The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 942: Volume 30: The Beginning of the Empire, - 13: Unlimited Maritime Power

Chapter 942: Volume 30: The Beginning of the Empire, Chapter 13: Unlimited Maritime Power

The sea map laid before him stirred Komer’s boundless interest.

This was clearly a rough draft, with evident correction marks still visible on it. Most of the central region was blank except for the west, which clearly marked the location of each city, port, and nearby islands. The areas slightly away from the coastline appeared very sparse, and the sparse marks on the other side of the blank space merely indicated that human exploration of the Continent only extended so far.

"The ocean is infinite, conquest is infinite."

This phrase lingered long in thought; Komer even subconsciously repeated it and savored it carefully.

Xifnos Island was conspicuously marked on the sea map, and two small islands northeast of Xifnos Island caught Komer’s attention.

"Hayreddin, are these the two unnamed islands that you discovered?"

"Yes, Lord, these two islands, one larger than the other, are only about ten nautical miles apart. Both islands have good vegetation and fresh water resources. Apart from being somewhat small in area, other conditions are quite favorable, especially as the rugged cliffs naturally form a ring, which is suitable for ships to dock and take shelter from storms. They are located about 1,200 nautical miles southwest of Xifnos Island, 1,800 nautical miles west of the Blue Continent, and 2,200 nautical miles east of the Continent. It can be said to be perfectly situated in the center of the North Mediterranean, which makes the location very favorable."

"Have they been named?"

"Not yet, they are waiting for Lord Sir to name them, but we have carved the Bear Head Emblem in prominent places on both islands. I believe that anyone coming to the islands will clearly understand that they belong to your territory," Hayreddin responded with a smile.

"Hmm, very good. I really want to go and see it myself, but unfortunately, I don’t have the time," Komer said regretfully. "Then let’s name them Bear Island and Deer Island."

"Understood, we will immediately mark them on the sea map as per your instructions."

Komer sat down. "Hayreddin, do you think we should expand on the Continent now? You should know that I currently have the will but not the power. In Nicosia, I still have to focus more energy there, which is the foundation of our operations. If we lose it, we become rootless weeds."

"Lord, I understand, but if you don’t want to be limited to just the Blue Continent, then you have to pay attention to the Mediterranean. I remember a philosopher once said, ’To conquer the Continent, you must first control the sea.’ The Mediterranean will provide a more convenient and faster route for your territory, and its transport capacity is incomparable to land routes. Now, as the Continent is in the early stages of development, many countries and city-states, such as Sparta, Corinth, Carthage, Piraeus, and even the Dwarves country of Severo, are beginning to plan expeditions and colonization. Even the countries and city-states along the Storm Ocean coast seem to be realizing this point. If we cannot seize the current favorable opportunity, I fear we will lose the advantage we have already gained."

Hayreddin spoke earnestly. He could understand Komer’s troubles, but his duty forced him to lay out the actual situation to Komer. Everyone had realized the importance of the seas, and the constant new discoveries from the Continent further increased interest in it. This also drove various nations and city-states to explore the seas and the Continent.

Komer remained silent. How could he not know the importance of the Continent? The Blue Continent had already been fully exploited, except for areas inhabited by what were considered barbaric territories, and every exploitable piece of land had been trodden on by mortals. And the Continent? Except for the few colonies along the coast, no one had truly reached the other side of it.

Which was of greater importance? Komer concluded that both were indispensable.

But with limited power, could he manage both?

As if reading the doubts in Komer’s eyes, Hayreddin pondered for a moment before speaking, "Lord, perhaps we cannot operate the Continent with full force like other countries and city-states now, but we have the advantage of naval superiority. The Carter Fleet that dominates the entire Mediterranean has not utilized their advantage, so I think we can use our advantage to suppress and delay other forces’ entry into the Continent. At the same time, establish small colonies in the Central Region of the Continent where no other forces have entered, to secure our own sphere of influence. For those colonizers who do not have a concept of nationhood, we can buy or coerce them into allegiance through the advantages in commerce, trade, and shipping, until they recognize our sovereignty. By adopting these methods, we can buy some time until Lord Sir is free."

"Are you confident?"

"At least this can maximally narrow the gap between us and other forces, and prevent us from losing the opportunity to catch up later," Hayreddin said with a sigh.

"It seems we have no other choice now. Hayreddin, you can decide on your own how to handle it. Regarding funds and power, I will provide maximum support, and you don’t need to have any reservations about staffing. Recruit and employ boldly, everything has my backing," Komer seemed determined. "It’s said that there are still a considerable number of slaves in Parluca Bay; if manpower is insufficient, you can consider purchasing slaves and then promise to grant them freedom after the development tasks are completed. This might somewhat ease the difficulty of a labor shortage, and you can go negotiate with the Beastmen; I believe at this time you can get a fairly good price."

Hayreddin’s eyes sparkled fervently as he nodded emphatically.

"Hayreddin, you are absolutely right. Sea power belongs to the future. We cannot lose the future, so we must take the initiative and compete for the high ground," Komer firmly patted Hayreddin on the shoulder, his tone conveying dream-like aspirations, "The world has provided us with a grand stage for performance, and the Mediterranean is the convergence point of this grand stage’s lights. I hope we can fully seize this opportunity, create another glorious Chapter, and make it clear to history to remember us, so that we will not regret it in our old age." (To be continued. For further details, please visit www.qidian.com. More Chapters, support the author, support authorized reading!)