Chapter 199: | 199 | Final Battle Part 12
As the UNS Trinity of Solace blasted its naval guns and bombarded the battleships before its broadside, Vice Admiral Charlotte calmly stood in the bow of the capital battleships, holding a hanger with the fleet admiral's uniform.
She steadily observed the resulting destruction of the attempted encirclement brought about by the fleet of Terra. Her eyes narrowed as she thought it shouldn't take long before her fleet admiral arrives in front of her. And she was right.
Moments later, Abraham softly landed onto the bow of the UNS Trinity of Solace. His clothing brimmed with scratches and tainted by thick blood stains. He patted some dusts off his uniform and slowly turned his attention to Charlotte, bringing a smile on his face.
"Apologies for being a bit late, Charlotte. They were fairly more troublesome than I had previously expected." He uttered his apologies as he took steps forward to her direction.
"There's no need for the apologies, Fleet Admiral. I'm simply glad that you were safe. Quite a reckless plan to turn yourself into a bait." Charlotte took out his uniform from the hanger and helped him changed his clothing. "Even with your newfound abilities..."
"You should avoid such daring thoughts, after all, who knows what plans they have in mind." Even though she felt like she was nagging him a bit too much, it was something that the fleet admiral needed to hear.
She wouldn't worry as much when the one acting was Laplace. After all, the problem dragon was a monstrous entity who could easily handle her own weight against the ones who rule the world. On the other hand, Laplace had already confirmed that the fleet admiral had no inherent resistance against magic.
"I'll try... But I can't keep promises." Abraham gave a teasing smile, to which made the vice admiral shake her head in exasperation. "I guess trying is better than not doing anything." She muttered under her breath.
"At any rate, how's the status of the ground forces in the island of Terra?" Abraham straightened his new uniform and coolly asked Charlotte. The naval battle between the United Navy and the Colonial Dominion had currently been in a draw.
The forces, warships, and personnel from the two sides were practically throwing everything they got towards each other. It made him curious about the situation of the ground forces they had sent to clean up the island.
Charlotte raised her eyebrows, but immediately answered his question. "The ground forces are currently doing well. Though, an army of fifty-thousand colonial guards stand between them and the gates of the capital city."
"Last time I heard about them, the armored line of the United Army are taking care of the frontlines. Along with the mechanized-battalion and the airborne-support battalion, the scales are falling to our side. But..." She halted for a moment, prompting Abraham to be confused.
"But?" He questioned, wondering what she wanted to say.
"The Magus Tower has been passive during the entirety of both of our battles. No Magus could be detected in our enemy lines. Their nonexistence is haunting, especially to our intelligence network. The only thing we can do is wait for them to spring up." Charlotte explained.
The fact that no Magus had assisted the grand army of Terra was confusing even for Abraham. He himself didn't know what plans they had in mind. He wasn't an oracle after all. However, one vital question was needed before he could make assumptions.
"How about Laplace? What is her status?" Charlotte's answer would decide the next step of the United Navy.
Hearing the words of the fleet admiral, Charlotte raised her eyebrows and gathered information told to her about the problem dragon. It didn't take a moment before she responded to his question. "Her status is complicated, Fleet Admiral."
"Laplace is currently fighting against three individuals of the Magus Tower. We can consider them as high-ranking Magus since they seem to be able to hold well against the dragoness. Currently, they are the only Magus that had made their official entry into the battlefront."
"According to our intelligence, one can manipulate magma and conjure volcanoes, another can summon meteors from the skies, and lastly, a final one with unknown magicraft. Quite the troublesome enemies they are, but I doubt they would be able to defeat the dragoness."
Charlotte calmly reported while Abraham nodded in understanding. It seems that whatever his lover was fighting were second to the Sovereigns. After all, it wouldn't take three Sovereigns to fight against a dragon. Even Laplace herself had already confirmed how strong the Sovereigns were.
"Hmm... It seems that the Magus Tower isn't holding back. They might be waiting for something. I want you to be read-" Before Abraham could continue, a bright light shone from the heavens above the island of Terra. It was a massive meteor descending downwards onto the ground.
