At six in the afternoon, the pale sky's flas gradually weakened as heavy dark clouds churned with faint rumbling thunder. The roar of steam engines echoed from the distance.
Centered around the ruins of Haibao Number One, increasing numbers of military vessels gathered across the turbulent black waves.
anwhile, the fleet under the Dragon Tar King approached from afar, positioning itself before the Dragonflower Archipelago to form a massive oceanic barrier.
Amidst the steam roar and naval soldiers' battle cries, Chen Qi gently patted the water spirit's head—a rare mont of calm—before looking up with the composure of a guest heading to a banquet:
"Fen, you changed into new clothes?"
Previously, Fen had worn a fluffy cloak over a fitted long robe, with thick trousers and cloth-wrapped straw shoes beneath—typical attire for Goldenfinch Kingdom herbalists.
Now, she'd tied her hair in a ponytail and switched to lightweight hunter's gear in pale green, complete with thick-soled leather boots. Her backpack card and potion bottles hung from a utility belt.
Additional pockets sewn into her clothing contained various splash potions she'd brewed recently.
Sohow... her style sowhat resembled Chen Qi's.
"My previous outfit wasn't suitable for combat."
The petite pharmacist Fen kept her eyes fixed on Chen Qi, her furrowed brow gradually relaxing.
Though she still had many doubts about this mission, Chen Qi's presence brought an inexplicable sense of security.
The new clothes look quite nice... Chen Qi handed Fen the 'Portable Magic Circuit' he'd recently purchased:
"Clothing that can temporarily enhance spiritual energy artifacts."
Wait, these bandages are clothing? Not Goldenfinch Kingdom's Nightingale-designed underwear? Fen accepted the bandages with confusion, then tossed Chen Qi her carefully prepared 'Dangerous Potion Kit'.
Chen Qi took the kit, extracted the potions, gave them a gentle shake, opened the bottles, and downed all four dangerous concoctions in one go.
Gulp gulp—
[You consud Flower of Self-Healing Potion, body regeneration enhanced...]
[You consud Raging Blossom Potion, strength significantly increased...]
[You consud Inspiration Source Potion, spiritual energy boosted...]
[You consud Night Spider Elixir, stamina elevated...]
These four potions complented each other perfectly, bringing his body to optimal condition.
Feeling sowhat feverish and excited, Chen Qi smiled:
"Excellent."
He then distributed the high-grade flares purchased from Moonstone City to Burry and Fen, while Burry handed them the heavy explosives he'd crafted.
The three quickly finished allocating their equipnt.
"We've all prepared well." Chen Qi praised before turning his gaze toward the war's epicenter:
"Burry, please start the energy engine early. We'll depart as soon as the Dragon Tar King appears."
"Understood."
Burry wiped cold sweat from his forehead. Perhaps driven by Wyvern Charm's influence, he'd unknowingly boarded this pirate ship with only a captain and first mate.
And he was the sole outsourced crew mber.
Harboring thoughts of "what am I even doing," Burry began his work.
Chen Qi raised his binoculars, his gaze eventually settling on the large white pigeon atop the Great Shark Battleship's highest level:
"Quite a few familiar faces here."
This battle had gathered not only the two legends—Tiger Shark General and Dragon Tar King—but also various third-tier powerhouses from both navy and pirate factions recently.
However, as a general, Tiger Shark paid little attention to these third-tier fighters, positioning them rely as 'support' and 'reinforcents.'
On the Great Shark's bridge top level, Pelu adjusted her cara, finding the perfect angle to record today's major events.
Pelu's golden locks danced in the wind as she stomped excitedly with shining eyes:
"My inspiration tells today's news here will absolutely surpass Little Red Riding Hood's attack on the forr general's base!"
"..."
An remained silent beside Pelu. Having joined the navy, she'd long collaborated with White Seagull General's forces.
Now, with the pirate base's fall, White Seagull General's capture, and Chen Qi's disappearance—all these bad news piled up into an impenetrable shadow.
Her only comfort was Water Spirit Number Three's recent learning progress; through training, it could now skillfully use heavy firearms and pilot small combat vessels.
Plus, she held little affection for Tiger Shark General's troops.
anwhile, Dya and old man Bluefire crouched nearby, still shadowed by the Blue Fire Island incident and unwilling to participate in this legendary confrontation.
Everyone's here... Chen Qi's gaze lingered on Pelu's cara before looking upward.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
A small light point appeared within the heavy clouds, growing larger amidst the howling winds—
Whoosh!
A trendous gust swept down from the sky, blowing Chen Qi's hair completely back into a slicked-back style:
"Finally here!"
