Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!...

The battlefield at the estuary is shrouded in smoke, nearly forming a blue mist over the fortress.

The battle between a fortress of over a thousand defenders and five large species has lasted a long time, even if only for a few tens of minutes, but to the defenders, it feels like an eternity.

During the battle, all five large species have revealed their true forms before the garrison:

"Skull Moray Eel," "Iron Armor Sea Horse," "Giant Hammer Mantis Shrimp," "Water Cannon Humpback Whale," and a "Ghost Shrimp" that appears and disappears unpredictably.

Facing five with one is a battle of extreme difficulty no matter the circumstances.

Even though the fortress has crossfire comparable to a battleship, it is still stretched thin against the assault of the five large species.

The only good news is that the fortress is built in the middle of a cape protruding into the sea, which provides solid ground that creates ample defensive distance between the defenders and the Sea Monsters.

No matter where the Sea Monsters launch their attack from, they ultimately have to engage in landing operations to destroy the extremely solid fortress, creating an opportunity for the cannoneers to fully exploit the power of firearms.

If the fortress were replaced by a battleship with the same firepower configuration, even if it had the "Siren's Song" to draw the Sea Monsters into a flat battlefield, that battleship would surely have already sunk to the seabed.

Though exceedingly difficult, the fortress nonetheless held its ground.

How much longer it can withstand is hard to say...

Among the five Sea Monsters, the "Iron Armor Sea Horse," which has no limbs, and the "Ghost Shrimp," which blends into the seawater and can suddenly be forgotten, are clearly serving as marine control forces and don't pose a huge threat to the fortress for the time being.

In fact, they themselves are hiding far away, only using a pinching tactic to restrain the estuary.

Even the essence of Extraordinary Creatures cannot allow them to overcome their physiological limitations to complete landing operations; even forced landings would only make them live targets for the fortress.

However.

Among the remaining three large species, besides the most violent "Skull Moray Eel" that has tried to land several times only to be driven back into the sea by artillery fire, and the "Giant Hammer Mantis Shrimp" that roams the perimeter like a colorful armored train waiting for a chance, there still lies a particularly troublesome monster.

Shoosh! Shoosh! Shoosh!...

"Large Species: Water Cannon Humpback Whale," which resembles the Sea Monster form of the Shepherd of Tide, Tien Kute.

Its massive head is covered by bony armor, with a long bony "cannon barrel" extending from the typical whale's nostril position.

This "bone cannon" can fire powerful compressed "Water Cannon Shells" at the rate of four per minute, whose destructive power and firing speed match that of two 32-pound cannons combined.

If such compressed "Water Cannon Shells" hit the fortress's outer wall, which was designed to withstand bombardment, the fortress would be unfazed, as the thick layer of compacted earth would absorb the shell's kinetic energy completely.

But if they fly toward the second-level gun platform, then caution is required, as any single Water Cannon Shell striking would cause immense casualties to the artillerymen.

Fortunately, guarding here are not only regular soldiers but also a Tier 3 Great Knight, Major General Koverdale!

Once more facing the whistling incoming "Water Cannon Shells."

"Hah!"

As it is a land defense battle, the Major General, already outfitted in his full coverage heavy armor, wielding a greatsword and pure steel kite shield, lets out a shout.

[Extraordinary Secret Technique: Iron Wall!]

The Great Knight is enveloped in an intense Combat Qi Flame, swiftly moving across the second-layer platform with sword and shield, blocking most of the incoming "Water Cannon Shells."

Of course, even a Tier 3 Great Knight cannot physically block high-density water balls packing the power of heavy artillery.

The Major General mainly uses the smooth surface of the heavy shield to deflect and bounce off the water balls. Achieving this with the Extraordinary Power and technique control of a Great Knight isn't tremendously difficult.

However, even though the Major General doesn't make mistakes, everyone knows this is not a long-term plan.

The fortress's crossfire is obviously more formidable than that of a single Sea Monster, but this "Water Cannon Humpback Whale" has a range superior to human artillery!

Additionally.

The infrasound frequency emitted by the "Siren's Song" is low, with long wavelengths allowing it to circumvent large obstacles, diffract, and penetrate everywhere. It is practically impervious to absorption by both water and air, making it an excellent underwater weapon.

But after all, it has a power limit; it can't deliver the same damage regardless of distance.

According to the final test report in "New Inn Port," the "Siren's Song" has certain lethality and interference against large species Sea Monsters, requiring multiple 'Siren's Songs' to collaborate to achieve the expected goals.

Therefore, hoping the "Siren's Song" can directly kill large species remotely is impractical.

As long as they don't actively come close, floating on the sea surface briefly minimizes the influence of the infrasound wave tremendously, which is feasible.

This leaves the defenders on the fortress with essentially no effective strategy against the "whale" attacking from afar, resulting in the highest commander and sole Great Knight, Major General Koverdale, having to constantly run around to avoid significant casualties.

Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!...

