I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 523 Attack on the Monk's Temple
Because of the distant smoke and thunderous roar, Moonstone Harbor knew the enemy was coming, and the port guards did everything they could.

They dispersed the human and half-elf laborers working at the port, persuaded the merchant ships docked at the port to leave immediately and sail in the opposite direction of the battlefield, and organized all available guards and volunteers in an attempt to build a final line of defense in the dock area.

The port's magicians all moved into the magic tower, their magical light shimmering at the top, ready to defend against external enemies.

However, when the magicians inside the magic tower used the crystal ball of the tower's constant Eagle Eye spell to clearly reflect the massive outline of the Storm, which resembled a sea fortress, an uncontrollable gasp and gasp rang out within the tower.

"The mother tree above... then, what is that?"

A young elven mage apprentice's voice trembled, and he nearly dropped the observation artifact in his hand; he had never seen such a colossal warship before.

The tower master of the Moonstone Magic Tower, who is also the oldest and most knowledgeable chief mage in the port, Aularion, had seen similar ships before. It was precisely because of his knowledge that he felt a chill run down his spine.

His sharp eyes, which had witnessed the passage of hundreds of years, were fixed on the giant ship that was slowly approaching in the crystal ball.

Huge, enormous like never before!
Judging by sight alone, its displacement far exceeds that of any known ship.

Before this, the largest ship Aularian had ever seen was the Emerald Dream, the pride of the Blue Flame Kingdom. That magical flagship, known as the "Unsinkable Moving Forest" and capable of taking on a small fleet single-handedly, would probably pale in comparison to this monstrous warship before him.

"At least... two thousand tons, or even more..."

Olarian muttered to himself, his voice hoarse.

As a magician who had experienced naval warfare, he knew all too well that at sea, the size of a warship itself meant unparalleled combat power.

Because a larger hull means a larger magical core, a more complex rune matrix, a more stable elemental resonance field, and... the ability to support more powerful protective barriers, larger strategic spell devices, and more arcane casters.

"Is it... is it an invincible warship like the Emerald Dream?"

Another, older elven mage asked in a weak voice, with a hint of hope in his voice.

They all knew how terrifying the Emerald Dream was; it was the culmination of the kingdom's highest magic and shipbuilding craftsmanship, a stabilizing force at sea.

Olarian slowly shook his head, his face so solemn it could drip water.

No...it's different.

He stared intently at the Storm's simple, almost brutal lines, its heavy hull covered in an unknown metal, and the two rows of densely packed, honeycomb-like gun ports on its sides.

The sheer number of them was enough to make your scalp tingle!

The Emerald Dream's power lies in its enchanted hull, the rapidly growing, living vine armor, and the destructive spells powered by a giant magic crystal at its core.

Rather than a battleship, Emerald Dream is more like a beautiful, living work of magic.

The giant ship before us... it lacked any of the elegant curves and magical shimmering light characteristic of elven warships.

It presents a cold, pure, industrial aesthetic born for war; the heavy hull and the countless cannons exude a savage aura that relies solely on quality, quantity, and the laws of physics to crush everything.

"It lacks the ethereal beauty and magical radiance of the Emerald Dream..."

Orian's voice carried a hint of fear that he himself was unaware of.

"But...it's more like a moving steel mountain built purely for destruction. I saw death in it, I saw the wailing of the Wind Signal and the Petrel, who had just died under its attack!"

Aurian's judgment sent all the mages' hearts sinking to the bottom.

They originally thought that with the magic towers in the port, the coastal ballistae, and the courage of the guards, they could at least hold out for a while and wait for the kingdom's navy to provide support.

But now, faced with such an unimaginable behemoth, as if it had sailed from a nightmare of another world, all defense plans seem so pale and powerless.

"Activate all defensive formations, at maximum power!"

Olarian hissed as he gave the order, trying to dispel the chill in his heart.

"At the same time, immediately send a top-level emergency request for assistance to the Kingdom's Navy!"

The light from the magic tower became even more dazzling, and magical shields rapidly generated and stacked above the key areas of the port.

