299 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Chapter 299 The Kingdom of Kallon, unique among the Union of Small Kingdoms as a maritime nation, prided itself on a navy that could be compared not only to the weakest four but also to the mightiest three. The prevailing opinion within the Union was that as long as they focused on defensive naval battles and not land invasions, they could hold their own against any of the three mighty kingdoms. And indeed, at the onset of the war, Kallon proved this confidence was not unfounded by repeatedly defeating the naval forces of Theronan. This was accredited, in part, to the efforts of Gustav Clemen, Kallon's famed "Mage of Tides." However, at some point, an aura user abruptly appeared in the naval battles on Theronan's side, slowly pushing Kallon's navy back into their own waters. Naval warfare of this era was generally characterized by the ramming of enemy vessels to sink them, or engaging in long-range combat with arrows or magic, before closing in for a melee battle. Skillful helmsmen who could deftly maneuver the ships and soldiers strong in close combat on a rocking deck were the main criteria for assessing naval strength. But Kallon's navy was different. Their main force was composed of water mages, utilizing tactics that prevented enemies from even approaching. They could entangle fleet courses by altering currents or flipping ships from afar by exerting incredible physical force using seawater. They were indeed the sovereigns of the sea. And at their center was Gustav Clemen, the Mage of Tides. But now, in this very moment, there was another superhuman upsetting the balance of naval warfare in a direction slightly different from Gustav's. "He's coming again!" "Block him!" "How are we supposed to block that? Dammit!" Kallon's soldiers shouted in panic as they saw a man with brown hair "running" across the sea. Arrows poured down following their cries, and some ships unleashed spells like water arrows and ice barrages. But the dense red aura emanating from the superhuman running across the water effortlessly deflected all attacks from the enemy forces. "Can such a thing even be possible?" "Damn it!" "What on earth is that?!" The crimson light surrounding him made it clear he was an aura user. But what kind of aura user could walk on water and shrug off attacks that would overwhelm most? Even the "Iron Wall," known as Theronan's sole superhuman, didn't seem to possess such defensive prowess. Of course, he couldn't stand on water in the first place. "Uwaaaah!" At the cheer erupting from the ships of Theronan approaching from behind, the faces of Kallon's soldiers twisted in despondency. That superhuman would soon mount their undefended ships and slaughter them brutally. And amidst the chaos of their shattered fleet, Theronan's fleet would close in with superior numbers, forcing them into close combat. This was the driving force behind Theronan's recent naval advantage over Kallon. But then— BOOM! The surface where the approaching enemy superhuman stood suddenly erupted with a furious roar, as if soaring into the sky. The sight of the calamity-like superhuman, who had ignored every attack until now, being blown away like a small boat caught in a storm. And seeing the ship bearing the flag of the Mage of Tides approaching from the rear, Kallon's soldiers erupted in a triumphant cheer. "It's Gustav!" "The Mage of Tides!" "Uwoooh!" The two superhumans who had each altered the tide of war on the three routes from the continent to the Kallon archipelago had finally encountered each other. And the result of their initial clash was evidently in favor of Gustav, the Mage of Tides. Yet the expression on the mage who had countered Theronan's superhuman was anything but pleased. "Just like that?" A middle-aged man with tanned, sun-bronzed skin, and robust, muscular build frowned. His original plan was to destabilize the balance of the bizarrely swift water-running aura user with a shock, then drown him by dragging him to the sea's depths. Yet, the supposed light offensive had sent the enemy flying as if he had misjudged the situation by using too much magic. But observing the enemy smoothly glide down from the air, landing on the flagship as if riding a wind, Gustav immediately dismissed that thought. Though he didn’t know exactly what trick was involved, it seemed to be a technique for considerably lightening one's body. Fortunately, he was aware that among aura users, there were occasionally those with inexplicably peculiar abilities, so he wasn’t too taken aback. In a neighboring kingdom, they even spoke of an aura user who could ride the wind. By that measure, mere gliding seemed almost adorable. Moreover, as a water mage who had awakened to the 6th Circle and gained the attribute of wind, Gustav was a combat mage specialized in naval warfare in the truest sense. Gustav believed that no one could defeat him on the sea. "Not on my watch!" With a confident shout, Gustav watched the stumbling enemy plunge. Just as the enemy's body neared the surface, the seawater transformed into a giant spear, poised to skewer the opponent. BOOM! Another resonant explosion followed. As he observed the adversary being flung unpredictably, seemingly unable to control his body, a smile formed on Gustav's face. However, he soon realized something was wrong. "Flung away?" Not shattered or exploded? As his expression hardened, Gustav saw the enemy, who had been sent flying, gently descend onto the water surface as if nothing had happened. Then, once again, he began his charge towards the flagship. Although his speed seemed slightly sluggish for a superhuman, the heavy flagship could not dodge a blindingly fast aura user traveling over water at a speed akin to a horseman on land. It seemed that this superhuman had some skill in mitigating shock or perhaps moving along with the force. In that case? "I'll crush you completely." Crack. In response to the insulted Gustav’s will, magic vibrated, soon transforming the very seawater the enemy was treading upon into a formidable weapon, surrounding him on all sides. "Die!" With a