179. Rapid Fire

“Fire now!”

The command rang out like a thunderclap through the mist, and Samuel didn’t even think—his body moved with instinct honed through days of relentless training.

He gripped the crank and rotated it hard, the ballista string drawing back with a snap, the mechanical hum of the weapon’s gears singing in his ears. He adjusted his aim with swift precision, leaning into the movement as the bolt locked into place.

And then, release.

A violent thunk burst from the device as the bolt launched into the misty veil ahead, slicing through the air toward the distant silhouettes of the Imperial magic ships. Though he could barely see them through the fog, the rhythm had been practiced enough—he knew where to aim.

He kept cranking. Thunk. Another bolt flew.

All across the line of strike boats, others followed suit. Rapid-fire cranks and low-impact discharges filled the foggy air, a chorus of mechanical warfare. Bright flashes and the subtle clang of metal-on-metal echoed from enemy hulls as the compact bolts found their marks.

“Stop!” the captain shouted.

Samuel ceased rotation instantly, standing upright, panting slightly from the exertion. He didn’t need to be told twice.

“Row the boats! We’re pulling out! Move!”

The oarsmen, militia fighters seated at either side, dug hard into the water, their coordinated strokes sending the strike boat surging away from the danger zone.

Suddenly, a small fireball screamed across the fog from the enemy ships, hissing violently as it plunged into the sea with a thunderous splash just behind them. Steam exploded upward, followed by a tremor that rocked their boat.

Samuel instinctively ducked, gripping the edge of the boat but they were still afloat.

He let out a slow breath as the echoes faded.

“Back to shore! We regroup, reload, and return!” the captain barked. Samuel nodded, his heart still pounding. The first volley had landed but many were still to come.

Western Beach, Kim Island, Kim Dukedom, Ancorna Empire

Dame Aisha stood at the heart of the defense line, her gaze fixed toward the fog, even though the enemy ships were no longer visible. The air was tense with waiting, every soldier, every knight, ready for the signal.

Then, she saw them. The strike team boats retreating, slipping back into visibility from the gray curtain like shadows returning from the underworld.

She raised her hand. “Our strike team is out of range! FIRE!”

With a sudden roar, the shore-mounted rapid-fire ballistas opened up in synchronized bursts. The air filled with the sharp twang of steel strings and the whistle of bolts flying massed into the obscured fog. Though the shooters couldn’t see their targets, the general positions had already been mapped, their angles calibrated by the small lights on the ships.

They fired not with sight, but with luck and faith.

Aisha’s eyes remained narrowed, calculating every beat, every sound. The ground trembled under the sheer weight of the barrage.

This strategy, this rhythm of hit, retreat, and repeat, had been devised by Vice Captain John and herself in secret from Her highness Ravenna, relying on the prototype compact ballistas developed by the city’s blacksmiths. Though the weapons were still in the experimental stage, unapproved by Her Highness Ravenna, the blacksmiths had agreed to deploy them under emergency authorization.

And they worked. For now.

Even so, as the waves parted, she could make out faint glimmers through the fog, the large hulls of the magic ships. Still advancing. Still intact.

The Imperial fleet still kept coming. Slowly. Steadily. Relentlessly.

Aisha’s hand dropped back to the hilt of her saber. The fog may have bought them time, but time was running short.

“Prepare for next rotation,” she said calmly, even as her voice carried an edge of steel.

Southern Port, Kim City, Kim Island, Kim Dukedom, Ancorna Empire

The sound of battle loomed like distant thunder beyond the city walls.

Ravenna descended the final steps from the ramparts, the worn stone beneath her feet trembling faintly as another explosion echoed from the coastline. Wind tugged at her sheer robe, the scent of salt and smoke thick in the air.

At the base of the wall, the hot air balloon handlers had gathered in tight clusters, wide-eyed and covered in soot, sweat and nervousness. Nearby, several priests of Herptian's Church stood quietly with ceremonial flowers and parchments in hand, their faces stoic despite the chaos.

“Shield the workers! Begin civilian worker evacuation, orderly and fast!” Ravenna commanded without hesitation, her voice sharp and clear.

At once, the knights and militia sprang into action. Shields rose in formation as workers were guided toward waiting carriages lined up along the makeshift escape route. The artisans filed in, one by one, clutching their tools and maps as if their lives depended on them: because they did.

Without slowing, Ravenna approached the robed priests. Her eyes swept over their supplies—flowers, ink, maps.

“Is it ready?” she asked.

One priest, holding a rolled parchment and a handful of glowing, scented lilies, gave a solemn nod.

At that moment, a familiar blue screen flickered into view before Ravenna’s eyes.

User: Ravenna Solarius / Joy Cha Kim

Reputation Level: 71 — (3 / 120,400 EXP)

Current Reputation Points: 210,000 RP

Titles Unlocked: Raven of the Sun Palace, Unruly Princess, Beast Slayer

{ View Reputation Log } { Spend Reputation Points }

With practiced motion, Ravenna navigated the menu and entered the "Spend Reputation Points" tab. She didn’t hesitate.

Access to the Internet: 100 Points per Hour

Access to Magic Spell Library: 100 Points per Hour

Geographical Scans: 5 Points per 1 Kilometer

Nullify Minor Poison Damage (Self): 250 Points

Nullify Minor Poison Damage (Others): 350 Points per Entity

Minor Heal: 1,000 Points per Entity

Major Heal: 1,500 Points per Entity

Lie Detector: 2,000 Points per Use

Change Appearance – Locked

Copy Skill – Locked

Loop Back 1 Minute – Locked

Enter Celestial Realm – Locked

She selected Geographical Scan, inputting a radius of 50 kilometers. The system deducted 250 RP, and a detailed 3D holographic projection burst into view in front of her, a miniature landscape of the coast and sea, glowing faintly in blue light.

“Zoom in on the southern flank… there.” she whispered.

The fog parted on the map’s surface, revealing the faint outlines of enemy ships formation, and one larger vessel at the rear, lined with golden detailing and magical sigils glowing through the illusion mist.

The Imperial Command Ship.

“There you are,” Ravenna murmured.

With a fast motion of her hands, she marked the enemy formation on to the maps held by the priest. Turning to the priest beside her, she handed him the map. “That’s where the command ship is hidden. Relay it. Now.”

Without a word, the priest pressed the glowing lily flower against the marked parchment. It flared with blue flames, the paper disintegrating into ash and light, carried away on a sudden breeze of magic energy.

Somewhere around the Southern port , Kim City, Kim Island, Kim Dukedom, Ancorna Empire

Aboard the narrow assault boat, Emma gasped as the parchment she held ignited in brilliant blue flame. The parchment re-formed instantly in her hands with a map of the sea, marked with coordinates.

“It’s from her highness!” she exclaimed. “She’s sent us the exact position of the Imperial Battalion’s formation and its Command Ship!”

David, Aurora’s loyal knight commander, rose to his feet at the bow of the boat, staring into the mist. His hand clenched the hilt of his blade as he turned toward the looming shadows of ships barely visible through the fog.

“You heard her! Row! Faster! Our Task begins now!” The oars dug deep into the water, each stroke cutting closer toward their objective.

“We eliminate or capture Edward Jola,” David said with cold resolve, “and end this entire invasion.”

His gaze hardened, his voice rising above the crashing surf. “To protect Lady Aurora and Young Lord Ken. we will strike now!”

The boat vanished into the mist, blades drawn, hearts steady.

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