After slaying the "Skull Eel".

Before the garrison on the city wall could take a breath of relief, the "Giant Hammer Mantis Shrimp," which had been lurking and biding its time on the periphery, finally landed on the promontory.

Rustle, rustle, rustle...

Previously, regardless of its companions' charges into battle, it remained unmoved. Only after its comrades were slain did it leisurely begin to act.

Moreover, the scheming "Giant Hammer Mantis Shrimp" was obviously much more cunning than the straightforwardly charging "Skull Moray Eel".

Because of the unique design of the "fortress", it ensured that no matter which direction the enemy attacked from, they would face the firepower of 2-3 fort faces simultaneously.

Having learned from its companion's past misfortunes, it did not choose the seemingly isolated but heavily covered fortress corner, but instead charged towards the "Central Embankment" between the two fortress corners.

Although it would still be under heavy cannon fire from both sides, the "Central Embankment" directly ahead had only 8-pounder cannons and a squad of firearms soldiers in formation.

This choice might not mean much for humans, but for the hefty "Mantis Shrimp" with its heavy armor, clearly uncomfortable on land, it was the best attack direction.

This sea monster, whose real age could only be calculated in "months," clearly demonstrated a hunting wisdom far exceeding that of its companions.

Rustling, rustling...

The fantastically colored, coldly glistening carapace completely enveloped the super mantis shrimp, like an ironclad train. It moved its countless slender abdominal legs, advancing steadily like a woodlouse.

Boom! Boom! Boom!...

Clang——

Clang——

Iron cannonballs struck its carapace.

Sparks flew everywhere!

It lacked the "Skull Moray Eel's" [Dangerous Premonition] ability to dodge incoming cannonballs, but its entire carapace acted as its strongest shield.

The superior biological armor, while limiting its mobility and flexibility, granted it terrifying defensive capabilities.

Even if struck in the same place two or three times consecutively, it would just form a harmless crack, not to mention with the poor accuracy of muzzle-loading smoothbore cannons, it's not easy to hit the same moving target repeatedly.

Without giving the defenders much time to react.

It rushed all the way to the earthen buffer slope of the fortress, raising its head high. Where normal "Mantis Shrimp" would have tentacle segments, a cluster of anemone-like fine tentacles replaced them.

Nonetheless, the tentacles provided the sea monster with even stronger senses than before.

The red tentacles on its head waved incessantly, as though contemplating where to strike. Especially after the previous "Water Cannon Humpback Whale" bombardment, it knew the twenty-meter-high earthen layer below had strong cushioning, so its attack might not be effective.

So....

The tail limbs scratched the ventral tail segments producing "click... click" crisp sounds, like the resounding drums of war beaten before an attack!

The "Giant Hammer Mantis Shrimp" raised its upper body a full 25 meters high, even with the cannons' relentless close-range bombardment shattering its shell, it remained unfazed.

For the next moment... it was earth-shattering!

Rumble——!!!

In the dazzling blaze, as if an entire munitions depot detonated in a martyr explosion.

The earth shook and the mountains quaked.

Countless bricks, stones, and soil were hurled into the air, mixed with heavy black iron cannons, unlaunched ammunition, and... human bodies like bloody rags.

On its left, the connection between the "Central Embankment" and the "fortress corner" had completely vanished, even half of the "fortress corner" was "blown" away.

Over a hundred defenders within this range perished in an instant without a chance for a sound!

It was only then seen slowly retracting one of its mandibular limbs, which had three pairs of serrated, flat giant hammer-like appendages, clearly indicating that the destructive strike just now came from this terrifying limb.

This was the "Giant Hammer Mantis Shrimp's" terrifying weapon, born for predation and defense, known as the predatory limb.

When it attacked its prey, it could launch the astonishingly hard giant hammer in one ten-thousandth of a second, the fierce impact generating high temperatures, even causing the surrounding air to ionize, emitting flame-like bolts of lightning.

The disastrous state of the fortress corner had already best illustrated its attack power!

"Click... click..."

After a successful strike, the "Giant Hammer Mantis Shrimp" tail limb scraped against the ventral tail segments again, producing that crisp sound, as if celebrating its victory.

However, to the defenders who narrowly escaped in the fortress, this sound felt like a deadly harbinger!

With just one blow, nearly a quarter of the fortress was destroyed, how long would it take to destroy the entire fortress and everyone within?

One minute or two minutes?

The "Giant Hammer Mantis Shrimp", with absolute defense combined with absolute attack, instantly hurled everyone who had just killed a sea monster and was about to savor victory from the peak of a mountain into the darkest abyss!

Step... step... step...

Major General Great Knight Koverdale, who had just clashed with the "Large Species: Skeleton Eel" with all his might, was now barely recovered, stepping over the rubble on the second platform of the fortress, moving to the front of the line.

