Chapter 799

Chapter 799: The Sea Dyed in Fire

In the endless sea, the whirlpools that never ceased gradually dissipated. The schools of fish in the vast ocean sensed the change in the currents and began to alter their direction of migration.

They no longer followed their usual routes to predetermined waters as they had done in the past, but instead moved towards new directions.

In the Third Era, the summer of the year 1700 saw the fleets of the Crimson Empire and the Berry Union Kingdom clash in the southeastern seas of the continent.

During this battle, the Crimson Empire deployed 228 ironclad ships and 789 wind-powered warships, while the Parliament of the Berry Moon dispatched 28 new-style warships, 107 ironclads, and 402 wind-powered warships. Clancia, due to the loss of much of its southern territories, had relocated its shipyards and fleets northward. With limited forces, it could not participate in the battle.

After the fighting commenced, the Imperial Navy learned from past experiences and sent out numerous reconnaissance personnel, scouts, and elves to patrol various parts of the battlefield. The warships communicated using the Empire’s newly developed telegraph machines. Upon encountering the fleet of the Berry Union Kingdom, they did not rush in but cautiously called for reinforcements.

As a result, more and more fleets joined the fray, culminating in a massive naval showdown at sea.

“Fire! Fire!”

The commander on the Imperial warship urgently shouted. This modified wind-powered warship faced the enemy formation, its side cannons firing one after another, sending powerful waves of sound and explosive power towards the enemy, launching numerous powerful cannonballs.

At that time, the sea was dotted with splashing water, flames and thick smoke burned fiercely on the ships, broken wooden planks and debris floated up and down with the waves. The roar of the cannons never ceased, attacking the distant ships.

From high above, the sea was roughly divided into two parts by the fleets of both sides. They circled each other around their flagships, constantly shooting and probing.

Boom!

Another warship was hit by a cannonball, a burst of fire exploded on its hull, throwing countless fragments into the air. Amidst the thick smoke and flames, it slowly sank.

Although the warships of the Berry Union Kingdom were technologically advanced, as both sides continued to engage in combat, the numerical advantage of the Imperial Navy gradually became apparent. Moreover, the Imperial Navy possessed a greater number of Extraordinary Beings and had more tactical flexibility.

“The situation doesn’t look good.”

On the flagship of the Berry Union Kingdom, the Sea God Eagle, several commanders and the Grand Admiral discussed.

“The Aglaya-class battleships are too few. If we had been able to hold onto Hope Lane last year, things would have been different. After losing the Karith shipyard, it will take a long time to produce such excellent new warships again. They require many new technologies, skilled craftsmen, and alchemists,” they lamented somewhat regretfully.

“There’s nothing we can do about it. Fortunately, the Karith Chamber of Commerce has moved many personnel to the southern islands. It is estimated that production can resume in the second half of the year.”

“This is the hardest time. If Clancia fails, even if we win the naval battle, it won’t matter much. Facing a unified continent, our southern archipelago will gradually become marginalized, with all resources being controlled by the Empire.”

“So, this time we must achieve a great victory. Only then can we mitigate the Empire’s offensive and divert some of its forces and attention to the southern coast.”

“Yes, General.”

“This plan is sound. Most of the nobles leading the fight come from the southern Basca family and their territories are mostly in the wealthy coastal regions of the Southern Empire. If we conduct a landing operation there, they will find it hard to focus on anything else.”

“But the Imperial Navy’s numbers are almost twice ours. Can we really win?”

One of the younger commanders asked worriedly.

“You’ll see soon enough.” The others seemed confident but said nothing more.

Seeing this, the commander shook his head helplessly. It seemed these old naval officers still had many tricks up their sleeves.

But in such a situation, what other tactics could there be? Most of the warships and vessels of the Berry Union Kingdom had already been requisitioned. Could they conjure up another fleet out of thin air?

Mixed with various debris, seawater continuously crashed against the sides of the ships. The warships carrying cannons surged through the waves, constantly adjusting their course to avoid enemy fire, then unleashing their own attacks.

“It’s almost here, steady.”

On the central Imperial flagship adorned with gold and red, a grand admiral dressed in luxurious high-shouldered military uniform held a telescope, gazing at the large fleet on the sea. His adjutant kept reporting the status of various ships.

“If we continue like this, even if our casualties are higher, it will be worth it. An island nation is an island nation; this is their entire fleet. Once it’s over, they’re done. Haha.”

He put down the finely crafted brass telescope and picked up a glass of wine beside him, taking a hearty sip to ease his spirits.

As the new naval commander of the Empire, the Emperor had only one request of him: to deplete the number of warships of the Southern Archipelago as much as possible. Even if the sinking ratio was 2:1, it would be considered a great achievement. The Empire had ample funds and ships to sustain such losses.

“As long as we win this war, all the losses will be compensated tenfold afterward.”

