I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 524 Fighting
Anger can make people do irrational things.

Little Knife is very calm now... or rather, he thinks he is very calm. It is not a good idea for the fleet to rashly approach Moonstone Port, because the player has not destroyed the five magic towers and does not know what other attack capabilities they have.

However, the irrational act of stabbing the elf in the buttocks with a knife struck right where it hurt.

When the mages inside the main tower discovered through the crystal ball that the terrifying behemoth was not stationary a kilometer away, but instead began to raise more sails, leading several smaller enemy ships, and slowly approaching Moonstone Harbor with a steady and resolute manner...

Inside the magic tower, there was no joy at the prospect of "the enemy entering range," but rather a deeper, suffocating panic instantly enveloped them.

"They...they're getting closer, they're closing the distance!"

The young elven mage screamed, his voice distorted with fear.

Olarian's face instantly turned even more grim than when his shield had been hit. He could almost hear his heart pounding wildly in his chest, and a chill swept over his entire body.

"No...this is not good news..."

He whispered hoarsely, then suddenly looked up and roared at all the nearly desperate mages in the tower.

"Maintain the shield at all costs! They're about to enter a more effective firing range!"

These words struck the hearts of every elven mage like a block of ice.

They had just experienced firsthand that at a distance of one thousand meters, although most of the enemy's artillery fire missed, even a one-tenth or two-tenths hit rate was enough to cause such destructive power and depletion of their shields. Their magical shields, which they were so proud of, were like eggshells being continuously struck by a heavy hammer under that kind of pure physical bombardment.

So, what if the distance is reduced to 800 meters? 700 meters? Or even 500 meters?

Any elf with even a modicum of military knowledge could immediately deduce that despairing outcome.

The closer the distance, the straighter the trajectory of the shell, the less the speed drop, and the less affected by wind drift. More importantly, the closer the distance, the more the aiming error will be reduced.

This means that the enemy's astonishing number of cannons will be transformed from "occasional jabs" into "heavy and dense left and right punches," increasing the hit rate exponentially.

At that time, the hit rate will no longer be one or two out of ten; it may be one-third, or even half, of the shells that accurately hit the magic shield and the magic tower itself.

That will no longer be a drain, but a devastating crushing defeat.

"Chief, we should unleash a more powerful spell and strike first!"

An elderly elven mage with a resolute face and wrinkles around his eyes stepped forward. His voice trembled slightly with excitement, but his eyes were exceptionally sharp.

"The enemy is entering our effective firing range. This is an opportunity, and we cannot stand idly by and watch them close the distance!"

He quickly and clearly explained his reasons.

"We can begin immediately, combining the full power of the five magic towers to jointly cast a massive combined spell... such as Extreme Chain Lightning or Meteor Explosion."

"Let's gather all our magic, the spiritual power of all the mages, and even a portion of the tower's reserves, and gamble everything on this!"

He pointed to the approaching Storm in the crystal ball, his tone resolute and determined.

"As long as the enemy dares to enter our strongest attack range, such as 500 meters or even 400 meters, we will immediately release this spell. There is only one target: that giant ship!"

At such close range and with such powerful magic, even if it cannot be destroyed instantly, it will certainly severely damage the ship, kill a large number of enemy personnel, and paralyze its combat capabilities. Once that giant ship is no longer a threat, the remaining enemies will be no problem.

Although this giant ship is enormous, it is ultimately not a magic ship, and its ability to protect against magic is definitely not very strong!

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the other mages in the tower, each with their own distinct expression, before finally returning to Alarian, and explaining the most crucial strategic significance of the plan.

"Conversely, if the enemy, fearing our counterattack, halts their approach and continues their inefficient shelling from a thousand meters away, that's not unacceptable to us either, because what we need most is time. The kingdom's naval reinforcements are on their way. Every moment of delay increases the chances of reinforcements arriving. We will hold our magic towers, relying on shields and the powerful spells we're about to complete as a deterrent, forcing the enemy to choose between a risky, all-out assault and the option of continuing to wear them down from a distance and buy time."

Regardless of their choice, the initiative will partially return to our hands!

This proposal, like a bolt of lightning, cleaved through the atmosphere of despair permeating the tower. It was no longer a simple passive defense, but an active strategy that encompassed multiple objectives: "deterrence," "counterattack," and "delay."

A monk immediately expressed his agreement.

"That's right, we can't just sit here and wait to die! We must make the enemy pay the price!"

"By combining the power of the five towers, our magic is enough to tear the sky and the sea apart, letting them witness the true power of elven magic!"

However, some monks have expressed concerns.

"However, casting such a powerful spell together requires time to prepare, during which our defenses will be at their lowest. Moreover, it will consume almost all of our magic power and energy. What if the spell fails to achieve the desired effect..."

As Aurelion listened to the argument between the two sides, his eyes fixed on the giant ship that was still slowly approaching in the crystal ball, he was torn between his own thoughts and his inner turmoil.

The proposer's thinking is undoubtedly correct; this may be the only way to break the current absolutely passive situation, to threaten the enemy with the strongest spear and force them to make a choice.

Getting close means facing a swift and devastating attack; staying away buys time for reinforcements.

However, the risks are equally enormous.

During the preparation of a large-scale combined spell, most of the mages' mental energy must be diverted, leaving only three or four people to oversee the defense. This will significantly reduce the defensive capabilities of the magic towers, and if the enemy seizes this opportunity to launch a fierce attack... Moreover, placing all hopes on a single attack is itself a gamble.

The silence that lasted a few seconds felt like centuries.

Finally, a resolute glint flashed in Olarian's eyes.

He couldn't just stand by and watch the port be gradually eroded without doing anything. He had to buy time for reinforcements to arrive and also seek some redress for his fallen compatriots and destroyed homes.

"Let's adopt this suggestion!"

Alarian's voice was resolute and echoed within the tower.

"Immediately use the communication array to notify the other four magic towers to stop all unnecessary magic output and fully cooperate with the main tower to begin guiding the lament of the Goddess of the Abyss!"

Target: Enemy flagship; Trigger range set... 500 meters!

He took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the Storm like that of a hawk.

"Let's stake everything: either send them to hell with a devastating magical vortex, or use this concentrated destructive power to force them back and buy precious time for Moonstone Harbor!"

The order was passed down quickly.

The light emanating from the five magic towers in Moonstone Harbor began to change.

Previously, the light was stable and defensive, a milky white or pale blue glow. But now it has suddenly changed, and the tower is emitting a deep, ocean-like blue light. This light is not dazzling, but it carries a heavy feeling that can devour everything.

The crystal at the top of the tower no longer shimmered steadily, but began to beat violently like a heart. With each beat, it caused the water elements in the surrounding air to emit a deep hum, as if from the bottom of the deep sea.

Between the five magic towers, the invisible magical energy channels were fully activated. Visible blue energy streams, like twisted lightning, leaped and connected between the towers, forming a large net covering the sky above the port.

A massive amount of magical power is being forcibly extracted from the surrounding environment, gathered, and compressed, with its target pointing directly at the ever-approaching shadow of death ahead of the port... the Storm.

(End of this chapter)