During the interval between "Water Cannon Shell" launches, the "Skull Moray Eel" exhausted its patience and lunges forward again, swiftly moving snake-like on land with its robust body, charging towards a "Protruding Corner Fortress" within the fortress.

"Open fire!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!...

From this vantage point, 12 heavy cannons along with four spare 8-pound cannons simultaneously opened fire within the range covering the moray eel, though its slender form provided it with an exceptional advantage for dodging shells.

Moreover, its body covered in mucus, even if stray shells occasionally graze by, its impact is insufficient.

More importantly, after several probing rounds, the defenders discover that this gruesome creature possesses an incredibly abnormal racial talent [Dangerous Premonition].

It can promptly react before the arrival of lethal danger.

```

This ability not only makes it harder to be hit by artillery fire, but also allows it to successfully evade the previous concentrated fire of grape bombs by the defense forces.

Thus, even if 16 cannons were to fire simultaneously, it would only carve out a blue scar on its tail.

Based on previous experience, if it cannot be killed in one blow, it will heal over time and then leap back to attack the cape.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!...

With the help of its thick, short tentacles at the neck, the "Skull Moray Eel" rapidly approached the Protruding Corner Fortress.

However, strangely enough,

This time, the close-range defense shooting composed of small cannons and firearms did not come as before.

The "moray eel" did not hesitate and quickly rushed up the first slope of the fortress.

Upon getting closer, the defense forces finally saw clearly what a giant creature they were up against, and even though there was an order from above to cease fire and retreat all personnel, they couldn't help but shiver.

With a length of over 80 meters and a thickness close to 5 meters, taller than a single story, merely the menacing head covered in hard shell was 10 meters long.

A large species truly lives up to being a large species, existing in a completely different dimension from the small species of only 30 meters in length.

Hiss—

The long hiss had already reached the ears of the defense forces, many trembling even with their eyes closed.

The next moment.

The gigantic head, resembling a white skull, suddenly thrust upward, with small sunken eyes exuding cunning and cruelty, the long mouth opening to reveal teeth as sharp as longswords.

Though not understanding why the humans suddenly stopped firing, its brain, only a few months "old," lacked the high-level thinking of "conspiracies and tricks," and it couldn't wait to unleash its extreme killing instinct on the defense forces!

Only, before it could act,

[Danger!]

Suddenly, the previously silent "Dangerous Premonition" due to lack of artillery bombardment gave it an unprecedentedly intense signal of crisis!

Paying no more heed to the fresh meat already at its mouth, it intended to turn and retreat.

However, for a "serpentine" creature, even without legs, it could still dart swiftly, but retreating was a big problem for them.

And the Major General's order to let it climb the fortress was waiting for this moment!

BOOM!!!

With steel boots stamping the ground, even this section of the fortress seemed to tremble.

A lightning-bolt-like Combat Qi Flame shot up from the top of the Protruding Corner Fortress, slamming fiercely into the gaping jaws of the "Skull Eel."

[Secret Technique: Steel City Shield Strike!]

The bottom of the pure steel kite shield featured a sharp triangular structure.

As Major General Koverdale's exclusive weapon, it had long been meticulously edged by craftsmen and enhanced with various alchemy techniques, its hardness and sharpness no less than any Extraordinary Weapon.

Clang—!

The weighty shield violently collided with the bone-like jaw of the sea monster, exploding with a bell-like thunderous sound.

Subsequently, the sound of a crisp "crack" reached the ears of all the defense forces.

Looking up,

The long bone-armored jaw of the "Skull Moray Eel" had actually... broken off.

The fierce impact sent the Major General flying backward, crashing back onto the Protruding Corner Fortress, the head-on collision with the large species left him in no better condition.

Previously having expended much energy in a long standoff with the "Water Cannon Humpback Whale," even with full armor equipped now, he couldn't get up for a while.

Having taken a direct hit from his Extraordinary Secret Technique, the heavily injured sea monster was dazed, tumbling heavily off the 30-meter-high platform of the fortress's second layer.

Thud—

The giant beast plummeted, shaking the earth and mountains.

"Fire!"

The well-prepared deputy commander seized the opportunity and decisively ordered.

The orange-red cannon flames atop the wall simultaneously blazed!

Dozens of whistling iron cannonballs poured onto the fallen sea monster!

At an almost point-blank range, against a massive target trapped in dizziness, the cannoneers had no reason to miss.

In the concentrated attack, the heavy iron cannonballs finally burrowed directly into the skin and flesh of the "Skull Moray Eel," exploding into bloodied pits.

In just one minute, even the slowest 32-pounder cannons fired two rounds; before the "Skull Moray Eel," spewing blue blood, could regain its senses, its head and chest connection was forcibly severed by the crossfire of the fortress!

During this period, enduring heavy casualties from the "Water Cannon Humpback Whale" resuming fire, the garrison gritted their teeth and not one dodged.

Finally, the first large species was successfully slain here!

The first drop of blood shed in the sea monster invasion!

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