Chapter 237
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 237
Chapter Title: Did It Hit?
"Did it hit?"
Dordol's question drew a response from Aruna, who had been staring at the Sky Fortress.
"It hit."
"Where?"
"The rear... or rather, the southern face of the base rock."
"That means..."
"It means there was hardly any damage."
The Sky Fortress was a massive stronghold perched atop a 2-kilometer-wide slab of bedrock.
No matter how enormous Mobility's main gun was, if it couldn't strike a proper target, it was useless.
Of course, the mere fact that it could hit the Sky Fortress at all was a significant achievement.
The Sky Fortress served as the capital of the Allied Kingdom, which meant the emperor who ruled it was there.
Aruna, watching the Sky Fortress from afar, continued speaking to Dordol.
"It's like we've kicked a hornet's nest."
And that was exactly what happened.
From the floating bedrock high in the sky, dozens of dragon knights—who had been burrowed underground in preparation for attack—launched into the air alongside the bombardment.
It wasn't just the Sky Fortress.
Movement was also detected from the Allied Kingdom's airship fleet flying alongside it.
Aruna thought to himself.
'They've got numbers, but... that many are probably just scouts. Still, spotting Mobility dozens of kilometers back will be tough. Even if they don't, they'll at least guess something happened from the fact that we hit without being seen.'
First off, getting eyes on the Sky Fortress via Aruna and landing a hit with Mobility had successfully raised the alarm.
Strategically speaking, at least.
'Oh.'
Half of the airborne dragon knights had spotted Aruna and were closing in.
But mere dragon knights couldn't rattle Aruna.
What captured Aruna's attention was Lightra emerging from behind the Sky Fortress, writhing into view.
"So, you're finally ready to settle this, Firebird."
Without a reply, Aruna began evasive maneuvers.
Lightra had opened her mouth to unleash a breath incantation.
Dordol gazed up at the distant sky from the Nuribaraki.
A single streak of light pierced the heavens.
While Aruna was occupied battling Lightra, Dordol focused on his own duties.
"...As foretold by the Myriad Gods Temple, the Sky Fortress has revealed itself."
Dordol announced the position revealed by Apostle Aruna, prompting the staff officers to review their documents.
But countermeasures were already in place.
"Air fleet preparations complete."
Dordol nodded.
"All flying fleets, deploy."
At Dordol's command, the liaisons echoed the order and contacted the empire's five air fleets in unison.
Hundreds of airships rose into view above the Nuribaraki and took to the skies.
'This is our best shot.'
Even without the Myriad Gods Temple's predictions, Dordol could guess the Allied Kingdom would throw everything they had at them.
The problem was, once the Sky Fortress started moving, there was no physical way to stop it.
Considering its base rock size, it was essentially a floating mountain. Even mobilizing the empire's entire force couldn't halt it.
'So, we make it stop itself.'
Information on the Sky Fortress was top-secret Allied Kingdom intel, but the empire knew some details.
Once its hundreds of spiral wings engaged for propulsion, even halting them all couldn't overcome the massive inertia—it would coast several kilometers.
'The Sky Fortress hasn't entered inertial flight yet.'
But the fleet was still sailing toward the Rasdasil coast. If it kept going, the Sky Fortress would reach Rasdasil on inertia alone soon enough.
The worst case was it plowing straight into the heart of the Rasdasil ruins.
'If we seize the Sky Fortress and trigger reverse thrust, we can halt its flight.'
The Sky Fortress had propulsion units like spiral wings mounted omnidirectionally below its base, capable of both forward thrust and reverse to counter inertia.
If they infiltrated and controlled it for reverse thrust, they could prevent it from reaching Rasdasil.
'...Not easy.'
It went just as Dordol predicted.
Dordol glanced out the window at the sea fleet spewing fire, then down at the staff headquarters below his position, and further to the liaison officers beneath them.
The Sky Fortress wasn't visible yet, but soon the enemy lines would come into view through the Nuribaraki's massive bridge windows.
"Recon ship confirms Sky Fortress sighting. Apostles Aruna and Lightra locked in fierce combat."
At a mere 5 kilometers, and with the Sky Fortress's bedrock absorbing recoil like Mobility's grounded stance, its massive batteries were in play.
"...Forward recon ship has lost contact. ...Confirmed downed by other recon ships."
"Turn back the returning recon ships. Maintain maximum distance until the fleet arrives and keep observing the Sky Fortress."
Dordol's orders filtered through staff, specifying ships, distances, and observation targets.
Another liaison shouted to Dordol.
"Sky Fortress lower batteries firing."
"Position?"
