Chapter 42: The First Collision of Round One

Chapter 42: The First Collision of Round One

Facing the incessant chattering of Davis, Bask chose to ignore him and focused instead on the approaching Elven fleet, determined to make this battle a spectacle.

The first clash between the Human Race and the Elven Race in this war was about to unfold.

Regardless of what that bizarre warship across the way truly was, he was bound to drive this conflict home with style.

“Prepare for battle!”

As the distance between them closed again, Bask and Mohas both urged their men in unison.

Davis snapped out of his mumbling reverie, hurriedly gearing up for combat.

The first to launch an attack were the heavy weapons, like catapults and ballistae, mounted on both fleets.

“Boom boom boom!…”

“Whoosh whoosh whoosh!…”

Boulders and crossbow bolts cut through the air with a shrill whistling sound.

As they faced the onslaught from the enemy ships, both sides evaded through their own skills.

In this regard, the Human side was clearly outmatched by the Elven forces.

The Elven warships had magical barriers up to withstand the incoming boulders and bolts.

Meanwhile, the Humans had magical shields as well, but they were significantly weaker than the Elven barriers.

Even if they raised a shield, it only protected one spot, unable to envelop the entire warship like the Elven shields could.

When the Elven bolts and boulders struck the Human warships, explosions erupted.

Fires blazed vigorously across the Human fleet, causing significant damage.

The Elven side also took some hits.

Part of the bolts fired by the Humans included some dispelling arrows.

These dispelling arrows first penetrated the Elven magical barriers, followed closely by other types of Human arrows and boulders exploiting the breach.

However, overall damage to the Elven side was still far less than that inflicted upon the Humans.

This was all about accuracy.

Apart from their magical prowess, the Elven warriors possessed an innate gift for projectiles.

Consequently, the boulders and bolts launched by the Elves almost always hit their mark, whereas the Humans, though their attacks had some accuracy, had to reckon with shifting targets on the sea, making success largely a matter of luck.

In this regard, the numerical advantage of the Humans was completely squandered.

“Put out the fire! Fire!…”

Both sides continued their long-range attacks.

On those flaming warships, soldiers hustled about, hauling water from the sea to douse the flames.

The Mages on board focused on casting defensive spells to ward off further attacks, aiming to prevent the situation from worsening.

On the now-stopped Lion, Alexander observed the ongoing conflict, his expression growing more grave.

One should never underestimate the Elven Race!

On a nearby island, Krul smiled at the scene.

Winning this round could greatly boost morale among the Elven ranks.

After the long-range exchanges concluded, both sides shifted to mid-range skirmishes.

Now, it was time for the Mages and archers to take the stage.

The Mages split into two groups: one for defense and the other for offense.

Shield-bearing warriors stepped to the front, holding their shields high to block the incoming arrows.

The officers on both sides shouted loudly, urging their soldiers to hold the lines and not abandon their posts.

In this skirmish, the Humans still held the disadvantage.

As for magic, the Elven warriors were capable of fulfilling defensive roles.

Thus, the Elven Mages could devote their efforts entirely to attacks.

As for the archers, the Elven archers utterly trounced their Human counterparts.

Especially with their magical arrows, the Humans suffered considerably.

Neither shields nor magical barriers could effectively fend off those magical projectiles.

The explosive arrows, particularly, inflicted damage along with their fiery explosions, effectively harming soldiers and causing serious damage to the ships they rode.

Once a fire broke out, the situation aboard Human ships could deteriorate rapidly.

Yet, despite repeated setbacks, the Human soldiers stood firm, waiting for the final close-quarters combat.

“Everyone hold the line! Those long-eared folk have nothing but this! Once we get in close, we can easily take their lives!”

The various officers of the Humans rallied their troops.

In contrast, the Elven side remained much quieter.

Though they said little, they were fully prepared for slaughter.

The distance between the two fleets continued to shrink.

Bask anxiously regarded the gap, burning with the desire to charge ahead at once.

In mid-to-long distance combat, the Humans were indeed inferior to the Elves.

When it came to magic and projectile techniques, the Elven side took the crown.

Fortunately, the Elves had no intention of escaping the Humans.

Even if they did, the circumstances wouldn’t allow it.

At this distance, a ship turning would easily be chased down by the enemy.

Turning a ship would necessitate slowing down.

Once slowed, the Elves would be trapped with no way out.

Not to mention, arrows were not cheap to produce.

Their quantities were limited, especially those with special effects.

Thus, to truly determine a winner, it would ultimately come down to the last close-quarters battle.

However, before engaging in that final showdown, both sides first needed to go through another round of conflict.

That would be the ships colliding head-on.

Each warship was equipped with a ram, designed to destroy the enemy ships.

If one could smash the enemy ship directly, they would naturally avoid the close-quarters fight and claim victory.

In these final moments, both sides summoned their full strength to charge ahead for greater momentum.

Their goal was simple: use the rams of their ships to smash into the enemy vessels, particularly targeting their weak spots.

If they could hit that spot, it could be a fatal blow.

Here, it was all about the shipbuilding and navigation skills of both sides.

“Boom boom boom!…”

The ships collided with each other in rapid succession.

The immense impact caused the ships to creak and groan, many soldiers aboard struggling to keep their footing, toppling overboard.

In this round of charge, the Elven Magic Warship showcased tremendous power.

Just one collision was enough to completely shatter the bow of the Human warship that it hit, with seawater gushing in through the gaping hole.

It wouldn’t be long before that Human warship was completely submerged.

Having secured this remarkable feat aboard his Magic Warship, Mohas pulled back slightly before setting his sights on another Human vessel.