But a heavy shadow loomed over the hearts of every elven mage: how long could their prized magic withstand the approaching, silent behemoth of steel, a symbol of absolute physical power?
The Storm's massive form not only blocked out the sunlight but also weighed heavily on the hearts of every elf who witnessed it.

……

The Vengeance Fleet, about a kilometer from Moonstone Port, slowly formed a battle line like a bird of death spreading its wings. The Storm was in the center, with three armed merchant ships positioned on either side behind, and two reconnaissance ships patrolling the perimeter.

Xiao Daozai stood on the highest stern deck of the Storm, holding a high-definition telescope, observing the movements of Moonstone Port.

The five spires, each about ten meters high, scattered inside and outside the port, were the focus of his observation... Even a fool would know that the gleaming lights on these five spires made them unsafe.

Little Knife Stabs Butt and the other players didn't know the attack range of these five magic towers, but fortunately, the Kingdom of Bagnia had magic advisors. The players of the Revenge Fleet didn't know, so they could ask other players offline about Polka.

After inquiring, the magic advisor's answer was... do not easily enter within 500 meters.

The range of a typical high-level spell is approximately 400 to 500 meters. However, with the amplification of a magic tower, as well as super spells and spell level-up rings, the power and range of the spell can be increased.

Therefore, just to be on the safe side, Little Knife Stabs the Buttocks specifically ordered the Revenge Fleet to stop a kilometer away from the port for observation.

After waiting for about ten minutes, Xiao Daozai observed that the five magic towers at the Elf Port were shining brightly, but no attacks were ever launched at the head of the revenge fleet. He then knew that a thousand meters was a safe distance.

Xiao Dao pondered for a moment, then turned to look at the player behind him and asked.

"Brother, do you think that if we fire from a distance of one thousand meters, we can effectively concentrate fire on the port and the five magic towers above it?"

"If you ask us to pinpoint a specific building or something, that's definitely going to be very risky."

One of them shrugged and spread his hands indifferently.

"But if we want to attack a port, we have 104 large-caliber cannons here, and 52 of them can fire at the same time. After we finish attacking one side, we can switch to the other side and continue firing, as long as we fire enough shells."

Under the barrage of fire, the five towers plus the core area of ​​the port—such a large target—could be hit several times even with one's eyes closed.

"Even if we don't hit the target at first, we can gradually adjust our aim. They can't hit us, but we can slowly adjust our aim. Isn't that just like shooting at a stationary target?"

"That's right! We still have enough ammunition. Even if we run out of ammunition on the Storm, the three merchant ships behind us can resupply once more!"

"Let's get going, boss, our artillery is itching for fire..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Dao stabbed his buttocks and laughed.

"Then open fire! Have the Storm open fire! Armed merchant ships and reconnaissance ships, retreat a bit, observe the surroundings, and provide cover for us."

The order was quickly relayed, and the Storm's massive body slightly adjusted its posture on the sea surface. The heavy gun doors on the starboard side were pushed open one by one, revealing the dark muzzles that gleamed with a cold, steely luster.

Each of these heavy cannons, crafted from modern steel, would be considered a "monster" in this era.

"Target, port, first round, single gun calibration...fire!"

As a heavy cannon located in the middle of the starboard side suddenly retreated, it spewed out scorching flames and thick smoke. A solid iron ball weighing twenty pounds roared out of the muzzle, drawing a high parabola in the air and flying towards the target a kilometer away.

All the players held their breath, observing the landing point through their binoculars.

A few seconds later, the shell, with a chilling whistle, landed on the sea about a hundred meters from the port, exploding into a huge white column of water.

"Slightly to the right, the impact point is about 100 meters closer. The shell's impact data is as follows..."

The observer on the mast immediately reported the data.

The player, a minor character serving as the gunner on the stern deck, immediately reacted. His brain raced, and he scribbled and drew on the table, combining his crammed artillery knowledge with his training experience. He quickly shouted at the copper pipe in front of him.

"Reduce elevation by one degree! Turn traverse half a turn to the left, keep propellant charge unchanged, second firing calibration!"

Upon hearing this, the player standing in front of the brass microphone on the lower deck gun crew turned his head and relayed the words to the henchman. The other players then quickly turned the winch to adjust the elevation and direction of the gun barrel for aiming.

