Caught In Between

In the north, Feathered Valley Pavilion's individual territory. Central building. In the main hall, the Pavilion's and Clashed Dust Cult's leaders were facing each other, with the Pavilion Head receiving information via Soul message.

"Is it everything there? A complete Fleet?" The Cult's Pastor asked the Pavilion Head, feeling overwhelmed but holding it for as long as possible. The Head nodded, slowly blinked his eyes, and elaborated. "Yes, the Fleet consisted of 1 Small Flotilla of about a dozen Fighters, 4 Frigates, 2 Destroyers, and 1 Cruiser. 2 Medium Flotillas, each consisting of 24 Fighters, 7 Frigates, 4 Destroyers, and 2 Cruisers. 3 Large Flotillas, each consisting of 36 Fighters, 11 Frigates, 5 Destroyers, 3 Cruisers, and a Low class Battleship."

"Additionally," the Pavilion Head nervously gulped and slowly blinked again before continuing speaking, "There was a Carrier and 2 Supreme class Battleships surrounding it. We haven't received more reports. It seems like our spies are too afraid to move in the middle of the battle. I wonder what could be happening right now..."

“How long has it been? What was the time when the battle started?” The smiley but troubled Cult Pastor asked, stretching his neck in the desire to know. The Head responded, “It’s been 4 hours since it started. It says so in the report. They haven’t been able to send more information, it seems… What should we do? Move? If we attack the Blue Emirate Grotto, we’ll go against the deal, and the top organizations would directly enter war with us when the Blauw Empire had already started theirs.”

“...” The Pastor became silent. Their spies wouldn’t send a medallion or Universal Conveyance while in the middle of another organization’s territory unless they were at death’s door, and the probability of those messages being caught by the other side’s surveillance array formations wouldn’t be low by then. Now… they could only wait to see if more reports were traveling their way… or not.

“We can’t break the deal,” the Pastor said, “the assigned supervisor isn’t an unruly, easygoing person. He wasn’t trying to lure us into warring the others with the Empire. If anything, he tried forcing us to stay our hands by giving us a pat on our wrists! Even if we are to bait the others, we must decide if we’re doing this or not carefully. Carefully…”

They decided to wait, and thus, they remained silent in meditation and mental debates, keeping it to themselves. An hour later, another report came in. The Head was startled, while the Pastor was astounded and somewhat excited. The Head woke up to take the scroll in his hands, opened it, and read it with the Pastor slowly. Their eyes gradually trembled until they finished reading it, and when they looked at each other, they were stunned.

“The True Dragon House’s individual territory was annihilated? Not even their central building’s remains fell on the ground before being destroyed by a swarm of missiles, over 3,000?! Only a Carrier would expend this much arsenal without feeling much of its storage wasted… how could… they definitely don’t have the money for this much! And they didn’t even use the rocket launchers until the House’s Head appeared! And that was only one of the Little Baby Flood Dragon rocket launchers!”

“The House’s navy was sunken before they reached 50 km before the Carrier by the Small Flotilla! Only leaving a few convoys to the other Flotillas with only machine guns and some artillery guns?! Impossible!!” The Cult Pastor kept his smile, but his eyes were round, and his face twisted, ruining the countenance that would otherwise appears gentle at times. The Pavilion Head nodded his head every time something was mentioned, stunned.

“We… should think a little more,” the Pavilion Head said in a low voice, barely convinced these were his words. The Pastor nodded, however. No matter this news, they were still unsure how they should react. Thus, in silence again, they spent time meditating and thinking to themselves. An hour later, another report arrived, and this time, it was with a trembling, excited Master passing it to them.

“...” The Pastor only had to see the Master’s eyes to see the excitement in the latter. Something must be happening outside that they couldn’t see. However, they couldn’t just leave the meeting hall before resolving to do whatever they decided. After the Master left, the Pavilion Head opened it and started reading with his pal. At once, they were startled by the unprofessional writing of the report, but as they read along, they were stunned.

“The… True Dragon House’s Head fled with his sister and was chased by the Fighters until arriving at the Blue Emirate Grotto’s aerial space?!” - “The Blauw Empire’s 2 Supreme Battleships and 1 Carrier moved to the Wyrm Lord Nation’s sea territory on their own and are already taking half their territory?!” - “The Carrier’s Fighters bathed the Wyrm Lord Nation’s individual territory with thousands of missiles, each one sending a couple at least, and tumbled down the small mountains behind it?!!”