fiercely clenched fist, the surrounding seawater tightened with immense pressure around the enemy at the center. Yet. "...Huh?" To his bewilderment, the mass of water, though slightly slower, continued its relentless advance towards the ship undeterred by the trap. "You insolent..." Gustav's face flushed with irritation. ROAR. The water encompassing the enemy spiraled upward, forming a towering pillar that bridged the sea and sky. It was Gustav's ultimate arcane technique, "Wrath of the Sea God," a spell he had rarely conjured in his life. Its potency did not betray his expectations. "Waaaaah!" "Hold on to the railing!" "We’ll be swept away if we're not careful!" A massive vessel rocked against the surging waves, the shouts and screams of allies mingling in the air. "How could that be!?" "What is that?" "Is this really something man-made!?" The stark contrast in emotions was palpable between the two nations witnessing the might of the Mage of Tides. Just as the tumultuous waters ceased and not a trace of the enemy remained, Gustav raised his fist triumphantly. "I’ve dealt with their superhuman! Rid us of the invaders!" With Gustav's command, Kallon's fleet surged forward. Used to employing long-range magical attacks, Kallon's fleet was now brimming with the confidence to tackle any mainland army. In contrast. "Damn!" "Charge forward as well!" "There's no retreat!" Theronan's fleet, morale crushed, had no choice but to forcefully charge forward. 'It's better to engage in close combat quickly, blocking that terrifying mage’s spells for fear of friendly fire.' In terms of sheer vessel numbers and troops, Theronan held the advantage. "Full speed ahead!" Theronan’s commander, Marquis Calib Bros, shouted incessantly as he spurred his men onward. Then, suddenly. "What!?" Some of the Kallon soldiers, busy raising the sails in high spirits, noticed something strange. A fiery red form was hurtling down from the sky. "What is that?!" As more Kallon soldiers turned their gaze upward, BOOM! The red meteor(?) pierced through the deck of one of Kallon's ships, announcing its presence. And then. CRASH. Breaking through the side of the vessel, Theronan’s superhuman dramatically made their return known. "Waaah!" "Armored!" "Armored Hassen!" "The Guardian of Theronan!" Once more, cheers erupted from Theronan’s fleet. The Kallon fleet, which had been charging in high spirits, frantically attempted to turn their leading flagship. "Keep advancing! Are you going to ruin the formation over one enemy?!" Only after Gustav's bellow did the ships begin to regroup, but the sudden maneuvering slowed their progress considerably. Meanwhile, Theronan's fleet, riding on their momentum, charged directly at the enemy. The large, sharp prows fixed on the leading vessels gleamed ominously. 'Ugh, that stings a bit.' Armored—no, Aileen shuddered at the dizzying impact resonating through her entire body. When she had been rocketed skyward under immense pressure, she momentarily thought of death, her mind going blank. But she endured, and that gave her even greater confidence. ‘My abilities are meant to be used like this.’ Her trait, "Indomitable Fortress," enveloped her body with countless layers of thin aura, providing substantial defense even normally. When fully unleashed, the layered aura’s resonance amplified her shield’s strength incredibly. Initially, when Aileen and Logan awakened her trait, they thought it best to pursue an extreme offensive swordsmanship, disregarding defense. However, they soon realized the issues. Aileen's trait, while possessing powerful advantages, had significant drawbacks. Due to the constant aura field, her physical enhancement was far lower than other aura users, and it interfered with versatility because of its rigid form. She could barely envelop a longsword with aura. Even then, it didn’t boast the supreme cutting power of other aura blades but merely made the sword extraordinarily sturdy. —With this, regardless of having superior swordsmanship, it’ll only appear as if she’s merely defending against other aura users. —Are we banking on the enemy tiring first when attacking? That’s just… Logan was frustrated, but Aileen laughed instead. Because the strengths were undeniable. —To subpar opponents, it's like being invincible. No matter their combined assault, injury won’t be an issue. Moreover, their mentor, the Sword Master, offered innovative ideas to maximize that strength. —The foundation of a duel is footwork and movement. If these are utilized effectively… The Sword Master proposed a technique that added the automatic vibrations of Aileen’s fully extended aura to her Ghostly Shadow skills. Consequently, Aileen developed her unique movement method, "Feather Step (羽步, Woobo)," which allowed her to absorb and deflect external impacts with ease. It had its issues when transitioning to the offense, but at least when focused on defense, even Logan, two stages above her, struggled to subdue her. As her strengths got refined, unanticipated abilities emerged, such as gliding down from high places using the wind or moving across a rippling water surface at about half the speed as on land. —To opponents weaker than aura users, she’s invincible, and even against mages, she’s their worst match mostly. I’ve created another monster. The Sword Master's exclamation was well-deserved. ‘That’s why I came here. To capture him, the Mage of Tides.’ There were, of course, perilous moments, particularly because of being on the water. However, as Aileen observed Gustav's bronzed skin turn pale in the distance, she was certain that his tactics would never again surface on this battlefield. That very day, the Kallon navy suffered a crushing defeat, and the Mage of Tides, Gustav, barely escaped with severe injuries. It marked the moment when the mysterious aura user, "Guardian of Theronan" Armored Hassen, began making a name for themselves on the eastern continent. Coinciding with this, news spread inland that Liberty's "Silver Reaper," Gaile Slayer, had defeated the main forces of the Tri-Nation Alliance. From that point on, the war began to rapidly tilt in favor of the Union.