"Cannon number two, loading complete, calibration firing, fire!" Boom!
Another shell flew out.

This time, the impact point was much closer, hitting the mudflats outside the harbor and splashing up large amounts of mud and sand.

"Alright, this time it's close enough, just a bit to the left. Adjust it again, turn the steer gear one-third of the way... Gun number three, fire!"

boom!
The third calibration shell finally paid off, slamming with tremendous kinetic energy into the pale blue magical shield that enveloped the harbor.

The observer on the mast couldn't hear the impact, but he could see violent ripples spreading where the magic shield had been hit by the cannonball. The light dimmed noticeably for a moment, but it ultimately held on stubbornly.

The mast lookout reported the situation, and everyone on the stern deck immediately cheered, with some shouting excitedly.

"We're lucky! We hit the target on our third shot. We're sure to win the lottery today!"

At the same time, on the other side, Alarian and all the mages inside the tower felt a jolt in their hearts, as if they had been struck by an invisible hammer.

"They hit them? They hit them in just three shots! How can their dwarven cannons have such a high hit rate?!"

Olarian's voice was dry; the other's calmness and methodical approach, as well as such a high rate of artillery orders, filled him with dread.

However, the Storm will not give them much time to adapt.

"Fire calibration complete. All gun crews on the starboard side, attention! Target port. Three gun decks. Under the gunner's command, fire in groups, alternating shifts. Open fire!"

Xiao Dao stabbed his buttocks and decisively gave the order.

Soon, the Storm's starboard cannons unleashed a barrage of deadly fire. This time, it was no longer a single, probing shot, but a continuous barrage like a thunderstorm, with dozens of heavy solid shot raining down on the harbor's magical shield like hailstones.

The Storm's first salvo was incredibly powerful, giving off a feeling of "I'm going to blast you to smithereens!" This terrified the half-elf soldiers hiding in the port houses or military bunkers on the docks, making their legs tremble and almost causing them to flee.

However, when the shells actually landed, the appalling accuracy of the muzzle-loading smoothbore cannon was laid bare to the players who didn't fire and to the elves and half-elves who were hit by the shells.

In this first salvo, more than 60% of the shells landed in the sea in front of the harbor, creating huge, chaotic columns of water. Apart from wasting gunpowder and making a show of force, they accomplished nothing.

About 20% of the shells were "near misses." They carried enormous kinetic energy and either slammed into the mudflats and reefs outside the harbor, splashing up mud and sand, or grazed the edge of the magic shield, causing ripples in the shield due to the wind pressure, but failed to actually hit it.

Only a mere 20% of the shells were fortunate enough to strike the pale blue magical shield above Moonstone Harbor.

Even so, when the two layers of ten cannonballs struck the magic shield one after another, the dull and powerful impact sounds rang out one after another, like a heavy hammer striking a huge, invisible drum.

With each hit, a dazzling burst of light erupted from the point of impact on the shield, and violent ripples spread rapidly from the point of impact, as if the entire shield was groaning and trembling in pain.

In a very short time, the shield's light dimmed at a visible speed, clearly indicating that the magic power required to maintain it was being consumed rapidly.

However, the magic shield will soon regain its radiance, which puts some peace of mind on the port guards hiding below.

What they didn't know was that inside the magic tower, the mages responsible for maintaining the shield had turned pale and were trembling slightly. When attacked, the magic pool was being drained of magic power at a rate far exceeding their expectations.

"No, the shield energy is dropping rapidly. We won't be able to hold out much longer at this rate!"

An elven mage, with a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, screamed.

Standing in front of the main tower control panel, Olarian looked at the giant ship spewing flames in the crystal ball, then at the civilians and buildings trembling under the cannon fire in the harbor, a painful yet resolute look flashing in his eyes.

"Contract the shield, abandon most of the port area, and only cover the five magic towers!"

He practically gritted his teeth as he gave the order.

"We must defend the Port Mage Tower; it's our only hope of fighting back!"

At his command, the massive pale blue shield above the port rapidly contracted inward, abandoning the docks, warehouses, and most of the city like a receding tide, eventually clinging tightly to the five magic towers, forming five relatively thick light shields.