"Checking ri—"
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion audible even 200 meters overhead erupted, sending a geyser between the fleet ships.
It was no shipboard gun.
"Sky Fortress underbelly fixed batteries. All ships, full speed to escape range."
Four more shots followed, each erupting massive water pillars beside the warships.
Fortunately, none hit this time, but a single strike could sink even a monstrosity-class vessel.
The fixed batteries dangling beneath the Sky Fortress's base were for bombing ground targets.
Smaller than Mobility's main gun, but there were five of them, and their compact size allowed rapid reloading.
The second salvo from the Sky Fortress split the monstrosity-class fleet in two.
"...Damn."
Dordol dispatched fast reserve airships as rescue craft.
But with the ship sinking rapidly, hopes weren't high.
'6th Fleet hasn't arrived yet. Until then, it's hard to engage aggressively at sea without Wrathbringer's support. Meanwhile, the Sky Fortress advances steadily, if slowly... We'll struggle to hold them off on the water.'
Then a familiar voice reached Dordol.
"You look busy."
Dordol responded.
"...Lord Yacheon?"
"Sky Fortress assault is delegated to Mazdari."
They had decided to split command if the Sky Fortress appeared, so Dordol accepted easily.
"Understood."
Yacheon said.
"Wrathbringer is all-in. ...Prepare for the possibility of failing to stop the Sky Fortress."
"Yes."
Dordol replied, eyes on the shadow of the Sky Fortress now faintly visible in the distance.
Another airship, the Thunderstriker.
Unlike the Nuribaraki, which flaunted its sheer mass, Apostle Mazdari's Thunderstriker combined multiple propulsion systems to achieve objectives in extreme conditions.
Currently hovering 3 kilometers above the seas before Rasdasil, its crew knew battle raged below—but all they saw were white clouds.
Three figures stood at the ship's railing, parachutes strapped on.
Mazdari called up from below the rail.
"Everyone ready?"
One raised a hand high.
He looked human, but was a vampire.
Name: Ramin Solost Muel.
"What? Spit it out."
"Why just us?"
"Lord Yacheon said a small team draws less attention."
"Then why not true elite apostles like your—"
"Apostles... 'catch the gods' eyes,' he said."
It was true.
Apostles stood out to players due to subtle effect differences, easily spotted.
If the front was vast, players might miss them, but in focused battles like this, infiltration via apostles was pointless.
Ramin was surprised by Mazdari's words, and so was the Froglin Gorgota Palu beside him.
"Wait, then you're not going either, Mazdari?"
"I'll follow later. I have to guard the empire's air fleet. Soon they'll clash with the Allied Kingdom fleet in a brutal fight."
"But..."
"Gorgota. You're the key to this mission. If the follow-up engineers fail to enter, you're the only one here I trust to activate the reverse thrust."
Gorgota glanced at his companions and sighed.
"...Hah."
"Why sigh at us? They're the experts. My master and I are clueless."
"I didn't know either until days ago. We studied the same docs—why don't you get it?"
"Master, he's insulting you."
Owen, standing to Gorgota's right, chuckled heartily.
"Don't blame our incompetence—praise your own competence, eh?"
"Elder... that's not..."
As banter dragged on, Mazdari glared at the last man.
Owen smiled.
"Ah, no questions from me."
Mazdari sighed in relief.
"Good, elder. Everyone rea—wait."
Mazdari frowned, hand instinctively to one ear.
Listening in.
"Ah, yes. Understood."
He whispered, then addressed the three.
"All of you, turn around."
Ramin turned but peeked suspiciously.
"That's *whisper*, right?"
"Oh? You know it?"
"Hwigyeong explained once."
"Needlessly nosy."
"..."
Ramin's curiosity piqued as Mazdari changed topics.
"Who were you talking to? About what?"
Mazdari ignored him, grabbing Ramin's parachute pack and fiddling with it.
Gorgota and Owen exchanged glances, then unstrapped their packs and set them below the rail.
Uneasy at their odd behavior, Ramin turned back to Mazdari.
"Hey, wait—what're you doing?"
Mazdari lightly sliced Ramin's pack and said.
"Lord Yacheon says no parachutes needed. Too conspicuous—ditch 'em and drop."
"...Pardon?"
"Knew you'd whine, so I helped. Be grateful."
"What?!"
Mazdari shoved Ramin's back.
Ramin felt his shoulders lighten.
Naturally.
The straps on his severed parachute pack were in Mazdari's receding hand.
Ramin yelled something at Mazdari.
Gorgota, dropping behind, startled and shouted back.
The wind drowned it out, but Ramin read the lips.
"That's blasphemy!"
The plunging trio looked down at the Sky Fortress below.