the telescope in his hand and turned to him.
He saw Dalton constantly swinging the telescope widely from side to side, with a face full of panic.
Since going on long voyages with his brother, Veyron had never seen his brother so flustered.
Realizing what was happening, he immediately looked in the direction his brother had just been observing widely.
He first looked to the left and saw a 'purple coastline' appearing behind the fiercely fighting Conqueror Fleet at some point.
Veyron, who knew the Narrow Sea forces like the back of his hand, immediately realized that the fleet with purple sails and purple hulls, like a coastline,
was the Sea King Fleet of Braavos, known as the strongest in the world.
But if that were all, it wouldn't make his brother so panicked.
So Veyron immediately moved the telescope widely and looked to the right.
As if they had agreed in advance, behind the Joint Fleet, there was also a large fleet.
However, this fleet was not purely colored like the Sea King Fleet, but was composed of half a golden fleet and half a blue fleet.
The golden fleet flew the banner of the roaring lion, and the blue fleet flew the grape sigil.
None of this was important. What was important was above this fleet.
Four terrifying Dragons, like monsters from legends, were spreading their wings that covered the sky and the sun, flying towards the battlefield.
Compared to any one of these four Dragons, the pearl-white Dragon from before was equivalent to the comparison between an adult and a baby.
Veyron was instantly terrified at the sight, while Dalton directly dragged him back to his longship, muttering at the same time.
"I said the previous battle was intense enough, but now it seems like nothing!
They were just bait used by both sides to fish.
These two fleets colliding will definitely be a thunderous, earth-shattering event!
Quick, escape, escape!"