Arc 4 Chapter 51 : Battle of Florentia

[Raul POV]

She had appeared...

Celestia—Mother of the Sea.

A Demigod of the Siren species—from the world of Nebulandia. At least, that was the information about this creature contained within the game.

Three hundred and fifty years ago, she sacrificed her physical body so that her soul could become connected to Florentia Island. However, because she had done this, she could only manifest the Mana she possessed.

Furthermore, her power had been reduced by half.

But even half of a Demigod's power was more than enough to annihilate the entire Aragonian Imperial Fleet.

She had done this to protect the Venetian people, who had given the marine ecosystem a chance to live and flourish. Because of Goddess Diana's rules, she could not protect marine life from the destruction caused by humans.

That was why she had sworn to protect the Venetian people from invaders who threatened their homeland by sacrificing her physical body, hoping that the Venetians would, in turn, protect marine life from other greedy humans.

With this arrangement, she could circumvent the rules established by the Goddess.

- KRAKOOOM!!!

Thunder rumbled across the sea.

The waves crashing against our ships grew stronger, throwing the formation of our fleet into disarray.

The sky, which had previously been clear, had now become pitch-black as though night had fallen.

Celestia, standing atop a 250-meter-tall waterspout, began extending her hands toward the fleet positioned along the route leading into the harbor.

Not long after, seawater suddenly erupted upward, sending several ships flying high into the air.

"What exactly is that mysterious being?" Elena muttered, her eyes focused on the waterspout where the Demigod stood. "Is this the being who created the storm that caused Aragon's invasion hundreds of years ago to fail?"

That's right.

If it hadn't been for her, Florentia Island might have already become part of the Aragon Empire 250 years ago.

Celestia moved her hand again.

This time, a gigantic wave standing 100 meters tall crashed into the many Imperial ships that remained around the entrance to the harbor.

Realizing that they were being attacked by such a powerful creature, the ships at the front of our fleet began slowly retreating from the harbor.

"Don't just stand there! Help our comrades retreat and get them out of that monster's attack range!" ordered the captain of the ship we were aboard.

The fleets on the left and right wings then began moving toward Celestia.

Our mages started firing magical projectiles at the Demigod.

However, none of the attacks had any effect whatsoever on her.

Celestia then shifted her attention toward the fleet on the right wing.

Feel My Wrath from The Ocean, O Insolent Humans!

Suddenly, dozens of whirlpools appeared around the fleet on the right wing, causing several ships to be sucked downward and swallowed by the sea.

"Is there anyone who can stop that creature?!"

"Her body is too high in the air! Our magic can't reach her!"

Celestia continued her rampage, firing a massive Water Jet toward the remaining ships of the right-wing fleet.

Everyone was desperately trying to figure out how to stop the Demigod.

However, out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a man leaping through the air toward the waterspout where Celestia stood.

The cloaked figure drew his sword, preparing to launch an attack.

He was Raymond de Chatelon—The White Knight—one of the Grand Espadas who had entered the battlefield.

"World Slash!"

The man in his fifties unleashed a horizontal slash, cutting the waterspout beneath Celestia in half.

The Demigod then fell from the sky.

"Uncle Raymond is amazing..." Elena muttered in awe. "Raul, I'm going to the front line to help my uncle fight that creature!"

The blonde-haired woman then leaped from our ship onto another vessel ahead of us.

She continued jumping from one ship to another until she finally reached the front line.

Not long after, a golden light could be seen coming from the front.

It seemed Elena had begun activating her Profound Codex to increase her strength and boost the morale of the soldiers.

On the other side, I saw Celestia still falling through the air, now surrounded by pillars of light-blue water that stretched toward the sky.

The pillars then enveloped the Demigod's body, forming a gigantic 150-meter-tall octopus with Celestia inside the head of the enormous water creature.

The octopus's tentacles moved, destroying the ships surrounding it.