The Head and Pastor were stunned and speechless. They felt their skin numbing and pores opening to the thought of a force single-handedly dealing with 2 top organizations after being overshadowed by all of them in the past. Although it wasn’t them, and they wanted it to be themselves instead, Heian Ciemnosc’s face appeared in their minds, and they couldn’t unsee it. Then, the Blauw Empire’s islands they’ve always looked from afar, 5 parts disdainfully, and another 5 longingly.

Finally, the Empress of the Blauw Empire appeared in their minds, and before they knew it, a majestic ruler whose their ancestors couldn’t compare to emanated might and glory through her simple existence of being. The Blauw Empire appeared behind her, its sea, the islands, the new navy, the Azure Dragon energy array formation they saw the other year, and a cape of darkness looming behind it.

“... We should start moving our believers and members, I think,” the Pavilion Head said as both lowered their heads. The Cult’s Pastor kept his smile, but it became rueful as he looked at the ground, and the atmosphere was serious no more. After exchanging a slight glance, they stepped towards the exit, but before they could take the second step…

“Head! Head! The Wyrm Lord Nation’s sea territory has fallen! Everyone started fleeing to the Sand Emirate Grotto, but another navy appeared before the Sand Emirate Grotto’s sea territory! The other Navy, the one that attacked first, is spreading throughout the southernmost sea territories! It’s theirs now! They have not a single casualty! Those Frigates are too much! They are too fast but also too equipped! They even took a Cruiser down all by themselves!!”

“!?” - “!!” The Cult Pastor was confused, while the Pavilion head was astounded, to say the least. The latter’s medallion continued sounding as the top alarming message system was kept on. “The Carrier has just started deploying its Fighters to the sky, oh my gods! It is just like the other navy. It has more than 13,000 Fighters!! They are overflying the entire sea-”

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM…!~!~!~!

“!!” The Pavilion Head’s face paled, and the Pastor’s countenance became ghastly as the spy no longer said anything. After a whole minute of hearing nonstop explosions from the medallion, the Head took it out of his Covert Space bag and shouted into it. His face was somewhat angst, and his volume was quite loud, with some spit coming out. “Continue, soldier! What is the situation?! What is the origin of those sounds?! How is the actual battle unfolding? Respond!”

“... H- He- Head… Head!” The medallion sounded again with the same voice. Only this time, it seemed like the spy had gotten shell-shocked from the sights he had been witnessing. Incapable of saying anything, the medallion flashed as a poorly HD hologram showed what the spy had been watching. The Head and Pastor frowned when they saw this. Knowing the quality was inadequate because of the spy’s possible circumstances, they focused on the hologram only.

“!!” - “!!” They were stunned silly. The hologram showed a pure and most unmistakable hellfire descending on the Sand Emirate Grotto’s sea territory. A whole other navy was on the move, and while they looked exactly the same as the spy reported before, they seemed more aggressive and restless to start destroying the enemy. Thousands and thousands of Fighters overflew the sea territory, letting missiles fall from their storage, one after the other, before turning around and returning to the Carrier.

After returning, they wouldn’t last even half a minute inside before taking flight to the sky again and doing the same. At once, the Sand Emirate Grotto’s sea territory became barred with fire, but the Blauw Empire’s second navy continued advancing, including the Carrier. As they entered the literal sea of flames, the Head and Pastor understood the spy’s situation as he flew at the side, ignored by the Blauw Empire’s fighters and warships moving behind it as if knowing whose side the spy was from.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“...” - “... I think… nearly the entire sea territory has become… a raging fire!” The Head was silent, but the Pastor managed to speak before gulping down nervously. This was enough to topple down a medium mountain to the ground, and those were tens and tens of kilometers tall, let alone their width. And the Pastor’s words were accurate. This wasn’t a simple bombarding over the water surface, but a literal drowning of the air in the sea territory, making it impossible for any living being to remain near the surface or above the water… except for the navy.

However, the Blauw Empire’s navy didn’t seem to want to disembark on the shores and simply remained within the fire after cleaning it from any life. Although the warring sounds were noticeable when the Wyrm Lord Nation’s sea territory was taken down, people can just be obstinate, and thus, when the Blauw Empire came to the Sand Emirate Grotto’s sea territory, some casualties emerged from the ‘neutral’ side.

