I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 545 Enemies from outside the sky
Night fell like a thick, dark velvet blanket over the undulating sea.

The second phase of the revenge fleet, consisting of 150 armed merchant ships, resembled chess pieces scattered on a black chessboard. Under the faint light of the stars and moon, they quietly changed formations, making their final preparations before battle.

Elune stood on the ship's railing, peering out to observe the movement and positions of the surrounding ships for a long time. Then, he looked at the Pirate King beside him and spoke frankly.

"I don't quite understand your formation."

The Shanghai Pirate King was puzzled. He looked around at the sea.

"What don't you understand? Isn't my fleet formation quite simple?"

"You're treating naval warfare like land warfare, using ships as mobile fortresses or city walls."

Ailunor pointed to the ship that was adjusting its position, his brows furrowed, his tone carrying the bewilderment and helplessness of a scholar seeing an error.

"I see over there, three ships lined up side by side, trying to form a defensive line?"
And those ships trying to flank us… Your Excellency, the sea is not a plain, and ships are not infantry formations.”

The Shanghai Pirate King crossed his arms, quite confident in his plan.

"Concentrate firepower, create local advantages, and outflank from the flanks. What's wrong with that?"
The principles of land warfare and naval warfare are ultimately the same.

Elunor sighed softly, her expression as if she were instructing a clever but stubborn student.

"The sea is ever-flowing, and the wind is unpredictable. To a true veteran of naval warfare, your dense formation looks like a bunch of ducks huddled together waiting to be attacked."

He stretched out his hand and pointed towards the direction of the ocean current that was faintly visible in the darkness in the distance.

"When you deployed your fleet, you overlooked the most fundamental things: ocean currents, wind direction, and the maneuverability of the ships themselves. The wind is blowing from this direction right now. If the Blue Flame Kingdom's fleet attacks from this direction, they can launch a pure ramming attack by taking advantage of the wind."

With just one charge, they could pierce the outermost two layers of your fleet's defenses, reach you, or slice your fleet into pieces.

Elunor paused for a moment, then emphasized.

"If they adopt this tactic, your fleet will suffer significant losses from the start and will be at a disadvantage, resulting in a situation where you are outnumbered."

"Oh, I know."

The Shanghai Pirate King was nonchalant, even grinning to reveal two rows of solid teeth that appeared somewhat white in the night.

Elunor was taken aback by his reaction, and her emerald eyes became even more confused.

"you know?"

He repeated, his voice filled with disbelief.

"You knew the formation was flawed and would cause unnecessary losses, yet you still insisted on setting it up this way?"

"There's nothing I can do, Elunor. You think there's something wrong with my fleet formation, but in fact, it's the formation with the fewest problems we can arrange."

"As you can see, my men are unfamiliar with the sea, and their ship handling skills are at a beginner level. Aside from having more ships and cannons, my fleet has no advantage over the elven fleet."

The Shanghai Pirate King shrugged, his face displaying an almost shameless honesty, as if acknowledging an obvious yet unavoidable fact.

“Eluneor, my friend, you overestimate us. We are people…”

He pointed to the ship beneath his feet, then gestured in a circle towards the shadowy fleet around him.

"Most of them were fighting on land or fishing in small sampans on inland rivers just a few months ago. The fact that we were able to get these 150 boats here without half of them sinking is already the result of countless silver dollars and manpower."

He walked over to Elunor and leaned against the ship's railing with him, watching the slowly moving ship shadows in the darkness, his tone carrying a self-deprecating clarity.

"Complex maneuvers? Seizing the upper hand? Utilizing ocean currents?"

It's not that we don't want to, it's that we really don't know how. If we force ourselves to do it, we'll probably be in complete chaos before we even see the enemy, all bumping into each other and getting completely disoriented.

Elunor fell silent. He could indeed see that the fleet was clumsy in handling ships, but he hadn't expected the root cause to be so thorough.

He originally thought it was just a lack of training, but he didn't expect it to be almost starting from scratch.

He pictured these humans, who, with astonishing resources and an almost brute-force determination, had managed to sail a fleet of landlubbers into the heart of the Elven Sea.

