Chapter 257
Chapter 257: War on Sregl Island (Part 2)
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The magic alarm was a simple level-0 spell but had many uses. A long-range alarm like the one outside of the magic tower could give off complicated sounds to convey complex messages. Lex did not know the secret magic language of Sregl Island and had no idea what was happening. She only knew that it seemed like the impenetrable Sregl Island was under attack.
“All those in the tower, ignore the alarm,” Jason voice sounded. Lex suppressed her curiosity. She knew that with her strength, she would not be of much help at the moment.
Outside of Sregl Island, there was a large patch of reef to the northwest. The patch of reef was incredibly vast and was over ten square kilometers. At the center of the reef was a large tower. It was taller than a normal nine story magic tower and had a magic lamp shining all year round, serving as a lighthouse for Sregl Island.
To the north of the reef, over ten bronze combat vessels approached slowly. There were dozens of small boats on the combat vessel that were rowing towards the lighthouse. The combat vessels needed deep water and did not dare enter the patch of reef. There were magic eyes around the lighthouse that could monitor anything within a hundred miles. If they did not destroy the lighthouse, the combat vessels would be exposed by the monitors of the enemy.
Saleen’s pirate ship was docked to the north, over ten miles away from the patch of reef. The pirates on the ship had heard the magic alarm on the island before using their alchemy binoculars to spot the approaching combat vessels.
The combat vessels on the sea usually released their magic stone artillery first before using crossbows to suppress the enemy soldiers in the water and approaching the enemy’s vessel for a close combat battle on the decks. The artillery fired were giant rock bullets that were over a meter in diameter. They had been processed with Fossilization spells and were as tough as metal, forming holes wherever they landed on the ship.
However, these rocks were large in size and a normal vessel could not carry too many. Even if a grand mage onboard had spatial equipment with them, they would not be able to store something like this. The pirates on the pirate ship had a great deal of experience and the moment the magic alarm sounded, they had immediately chosen what to do. Not even raising their sails, hundreds of pirates started the ship and steered it south towards Sregl Island.
The pirates knew that if they were to escape now, the vessels that had appeared from out of nowhere would release their magic stone artillery. These pirate ships that were made from wood could withstand less than five shots before sinking. Over a dozen leaders that were under Saleen gave loud cries and left the northern waters of Sregl Island.
The southern waters of Sregl Island were shallower and the pirates quickly escaped to there. The leaders discussed things amongst themselves and released the iron chain tow at the back of the ship. They had no idea what the iron chain was towing, but it made controlling the ship incredibly difficult, making them an easy target for the magic stone artillery.
As the iron chain was released, a small magic array was activated on the pan’s turtle alchemical boat and it sank towards the depths of the sea. The sea in this area was barely a hundred meters deep, and Saleen had taken a careful look before he had left, specially instructing the pirates to release the iron chain if they met with any trouble and steering as far away as possible.
Looking from above, a person would realize that Sregl Island was a triangle which had a giant door on each side. Surrounding the coasts were tall stone walls. The pirate ships stopped on the south bank momentarily before steering to the west.
After getting rid of the pan’s turtle alchemical boat, the flexibility of the pirates had emerged. They did not dare draw close to Sregl Island, but instead entered another patch of reef.
In any case, those vessels that were launching an attack could not enter the patch of reef and would not waste their magic stone artillery on a wooden ship. The more than dozen bronze combat vessels stopped at a distance and started shooting magic stone artillery at Sregl Island. No one bothered with the wooden ship.
The ship that had entered the patch of reef was approaching the lighthouse when suddenly, a five meter long flying puppet emerged with a man lying flat on it. This man clung tightly to the puppet, and not looking back, he flew towards Sregl Island. The puppet was flying at around a hundred meters above the sea, swooping downwards. The bronze combat vessels started firing arrows at it. However, only a giant golden arrow posed any threat to it as a normal arrow could only shoot within a range of a few hundred meters. The arrows landed in the water while the mage on the flying puppet that had two sets of wings flew headfirst into the main door of Sregl Island.
To the north of Sregl Island was a sharp point, and at the top of the over three hundred meter tall stone wall was a seven story magic tower. The magic stone artillery from the combat vessels flew past as a dim golden light shone in the magic tower. The magic stone artillery struck the light as it changed course abruptly, shooting down.
Two of the magic stone artillery struck the stone wall and left a nearly invisible mark on it.
At the top of the seven story magic tower, a mage in black robes was watching the combat vessels through a magic image as he said to a few students around him, “Alright, stop the alarm. This is only a test.”
“Teacher, there are thirty-eight ships. This is only a test?” A mage in white robes looked at the vessels on the magic image, a little worried.
“These ships are barely hundred meters long. Look here.” The black robed mage pointed at a ship that was in the front and said, “This ship has a war flag. It is the command ship and is only over eighty meters long. The rest of the ships are barely sixty meters long. This is the deep sea, and they are not the main forces here. If we attack them, they will run away using their advantage in speed, luring us into giving chase. We can ignore them. These small boats have limited ammunition. If they approach, we will destroy them with magic.”