"What the hell." He remarked, gazing at the meteor that shone like the second sun. Without any hesitation or delay, Abraham contacted the bridge through his radio, giving them orders. "Prepare for an incoming blast. Make sure to maintain observations toward the enemy fleet."
He didn't know what they were planning, so maintaining their guard was the only thing he could do. He glanced once again at the descending meteor and muttered under his breath. "Laplace..." He hoped that nothing too severe would happen to her.
"Fleet Admiral, I'll return to my station for now. I'll report vital intelligence to you once they emerge." Charlotte saluted to Abraham and immediately returned to the bridge. The UNS Trinity of Solace needed a commanding officer, so she was ready to fill that role.
"Understood... Take care, Charlotte." Abraham nodded at his vice admiral, who merely smiled as a response to his words. She quickly entered the UNS Trinity of Solace, leaving the fleet admiral behind standing in the bow.
He turned his attention to the descending meteor that was about to make its impact. He wanted to run towards it and try assisting his lover in some way. But they already had duties they needed to complete. He trusted her to lift herself up even in precarious situation.
After all, she was his problem dragon.
The Dragon of Liberation.
"Damn-" As the meteor made its impact, a radiant light shone further than ever before. It pierced through both the heavens and the earth, making it as though the pearly gates have opened. Abraham narrowed his gaze from the blinding light, but kept observing it without care.
"That's quite a powerful explosion. The shockwave should be troublesome for both sides." Abraham mumbled to himself as a couple of seconds later, the shockwave met with the naval fleets clashing in the western shores of Terra.
*BOOM!!!*
A thunderous roar resounded as the waves became rougher tilting their warships slightly to the side. The winds of change surged through all of them, but Abraham steadily stood, not bothered by the incoming winds.
His radio soon released a distorted sound, calling out for his attention. Abraham quickly took it out and placed it beside his ear. What followed was the precarious report of the vice admiral. It made him frown and unconsciously clench his remaining fist.
"Fleet Admiral, the dragon has been pinned down and was directly impacted by the meteor. Her status is unknown, and the situation in the field has become complicated. The Magus Tower have revealed themselves and are now beginning their counter attack."
"Our forces are currently in a state of disorientation, especially after the explosion of the unexpected meteor. The UNS Ceaseless Skies has now attempting to reinforced the ground forces personally to give them time to react against the advancing tide of enemies."
With the troublesome situation in the island of Terra, Abraham wanted to directly support them through the western shores. But unfortunately, the situation in the seas have also become tougher. He gazed forward at the formation of battleships that had recently arrived.
Inside each of them were dozens of Magus, signifying that the fleet of Terra has also begun its counterattack against the United Navy.
"I see... While I'd like to immediately support our allies in the island of Terra, we have to handle what's in our plate first." Abraham uttered the truth and continued. "Increase surveillance at 275 degrees northwest, there are incoming battleships with onboard Magus."
On the other side of the radio, Charlotte raised her eyebrows and quickly ordered an intelligence officer to turn their surveillance towards the location told by the fleet admiral. The intelligence officer immediately followed orders and sent a reconnaissance drone for recon.
It didn't take long before their screens displayed a formation of battleships full of Magus. Charlotte's gaze became cold as thoughts of destroying them flooded her mind. But she instantly calmed herself and asked for further instructions from the fleet admiral.
"What are your orders, Fleet Admiral?" She coolly asked, to which Abraham replied with a cold smile. "Destroy them, of course. Give them the entire firepower of the United Navy. I want them sunk in less than an hour."
The fleet admiral was barely maintaining his calm. What had happened to his lover had made him distraught. But he didn't have the time to think much about it, especially with their enemies in the horizon. Instead of bottling up his anger, it was better to let it go.
Such wrath would be directed at the enemy fleet before him. Mercy wasn't in his mind anymore, and he didn't bother thinking about holding back.
"Your wishes are our command, Fleet Admiral. It shall be done." Charlotte answered his call for destruction and swiftly relayed it towards the combined-offensive fleet, Spear of Longinus. It was also regarded towards the supporting forces scattered throughout several nearby islands.
Meanwhile, in the leading battleship of the newly-emerged battlefleet was the Archmagus of the Magus Tower. His name was Gunther, and he only had one mission in mind.
The death of the United Navy's fleet admiral.