Between thick thunderclouds, people gradually discerned the light's true form as an overwhelming presence surged from the clouds' depths. Instantaneously, peals of thunder cracked across the sky!
Boom! Boom! The light expanded dramatically as a colossal figure descended with teor-like force amid thunderous montum.
Wherever it passed, thick lightning afterimages remained!
For a mont, everyone present found themselves captivated by this enormous presence.
Its massive body bore thick black scales on all limbs that flickered with crackling black lightning arcs. Two lightning-shaped black dragon horns on its forehead gathered thunder energy.
Black Thunder Dragon King!
Standing thirty ters tall, the Black Thunder Dragon King opened its massive jaws to reveal sharp fangs before unleashing a roar:
"ROAR!!!"
With its thunderous cry, heaven and earth seed to tremble. Nearly a hundred lightning bolts fell from the clouds, striking the Great Shark Battleship.
Boom! Boom! Boom! The darkened sea montarily brightened to daylight intensity!
Only after ten seconds did the lightning cease. Now, a man of modest height stood stepping along the Black Thunder Dragon King's spiny, slender neck to reach its head.
This thirty-sothing dragon tar sported an oiled golden slick-back hairstyle, his golden dragon eyes showing neither fear nor reverence.
Dragon Tar King Jie!
His calm yet malicious gaze swept across the surroundings—from the distant ghost ship to Tiger Shark General on the Great Shark Battleship.
Then he cracked his neck and uttered one simple word:
"Attack!"
Skyborne thunder dragons swept across the heavens while Tiger Shark General aid his whale-hunting spear at Dragon Tar King Jie.
As deafening war drums sounded, flying thunder dragons assaulted the Great Shark's barriers. Cannons targeted navy ships surrounding the battleship, sending wood splinters and debris flying amid rising flas.
The navy swiftly counterattacked. As artillery fire interwove, the sea surface instantly ignited with massive water columns continuously rising and crashing down.
Simultaneously, both sides launched boarding actions. Tiger Shark squads infused with War Zeal swung swords fearlessly, charging at pirates with life-disregarding fury. Blood and sweat mingled as roars overwheld war drums, turning the sea into a chaotic battlefield stained crimson.
Amid the chaos, Chen Qi raised his hand:
"Start the engine!"
Roar! Roar! The ghost ship at the battlefield's edge accelerated at full power, preparing to circle around to the pirates' blind spot before activating its space leap engine to break through their encirclent and charge straight toward the rear garden.
Suddenly, Chen Qi's intuition sensed a gaze. He looked back toward Pelu.
That troubleso White Pigeon Tis reporter... long ti no see... Chen Qi thought inwardly.
Major news! Critical battle situation! Pelu's heart pounded as she aid her cara toward the sea's center.
Tiger Shark General leaped from the battleship, standing upon the sea with a two-ter whale-hunting spear before thrusting toward the Black Thunder Dragon King.
Tiger Shark General laughed heartily:
"Jie! After all these years, even as a legend, you're still the sa—hiding behind feeble prey!!!"
"Old fool!"
Dragon Tar King Jie stood upon the dragon's head, fury flashing in his draconic eyes.
Waves surged across the sea as the two-ter-tall Tiger Shark General wielded his whale-hunting spear like a dragon hunter from Goldenfinch legends, clashing against the thirty-ter Black Thunder Dragon King's claws with unprecedented lightning and tidal force.
Simultaneously, cannonfire from both fleets streaked across the sky toward the two combatants.
Unlike naval battles between third-tier fleets, this legendary engagent followed exceptionally simple tactics—'focus the leader'!
Legendary Transcendents served as crystals; once one side's legend fell, the other had virtually no chance to resist.
Thus, both fleets shared one goal: reduce the opposing leader's support and health while seizing opportunities to deploy their trump cards against the enemy legend.
Countless eyes—whether predatory or terrified—fixed upon Tiger Shark General and Black Thunder Dragon King's duel.
Pelu's heart raced as she said nervously:
"Today marks the navy and Blackfin Crew's second legendary confrontation since the Dinsional Tide! This battle's outco will determine the entire navy's morale! Victory would greatly boost naval morale and shift the sea's balance!"
"Conversely, if the Great Shark Battleship sinks, all participating navy personnel and adventurers here will beco prisoners—no, given Dragon Tar King's brutality, everyone present would beco food! Prey for dragon tornt!"
"Currently, neither Dragon Tar King Jie nor Tiger Shark General has used their Release, maintaining a stalemate. Thus, the key to breaking this deadlock might lie with the renowned Supernovas among third-tier fighters!!"
Speaking excitedly, Pelu turned to look at An beside her.
As a reporter, she sensed that An hadn't yet used her Release and still harbored secrets.