As the supreme ruler of the Crimson Empire, Aimanke was renowned for his generosity and rewards. As long as you demonstrated your value in the war, whether it be in terms of wealth or titles,

Rank, everyone would mercilessly bestow upon you. It is precisely because of this that even though the Imperial army has encountered many setbacks, morale remains high. Whether nobles or commoners, many still fervently hope to use this war as an opportunity to rise up.

Those high-ranking nobles within the Empire did not become who they are by doing anything else, did they? I am merely walking down the same path.

“Let the follow-up fleet catch up and send them a message: if they want to get a share of the spoils after the battle, they should hurry up and eliminate those fire-spewing warships across from us.” He sat on the throne inside the bridge, rubbing his chin with his palm, a smug smile spreading across his lips.

Under the naval commander’s urging, several subsequent fleets of the Empire surged forward one after another, firing cannons at the enemy ships amidst the surging waves, achieving more victories while gradually becoming denser in formation.

“The moment has come, hehe.” Looking at the opposing eager formation, the old general on the Juemeng Council revealed a knowing smile.

“Although the Empire’s navy has numerical superiority, they are still too inexperienced when it comes to naval warfare.” The Southern Islands have established their nation through maritime power; during their unification long ago, they had experienced countless naval battles. Furthermore, continuous struggles against pirates and sea beasts over the years have kept their naval combat strength intact.

“Send the signal.”

“Yes, sir.” A lieutenant responded loudly, then quickly and nervously operated the signaling equipment beside him.

This finely crafted brass device, made through alchemy, served the same purpose as telegrams in the past, capable of transmitting information via radio waves. This technology originated from the former Rourna country and is currently being used by both warring sides.

However, due to its difficulty in manufacturing and portability issues, it is predominantly used in naval operations.

Beep beep beep.

A black fleet behind the Jumei fleet received the message. The operator picked up the paper and hurriedly walked towards the captain of the command vessel. That was a striking figure standing on the deck, wearing a black-and-blue naval jacket, one long leg resting between the railings, a beautiful enchanted longsword at her waist.

“Lord Alena, the flagship has sent a message, ordering me to act immediately.”

“Good~” Alena happily put down her telescope and turned around.

“Instruct everyone to start working!”

“Yes, Captain!” The crew members, who had been eagerly waiting, excitedly replied.

Compared to their lazy appearance in recent years, these people had transformed. Not only were they full of energy, but their faces and eyes also exuded determination. If asked for the reason, there were only two: consecutive victories and substantial wealth rewards.

With these two things, even the most pessimistic and apathetic individuals became eager to try.

Under Alena’s leadership, this special fleet of over twenty ships slowly disappeared into the smoke, then submerged into the sea.

They would briefly submerge underwater before hunting the densely packed enemy warships.

Gurgle gurgle, with a series of splashes, this fleet resembling black sea pigs slowly entered the water surface, closing in on the enemy ships.

At this moment, the battlefield remained intense, with cannon fire and water splashes continuously erupting on the sea surface, effectively masking their movements.

Then, long special projectiles shot out from underwater, entering the heart of the enemy fleet.

Boom!

Suddenly, a mysterious explosion erupted among the Imperial fleet, several warships engulfed in fierce flames. But this was not the end; fragments floated on the sea surface, covered in a layer of black oil-like substance that ignited in the water.

Dark red flames spread across the sea, igniting many older wind-powered warships. Most of them used outdated wooden structures, which were now in grave danger.

Crew members on the burning warships screamed in terror. Some tried to extinguish the fires with water, but it was ineffective, only causing the flames to spread.

Facing the raging fire, many Imperial wind-powered warships began to panic and retreat, breaking their formation.

In the dense central area, ships started randomly turning to avoid the fire, resulting in many collisions. Ships at the edges and rear were cut off by the fire, some escaping, others attempting to contact the flagship, and some leading a few ships away from the flames to observe the situation.

After this chaos, the Imperial fleet was divided into several smaller groups. The previously fierce firepower suddenly diminished. Amidst this, the Jumei Kingdom’s fleet began to gradually encroach on the scattered enemy ships.

“Damn!”

Standing on the Imperial flagship, the naval commander gnashed his teeth, pacing back and forth, continuously issuing commands to adjust the direction, but to no avail.

After a while, he fell into deep thought, his expression filled with struggle.

“There’s nothing else we can do.” His voice was low, as if he had made up his mind.

“Send a message to all warships: any extraordinary beings capable of ascending, ascend immediately and join me in a surprise attack on the enemy fleet, eliminating everyone on the enemy flagship!”

“But, this…” The adjutant hesitated.

Such actions were indeed too extreme; scattered ascenders could easily become targets for the enemy mages. Moreover, such a surprise attack likely meant certain death for most.

