Gou is a dark elf in Warhammer

Aethris Pale stood at the wheel and looked into the distance. She did not look at the berth of the Asur fleet, but instead looked at the dock behind the Black Ark further away.

That place belongs to Duruchi's territory.

She narrowed her eyes, then smiled silently.

If the pier in Azul is a symbol of tradition and elegance, full of the graceful rhythm of the sea, the pier in Duruchi is a symphony of coldness, efficiency and industrial machinery.

She saw a steel behemoth emitting black smoke, a train made entirely of black metal, slowly approaching the dock. The heavy axles rolled over the rails, making a deep and powerful roar that shook the earth.

The towering lifting system stands on the dock like a silent black giant.

When the train stops, a huge mechanical arm extends out and accurately hooks the container. The arm slowly rotates, sending these heavy containers to the designated location, and then immediately returns to the track and repeats the process, like a machine that never stops.

At the port of Azul, loading and unloading of goods still relies on a lot of manpower. However, at the port of Duruchi, there is no excessive complexity, and everything follows the cold and efficient mechanical law.

There were no seabirds singing, only the hissing of steam and the echo of metal colliding.

There was no sailor chatter, only short commands and the soldiers' indifferent patrol pace.

There was no romantic dream of sailing on the Azul pier, only cold realism.

Esserlis exhaled slowly, his gaze still fixed on that black iron world.

This is the most fundamental difference between Asur and Duruchi. Asur is still immersed in the glory of the past and maintains the exquisite and ancient order, while Duruchi has long abandoned all the tediousness and pursues the ultimate efficiency.

Asur relies on tradition, while Duruchi advocates change.

Asur's fleet is still mainly composed of noble dragon ships and exquisite sailing ships, with rigorous tactics and well-trained crews, but in terms of material transportation and logistical supplies, they still continue the system of thousands of years ago, relying on pure manual management and relying on the "golden age" sung by bards.

But Duruchi has entered another form. Their port is equipped with a rail transportation system. Trains, cranes, steam engines, and hydraulic systems play a huge role in the entire logistics system, making material dispatch several times faster than Asul.

If the dock at Asul is a beautiful painting, then the dock at Duruchi is a ruthlessly operating war factory.

Aetheris shook his head and looked away.

She knew very well that war was not decided by who was nobler, but whose blade was sharper.

And in this era, Drucci brought out the black blade that he had sharpened for a long time.

Esselis slowly turned her gaze away from the steam and steel of the dock and onto the silent black arks in the distance. But she did not focus on the huge ships floating on the sea, but rather on the surrounding sky and sea.

She saw a scene that took her breath away.

In the Kingdom of Cosqui, Storm Weavers are considered the apostles of the sea and storms, and they can communicate with powerful Krakens, sea dragons, and megalodons. There are even legends that Maslan grants the most powerful Storm Weavers the right to fight alongside sea monsters, but that is just a legend.

In Cosqui culture, hunting sea monsters is a supreme honor, as it proves the hunter's bravery and tests whether they are wise enough not to kill blindly and incur the wrath of Matheran.

Etherlis is one of them.

Before joining the navy, she was a sea monster hunter who specialized in challenging the most ferocious deep-sea creatures. In addition to her strong adventurous spirit, she wanted to win the favor of Matheran.

She once went deep into the eye of the storm just to hunt the thresher shark, and used its fat to smear the ascension ceremony, symbolizing her contract with the ocean and her dedication to Matheran.

She knew the horror of these sea beasts and that they were untamable. But now, the scene she saw made her hold the steering wheel tightly.

They shouldn't be here.

In the low sky around the Black Ark, groups of thresher sharks swam, their bodies like streamlined killing machines, and every time they swung their tail fins, the air would create twisted waves behind them. Their fin blades were like rows of sharp blades, shining darkly in the sunlight.

The war sharks moved very close to each other, their movements were nimble and precise, forming an invisible wall that circled around the Ark like hungry predators waiting for their prey.

Among these war sharks, huge giant tortoises floated slowly. Their thick tortoise shells looked like black fortresses. Each one was covered with hard obsidian metal plates, covered with lines, like dark veins of energy. The giant tortoises moved slowly, and every time they moved their limbs, the air would tremble slightly, as if the air itself was becoming stagnant because of their existence.

Farther away, a group of sharp-toothed eels were swimming quickly in the air. Their bodies were slender and flexible, covered with slippery scales, and every time they twisted their bodies, lightning flashed in the air. These eels were not as sharp as war sharks, nor as thick as giant tortoises, but their fangs were the most deadly weapons.