“Teacher, do we not retaliate?”
A mage in grey robes asked, puzzled. There were even stronger magic stone artillery behind the giant stone walls of Sregl Island that had a range of over ten miles. The combat vessels that were cruising a few miles away were all within range.
“It is not worth it. The enemy wants us to use up our magic stone artillery. They are planning to locate them in preparation for future attacks. You are not young anymore. Surely, you must know this.”
The grey robed mage retreated back, ashamed of himself.
The black robed mage said to his students, “Look here, I have visited Lancelot. These ships must be from Cloudflow, and the real attack still awaits us. Just be careful and do not let these ships come close. Once they are within two miles, attack them with magic.
“Yes, Teacher.”
Seeing their teacher relax, the other mages within the magic tower quieted down. There were barely more than thirty combat vessels and there were only a little over two hundred soldiers on each of them, being less than ten thousand men in total. These vessels would not be able to take down Sregl Island.
The black robed mage was right. The vessels watched as the mages in the lighthouse escaped back to Sregl Island. Sregl Island did not even bother retaliating, not even closing the three main doors and being too lazy to send a vessel to battle with them. The thirty-eight vessels retreated, no longer approaching. They had done enough to exhibit their intentions of attacking Sregl Island, not moving forward half an inch once they were within five miles from the island.
The magic stone artillery was not too accurate either, and five miles was its limit. To accurately strike their targets, they needed to be within two miles at maximum. However, two miles would be within range of the magic tower, and by then, the mages would be able to attack them using magic.
The magic stone artillery relied on its massive weight and high heat, and it could only strike a single target. Magic was different and if the combat vessels were to approach, there were dozens of magic towers all over the three sides of Sregl Island, and even a single six story magic tower could easily sink a vessel. Only if there was an actual sorcerer on the vessels could they actually approach the island.
Since their plans to bait the enemy had failed, these vessels did not plan on using up their ammunition for no reason. Under the command of the flagship, they retreated, as the pirates hiding within the reef sighed in relief.
“Captain, why don’t we escape from here? This place seems unsafe,” a pirate tried to sway the temporary captain. With Jupiter away, the captain was in charge of all the pirates on the ship.
“Do you want to die? Our new captain is a mage. If we leave, he will know immediately. Moreover, there is only a week’s worth of fresh water and food onboard. Within six days, where could we run?”
The pirates that wanted to escape no longer said a word. Saleen had only left behind enough food and water for six days, and if they fished, it would not be enough to keep the more than one hundred of them alive. All the pirates knew that their new captain was a mage who could fly. The speed of flight of a mage was much faster than a pirate ship and was at least one hundred miles an hour. The speed of this boat was but fifty miles an hour, and if they tried escaping, they would definitely be caught.
At the center of Sregl Island, within an eight story magic tower, more than ten black robed mages had gathered inside, discussing how to deal with the sudden attack from the vessels.
The two grade-8 sorcerers sat at the center while the other grade-7 sorcerers sat around them. With an elegant look, a black robed mage with golden long hair said, “Does anyone know where these vessels are from?”
“Lancelot, those ships are from Cloudflow, but they aren’t the royal fleet.” The one that had spoken was Gaia. Before he had become a sorcerer, he had gone to Cloudflow to train and understand the secrets of life. In regards to anything related to Cloudflow, he was fairly familiar with it.
Another black robed mage nodded in agreement. The grade-8 mage known as Lancelot was obviously the leader of the entirety of Sregl Island. He and the other grade-8 mage began to speak in hushed voices, and after a while, they said to the others, “We still have seven months to capture the elf of fire elements. In the meantime, we do not have any attention left for dealing with these harassing ships. Since the people from Cloudflow have dared to take action, I suggest sending information to the other two islands to send their vessels to surround these invaders.”
“Lancelot, Devil’s Horn and Sky Island want the elf of fire elements too. They will not help. Only after seven months when Sregl Island is completely open will they do anything,” Jason retorted.
“Jason, do you want to seal the island?”
“That’s right. Since they will not help and only want the elf of fire elements, we don’t have to care about face. Once we seal the island and cut off any contact from the outside world, even they will not be able to enter. In three years, we will have a better chance.” Jason’s voice was composed and not at all worried about the consequences of sealing off the island.
“What do the others think?” Lancelot had just obtained authority over Sregl Island and could not give orders yet, instead asking the opinions of the others. Once they sealed the island, Sregl Island would have no contact with the outside world, and even if a large number of sorcerers came to attack it, they would not be able to open the defensive magic array of Sregl Island. Once this magic array was activated, it would take at least three years to stop.
In seven more months, Sregl Island would face the other three main forces from Alchemy City, and even though sealing the island would give them more time and a chance to capture the elf of fire elements, it could aggravate the other three forces.