This in itself is a miracle, or rather, an astonishing madness.

"so……"

The Shanghai Pirate King continued, his tone becoming somewhat manic.

"We can only choose the simplest and safest method: to bring the ships as close together as possible to form a solid, slow-moving sea fortress. We are not pursuing maneuverability; we are pursuing durability and firepower coverage."

He pointed to the ships lined up side by side.

"They are not defensive lines, but mobile artillery clusters. No matter which direction the enemy comes from, they will first have to face our dense flank fire."

You want to charge?

Sure, but before you crash into us, you'll be bombarded by dozens or even hundreds of our cannons several times over.

"You want to divide and encircle us? No problem, cut us all you want. As long as you can withstand the losses during the process, I guarantee that no matter which part the enemy attacks, they'll break a few teeth. And the turrets in other directions will immediately turn and aim at you, then open fire indiscriminately."

The Shanghai Pirate King grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth, which stood out starkly in the night.

"We will indeed suffer losses, and the losses may be considerable at the beginning, but that's alright. We have more ships and more men, and we can afford to wait. We can exchange the sacrifice of some ships for the opportunity to board. Once we get into boarding action..."

A beastly glint flashed in his eyes.

"That's where we excel, our experience in land warfare. That'll come in handy then. My brothers will show them what true, utter madness is."

Elunor remained silent for a long time.

He finally understood that this was not a clever naval tactic; it was even a desecration of naval warfare.

However, this is an extremely pragmatic, even barbaric, tactic that transforms disadvantages into a special advantage based on one's own conditions.

It is cumbersome, inefficient, and comes at a huge cost.

But such tactics are simple, direct, and... likely to be effective.

Especially when facing a fleet that may be accustomed to traditional elven naval warfare, emphasizing maneuverability, spell coordination, and precision strikes, this unreasonable "iron turtle" tactic might really disrupt the opponent's rhythm.

"I understand."

"I finally spoke softly," Elunor said, her tone complex.

"You're not setting up a naval battle formation, you're... constructing a floating, mobile battering ram and arena."

By sinking ships, you forcefully drag the war into your familiar rhythm.

The Shanghai Pirate King patted him on the shoulder with satisfaction.

"Well summarized! So, my advisor, do you still think there's a problem with our formation? Perhaps it doesn't conform to the art of naval warfare, but it's perfect for us landlubbers."

Ailunor gazed at the dark horizon, as if he could already see the impending bloody clash, and sighed softly.

"In my judgment, if a naval battle breaks out tonight, you will still lose, because the Blue Flame Kingdom has many magic ships, but they will not win easily, and there may even be casualties that they do not want to bear."

Elunor remained silent for a while.

"When the sun rises tomorrow, this place will become a graveyard of warships..."

"I have a question."

The Shanghai Pirate King suddenly asked.

"Please say."

"Why would you help me like this?"

The Shanghai Pirate King was very puzzled.

“You are an elf, and judging from the situation, you should also be a big shot in the Blue Flame Kingdom, a beneficiary.”

Elunor fell silent once more. He looked up at the exceptionally bright moonlight tonight, his silver hair gleaming faintly in the dim starlight.

"You might think I'm a traitor... but in fact, it's because I deeply love the Blue Flame Kingdom that I'm helping you."

First of all, your hatred has a basis. Although the matter is complicated, it is ultimately the Blue Flame Kingdom that made the mistake.

Secondly, the Blue Flame Kingdom now needs a defeat, because over an excessively long period of time, the country has become excessively corrupt and its class system rigid. Arrogance and prejudice have entangled the kingdom's foundations like vines, suffocating its vitality.

Elunor's voice was soft, yet sharp as an icicle.

"The upper-class nobles were so engrossed in the glory of their millennia-old heritage that they turned a blind eye to everything happening on the sea, even showing disdain for it. They believed that the magic and warships of the elves were still invincible, but little did they know that... the times were already quietly changing."

I didn't know at first, until I saw the traces you left at Moonstone Harbor.

He turned his head and looked at the Shanghai Pirate King with sharp eyes.