What surprised her most were several slowly floating deep-sea horses. They had the graceful bodies of seahorses, but were larger than ordinary warhorses, and were covered with armor-like scales, shining brightly.

"Matheran, God..." She looked at all this with trembling eyes, and unspeakable shock and fear surged in her heart.

These terrifying creatures that should have been in the deep sea are now hovering and cruising in the low sky, as if they have broken free from the constraints of the ocean and have been blessed by Matheran to become something even more terrifying.

She understood that this was by no means a natural sight. Duruchi not only controlled the ocean, he also controlled the overlords of the ocean, and could make these overlords of the ocean float in the air, although she didn't know how Duruchi did it.

Moreover, the huge beast in the low sky was not the entire power displayed by Drucci.

Above these huge sea beasts are the raiders speeding through the air. Even higher up are creatures even more deadly than the raiders—dragons.

In Asur's fleet, dragons are often led by dragon riders and serve as a powerful force on the battlefield, but their numbers are scarce and not all battles can be counted on for their support.

However, the number of dragons in the sky of Duruchi was so large that she even doubted whether they had completely controlled these behemoths and incorporated them into the military system.

With tactical advantages at their disposal, the Duruchi have completely reshaped the way warfare is conducted, upending the old order that the Asur have relied on for millennia.

Not only did they conquer the ocean with their iron fleet, they also built a three-dimensional war network with sea beasts, air forces, and black arks, leaving Asur's traditional fleet with no place to stand.

They won't give Asur a chance.

Their fleet is a living torrent of steel.

Their tactics are pure destruction and efficiency.

Their army no longer relies on noble traditions, but instead fuses together the elements of the sea, the sky, and war into the most deadly weapon.

Aesiris finally understood that Asur did not lose in tactics, but lost in the change of the entire era. In front of Duruchi, they were like ancient knights trapped in a castle...

The Asur always believed that they were the most powerful race, firmly believing that they represented the purity, antiquity and glory of the elves. They still lived in the past, relying on tactics and fleets from thousands of years ago...

However, the pride of thousands of years has become a shackle that binds them, and indulging in the glory of the past has made them defenseless in the face of change.

Estheris clenched her knuckles tightly, as if she could hold on to her gradually crumbling faith. Her heart was in turmoil, anger, unwillingness, sadness, doubt, all the emotions intertwined together, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.

She remembered clearly what happened in that dimly lit, dull and depressing meeting hall when Finnubar first summoned the admirals after returning from Naggaroth.

She listened to Finnubar, who had returned from Naggaroth, telling about the scenes in Naggaroth, and her heart was shocked like a continuous tide. But she still insisted that the Asur Navy should not be like this. Despite facing the strength of Druki, the Asur Navy could still find opportunities to fight. They could fight, of course!
No matter how strong the Druch Navy was, the Asur Navy could still rely on its superb navigation technology and familiarity with the environment around Ulthuan to defeat the enemy's small fleets in battle after battle, use guerrilla warfare to continuously erode Druch's advantages, constantly expand its advantages, and finally tip the balance of victory.

In fact, it was not just her. The navy was also dissatisfied with Finnubar's decision and insisted that the Asur Navy could still fight and could fight to the last moment.

But Finnubar then said those words: "Have you ever thought about politics and faith?"

He glanced at these generals who were once extremely proud but now full of hesitancy. He knew that he had to make them see the reality - a reality that was more cruel and more complicated than the battlefield.

At that moment, the whole room fell into silence, and all the generals fell into deep thought. This sentence was like a sharp knife, pointing directly to the blind spot in their deepest hearts.

"You have been talking about tactics, how to find opportunities with the fleet's mobility, how to ambush Duruchi's small fleet, and erode their advantages bit by bit, but have you ever thought about it seriously?" Finnubar's voice was low and firm, his eyes were sharp, looking directly at every naval commander present, "Even if you can sink one of their fleets, or even ten fleets, so what? They can replenish them immediately, but what about us?"

"Also, have you ever thought about the nature of war? War is not only a battle on the battlefield, but also a political game and a contest of faith."

"Why can the Duruchi achieve this? Do you think it's because their warships are more advanced and their tactics are more efficient? These are certainly important, but the most fundamental reason is that they have completely abandoned the past, while we are still trapped in the glory of a thousand years ago."

"Our beliefs, our nobility, our traditions... do they still have any meaning in this war?" Finnubar's voice rose slightly, like a sharp sword piercing the last fantasy in everyone's heart.

There was silence.

The admirals could not deny that reality was cruel.

"Do you still think we can win with tactics?" Finnubar's voice was cold and ruthless.