Nothing happened after several minutes, but the mightiest top 2 organizations received other reports from the spy about the top 5 organizations’ navy moving towards the Sand Emirate Grotto, rapidly closing in while the second navy remained in the fire as if nothing had happened. It wasn’t just red, orange, or yellow, but also blue and green flames swarming everywhere. Meanwhile, the Head and Pastor continued moving outside the central building and called their upper echelons to relay their decision.

“... One second, I’m receiving news from our spy. I will put the hologram on.” While in the middle of answering confusion and doubts from their people, the Head stopped the Pastor and spoke to everyone before taking his medallion out. The hologram was activated and showed the still raging sea of flames, but now with an extremely long fleet before it, still a distance from reaching the Sand Emirate Grotto’s sea territory.

The fleet was the top 5 organizations’ numbers, and with previous communications with their patrolling warships at the southern borders, the people meeting outside knew these were nearly 80% of all the Blauw Empire’s enemy warships. They were carefree about the Cult and Pavilion at their northern borders, both because they were weaker regarding fleets and arsenal and because of the deal they struck with their old allies.

However, this made it even easier for the Pavilion and Cult’s people to understand why their leaders wanted to take this opportunity to send their troops to the southern inland borders. The Pavilion Head saw the reaction of their upper echelons and thought of something before elaborating. “See? It is the top 5 organizations' sea territories being targeted and re-conquered by the Blauw Empire, and it was this easy. Those other 5 have always listened to themselves, and we’ve been far too neutral and passive in the past.”

“Each of them has a Fleet, although they only completed it now. If we mimic their actions, we won’t be able to form a full Fleet before we’re out of coins and Stones!” The Head gestured towards the hologram before continuing, “This is our opportunity, but we have a deal, and it is with a ‘new’ ally. To start anew, we must honor that deal and show the Blauw Empire we won’t betray everything we promise. Now. Who is willing to go along with this plan without wasting more time?!”

“We are!” - “Let’s not waste any more time, Pavilion Head. We’re with our leaders in these times of need!” - “The skies are changing… for real now. The Blauw Empire is still in the center, but not as our ancestors imagined… However, I believe they wouldn’t be against this. They always wanted their organizations to flourish, but in the end, they were broken apart and repaired by the unprepared. It is time… we are loyal to ourselves!”

Then, the upper echelons of both organizations started planning without wasting that precious time. They selected their unit soldiers and spots behind their temporary southern borders with the Blue Emirate Grotto’s territory. Suddenly, the hologram sounded with the spy’s shouting voice as the Head held it in the air with his Neutral Energy and wrote the changes on a map. “Head! The top 5’s fleet is nearing the Sand Emirate Grotto’s sea territory! I think something’s happening! They are forming in a line and aiming at the sea of flames!”

“!!” The Head was astounded. He looked where everyone else was already looking and observed dozens of enemy warships starting to take aim and form a line before the Sand Emirate Grotto’s sea territory. The atmosphere there must be tremendous since it was already dead serious here in this meeting. Then, surprisingly, the sea of fire started receding, falling into the sea and quelling. Steam rose to cover the sight from the Green Emirate Grotto’s territory, and the situation gained more strenuous tension.

… ta- rararara- rararara- rararara-~! piuh, piuh, piuh, piuh! Swooooshhh! Splash, splash, splash, splash! Boom! Boom! Ta rararararara! PSHIIIIFTTT!… CRAACSSKKKSHHHH!- BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM! ! ! !

“!!!” The meeting outside at the Feathered Valley Pavilion’s individual territory was filled with astounded faces out of nowhere. The steam responded as soon as the enemy warships, consisting of many Destroyers and some Frigates from the first enemy Fleet, lined up, ready to cover the entrance for the rest of the warships, namely the Carrier, Battleships, and Cruisers. Although the top 5 organizations weren’t armed to the teeth like the Blauw Empire, they were still top-notch warships!

But then, as they were just opening a road wide enough for the Carrier and its 2 Battleships to pass through side by side, more than a hundred machine guns’ fire lines came to be from the steam, turning their defensive stance into a disadvantageous one. The Destroyers tumbled backwards and nearly capsized from the sheer concentrated firepower. Their shields barely resisted as the Destroyers kept coming back to float in the water only to be forced to stumble again.