"The reason why entities like the Mirror Sea Brigade can act with such impunity is because they have the tacit approval or even support of certain powerful figures behind them to raid human fleets. In their eyes, it may just be a trivial lesson for short-lived species, or even a form of entertainment to pass the time." A cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth, filled with deep sarcasm.

"Such a kingdom needs a bucket of cold water, no, it needs a storm, it needs a defeat that is painful and shocking enough to shatter that arrogant shell, to awaken those souls sleeping in the ancient tree palace, and to see what this world is really like."

"So, you've chosen to help us hasten this defeat?"

The Shanghai Pirate King seemed to be deep in thought.

"not quite."

Elunor's gaze returned to the distance, as if piercing through the darkness to see the outline of the Blue Flame Islands.

"I am helping my kingdom, in a way that may not be understood."

I point out the flaws in your formation and analyze possible tactics in order to make your failures more precise and valuable.

A victory won through confusion only fosters arrogance, while a defeat that is fully understood and comes at a heavy cost can become a catalyst for change.

He exhaled softly, with a heavy resolve.

"I hope this naval battle will make the kingdom remember the pain, the price of underestimating the enemy, and that the blood shed, if it can nurture the seeds of awakening and reform, will be more meaningful than a meaningless victory."

As for myself…

He paused, then his tone returned to its characteristic self-deprecating calmness.

"Whether he is a hero or a traitor, let future generations judge. After all, history sometimes needs some out-of-time people to do out-of-time things."

Elunor's words, like a final prophecy, dissipated in the sea breeze. Almost as soon as he finished speaking, the darkness in the distance seemed to come alive.

At first, there were only a few faint lights, like fallen stars, quietly illuminating the dark horizon.

Immediately afterwards, the eerie light rapidly increased and spread, forming a cold yet magnificent band of light.

There were no bugles, no war drums, only the monotonous sound of waves crashing against the ship's side as background noise.

A fleet thus emerged slowly from the depths of the night with an almost elegant and eerie stillness.

Their hulls are long and sleek, a stark contrast to the bulky and sturdy human vessels.

The ship's hull appeared to be made of some kind of luminous pale wood or magically treated material, emitting a faint, moonlit glow.

The sails were not made of ordinary cloth, but rather like a light veil woven from moonlight, billowing in the breeze yet making almost no sound.

These elven warships glided silently across the water, like ghosts, and began to circle the Shanghai Pirate King's massive, brightly lit fleet, which was packed together in a dense crowd.

They did not rush to attack, but maintained a scrutinizing, even somewhat disdainful, distance, completing a slow and perfect encirclement from a distance of 1.5 kilometers.

Their movements are coordinated and synchronized, like a dance that has been rehearsed countless times.

Each elven warship occupied the most advantageous position, making full use of the wind and ocean currents, a stark contrast to the rigid and clumsy formation of the human fleet.

They were like a group of elegant cheetahs, calmly circling around a group of nervous water buffalo in the center of the circle.

The Shanghai Pirate King stood at the bow of the ship, squinting as he watched this scene.

Despite being mentally prepared, his heart still raced uncontrollably when he saw the elven fleet appear in such an imposing manner.

He could feel the sudden increase in the breathing of the other players behind him.

"Damn it... you were right."

He whispered to Elunor beside him, his tone revealing neither nervousness nor excitement.

"This display is quite impressive."

Elunor smiled.

"Sixteen fast assault ships, eight spell support ships, and..."

His gaze was fixed on the outer edge of the encirclement, on a warship that was significantly larger and entirely green.

"...Flagship, Emerald Dream."

Following Elune's gaze, the Shanghai Pirate King observed through his binoculars and soon spotted the larger green warship. Unfortunately, it was too far away, and the lighting conditions were not ideal, so he could see the ship but not many details.

Are you and your people ready?

Elune turned her head to look at the Pirate King.

"What preparation?"

"Prepare for battle, they're about to launch an attack..."

Before Elunor could finish speaking, a sudden change occurred.

It didn't come from the sea, but from the sky.

The pitch-black night sky, as if splashed with scalding blood by an invisible giant hand, suddenly became clear.

