Chapter 113

Chapter 113. The Final Week. (4)

Of course, that’s beside the point.

“Ugh, users invading at the end of the event?!”

“We really seem to have bad luck.”

In just 4-5 days, the reward points acquisition will end, and it feels like we’re out of luck.

But giving up the resource zone to avoid damage in this situation…

It could later provide an opportunity for all sorts of scoundrels to invade the resource zone and mess with me.

Whether I like it or not, I can’t avoid this fight, so I decided to deploy the battleship fleet immediately to intercept the invaders.

But not long after I made that grand move…

Before my fleet even arrived at the resource zone, all sorts of situation messages flooded in.

—————————————-

[Resource Zone 3 has been invaded!]

[Battle Results]

[Destroyers: 3 ships – 1 sunk, 2 heavily damaged]

[Resource Mining Ships: 4 ships – 2 sunk, 1 captured, 1 moderately damaged]

[Enemy Fleet Information: A fleet of over 100 ships, including more than 10 cruisers]

[Defeat]

—————————————-

“Ah.”

Even before a proper battle could take place, we started with a defeat.

Moreover, the detailed ‘information check’ that reveals how long and how well the battle was fought…

Seeing the lack of proper information, it’s clear how swift and thorough the enemy’s ambush was.

As soon as I saw the message in the command center, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh.

“Ugh…”

“What’s wrong, Commander?”

“Well, it seems like this time… the opponent isn’t just some random noob.”

Unlike the first PVP where I got wiped out despite having good stuff, or that guy who mindlessly pushed into my base…

The one invading now is a true veteran who’s been playing the game for a long time, fully prepared to properly ‘plunder’ users.

“Then, is this the veteran you often talk about, Commander?”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

One small consolation is that, at least based on the information I gathered from Marian’s pirate fleet about the vast surrounding area…

There was no one nearby who could prepare for such a plunder and send a grand fleet of over 100 ships.

At least not when I received that information.

Thanks to that, I realized the opponent isn’t just a locust swarm wiping out bases, but a predator-type plunderer hunting for the juiciest prey.

And to find such prey, they must have sent a long-range expedition fleet from a much farther area than where the pirate alliance operates.

Thinking this far, I could also infer the composition of the enemy fleet.

“Wait… the enemy fleet has over 10 cruisers, right?”

“Yes, but that’s just the minimum.”

“Then, since it’s a long-range expedition, resupply and repairs would be tough, so they probably aren’t using heavy cruisers or other heavily armored ships.”

“Huh?”

“Most likely, they’re using light cruisers as the main force, focusing on the fleet’s mobility…”

I said that and then pressed my throbbing head with my fingers.

“Sigh… this is going to be a pain.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Well, I just fully realized what the enemy fleet’s composition is like.”

“Isn’t that a good thing? Is there some other problem?”

“Plenty of problems. Their fleet is the complete opposite style of ours.”

I, too, had optimized my fleet composition to minimize damage in both PVP and PVE.

But while that guy focuses on mobility, a so-called ‘dodge-tank’ style…

I rely on artillery battles, grinding down the enemy from a distance.

Using cheap, easily producible patrol ships (unupgraded) to tank enemy attacks.

If the enemy fleet’s evasion rate is lower than our accuracy, we’d win overwhelmingly.

But what if it’s the opposite?

Then our fleet would miss at long range…

And once the enemy fleet closes in, we’d be torn apart.

At least recently, Gryanarr, with the help of monsters, installed giant monster eyes (+5% accuracy) on the ships’ firing radars.

But even so, it still feels like something’s lacking.

I was organizing my thoughts at this point, still connected through the communication channel.

I decided to give Belial instructions on what to do next.

“Are you listening, Belial?”

– “Yes, Commander.”

“When you make contact with the enemy fleet, avoid a head-on collision and steer clear of direct combat.”

– “Avoid, you say?”

“Yeah, to be precise, lure that fleet near the base… I’m thinking of having Leonard’s fleet, which is waiting at the base, join in for a pincer attack.”

– “Understood, Commander.”

Unlike other users, at this point, we had what could be called a surefire move.

Just like in the last battle, I decided to set a strategy to subtly bait their fleet and unleash Leonard to tear them apart.

==========

But contrary to my expectations, even though the battle with them was entering its third day.

The enemy showed no intention of falling for the bait.

“Commander, Belial has sent an additional report.”

“…”

– “The enemy fleet is also avoiding direct clashes with us, continuing to roam around resource zones, repeating raids and attacks.”

That bastard, did he catch onto something from our fleet’s movements?

He’s just going around touring other people’s resource zones.

“Commander, another resource zone has just been attacked.”

“…”

“That makes five resource zones now rendered useless, and our daily resource supply rate has significantly dropped.”

I started to think that if this continues, we might dry up and die from resource depletion before even getting to the reward points.

So, I decided to no longer avoid battle with them and to engage in a proper fight.

“Send out a small fleet first, with one destroyer as the flagship and ten small ships each, to lure them.”

– “Yes, Commander.”

“Once they’re lured by our fleet, respond with long-range artillery as always, got it?”

– “Yes, understood.”

– “Yes, Commander♡”

The problem was, the moment they actually faced our fleet.

-BOOOOOOM!!!

-KABOOM!

– “Commander! The enemy fleet has fired battleship-grade beam cannons!”

“…Damn it, so that’s how it is.”

I realized that the enemy’s concept wasn’t just focused on mobility, like a cavalry unit.

But rather, they had completely abandoned defense, investing solely in firepower and mobility, creating a mobile-artillery fleet.

And with that kind of combination, since I don’t have any tanking-type heavy cruisers.

The patrol ships I had prepared for tanking were instantly annihilated, leaving no tanking force.

Thanks to that, when our cruisers were exposed to the enemy’s firepower.

-KABOOM!

-BOOM!

– “Agh!”

For my stationary, barrage-firing fleet, it was a perfect demonstration of what a hard counter looks like.

“Damn it, Belial!”

– “Yes, Commander!”

“Retreat immediately and reorganize the fleet!”

– “Understood!”

Thanks to that, in the initial skirmish fought without proper intel, I suffered far more damage than expected.

And among that…

“AAAAH, my 170,120 points!!!”

“C-Calm down, Commander.”

…was the sinking of the [Kanhel-class Light Cruiser] I had bravely purchased from the event shop.

‘Ugh, my wallet.’

I realized that the enemy’s strength was far greater than expected, and due to my overconfidence from consecutive victories.

I had been thoroughly screwed, and my mental state was rapidly deteriorating, on the verge of breaking down.

But that was only for a moment…

Soon, I managed to pull myself together, realizing that the enemy was probably celebrating their advantageous victory in the fleet battle.

This time, I decided to seize the moment of their inevitable complacency and turn the tables on them.