"Do you think that as long as we work hard, we can regain our past glory? If it were possible, we would have done it long ago, instead of being like this now."

He shook his head, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.

"Politics and faith are the real core of this war!"

"If we continue to fight until the last moment, then Asur will be completely destroyed. But if we choose to take a step back and wait for the opportunity, then in the future, there will be a new world that belongs to us!"

The whole room fell into silence again.

This time, no one questioned it.

They understood that this was not just a defeat in battle, but the end of an old era.

The era of Asur has come to an end.

The only choices before them now are death or accepting this new world and finding a way to survive in it.

Aetheris slowly loosened her hand, her palm slightly numb. She looked down at her fingertips which had turned red from overexertion, and finally sighed.

She was reluctant to admit this fact, but she knew that Finnubar's decision was correct. Continuing to fight would only result in a losing war of attrition, and doing it this way would preserve the flame and give Asur a chance to rise again, or in other words, let the elves rise again.

She raised her head and took a deep look at the Black Ark - it was like a shadow city floating on the sea, but it was silently announcing the end of the old era.
-
When the last Asur warship was anchored and the Tritons and sailors were properly settled, the banquet officially began.

However, this banquet was not an ordinary celebration, nor was it like the previous noble gatherings full of laughter, poetry, and toasts. Although many distinguished people gathered in the banquet hall, including the Storm Weavers led by Serene, the core members of the Sea Abyss Riders led by Daxus, and the middle and senior officers of the Asur Navy, the atmosphere was solemn, even... depressing.

Malekith and the admirals of Druch were not present.

This is not out of courtesy, but a deliberate arrangement.

Dacus knew that the Asur Navy had just experienced a dramatic change, their pride had been shattered, their faith had been shaken, and their glory had been destroyed. At this moment, if those generals from Duruchi who were used to being sarcastic appeared, it would probably completely ignite the already tense atmosphere and cause an irreparable conflict.

The most intuitive manifestation is that the two sides are very likely to fight with fists and feet, and the subsequent impact...

On the walls of the banquet hall, candlelight flickered, illuminating silent and tense faces. Exquisite silverware and crystal glasses were displayed on them, and the wine swayed slightly in the glasses, exuding a faint fruity aroma. But no one raised their glasses, and no one talked. Even the Asur nobles who were usually the most eloquent had no intention of maintaining their superficial demeanor.

Daxus' fingers slowly stroked the rim of the cup, his eyes scanning the Asur officers in the hall.

Most of them had pale and grim faces, their eyes were wandering, some looked at the wine glasses on the table but were reluctant to reach out, others tried to talk in low voices, but their voices were so low that they could not be heard at all.

Daxus could sense that they were anxious about the future.

once Upon a time……

However, now, they are sitting in an unfamiliar banquet hall, forced to accept a completely new reality - they are no longer the masters of the ocean, their fleet has been defeated, their beliefs have begun to waver, and they must face a new order established by a group they once despised and even hated.

They don't know what the future will hold.

Serene stood in the center of the banquet, her eyes swept over everyone calmly, her fingers tapping the wine glass gently. Her status should have given her enough prestige to allow her to stand up and appease these confused believers at this moment, but she knew very well that this was not easy.

She knew that many Asur officers were still unwilling to accept reality.

Her Stormweaver Order was in a very delicate position. As the daughter of Matheran, she knew better than anyone that the direction of the storm had changed.

If Asur wants to continue to survive, they must accept the change, they must accept this new order, otherwise... they will be completely swallowed up by the tide.

She turned her gaze towards Daxus.

Dacus picked up the wine glass and took a sip, with a faint smile on his face. This was Finnubar's choice, this was the so-called "victory of politics, diplomacy, and faith."

But there seemed to be no better result than this. Daxus also fulfilled Matheran's expectations of him. He protected the flesh on the palm and back of his hand, although the inside and the outside did not look good, and there were a lot of troubles later.

In the morning, Malekith came to him, hesitant and hesitant, just hoping that the Druchi Navy could annihilate the Asur Navy. This involved a lot of things, including the internal political structure of Druchi, that is, the dual-headed politics, the strength of the Druchi Navy, the strength of Asur, etc., but in the end he was blocked by him and the words were not uttered.

The Druch Navy also hoped to fight and annihilate the Asur Navy. After all, they had more men and horses, and there were also past hatreds, military achievements, etc. But in the end, they were suppressed by Daxus's unparalleled prestige.

There's nothing we can do about it, since he's the champion of Matheran.

And this is a bit paradoxical, the decisive battle will never happen.

