CHAPTER 535: CHAPTER 483: THE INVINCIBLE FLEET IS NOT INVINCIBLE

Time has reached 1:23 PM.

After hours of intense battle with shells flying, both sides have sustained casualties and ship damage, but they’re far from being unable to hold and forced to retreat from the battlefield.

Without extraordinary powers involved, such head-on artillery duels between large fleets can last several days or even over ten days, and if a chase-and-escape guerrilla strategy is employed, it might drag on for months.

Hoo—

Two Level 4 ships belonging to the opposing camps skimmed past the left side of the alliance’s battle line, with "Storm Horn" in the front, followed by its old rival "Long-nosed Shark."

"Are all Tulip soldiers cowards? How long do you plan to keep running?"

Confirming that he was currently outside the range of the battle line’s portside cannons, Marz couldn’t help but taunt the "Storm Horn." They kept moving on the battlefield, avoiding direct engagement with him.

"Marz, since you’re so eager to die, then... as you wish!"

Seeing that both his warships had reached the center of the battle line and neither side could escape from this range for a short time, a cold smile appeared on Aiven’s lips as he issued a command through the mind connection:

"Activate!"

Buzz—

A barely noticeable humming sound came from the thirty battleships lined up in a column, masked by the rumbling cannon fire, making it impossible for others to notice. In fact, even if they did, it would already be too late.

A huge fish shadow underwater, as large as a big battleship and moving at high speed, suddenly felt as if it was hit by an invisible hammer. Especially its brain and body cavity were turned upside down.

Every cell in its body was simultaneously damaged, its eyes filled with blood, its organs ruptured, and in a moment, it lost its ability to resist.

The infrasound wave emitted by an entire fleet was something even a large species with multiple magic-like abilities could not withstand.

Without the fish monster’s magic-like support, the "Long-nosed Shark" following the "Storm Horn" immediately began to lose speed, becoming an ordinary Level 4 ship again.

Aiven knew very well that with each promotion at his age, he was breaking the kingdom’s records almost every time, needing indisputable merit to do so. Otherwise, even a good personal relationship with the Crown Prince wouldn’t convince the masses.

He glanced at Olivia beside him.

"Hmm, and a brigadier general matched with a future duchess is still a bit low..."

"Pipi!"

The moment the "Siren’s Song" shut off.

From the seafloor beyond the reach of the "Siren’s Song," a slender black shadow, thirty-two meters long, twisted its steel-strong body, bursting out at an extreme speed of 112 km/h.

Swish!

It was like an arrow flying in the sea, covering several hundred meters in the blink of an eye. By now, the "Thorny Crown Sea Serpent" had a long, steel ram added to its head, perfectly complementing its steel scales.

In the days since the encounter, Aiven hadn’t been idle. He’d been considering how to maximize his resources to deliver a heavy blow to Hilus.

A surprise attack using the yet-to-be-revealed "Siren’s Song" and "Thorny Crown Sea Serpent" was part of the plan. The ram made with "Thunder Shaping" and "Activated Spiritual Light" was also part of it.

Soon, Pipi Snake, with the steel ram on its head, shot up from the seabed, crashing hard into the underbelly of the "Long-nosed Silver Shark."

A massive amount of blood stained the sea red.

Waang—

Before Major General Marz could figure out what happened underwater after the wail of the "Long-nosed Silver Shark" reached his heart.

The "Storm Horn" had already turned its bow and activated [Ability: Unicorn Shark], ramming into the side of the "Long-nosed Shark" with a ram composed of whirlwinds and torrents.

Boom!!!

Splinters flew, and blood mist sprayed.

The "Long-nosed Shark," essentially just a normal Level 4 ship, was even taller and larger than the "Storm Horn," but without the protection of the fish monster’s extraordinary power, it fared no better than a regular battleship.

The next moment.

"Invincible in battle!"

With a wild roar, hundreds of "Fish Monster Warriors" had already drawn their long sailor blades, charged at the "Long-nosed Shark" under the lead of Boatswain Gary, who transformed into a "rhino shark."

With the [White Shark Aura], the "Storm Horn" was undoubtedly invincible in close combat on this battlefield.

Facing hundreds of Tier 1 Peak apprentice knights, the Hilus soldiers on the ship were utterly overwhelmed, stronger than straw.

Clang!

"After today, there will be no quasi-legendary Long-nosed Shark!"

Aiven didn’t fall behind; the powerful airflow from the collision lifted his cloak high. Through the sparking swords pressed together, he declared, looking into Marz’s eyes, full of despair after being knocked down in an instant.

After hurriedly exchanging a few blows with Aiven.

This Great Knight Marz, seeing the situation crumble, couldn’t care less about his crew, erupted in Combat Qi Flame in extremis, and fled hastily over the sea, heading toward the "Red Maple," which was confronting the "Northern Cold Wind" on the other side of the battlefield.

Aiven wasn’t about to let this opportunity pass to eliminate the threat completely, and after assigning Boris, who transformed into a "Great White Shark," to command the battle, he swiftly gave chase.

...