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From here, I could see the three Grand Espadas beginning to fight Celestia directly.

However, even the attacks of the three Grand Espadas weren't enough to stop the Demigod.

The gigantic Water Octopus then began spinning incredibly fast, generating a powerful wind attack that sent several ships close to it flying backward.

Even with only half of her remaining power, a Demigod was still no match for the three strongest Knights of the Empire.

I absolutely had to obtain that Artifact from Siena...

---

[Siena POV]

The Imperial Fleet retreated from the harbor after the appearance of the Demigod in the middle of the sea.

She was effortlessly attacking the enemy fleet with astonishing water magic.

"What kind of creature is that?!"

"She's attacking hundreds of enemy ships all by herself!"

"I don't know what that creature actually is, but I'm relieved that she seems to be on our side!"

All of the soldiers were stunned as the enemy they had previously struggled against was now being slaughtered by the mysterious figure that had suddenly appeared.

"Major Siena, the enemy has now retreated back into the sea. What is our next move in response to this development?" a Military Officer asked me.

"Is our war fleet ready?" I asked him.

Previously, we had hidden the Republic of Venetia's fleet to be used during crucial moments such as this.

"Two fleets are ready for battle, Major," the man replied.

"Very well. Deliver a message to Admiral Benio and have him lead the fleet on the eastern side of the island to attack the Empire's left-wing fleet," I ordered him. "I will personally lead the fleet on the western side of the island to attack the Empire's right-wing fleet."

"Understood. I will deliver the message."

While the Imperial forces were struggling against the Demigod, we would attack them from both directions.

I would make sure we used this opportunity properly to win the battle.

After giving my orders, I brought around 5,000 additional troops toward the western side of the island to join the assault.

Upon reaching the western side of the island, I found a dock along the coast.

One hundred and fifty ships had already formed up, preparing to move toward the enemy's position.

"Major Siena, you will board this ship," said a captain waiting for me at the small dock.

I nodded and boarded the ship.

The additional troops I had brought also began boarding the vessels that weren't yet filled with the soldiers already stationed here.

I then walked toward the bow of the ship and looked ahead.

"Major Siena, everything is ready. We are only waiting for your order to move."

I heard the captain speak from behind me.

Turning around, I saw all the soldiers looking toward me, waiting for me to give the order.

"Raise the sails and destroy the invaders attacking our island!"

Upon hearing my command, everyone raised their fists and began shouting.

"Yeah! Destroy those Imperial dogs!"

"Raise the sails!"

Our fleet began moving toward the position of the Imperial Fleet.

Because of the terrible weather caused by the Demigod's appearance, we moved more slowly than usual.

The massive waves frequently crashed against our ships, nearly capsizing them.

However, we managed to push through it all.

Not long after, I could see hundreds of Imperial ships and their soldiers fighting against a gigantic Water Octopus.

"Prepare the ship cannons!" I ordered.

The sailors then began raising red flags to signal the fleet to change into firing position.

Our fleet formation shifted sideways.

Not long after, the flags aboard every ship in the fleet changed to orange, signaling that everyone was ready to fire their cannons.

"Fire!"

The flag signalman then changed the flag to green.

- BOOMBBB!!! BOOMMBBB!!! BOOOMMBBB!!!

Every ship fired its cannons toward the left wing of the Imperial Fleet.

Many of our shots hit their targets, heavily damaging or sinking more than a dozen ships.

"Reload!"

The flag aboard the command ship changed again, this time to black.

However, the Imperial forces had now noticed the presence of our fleet.

They turned their ships and began sailing toward the formation of the Venetian fleet.

The flags on our ships changed to orange once again, signaling that the cannons were ready to fire.

"Fire on their ships!"

The flags changed back to green.

- BOOMMBBB!!! BOOMMMBBB!! BOOMMBB!!

The deafening sound of cannon fire echoed across the sea once again.

This time, several shots hit their targets, but many Imperial ships continued advancing toward our formation.