“There’s nothing to hesitate about! I cannot fail Emperor’s trust, and we must win this naval battle.”

The commander’s sharp gaze glared fiercely, and he roared again.

“Yes, sir!” The adjutant trembled and hurriedly moved aside.

Issuing urgent commands to all warships, he repeated them continuously to ensure every vessel received the order.

Soon, black dots began to rise from the warships. Many were noble officers in black and blue ceremonial attire, while others were navy soldiers in uniform.

After advancing to Sequence Demons and Nature, most could gain short-term flight capabilities after reaching Sequence 4, and those at Sequence 5 could fly freely. The Empire established itself based on these two Sequences, so its military naturally had many talents in this field. Although only a few high-ranking Extraordinary Beings were present on each warship, their combined strength was formidable when hundreds of ships converged.

Crimson and emerald wings streaked through the sky, evading the magic projectiles launched by the mages below. They charged towards the flagship of the Kingdom of Strawberries like a swarm of bees.

Upon encountering such a situation, numerous mages emerged from various warships to support the flagship. Unfortunately, their flight speed did not match that of the swiftly approaching red and green lights.

A cacophony of battle cries echoed from the flagship. Imperial nobles wielding swords stormed the bridge under the leadership of their valiant commander, while others directly bombarded the ship beneath them.

“Resonance, begin!” Facing the sudden attack, the guards on the flagship urgently connected the resonance, using the narrow and complex space within the cabin to repeatedly block the incoming attackers, buying time for their commanding officer.

This flagship was no ordinary wooden wind-powered warship; it was a reinforced vessel specially commissioned by the Kingdom from the Callites Trading Guild. Made from special wind steel, it was both light and resilient.

Swords and halberds clashed inside the ship, as weapons collided, sparks and scratches marking the walls.

Bang! Bang!

Ordinary crew members also picked up muskets to shoot at the battle, struggling desperately.

“Useless!” A black-clad noble raised a fleeting sword beam, slicing through the guard in front of him, allowing the musket shots to hit his body, producing a clear sound.

His inner lining was reinforced with ancestral armor, which could not be penetrated by ordinary muskets.

Swish!

He then casually lifted his hand, leaving several red marks in the air, striking an ordinary crew member hiding in a corner, causing them to clutch their pierced throat and fall dead.

Immediately afterward, he advanced further into the cabin to search for the enemy naval commander.

On the distant sea, the black fleet completed its mission and slowly surfaced.

“Huff, I almost suffocated.” Alena opened the sealed door and stepped onto the deck to breathe, then turned back to give further instructions.

“Quickly find out what’s happening. Are we about to win?”

After destroying the enemy fleet with this group of ‘black ships,’ she saw their formation disarray, and victory seemed assured.

“Bad news, Captain. The enemy has attacked our flagship. Many mages have gone there to support.”

“Tsk, battles are never beautiful. Let’s go.” As she prepared to take off, she remembered something.

“Bring out that fire bolt and launch it. I’ll hang onto it and rush over!”

“But isn’t that still under trial? What if it explodes mid-flight?”

“Time is critical. This is how it will be. My luck has always been good, nothing will happen.”

“Uh, okay.”

Then, a one-meter-diameter rocket-like object was quickly brought out and positioned. After igniting its base, a strong flame erupted from its tail, shooting upward with increasing speed.

Ah——

Alena let out a loud cry as she rode the special projectile, instantly crossing thousands of meters of sea. Seeing the flagship drawing closer, she suddenly released her grip and leaped down.

“Aaaah~” The rapid airflow whipped her half-coat, tightly hugging her legs and pants against her body, highlighting her well-proportioned figure.

As this bold and wild mage lady descended, a golden blade swept across, cutting down two imperial sailors on the deck. She glanced around briefly, not waiting for other enemies to surround her, and rushed toward the entrance of the cabin.

Along the way, the continuous sounds of metal clashing filled the air. Many enemies were injured by her single slash, the seemingly ornate golden blade enhanced with multiple piercing and anti-magic effects, matching its dazzling appearance with formidable power.

Seeing numerous blades converging to attack her, Alena took out the last special bomb from her coat, tore open the fuse with her teeth, and threw it backward.

With a sudden explosion, pink toxic gas spread throughout the chaotic room filled with debris and corpses. Seizing this opportunity, she entered the lower part of the chaotic battle in the cabin.

In the noisy and chaotic cabin, smoke and wreckage were everywhere. Battle cries rose and fell, and as both fleets lost command, they fought fiercely on the tense sea. However, the soldiers’ hearts closely watched the decisive battle on the flagship. If one side won, the fragile balance of this struggle would be completely shattered.

“What an ugly battle, though I do enjoy it.”

Stepping over a fallen body, Alena sheathed her bloodied longsword and continued toward the dark and noisy lower deck.

(End of Chapter)