An, it's your ti!
An closed her eyes, standing robotically:
"Per Hunter Association orders, my objective isn't supporting the main battlefield but solo-piloting a boat to raid the Dragonflower Archipelago's rear garden, preventing Dragon Tar King's escape there if defeated."
Raiding the rear... Pelu blinked her sparkling eyes:
"Miss An, do you have intelligence about the rear garden?"
"None."
Pelu thought montarily:
"According to my information, Dragon Tar King stationed considerable forces and traps there to prevent adventurers from seizing his wealth. Plus, you received no support or intelligence."
"A ten-person exploration team plus a chanic without cha and a Lamp-affinity old man traumatized by Black Hunter—sending you into the headquarters isn't this just suicide? Can you actually succeed?"
Huh? An, Dya, and old man Bluefire stared blankly. This reporter actually voiced their inner thoughts before Tiger Shark's navy.
Pelu muttered a complaint, drawing bloodthirsty glares from the Tiger Shark navy below.
"Ahem."
Pelu quickly changed topics, adjusting her cara toward the distance:
"Speaking of which, is that ship at full speed your vanguard for raiding the rear garden?"
"???"
An, Dya, old man Bluefire and others followed Pelu's direction, looking into the distance.
A flower-covered ship accelerated along a trajectory suggesting panic-induced escape from the battlefield.
Whose forces are those?
Why does that ship's size feel sowhat familiar...
To disguise the ghost ship, the Flower Witch had extensively modified Chen Qi's vessel with nurous flowers and alterations to resemble a Goldenfinch-style tourist ship.
An, Dya, and old man Bluefire stared at the ghost ship, unable to look away.
A strange feeling—as if soone they cared about was aboard.
Pelu closed her eyes:
"Why do I feel spatial tremors amidst this thunder?"
Spatial tremors? Suddenly, old man Bluefire reacted, his weary eyes instantly filling with rage and terror as he stood and shouted with all his might:
"It's Black Hunter's ghost ship! That salvage ship ahead—block him with your hull!!!"
Black Hunter!
Instantly, An and Dya—both victims—along with other navy personnel, looked toward the distant ghost ship with indescribably complex emotions.
Black Hunter! Was he insane? daring to appear before them! Before legends!
Though discovered late, fortunately, a Bonfire Energy Company salvage ship remained along Black Hunter's path.
Under old man Bluefire's hysterical roar, the salvage ship's captain adjusted course and accelerated to block the ghost ship's advance!
The salvage captain didn't hesitate—old man Bluefire's gold reward could buy a mansion in Moonstone City.
Worth it all if they could stop Black Hunter's ship!
"What do we do? Captain!"
Burry urgently asked while piloting the ghost ship.
Fen felt panic—despite her perfect ship disguise, they'd been recognized.
Dark lightning erged from the ship!
Space leap activation required straight-line acceleration—at current speed, they couldn't change direction!
And significant mid-journey damage could cause space leap failure.
Without successful space leap activation, they'd be sitting ducks.
Watching the approaching salvage ship blocking their path, Fen and Burry's heartbeats accelerated wildly.
The ghost ship kept accelerating while the salvage ship activated barriers at maximum speed.
Chen Qi said solemnly:
"The sea's wide enough—ram through!"
Ram through?! Burry's hands trembled uncontrollably, yet in this critical mont, his brain bypassed thought as he pushed the throttle forward, accelerating further!
Forward!
Boom! The ghost ship activated its unfinished barrier.
Now Burry, Fen, and the water spirit silently closed their eyes.
The salvage ship moved swiftly, its bow already blocking the ghost ship's path.
Your turn... Chen Qi lightly snapped his fingers.
Instantaneously, as the salvage ship prepared to advance, a ferocious black dragon head erged from the sea, shattering the salvage ship's defensive barrier and forcing it back before quickly subrging.
This impact! Completely disrupted the salvage ship's movent!
Boom—
Next instant, with trendous roar, the ghost ship shattered the salvage ship into fragnts and entered the spatial rift.
Spatial humming faded as the ghost ship vanished from everyone's sight.
Aboard the Great Shark Battleship, everyone stood bewildered amid sea winds.
"Was that a space engine? Incredible! Wonder how much that costs."
A bald navy soldier exclaid.
Not purchasable at any price! Old man Bluefire clenched his chanical fist, gritting his teeth nearly to breaking point.
Finally seeing Black Hunter again, only to let him escape!
Everyone's gaze followed the ghost ship's direction, where only a long wake remained.
Now, only An looked down toward the dark shadow deep in the sea, wondering to herself:
"Coastal Apex Predators... why are they here?"
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