Before the enemy’s vanguard fleet could respond properly other than sending some firepower from their machine guns back, the steam exploded apart, spread sideways, and revealed an entire fleet rapidly rushing towards them. Their appearance was imminent, sudden… and carried copious momentum. The Frigates at the front from every Flotilla looked especially fearsome as they uncaringly rushed into the Green Emirate Grotto’s sea territory.

The enemy fleet seemed afraid of these Frigates also, and immediately, the Destroyers’ machine guns concentrated on them, trying to stop and destroy every single one of them as they barged into the enemy territory in a suicidal fashion. However, before their machine guns could shoot 2,000 bullets in 2 seconds, their shields were simply taken off by the missiles previously launched at the beginning of the surprise battle.

The enemy Destroyers were engulfed in the same flames that formed the sea of flames in the Sand Emirate Grotto’s sea territory. They disappeared from the map completely, but it was unknown if they were immediately destroyed. Either way, only the Blauw Empire’s second fleet seemed to know, as they kept firing at some smoking blobs of fire above the water's surface. On the other hand, the Frigates kept advancing, rapidly rushing towards the enemy’s destroyed Destroyers, passing through and ignoring the Carrier and Battleships, heading straight to the Cruisers and Low class Battleships! So fearlessly!

The enemy Carriers and Supreme Battleships weren’t going to let the Frigates, and while their anti-missile turrets started firing into the sky to detonate the incoming missiles, their machine guns moved to aim at the Frigates. However, from underwater and behind the Frigates, a powerful Neutral Energy blade flew towards the enemy Carrier, trying to immediately cleave it into two.

The enemy Carrier immediately employed its engines, rapidly moving to the side as the Supreme Battleship to its starboard retreated and rotated in a starboard direction. The energy blade with the shape of a crescent moon flew past the big babies and cut the water apart, leaving behind an empty trail that didn’t close until several seconds later, as if the water chased after the energy blade.

Before the enemy could clean their sweat off their foreheads and start another response, and a woman came from under the ocean with her brown sand skin and azure eyes, fearlessly looking at the enemy Carrier and Battleships floating upwards above the water’s surface. The enemy heard the reports and rescue alarms from many more Destroyers and Frigates behind them. Looking back, the leader of this fleet watched the energy blade, with Water particles recklessly merging into it as if moths using super speed to fly into the flames, destroy apart warship after warship!!

“No!!” - “Goddammit! Stop it! Fire it! Launch missiles at it! Fuck!!!” - “Wh- why is there a peak Dantreulity realm cultivator here?! Do they not care to leave their Empire unprotected?!” - “Dammit! We can’t stop it now, leader! Just focus on the Empire’s Fleet! Come on!” - “Aarrgh!! Our Emirate’s navy! AARGGH!” - “Leader, please calm down! We can still sink theirs! We have a Carrier and our Supreme Battleships so close to their navy, we can fuck them up!!”

Psssssssssss-... It was true. The enemy Fleet still had 2 Supreme Battleships, and the Carrier left untouched. Even if the Empire’s fleet targeted their remaining Frigates and Destroyers, their Cruisers could hold on their own until the big babies had dealt enough damage to the Empire’s second fleet. However, they also forgot about something else. Just as their Carrier and Battleships were near the Empire’s fleet, so were the Empire’s Carrier and Supreme Battleships close to theirs.

“...?” - “...” - ”...?” Suddenly, hearing a strange sound from the Sand Emirate Grotto’s sea territory, the Battleships’ and Carrier’s leaders watched the Empire’s Carrier enter the Green Emirate Grotto’s sea territory followed suit by the Supreme Battleships at its sides. Then, a protruding, insanely fast, spinning ‘object’ came out of the Carrier’s right side. Swiftly after 2 seconds of sending water bullets backwards, the object extended barrels from its interiors, seemingly by opening lids and letting them come out. Then…

PFPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPFPF~~~~!!!!

The legendary rocket launcher, the HD rocket launcher was at its thorough exposition as hundreds of impressively potent rockets flew to the skies and were guided to the Carrier and Battleships before the rockets were halfway in the air and underwater, forming a beehive moving without obstruction at all… another round of rockets flew from their HD Rocket launcher.

BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM! CRUUUUUUSHHHHH- BAAAANNNGG~~!!!!

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