Shortly after the shield retracted, the Storm's second salvo of shells arrived as if by accident. This time, thanks to the experience of the first salvo, nearly half of the shells fell into the harbor like raindrops!

The solid iron ball easily destroyed the exquisite elven buildings. The wooden piers and houses were reduced to fragments in the purest impact. The warehouse was set ablaze by the cannonballs that the players had deliberately set ablaze, and soon a towering fire broke out.

The once relatively orderly port was instantly engulfed in flames and chaos, with cries and explosions mingling together.

The players on the Storm were extremely pleased with the scene, but just as they were preparing to launch their third salvo, an order came from the stern deck.

"Fire freely, concentrate your firepower, and focus fire on the largest of the five magic towers!"

With specific targets, the shelling under the player's free-fire capability becomes more concentrated and targeted.

Despite the fact that the distance still resulted in a low hit rate, the shields of the five magic towers, especially the shield of the main tower, were subjected to continuous bombardment under the concept of "firepower coverage".

Each hit caused the light shield to shake violently, the tower to tremble, and the mages inside the tower to look increasingly grim, with some occasionally vomiting blood due to the backlash of magic.

The elven mages were initially very patient, but the Storm continued to bombard for half an hour. After bombarding the starboard side, they switched to the port side. The port cannons were getting a bit overheated, so they could switch to the starboard cannons, which had cooled down, to continue the bombardment.

After the Storm continued to bombard the port with twelve rounds of cannon fire, and the entire Moonstone Port was almost blasted to pieces, the elven mages finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"Chief, we can't afford to be passively attacked anymore!"

A young mage wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with anger and determination.

"Let's fight back! Use Lightning Strike, our longest-range spell; it can hit the enemy!"

Looking at the apocalyptic scene outside the tower, at his homeland burning amidst the gunfire, Olarian knew he couldn't wait any longer. If he continued to passively endure the attacks, the port outside would be finished.

Although the accuracy of lightning strikes is pitifully low at a distance of one kilometer, relying almost entirely on luck, it is their only means of reaching the enemy.

"Alright, all mages who can still cast spells, prepare to cast a joint lightning strike!"

As Aurelion spoke, he raised his staff, and with the assistance of several mages inside the tower, the crystal at the top of the tower burst forth with dazzling lightning.

The other four towers also seemed to receive the signal, and simultaneously lit up with lightning.

Five dense, dark clouds rapidly gathered at the top of the magic tower, and during this process, the players on the Stormship naturally witnessed this supernatural phenomenon.

But seeing is one thing, but seeing doesn't mean they can do anything about it.

Soon, five slender bolts of lightning, each containing terrifying energy, shot out from the dark clouds, twisting and leaping, crossing a thousand meters of sea surface, and striking the Storm.

Four of them, due to issues of distance and accuracy, landed far away in the sea around the Storm, creating towering columns of water.

But one of the streaks, as if blessed by Lady Luck, struck the Storm's mainmast with pinpoint accuracy!

“Boom!!!!”

The lightning struck first, followed by a deafening thunderclap.

In the instant of the strike, in a silent flash of lightning, the lookout tower atop the mast of the Storm and part of its sails were blasted to pieces, bursting into flames and billowing black smoke.

Several players standing nearby were instantly reduced to charred remains before they could even scream.

On the bridge of the Storm, Knife-Cut-Buttocks was startled by the sudden attack.

"Holy crap, they can actually attack?!"

He immediately realized what was happening and yelled into the brass pipe communicator.

"Damage control team, go and put out the fire immediately! Helmsman, be careful, the elves' lightning magic can hit us. Keep moving, don't stay in one place and become targets!"

Although the actual damage caused by this attack was not fatal to the massive Stormship, it served as a wake-up call, reminding players that the enemy was not entirely defenseless.

After the damage control team outside brought the fire under control and reported the casualties, Xiao Daozai's eyes turned fierce as he looked at the dark clouds above the five magic towers in the distance, which were still flashing with lightning.

"Damn it, you're asking for it! Cease fire, concentrate your fire on the main tower, and prepare for a salvo at my command... Helmsman, proceed to the port! Armed merchant ships and reconnaissance ships behind, open fire now and provide cover for the Storm's advance!"

(End of this chapter)