In the blink of an eye, the battle was decided. The unexpected turn of events in the quasi-legendary battlefield made it impossible for the Hilus commanders to remain calm.

"Reveal your trump card in advance!"

On the Level 3 Battleship that temporarily assumed Ricard’s command, the fleet deputy commander placed a green stone jar with a strong New Continent aboriginal style on the deck and poured in half of the seawater.

The seawater immediately began to boil, with wisps of white steam rising.

It was as if endless rain clouds materialized out of thin air, growing thicker above the United Fleet, while it remained clear skies over the Hilus side.

Just a few minutes later.

Whoosh...

A cold and relentless rain poured down.

[Ocean Treasure: Chuck Stone Jar]

Effect: An ocean treasure discovered by the Kuma Empire, one of the three primitive empires of the New Continent. Named after the Rain God Chuck, it can summon rain anywhere within sight, allowing self-selection of range and intensity (with an upper limit).

At this moment, under the control of the Hilus, this thick rain cloud only covered the top of the alliance’s battle line, creating two worlds inside and outside the cloud.

Initially, the rain was light, and the ships were able to open rain covers, allowing the open-deck cannons to fire normally, but soon it turned into a torrential downpour. The small-caliber cannons on the open decks went silent, and the Kentucky Sharpshooters were no better off.

Then the rain intensified further, as if a hole had been punctured in the sky, turning the scene into a vast expanse of white, severely affecting even the shooting from the lower gun decks.

Originally, the alliance’s total number of cannons was already at a disadvantage, and now it was even worse.

Visibly, the rate of battle damage rose rapidly.

The captains of the Tulip fleet cursed under the pouring rain and gunfire. This ocean treasure was practically a strategic meteorological weapon. With it, the battle line, already at a disadvantage, would be completely defeated even against an opponent of the same level.

As the rain poured down.

Aiven relentlessly pursued Marz, reaching the battlefield belonging to the "Northern Cold Wind" and "Red Maple." The two Tier 3 combatants each leaped onto their respective command ships.

’Not bad!’

Alliance Commander-in-Chief Vice Admiral Elvis acknowledged Aiven’s achievements with a glance, as he concentrated his spirit on the mind network.

Although the quasi-legendary battleship had gained a decisive advantage, it wasn’t enough to turn the tide on the conventional battlefield.

To be safe, he was already prepared to issue orders for the more agile battle line to temporarily withdraw from the battlefield. Although he had never seen this treasure before, he didn’t believe the rain cloud could chase them to the ends of the earth.

Furthermore, every force, of course, had special reserves of miraculous "ocean treasures," but the abilities of these treasures were varied. Some were comparable to the authorities of gods, while others only had auxiliary abilities like purifying fresh water, weather forecasting, summoning fish, and blocking perception... Most ocean treasures were actually of the auxiliary type.

At least the fleet had no treasure capable of countering that level of meteorological weapon.

He waved at Aiven:

"General Galliot, prepare for a temporary retreat. We will have other chances after today."

At this time, the need for meritorious deeds was even more pressing, and Aiven was full of motivation. Perceiving Vice Admiral Elvis’s intentions, he volunteered:

"Commander, it’s too early to decide victory or defeat now. Who doesn’t have a hang-up?

Milan, activate the [Mist Silver Lamp] as planned!"

The previous sentence was directed at Vice Admiral Elvis, while the next one was aimed at Milan, who, wearing the "Venom" and with the crew, had already cleared the crew of the "Long-nosed Shark."

[Ocean Treasure: Misty Silver Lamp]

Effect: Ignoring the original meteorological conditions, within a minute, it creates a dense fog through which only the Lantern Holder and up to three designated companions can see. The fog disrupts the enemy’s sense of direction, rendering compasses and even directional witchcraft ineffective.

Swoosh—

Soon, the effect of the Misty Silver Lamp had covered the [Chuck Stone Jar], and thick fog spread across the entire battlefield. Although it did not impair the Hilus forces, it completely deprived them of their vision.

Milan, as the Lantern Holder, designated the deputy commander still in the battle line, and the two most experienced fire control officers to see, allowing the officers to share their vision through a mind connection.

Since both sides employed a formation-based line tactic, the distance between each warship and its opponent was about the same.

When operating the cannons, they could use unified shooting parameters, adjusting the up, down, left, right firing angles, and the most experienced fire control officer would direct each gun crew through the cloud control.

This might even be better than when each ship’s fire control officers acted independently at various skill levels.

And the last of the three designated spots was given to the long-prepared... Sniper Musketeer Olivia.

As the fog dispersed.

The barrel of the [Extraordinary Armament: Electromagnetic Cannon 1.0] began to flicker with electricity, and apart from the crew of the "Storm Horn," neither side could see what was happening.

"Ready!"

Aiven shook the captain’s cloak behind him, his radiant demeanor feeling almost dazzling even to the commander standing beside him.

His voice, brimming with unwavering self-confidence, echoed continuously on the ship:

"Today, let the Hilus know that the Invincible Fleet is not invincible, just like the Holy Rosar Empire is neither holy, nor Rosar, nor an empire!"