The knight's Combat Qi has always been a burst of Extraordinary Energy, never was there such a notion as endlessly sustaining a battle against the enemy for three days and nights.

With each burst, the intensity only grows weaker, until all that remains is the strength of the flesh itself.

The Major General himself is well aware that after fending off the "Water Cannon Humpback Whale" and slaying the "Skull Moray Eel," perhaps he could still manage one or two bursts at the level of the recent [Secret Technique: Steel City Shield Strike].

But he has no confidence in defeating the seemingly invincible adversary before him, at least not before it dismantles the entire fortress.

However, even if he cannot win, he must...fight!

Meeting the weathered faces and gazes of the officers and soldiers around him, he slowly raised his Longsword, and with eyes full of determination, he declared his resolve and oath to the troops:

"For the innocents who have died tragically!

For our sacrificed comrades!

For His Majesty the King!

Fight to the death! No retreat!"

"Fight to the death! No retreat!"

"Fight to the death! No retreat!"

The soldiers shouted in unison, pouring fiery shells full of their wrath onto the "Mantis Shrimp" once more.

....

Sailing with the wind.

The powers of the "Ship's Figurehead: Seasonal Wind Goddess" were fully unleashed, as the "Storm Horn" rushed back to aid, narrowly missing the Sea Monster army.

Benefiting from an expanded scouting network, Aiven had already taken in the devastation of Nisk Water City and its estuary while on the way. After the tsunami, everything was flattened, desolation and corpses everywhere.

Fluttering—

Two White Seagulls flew over the ruins of the city.

The once beautiful Water City Nisk is nearly gone, its splendid buildings, charming performance squares, intersecting bridges...and the restaurant they had visited before setting sail, all gone.

Most of the districts close to the coast are completely destroyed; even those few surviving buildings are teetering.

The crystallization of human civilization, built up over hundreds of years, countless artistic treasures, and those who loved music, painting, sculpture, all beautiful things, are all...gone.

After destroying everything, a large number of Sea Monsters, riding the giant waves, had already gone upstream, to unknown places, while the battle at the estuary had just entered a fever pitch.

At the fortress, although the General and Cannoneers had successfully slain one Sea Monster through joint effort, the colorful "Mantis Shrimp" had landed, and a "Whale" continued to fire "Water Cannon Shells" from afar, leaving the fortress in a passive struggle.

Especially since the range, power, and firing speed of the "Water Cannon Shell" are comparable to modern artillery, while the front-loading smoothbore cannons in the fortress fall behind in range, leaving no room for counterattack!

When the Sea Birds took in the situation over there, the battle at the fortress went well, having achieved the first kill against the Sea Monsters!

If face-to-face with a group of Sea Monsters at sea, of course, he would avoid as far away as possible, never foolishly challenging them.

But from the five Sea Monsters besieging the fortress, or rather four now, it seemed there was some opportunity for his side to contend.

As he saw from the other side of the promontory, the "Royal Guardian" battleship had already revealed its presence, coupled with the fortress itself and Major General Koverdale's Great Knight Level strength, there was some chance for victory in this battle...

Just at that moment.

Boom——!!!

The "Giant Hammer Mantis Shrimp" delivered a resounding strike.

The fortress that Aiven had pinned his hopes on instantly vanished by a quarter.

The face-slapping came so quick!

"This...is...has the Mantis Shrimp grown sentient?"

Not just Aiven, even Milan, who had kept the Mind Connection active, shuddered instinctively upon witnessing the scene.

The Mantis Shrimp, even when downsized, is a ruler of the sea, its pincers can suddenly release immense energy, directly shattering the shells of mollusks, and what kind of situation a giant Mantis Shrimp nearly a hundred meters long can create is not surprising at all.

With the "Giant Hammer Mantis Shrimp" striking thrice more, there wouldn't be any business for the "Whale" firing long shots from afar, and this fortress which survived the tsunami would disappear along with most of Nisk Water City.

But the "Storm Horn" was still 60 kilometers away from the estuary, even though the "Royal Guardian" was slightly closer, it couldn't provide firepower support at this moment!

Aiven realized he must do something, or he might have to consider starting his journey of becoming a deserter and a fugitive.

Clack!

Quickly retrieving a box filled with soft padding from the Magic Pocket and gently placed it on the ground.

Soon, a group of White Seagulls picked up the dark green [Strong Witchcraft Potion] from the box, formed a flight team, and soared towards the estuary.

Then, the nine "Black Feathered Frigatebirds" and ten "Great Albatrosses" followed closely, but the items gripped in their claws weren't potions; they were...Alchemy Bombs!

Looking at the silhouettes of the Sea Birds and the distant coastline, Aiven muttered:

"Major General, hang in there! Aerial support will arrive at the battlefield in ten minutes!"

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