If they really had to fight, they would not fight in the waters near Anaheim, except that the Asur side was really stupid. Finubar was possessed by the great demon Tzeentch, and all the tuition fees paid in the past few decades were in vain.

When Finnubar arrived in Nagarond and when the Nagor docked, he and Seryuan Yutao began to deduce. After repeated deductions, he came to a tragic result that broke his defense.

Asur's fleet was only able to destroy 50% to 30% of the Duruchi Navy when they fought in the waters of Ulthuan. 50% only happened once, and that was when Finnubar was brave or had good luck. The rest of the time, it was usually 40% to 30%, and sometimes it was 20% or 10%.

By this time, the Asur fleets in Ulthuan and the colonies had no ships or soldiers to send, and even the trump card of the fleet was gone. The Duruchi side could use its own advantages to make up for the number and continue to fight in the Ulthuan waters or cover the army.

This is still strategic and tactical, and politics and beliefs are not involved.

In the end...Dacreus and Finnubar, who made the choice, performed a great deed, an unparalleled great deed, an ultimate great deed that will be studied repeatedly by future generations.

But now, it is just a big appetizer, which is an appetizer in Western food.

Good days, still...

In his opinion, this is the true meaning of "the best strategy is to attack the enemy's plans, the next best is to attack their alliances", rather than "the next best is to attack their soldiers, the worst is to attack their cities".

If everything goes well, the Duruchi side will face an extremely strange situation, something that has never happened before, a situation that they could never imagine no matter how wild their imaginations are.

Duruchi Soldier: Why are you always working? Why are you always marching? Where is the battle we agreed to fight? Where are my points?
Daxus slowly put down the wine glass in his hand. The crisp clash sound echoed in the quiet banquet hall, like a command, attracting everyone's attention. All the Asur officers subconsciously turned their heads to look at him.

Their eyes were complicated, with various emotions intertwined in them. Some were wary, as if they were facing a strange and powerful man, not the champion of Matheran; some were doubtful, unsure of what the Duruchi leader was going to say; and more were speechless confusion and uneasiness.

Although this banquet was silent, its significance was far more important than a noisy victory banquet.

This is the beginning of rebuilding order after the collapse of faith.

Daxus took a deep breath and then walked towards the center of the banquet hall. His steps were steady and powerful, and the echoes of his boots on the smooth marble floor were clearly audible in the silent space, like the sound of a deep war drum.

"I know that many of you still have questions about the current situation."

His voice was not loud, but it carried a certain irresistible authority, accurately penetrating every corner of the banquet hall and reaching everyone's ears.

"You still believe that the Asur Navy can still fight and find a chance to win based on past experience and faith."

He spoke slowly and calmly, but his tone was like a sharp sword, piercing everyone's heart.

His eyes slowly scanned the Asur officers in the banquet hall, and many of them lowered their heads unconsciously, unwilling to meet his gaze. Because deep down, they had indeed thought so, and they still had this fantasy, fantasizing about being able to return to their former glory, instead of facing the cruel reality like now in a strange banquet hall.

However, fantasy is just fantasy after all.

They have to wake up.

But he is not Malekith. He will not trample on their pride with cold sarcasm, he will not look down on them from a high place, nor will he humiliate them as losers.

He was tearing apart their fantasies, but he was also giving them a new direction.

He was silent for a moment, giving everyone time to digest his words, and then he spoke slowly.

"I am not asking you to give up the pride of Asur. I understand that faith and honor are the foundation of your existence."

He paused, his eyes sharp and firm, as if he could see through everyone's heart.

"But... if you really want to save Asur, if you want to save Ulthuan, you must let go of outdated obsessions, learn to adapt, and learn to change."

The air froze, and struggle and contradiction flashed on the face of every Asur officer. They were resisting, but could not deny it.

"You don't need to regard Duruchi as the master, but you must admit that our world has changed."

"Either accept it or be forgotten."

There was a dead silence in the banquet hall. The Asur officers looked at him silently, as if they were pinned down by some heavy shackles and unable to move.

Finally, a Triton commander wearing an eye patch asked slowly, her face showing a struggling and complicated expression, her eyes were sharp, yet hiding deep uneasiness.

"What do you want us to do? We..."

However, before she could finish her words, Daxus stretched out his left hand, palm downward, and gently pressed down, interrupting her.

"You don't have to do anything! At least not now!"

The Asur were in an uproar; they had not expected Dacus to say that.

"what?"

"What does it mean?"

There was a whispered conversation in the banquet hall. They originally thought that Daqius would make them pledge allegiance, surrender, and become part of the Duruchi system, and then fight with Asur.

However, he said - nothing needs to be done?

