Chapter 1087: Chapter 261: Sea of Shining, the Sea Route to Ambeser (Part 2)
The Naga Clan from the outer sea of the Shangguang Ocean is quite famous. They frequently attack merchant ships passing through the sea route from Ambeser to Gray Wind Harbor and even Lubick. However, the Naga Fishmen in the deep sea are not united as one; they are divided into more than ten tribes, both large and small. Among them, the most famous are the Koutao Fishmen and the Flash Scale Naga. The Koutao Fishmen are not only found in the Shangguang Ocean; their presence spans the Vaend Seven Seas, making them the most notorious pirates on the ocean. By contrast, the Flash Scale Naga have their own culture, language, and traditions, which are more similar to a kingdom.
Most deep-sea nations survive by plundering, and the Naga are no exception. The dozens of tribes attack each other in a rivalry that is nothing more than the dirty infighting between thieves. It has never been heard that because they fight to a standstill, merchant ships on this route have escaped unscathed.
Sailors do not hold pirates in awe as they do the mythic Sirens. With a single reminder from Brand, everyone came to their senses. "It’s strange; the Mermaid Clan rarely joins the Naga in raiding merchant ships." Even so, Captain James couldn’t help but ask, as he took his pipe out, tapped it to extinguish it, and tucked it into his coat pocket. He drew his Longsword with his right hand and turned to order the sailors to raise the shields along the ship’s side.
"Watch out for the javelins!" he added.
In the Amber Sword, the Mermaid Clan is allied with the Naga, often participating in their wars, using their magic-filled voices to win battles for their allies. In essence, they are like bards on the battlefield, except here the battlefield is moved from land to the deep sea. However, Mermaids are typically kind creatures and usually refuse to join the Naga in plundering Human or Dwarf merchant ships (1). Still, it’s not unheard of for one or two anomalies to appear within a large tribe.
At this moment, sea creatures emerged to the surface. These creatures appeared similar to humans, but their skin was cyan blue. Their shoulders, arms, and backs were covered in upright scale fins, with gills extending from below their cheeks, along their necks to the chest area. They also had nasal passages, allowing them to breathe with lungs or filter air using their gills. For the Naga, the air on land is too dry, making them very uncomfortable living out of the water.
Nagas have no hair, with bundles of beautiful sky-blue nerve strands taking the place of hair. Initially looking eerie, they become quite beautiful with familiarity. Most Nagas emerging from the water are males. Male Nagas have two pairs of arms, no noticeable mammary glands, and distinct facial features painted with battle patterns using a special water-resistant dye. Muscles coil prominently, giving the impression of a robust human male.
But Brand knew this was because their lower bodies were hidden beneath the water. According to legend, Nagas are descendants of the Heavenly Snake, half-human, half-snake creatures. Male Nagas have one less pair of arms than females because the Naga god mythologically desires females to be more nimble-fingered, while males only need to fight in battle, requiring them to be more robust and powerful.
However, these are mythological tales. In reality, Nagas and Fishmen are adept at spear-throwing. Male Nagas have two pairs of arms, one pair wielding the trident they specialize in, while the other pair handles Shortswords and shields. The sea is rich in mineral resources, supplying ample iron and copper, commonly used metals for making weapons and armor. The Nagas know how to forge weapons using submarine volcanoes and have special methods to protect their weapons underwater. Hence, they are not inferior to humans on land in terms of weaponry. The biggest difference between Naga Clan’s gear and human defenses lies in their spindle-shaped shields, a Naga specialty designed to minimize underwater resistance.
Seeing the Mermaids’ seductive voices fail, the Nagas surfaced and employed their most common tactic, showering the deck of the Distant Land with fine steel spears like rain. Unfortunately, Captain James was experienced and had already ordered the shields to be raised—ship shields are essentially the double-layer Tower Shields commonly seen on Vaend’s battlefields, usually hung upside down outside the ship’s side, which can be pulled straight with ropes when needed. The fine steel spears patted against the thick shields like raindrops, but to no avail. The ship’s shields were specifically prepared to deal with these sea bandits. The Distant Land is a large vessel, meticulously prepared, and the Nagas’ spears either embedded in the shields or helplessly slid into the water.