"The enemy is attacking!" one of the sailors warned us.

Dozens of fireballs streaked toward us, striking several ships in our fleet.

The enemy ships continued drawing closer.

I turned around and looked at my soldiers, whose faces were tense as they prepared for the battle ahead.

"Here, we will fight to defend our homeland with courage!" I shouted, rallying the soldiers.

"This battle will be remembered by our children and grandchildren as a testament to the true courage of the Venetian people!"

The tension visible on their faces began to disappear, replaced by a burning desire to fight.

"And today will be the day the entire world remembers how hundreds of thousands of soldiers who dared threaten our people's home were destroyed, so that they will fear ever setting foot on our land again!"

"That's right! Drive the invaders from our land!"

"Send them to the bottom of the sea!"

The soldiers' morale seemed to have reached its peak.

"Today is the day our nation will rise and bring down the dominance of the Aragon Empire as the most dominant nation on this continent!"

I then raised my clenched fist and shouted,

"GLORIO PATRIOSSA!"

"GLORIO PATRIOSSA!!"

"GLORIO PATRIOSSA!!"

After giving my speech before the battle, I turned back toward the enemy ships.

The distance between us continued to shrink.

50 meters...

40 meters...

30 meters...

I could clearly see the enemy soldiers preparing to fight aboard their respective ships.

20 meters...

10 meters...

And...

- CRASH!

The enemy ships collided with our fleet.

Their soldiers immediately leaped aboard our ships, and the battle began.

"Die!"

Two Imperial soldiers leaped toward me and launched an attack.

I easily evaded them before counterattacking with a slash that killed both of them instantly.

"Get lost, you Aragonian dogs!"

"No! We will conquer your capital and bring glory to our homeland!"

Blood splattered everywhere.

The sound of clashing swords filled the ship we were aboard.

Not only did we have fewer ships than them, but they also had more soldiers.

I then leaped from our ship and landed on an enemy vessel.

The soldiers there were startled by my sudden appearance.

"Attack that woman!"

I was immediately surrounded by the soldiers aboard the ship.

They began attacking me simultaneously, but I effortlessly evaded their attacks.

"Blade of the Future..."

After activating one of the Profound Codex abilities I possessed, ten heads of enemy soldiers were suddenly decapitated, causing them to collapse and die instantly.

I then attacked them without mercy.

Before long, the entire ship was covered in the blood of the soldiers I had killed.

It took me only about three minutes to wipe out every soldier aboard the ship.

But I didn't stop there.

I leaped onto another enemy ship.

There, I slaughtered all of their soldiers as well.

My body never stopped moving, and my hand never stopped swinging my sword.

Not long after, only three soldiers remained aboard the ship.

Their legs were trembling as they stared at me, drenched in the blood of their comrades whom I had killed.

"You monster!"

They tried to attack me, but I successfully evaded them before unleashing a powerful horizontal slash that cleaved all three of their bodies in half.

After clearing the soldiers aboard the ship, I stopped for a moment to catch my breath and recover some of my stamina after fighting continuously.

However, I noticed another ship approaching.

A very familiar man stood at the bow of that ship, staring at me with the one eye he still had functioning.

"Raul de Garcia..." I muttered, calling the man's name.

- KRAKOOOM!!!

Suddenly, lightning struck the ship's mast, causing the vessel to slowly catch fire.

Not only that, but the wind had also grown stronger, making the waves swell until they shook the large ship violently.

Raul, standing aboard that ship, then drew his sword.

The black-haired man still hadn't broken eye contact with me.

He then leaped from his ship toward mine.

I did the same, running toward the edge of the ship before leaping toward him.

Raul's sword began glowing, indicating that he had coated it with Temper.

I did the same, preparing to launch an attack.

- CLANGGG!!!

Our swords struck against each other.

Sparks flew as our blades collided.

Raul de Garcia...

Let's settle our unfinished business in this battle...