CHAPTER 497: CHAPTER 452: BATTLE SITUATION

Southeastern coast of the Black Sea, the lower half of this vast S-shaped sea area.

If you look down from a high altitude, you will find this region unusually bustling, engulfed in flames of war within just a few days.

The sound of cannon fire rumbles.

The smoke of gunpowder fills the air.

The cries of battle shake the heavens.

Cruisers bearing various flags glide across the sea, and "accidental" encounters lead to fierce exchanges of fire. Some are probes between fleets, while others come from single-ship duels that showcase the talents of naval officers and elevate their fame.

Moreover.

Since Hilus had unilaterally declared war, merchant ships traveling between the continents no longer had the protection of a "peace" façade, and the enemy’s navy became legitimate plunderers.

The wartime procedure is to capture an enemy merchant ship, of which one quarter must be turned over to the Military Department, while the remaining portion is distributed according to regular rules among all officers and soldiers aboard the warship.

Who could resist such temptation?

The sea is in chaos, and the land is no less so.

Infantry soldiers in bright uniforms advance in formation, raising the regimental flag. The essence of line tactics in the flintlock era is to execute battle formations with iron discipline!

The naval battle line is merely an extension of these line tactics.

In the wilderness, in cities, in mines, in fertile farming zones, battles erupt continuously.

Earlier, a large number of young and strong Hilus were recruited into the army, and even before Vice Admiral Dale Griffith’s fleet set sail, a much larger number of troop transport ships had already departed.

They are now continuously pouring into the Southern Continent’s Tulip colony, looting and occupying major cities and positions.

Before this.

After Hilus had some setbacks in a blitzkrieg against Tulip, the war naturally transitioned into a prolonged struggle of give-and-take. Tulip, having gathered its wits, was not a pushover and mobilized forces vowing to strike Hilus’s unruly actions with full force.

Hilus can decide when to start the war, but not when to end it. Besides, Hilus, needing a war to shift internal conflicts, clearly has no intention of quitting while ahead.

Even if they have already captured the Tulip’s Land Gold Mine, significantly boosting national morale.

Block the sea route, ban Tulip’s navigation; send a grand fleet to patrol, waiting for opportunities to annihilate the opponent’s active forces; occasionally launching attacks and defenses on sea and land bases.

And for Tulip, this war is undeniably a welcome relief for domestic chaos.

It diverts attention across social classes at home, integrates the most unstable domestic population into the army and war front, and secures enough captures from the enemy to ease the economic strain at home, further curtailing Tulip’s burgeoning development in recent years.

It’s a strategy with multiple gains, with the premise that victory must ultimately be achieved!

The chaos in the Southern Continent, coupled with the spar-tossing New Continent and Golden Sea, and the struggle between two powers in the Black Sea.

Somewhere along the line, it seems as though half of the known human world has turned into a pot of boiling soup.

....

Southern part of the continent.

The "Tetadis Fortress" at Treasure Tree Bay, tenaciously defended.

In a few days, it has become the alliance’s most complete and crucial base in the Southern Continent.

The shell pits on the harbor have not yet been fully refilled, traces of the great battle linger everywhere, and even the air still has the unremovable scent of gunpowder and iron.

Soldiers work overtime to repair fortifications, clear waterways blocked by sunken ships, and repair warships severely damaged in the last naval battle.

More cruisers have been dispatched to ensure smooth passage while simultaneously engaging in rounds of contest with the Hilus Navy.

Inside the fortress conference room.

Led by Major General Marshall Rupert from the Phaletis Kingdom and House Siric from the Tyrone Kingdom, high-ranking officers, battleship captains, stationed wizards, and Black Iron Cross Church military priests have gathered.

However, the fewer and sparser empty chairs in the conference room indicate the severity of the situation on that day, even after the Ilyans’ previous cleanup.

In the swirling smoke.

Bang——

Major General Marshall, a rugged-looking man with a heather pipe in his mouth, threw down the battle damage report and slapped the conference table:

"Excluding property facilities, we’ve suffered nearly one-third personnel casualties.

We can no longer count on those bastards from Ilya; if Willmot and his fleet hadn’t left, Hilus may not have dared to strike directly!"

Originally, Phaletis, Ilya, and Tyrone were the strongest three in Tulip, collectively dispatching the Great Knight to guard "Tetadis Fortress".

But now, due to Ilya’s internal chaos being worse than that of Hilus, it’s clear they can no longer provide more support to overseas colonies.

Following this battle, the other two nations have lost all hope in this once top ally within the alliance and have decided to seek alternative paths.

The Major General glanced down at the adjutant, exhaling a heavy cloud of smoke:

"Have we sent word to Sak and Atlant? What did they say?"

The middle-aged adjutant looked none too pleased, standing up to report:

"Reporting to Your Excellency General, it didn’t go well.

Due to geographic factors, Iceland Atlant’s influence in the Southern Continent is weak, and they responded that they are powerless.

Whereas Sak Empire’s Southern Continent Governor, Prince Clement, has a rather ambiguous stance, neither offering military assistance nor explicitly refusing."

"Hmph, short-sighted! Simply by not making any moves, the signals they’re sending are blatant enough.

Though Hilus has only officially declared war on us, if Tulip ultimately cannot resist, how could minor Sak possibly stay unscathed?

Can all the achievements painstakingly built over decades be so easily reaped by the Hilus people?"