That red was not the gentle charm of the sunset, but a kind of morbid, scorching, ominous crimson that quickly spread, swallowing up the stars and the waning moon.

The entire sky, like a red-hot iron pot, was overturned over the vast sea.

"Then...what is that!?"

One player gasped in surprise and pointed to the sky.

The Shanghai Pirate King looked up abruptly, also stunned by this sudden celestial phenomenon.

The crimson light shone on his face, casting an eerie hue over his initial excitement and tension.

Immediately afterwards, in the depths of the crimson sky, twinkling "stars" lit up.

Those "stars," trailing dazzling tails that were usually made of flames, were growing larger and brighter at an alarming rate... They were falling!
"meteor……?"

"The Shanghai Pirate King muttered, but immediately denied his own speculation."

No meteor shower is so large, so uniform, so purposeful and destructive, and... their trajectories all seem to point in the same direction.

"No, it wasn't a shooting star!"

For the first time, Elunor's voice lost its usual composure, carrying an undisguised look of horror. His emerald eyes were fixed on the falling fireballs, his pupils contracting in shock.

"That direction... leads to Mooncrown City, the core of the Blue Flame Islands, and the location of the World Tree!"

His face appeared unusually pale in the crimson sunlight.

"This is... a sign of the crystal wall shattering. Something from outside the world has forcibly broken through the barrier and descended into this world!"

As if to confirm his words, those "meteors" finally fell below the distant horizon, their landing point vaguely resembling the location of the Blue Flame Islands.

Even from such a distance, those standing on the Steel Justice could almost feel a faint yet continuous tremor beneath their feet, as if the very foundation of the world was groaning in pain.

On the sea, the elven fleet, which had already completed its encirclement and was poised to attack, was now in obvious disarray. Those elegant warships, which radiated moonlight, looked particularly eerie and unsettling against the backdrop of the crimson sky.

Their originally perfect encirclement formation began to loosen, and some warships even involuntarily slowed down. The magical light flashing on their hulls flickered erratically, as if the spellcasters' minds were also being greatly impacted.

"A demon... or some other ancient calamity?"

Elunor's voice trembled slightly as he suddenly grabbed the Pirate King's arm with a force that was completely unlike his usual elegance.

"Sir, we must cease hostilities immediately!"

The Shanghai Pirate King also recovered from his initial shock. He looked at the crimson sky, then at the clearly chaotic Elven fleet in the distance, and finally his gaze fell on Eluneor's face, which was filled with anxiety and determination.

The player's instincts told him that this was not just a cutscene, but the trigger of a large-scale event that would affect the entire server!
"armistice?"

The Shanghai Pirate King licked his dry lips, his eyes flashing with a complex light—surprise, excitement, and a ruthless determination to seize an opportunity.

"Don't you understand?!"

Elunor growled, his silver hair fluttering slightly with excitement. He understood the meaning of the Pirate King and therefore found it even more intolerable.

"This is no longer a war between you and the elves!"
Extraterrestrial demons have breached the world's crystal barrier. Their goal is undoubtedly to destroy the World Tree of the Blue Flame Islands. Without the World Tree's support, the world's crystal barrier will develop even larger vulnerabilities, making it easier for these invaders from beyond the world to invade!

He stared intently at the Shanghai Pirate King, his eyes burning with intensity.

"Listen, the World Tree is the most important thing in this world. The Blue Flame Kingdom was established to protect the World Tree and safeguard the crystal barrier of this world."

real or fake! ?
The Shanghai Pirate King instinctively remained skeptical, but the next second, several messages popped up on his personal interface.

Main quest updated.
+World Event: "World Burner Invasion" has been triggered.
+Mission Objective: Ensure the World Tree in the Blue Flame Islands is not destroyed by demons.
+Warning: The mission will fail if the World Tree is destroyed.
+Task reward: Currently unknown.
+Note: At this stage, the relationship with the Elf Fleet has been temporarily and forcibly adjusted to an "unstable alliance." Player attacks will deduct reputation points before the Elf Fleet initiates an attack.
Oh dear, now the plot is starting to sound cliché.

(End of this chapter)