[Vol. 9] Chapter 89: Battle in the Sea
These things called [Submersible Troops] are a new type of [Graeme], developed by the Austre Empire’s navy in recent years after learning from countless battles against the Sea Tribe Alliance.
They not only keep the [Graeme]’s original strength and ability to survive in harsh environments but can also move freely underwater. They’re highly effective at stopping fast-moving small units from approaching the ships, and in critical moments, they can even act like mobile sea mines, actively detonating themselves. In short, their usefulness is almost endless.
Due to limited time, even with the Austre Empire’s advanced technology, only a small number of these troops have been created. Not even the First Fleet, stationed along the eastern coast, received many of them, almost all were assigned by the new Emperor and the Equal King to Cassio’s expeditionary force. This clearly shows how seriously they take the northern situation.
These [Graeme] Submersible Troops can serve not only as fighters but also as ideal underwater scouts. After a group of unmanned recon soldiers entered the sea, their projection devices allowed Cassio and the others to finally see what was lurking underwater.
However, what appeared on the screen made even these battle-hardened commanders gasp in shock. Their expressions instantly turned tense and uneasy.
“What… what in the world is that?”
What showed up on the command room’s projection screen wasn’t sea monsters, fish, or giant tentacles as they had expected. Instead, they saw more than a dozen huge pale skeletons, all with different shapes.
Their outlines somewhat resembled fish, but they also had limb-like extensions. Even though they lurked in the deep sea, their enormous bodies, at least a hundred meters long, were still visible. When they were alive, their size must have been even greater.
Their surface was covered with patches of seaweed and grime, showing they had been buried deep under the sea for countless years. Yet now, for some unknown reason, they had risen again, attacking the naval fleet passing nearby.
Seeing these strange, massive skeletons, Cassio didn’t look as shocked or panicked as his subordinates. He simply frowned slightly, thought for a moment, then turned to look at Lian, the Seal Envoy from the [Eternal Winter Temple], who had quietly approached him.
“Corpses don’t move on their own. Either it’s necromancy or one of those Calamity Beasts you talk about. But these skeletons clearly aren’t dragons, nor could they be whales. Other than those two, I’ve never seen any sea creatures this large. Does the Seal Envoy know anything about this?”
“……”
Lian was also staring at the skeletons in silence, frowning deeply. His expression was strange, as if he had remembered something, but in the end, he simply shook his head.
“This isn’t the time to trace the cause. Whoever the enemy is, they clearly mean harm. We should prepare to fight first.”
“Very well. Pass down my order, huh?”
Cassio nodded and was about to raise his hand to give the command, when suddenly, the large projection screen showing the underwater scene flickered with a blurred golden flash, then glitched and buzzed a few times before going completely black with a pop!
“What’s going on?! What are you people doing?!”
Seeing the blacked-out screen, the admiral immediately turned to his deputy, shouting in anger.
Those images had been transmitted by the [Submersible Troops] units sent into the deep sea. There were hundreds of them, spread over a wide area, even if the enemy destroyed a few, it shouldn’t have caused a total blackout.
In naval warfare, understanding what’s happening underwater is absolutely critical. If they can’t figure out the enemy’s movements, no matter how powerful the Austre Empire’s fleet is, they’ll be at a huge disadvantage. Especially when the enemy is something mysterious and unpredictable like this.
“This is…”
Being glared at by his commander’s sharp and intimidating eyes, the deputy in charge of the operation immediately broke into a cold sweat. After quickly talking with a few nearby [Graeme] technicians, he returned nervously and forced himself to report.
“General, the [Submersible Troop] squads haven’t been attacked. It seems that a powerful and strange energy field suddenly appeared in the sea, disturbing the signal frequency of the transmitted data. This kind of situation is very rare. We’re already making emergency adjustments, and w-we believe the signal will be restored very soon…”
“Hmph! Useless fools! All you ever do is brag about the Austre Empire’s so-called latest technology and revolutionary inventions! And yet before the battle even starts, we’ve already lost our eyes and ears. What use do I have for you people?!”
“Uh…”
The deputy was so terrified that he didn’t dare say another word. He looked like he wanted to shrink his head into his armor like a scared chick. Seeing this, Lian, an outsider, spoke up to ease the tension.
“Enough. Blaming others won’t help right now. What we need to do first is figure out what this strange energy field in the sea actually is. The fleet is already prepared and can handle another attack like before, but since those things dared to strike first, they must have other tricks as well. If needed, I can ask the Temple to—”
“Report! Urgent news! General, something terrible has happened!!!”
Before Lian could finish speaking, a soldier from the Austre Empire rushed into the command room in a panic. Seeing yet another one of his men lose composure, Cassio’s face darkened, but he still kept his voice steady and stern.
“Calm down! You’re an Imperial soldier, stop acting like a scared rookie! Speak, what happened now?”
The soldier was clearly shaken, as if he had seen something terrifying. But as a member of the Austre Empire’s elite forces, he still managed to stay as calm as possible and quickly said,
“General! There’s a dragon! A huge dragon suddenly appeared above our fleet, please come see for yourself!”
“What?!”
When Cassio led his officers and guards out onto the deck, they all saw it. A frost-blue dragon circling above the fleet, radiating an icy and overwhelming presence.
Its entire body was covered in scales like ancient frozen crystals, reflecting a cold blue light under the sun. Every beat of its long wings stirred a freezing wind sharp enough to cut skin. Its claws and fangs gleamed with deadly cold light, and its long tail swayed behind it with terrifying power that made even seasoned soldiers tremble.
Many soldiers from both nations were nervously pointing their rather laughable-looking weapons at the sky. The Sea Dragon Titan Ship’s main cannon had even stopped targeting the unknown underwater enemy and was now locked onto the ice dragon above, but it was useless. The dragon’s agility far surpassed anything mechanical; the cannon’s slow movements looked clumsy and almost ridiculous by comparison.
“It really is a dragon… a Frost Blue Dragon. It’s been many years since the Snowlands have seen such a powerful mythical creature. What could it be planning?”
Lian’s face showed surprise, while Cassio’s expression was filled with caution and fear.
Although their warship also bore the name “Dragon,” and was even larger than the one flying in the sky, that didn’t mean their power was anywhere close.
Take the Austre Empire’s flagship, the Sea Dragon Titan, for example, with its top-level firepower, armor, and energy systems, its full defensive barrier could withstand magic attacks above the sixth tier. That’s a level of protection only found in the grand barrier arrays of major nations’ capitals.
But, even that wasn’t enough against a real dragon.