Chapter 456 - 142: Two Moms! Here Comes a Big Job

Chapter 456: Chapter 142: Two Moms! Here Comes a Big Job

The sky was blanketed in dark clouds. Thunder rumbled within them, and a fierce wind howled, whipping up colossal waves.

The colossal waves crashed violently against the reefs, letting out a deafening roar.

At the edge of this treacherous sea, a vast fleet lay anchored in a sheltered harbor.

It was the main fleet of the Rage Tide Legion—the Alt Fleet.

Alte was the name of the Empire’s founding emperor, and its use for this fleet spoke volumes about its status within the Empire!

The fleet’s flagship was a Level 1 battleship, the *Rage Wave Monarch*.

The ship was over one hundred twenty meters long, its hull constructed from a mixture of ironwood and teak. This specially dried timber was far more resilient than ordinary oak and highly resistant to the corrosive effects of seawater.

The sides of the ship were plated with thick copper armor, and key sections were inlaid with Wind-Resistant Rune Stones to weaken the impact of storms on the hull.

The bow was fitted with a ram forged from refined steel, shaped like the fang of a sea beast and glinting with a cold, menacing light. In a boarding action, an ordinary vessel would be shattered by a single strike from it.

But that wasn’t its most formidable feature.

Its most formidable feature was its three decks, armed with a total of one hundred and eight heavy cannons, capable of shattering the wooden hull of an enemy ship from over a kilometer away.

To the flagship’s starboard was a Level 2 battleship, the *Storm Ripper*.

Compared to the *Rage Wave Monarch*, this warship was slightly smaller at about ninety meters long, but it was faster, equipped with more lateen and sprit sails.

Its hull was equipped with seventy-four twenty-four-pounder cannons. The barrels were cast iron, and their bores were inscribed with simple acceleration runes, allowing them to fire solid shot over greater distances. Though less accurate, their strength lay in their vast area of coverage.

Its mission was to patrol ahead of the main battleship, responsible for reconnaissance and harassment.

Further out were two Level 3 battleships, the *Iron Armor Barrier* and the *Shield of Strength*.

These two warships were more like mobile fortresses, with heavy hulls and iron plating added at the waterline. They were specifically tasked with protecting the flanks of the main battleship.

These two battleships carried a large number of ballistae, swivel guns, and alchemical incendiary bombs, making them the main force in close-quarters boarding actions.

The sides of the ships were also fitted with retractable boarding planks forged from refined steel, which could be used to grapple enemy vessels for close-quarters combat.

In addition, the fleet included over a dozen "Blade-class" fast cruisers and dozens of "Fish Scale Level" escort frigates.

The "Blade-class" fast cruisers had slender hulls, complex rigging, and were exceptionally fast. They were responsible for pursuing fleeing enemies and relaying intelligence.

The "Fish Scale Level" frigates were smaller but highly maneuverable. Equipped with light artillery, they were responsible for patrol and escort duties.

This entire fleet was truly the pride of the Imperial Navy, built and maintained at the cost of immense wealth and resources.

At this moment, in the captain’s cabin of the *Rage Wave Monarch*, a middle-aged man with a full beard, dressed in the deep blue uniform of a navy marshal, stood before a window. He stared through the crystal glass at the distant Abyssal Rift, his brow tightly furrowed.

He was the Corps Commander of the Rage Tide Legion—Gabriel Reiman.

At his side stood a group of adjutants, along with the Rage Tide Legion’s Chief Magic Consultant, the Water Mage Siren Wolf.

Also present was a stunningly beautiful, blue-eyed blonde woman dressed in black Mage robes. She exuded an aura of death—it was none other than Annabella, an instructor from the Undead Major at Hurst Academy!

"A report, Corps Commander." An adjutant strode into the captain’s cabin and gave Gabriel Corps Commander a military salute. "The forward scout ship reports that the Demonic Qi fluctuations from the rift are growing increasingly intense. The situation is not good."

Gabriel Reiman’s expression hardened. "Relay this order," he said in a low voice. "The entire fleet is to enter Level 1 combat readiness. Also, send a Magic Letter to Silver Moon Port. Tell them... the seal over the Shattered Star Sea may not hold for much longer. We are requesting reinforcements."

"Yes, sir!"

The adjutant accepted the order and departed immediately.

"Great Mages, you’ve both seen the situation. The Abyssal seal over the Shattered Star Sea grows ever more fragile." Gabriel sighed and turned to Siren Chief and Annabella, his expression even more somber than before. "It’s all the fault of those monsters, the Abyssal Hunters. Over the years, they have repeatedly used sacrifices to awaken the creature behind the rift, allowing its power to grow... I hope you can find a way to stabilize it, at least for now."

Annabella glanced at the churning Demonic Qi outside the window, her aquamarine eyes also turning grave. "During my studies in the Realm of the Dead, I did learn of a unique Negative Energy Array. It can extract and gather Abyssal Demonic Qi, condensing it into contaminated crystals. However... these crystals have little use and must be handled with extreme care. They can’t be used to cultivate Undead Units, or the units will be corrupted by the Abyssal Demonic Qi and sent into a frenzy."

A flicker of hope crossed Gabriel’s face. "I must ask for your help, Great Mage! The military will provide all necessary resources!"

Annabella nodded. "I can do it, but I’ll need Siren Chief’s assistance. I require one Level 3 battleship to serve as the core of the Magic Array, with another thirty-six escort frigates arranged in a hexagram formation."

Siren Wolf was a woman with long, silver-gray hair and a cold, aloof expression.

There were scales on her neck and gill-like organs behind her ears, clearly indicating she was not entirely human.

Upon hearing this, she gave a slight nod. "I await your command."

"Then let’s begin."