Dacus ignored their commotion. He just stood there calmly, waiting for them to gradually quiet down. When the noises of the crowd gradually died down, he slowly spoke. His voice was not loud, but it carried a kind of majesty that could not be ignored.

"Your faith has collapsed, and the old era has ended. But the new order will not be achieved overnight."

"Until you find your true direction, until you figure out how to go on, you don't need to do anything."

Dacus's eyes swept over everyone in the banquet hall. His eyes were as calm as the deep sea, silently conveying unshakable confidence and majesty. He spoke slowly, his voice was not loud, but clear enough for everyone to hear clearly.

"Of course, you still have to do something, such as..."

His words left a hint of suspense in the air, causing many generals to subconsciously hold their breath, waiting for his next words.

"Like what?" asked Admiral Karadoria, Belloda's aunt.

"While you were gathering, Elsin Alvin sent us a piece of intelligence." Daxus smiled meaningfully and spoke slowly, with a deliberate calmness in his tone, which was exactly the effect he wanted. "There is a large greenskin army docked on the coast of Estalia, and they seem to be building ships."

There was a sudden whisper in the banquet hall. Some people frowned, some looked surprised, and more people had disdain on their faces.

"so what?"

"What decent ship can a greenskin build?"

"Just a bunch of barbaric trash."

But Daxus ignored these contemptuous voices and continued, his tone more steady and powerful, "I have a strong feeling that they will eventually appear in Ulthuan. Believe me!"

Ulthuan?
The Asurs were in an uproar.

Ulthuan has never been defiled by greenskin feet!

However, with the Asur fleet sailing away to Anaheim, Ulthuan's coastal defenses have become more empty than ever. Everyone knows this, but no one is willing to face this reality.

There was a flurry of discussion. Some generals looked solemn, some sneered, thinking that the greenskins would never be a threat to Ulthuan, and some fell into deep thought, thinking about the seriousness of this possibility.

Daxus raised his hand slightly, with his five fingers slightly spread out. With this simple movement, the entire banquet hall fell silent.

"It seems too late for you to go back now?" he said softly, with an ambiguous smile on his lips.

The faces of some Asur changed slightly, obviously realizing this. Ulthuan was not far from Estalia, and with the wild and unpredictable style of the greenskins, they might take action at any time, while the Asur fleet was still anchored in Anaheim, far away from home.

"Don't worry, everyone," Daxus said in a steady and powerful voice. He stretched out his hand and made a soothing gesture. "I have made corresponding adjustments."

He did not keep anyone in suspense but told everyone his arrangements one by one.

His strategy was calm, precise, and flawless. After hearing this, the Asurs all breathed a sigh of relief, and their tense nerves relaxed a little.

However, at this moment, they suddenly realized that Dacus' words seemed to contain some facts that they were not aware of.

Asrai and Ainel, who traded with them, eventually sided with Duruchi instead of...

The hall fell into deathly silence.

"What does this mean?" Daxus sighed softly, then slowly turned his gaze to Aislin and asked with a smile, "What does this mean?"

"This shows that our colonies and overseas outposts need to be defended." Aislin said solemnly without thinking.

This sentence was discussed with him by Dacreus, and in fact, he thought that what Dacreus said was right. He knew the weight of this sentence and what it represented. The future of Asur, or the elves, was no longer Ulthuan, or a certain kingdom, but the ocean of the entire world.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Daxus repeated in a relaxed tone, as if to wake them up, "These places are our essence, Twilight Fortress needs to be guarded, Dawn Fortress needs to be guarded, Tal Alasun, Tal Elitis, these places all need to be guarded, so..."

He paused, watching the Asur generals gradually understand what he meant, then he spread his hands, his eyes as hot as flames.

"I am the champion of Matheran. I am the embodiment of Matheran walking in this world."

His voice was low and firm, carrying a certain irresistible power, echoing in the banquet hall for a long time.

"In my imagination, the ocean of this world belongs to Matheran and the elves."

"The Elven Navy should be unrivaled."

“It should be a global fleet, not a local fleet.”

His voice echoed in the air, filled with a power that was almost divine.

"Matheran's will will radiate to every corner of the ocean."

"In the future, there will be many regions, many colonies, many maritime outposts, many shipping routes, and many ports, so..."

He spread his hands again and looked at the Asur generals in front of him. Their eyes were no longer confused as before, but were gradually ignited by some new beliefs.

"We are not enough now! Far from enough!"

"so……"

His gaze was like a sharp blade, staring directly at these once proud Asur nobles, crushing their last bit of hesitation.

"Let us truly rule this ocean!"

(This picture is not in the right proportion) (End of this chapter)