House Major General, appearing more refined and seemingly having already seen through Sak’s intentions, clasped his hands under his chin:

"Perhaps planning to sit back and reap the benefits, waiting for the alliance’s strength to be severely depleted before stepping in to save the situation. This way, they can avoid a direct confrontation with Hilus and also extort us heavily in the process.

And it’s not just Hilus that is eyeing ’Treasure Tree Bay’; the Sak, currently undergoing reforms, equally wish to take a bite out of us!

However, this doesn’t seem like the handiwork of that playboy, Prince Clement. If things go awry, not even a prince might bear the responsibility."

"Are there any other bad news?"

The intelligence officer at the base stood up with trepidation:

"Reporting to both generals, the latest battle report has also been compiled.

As the aggressor, Hilus has an unusually thorough understanding of the intelligence of various nations. The main attack points are the Land Gold Mine, Treasure Tree Bay, and the most valuable Greenfield Colony of Ilya in the Zaire Basin.

It’s confirmed that the alliance’s most important pole in the Southern Continent, the Land Gold Mine, has changed hands. The regrouped armies of various nations amount to only about 40%, with losses far exceeding our side.

Moreover, the Ilya Colony, including Greenfield City, has mostly fallen. It’s said that the garrison couldn’t even manage a decent resistance, most fled at the sight of the enemy.

Had it not been for Colonel Gel’s unforeseen contributions, both ’Treasure Tree Bay’ and our ’Tetadis Fortress’ might not have escaped this disaster."

In other words, as long as the large fortress ’Tetadis Fortress’ stands, the alliance still has a chance for a comeback.

A lesson learned from Hilus is that articles meant for land should be written for the sea instead, and many countries have already learned this long ago.

On the most important overseas occupied areas and key shipping routes, various bases and fortresses are mostly constructed, and under a 7:1 manpower advantage, the temptation to besiege one fortress that takes approximately 20-30 days remains significant.

Of course, all of this presupposes that the attacker does not already possess a Tier 3 powerhouse that can ignore the terrain, or that an equivalent power is available to the defender.

In this world, the Extraordinary are the biggest variable, always capable of creating miracles to reverse the tide of battle.

Just like the battle Tetadis Fortress experienced last time.

Speaking of Gel, the naval high command fell into silence.

Subconsciously, they glanced toward the area beneath the fortress obscured by thick stone walls, as if the eerie, haunting cries echoed in their ears once again.

To be honest, everyone in this navy base owes Gel half their life. If it weren’t for his heroic intervention, at least half of the people in this meeting room wouldn’t be present today, and the others would have turned into desperate strays long ago.

Not to mention the severe consequences of losing ’Treasure Tree Bay’ entirely.

Even the soldiers accustomed to witnessing life and death could not avoid feeling sorrowful at the thought of Gel’s current tragic state, who indirectly saved everyone.

As Gel’s direct superior at the base, Major General Marshall lowered his eyes and sighed deeply, as if trying to exhale all the frustration in his heart. After a long pause, he asked his adjutant:

"Have Gel’s family been notified?"

"A spirit realm communication has already been sent to Colonel Gel’s wife, Lady Daphne, in New Inn Port, and to Brigadier General Galliot, who is currently stationed in the Kingdom New Continent Colony.

Lady Daphne is estimated to take about one and a half months to arrive from the country, while Brigadier General Galliot might need around two months due to traveling against the northern polar current."

"Take good care of Colonel Gel and urge the military department to deliver his praise order along with the posthumous brigadier general promotion order. It’s... it’s an explanation for the families."

The first half directed at the military priest, and the second half towards his adjutant.

With a stern face, Marshall couldn’t help but curse:

"Damn Hilus, damn Ilya. If it weren’t for them, perhaps a few months later, Gel would have been a real Great Knight. How could it have turned out like this, damn it!

Damn it! It’s almost as if I would rather draft a death notice directly!"

Thinking about facing the family members’ gaze shifting from hope to despair in one or two months, the major general felt a restless and impotent sense of frustration.

It was at this moment.

Screech—!

A piercing, sky-shattering bird cry reverberated through the heavens, piercing through the thick stone walls of the fortress and into the ears of everyone present.

Almost as if targeted by some predator, many felt a genuine jolt of dread.

Clang! Clang! Clang!...

The alarm bell tolled.

"Enemy attack!"

In the next moment, soldiers repairing the port outside the fortress were enveloped by a massive shadow cast from the sky, that of a colossal Blue Eagle with a wingspan exceeding twelve meters!

Whirr—

The two Great Knights reacted the fastest, appearing on the open ground outside the fortress from the meeting room in the blink of an eye. Upon seeing the Blue Eagle shooting down from high above and the faint human silhouette on its back,

without a doubt, the domineering aura of a Tier 3 demonized creature swept over them, causing the hair on their heads to stand on end. The current state of Tetadis Fortress could not withstand any more turmoil.

Yet all they could do was shout:

"Who goes there?"

The silhouette atop the giant bird did not respond.

BOOM—!

As if a lightning bolt struck down, blasting open a large hole in the recently filled-in crater.

Sizzle...

Dust billowed, and amidst the crackling of electricity,

Step.. Step.. Step..

A pristinely black military boot emerged first, followed by a young general wearing a gold-trimmed command saber at his waist, his blue captain’s cloak billowing dramatically as he waved away the dust to appear before them.

Behind him, the equally sharply dressed "Roddy" followed step by step.

As he approached the two Great Knights, the black eyes still flickering with electricity were somewhat blinding.

"Good day, I am Aiven Galliot. May I ask where my uncle is?"