Chapter 46: The First Battle of the Giant Mechs – Section 3

A deafening roar, like thunder, erupted. In an instant, even those hundreds of kilometers away from those massive cannons, the people on the flagship were stunned by the terrifying sound waves. Visibly, a dazzling fireball, like a small sun, burst ahead of their own giant ship. At the same time, countless thick beams of light shot out, resembling sharp, unstoppable arrows.
Those were beams from live ammunition… The crew was terrified. Unlike energy beams, these were created purely from gunpowder and particles generated by high-speed friction. Perhaps those beams didn’t have much destructive power, but they represented unparalleled force!!
Because ahead of those beams was a giant warhead with a diameter of 7,200 MM!!
By God, no one could stand in the way of that warhead!!
Not even the most fearsome Black Crystal giants of the Emperor Moore!!
“Boom!!”
Under everyone’s eyes, that Black Crystal giant ship that had just emerged from warp was immediately surrounded by countless fireballs. Huge crystal fragments, several hundred meters in diameter, flew everywhere, clearly visible on the screens. The ship, like an asteroid, shook violently and deviated from its original trajectory.
“Brilliant…” The crew immediately cheered, their faces filled with ecstasy. In their excitement, some even hugged each other. The entire cabin was filled with wild cheers.
This was humanity’s first successful suppression of the Moore race… The power of those 7,200 MM cannons was indeed enough to convince anyone. Their terrifying kinetic energy and indestructible warheads proved this point once again.
“Your Highness, we’ve succeeded,” Captain Rocot said excitedly, also with a joyful expression. But Duke Poseidon merely nodded slightly, showing no unusual reaction.
“Hmm. Continue. One salvo isn’t enough to destroy them. Tell our giants not to relax and prepare for the second wave of attacks immediately.”
“Yes, Your Highness!!” Captain Rocot gave a perfect salute before rushing to the control panel. After some intense activity, he suddenly froze, his smile vanishing.
“What’s wrong?” Duke Poseidon asked curiously.
“Your Highness… um… another attack will take some time.”
“Why?”

“The 7200MM giant cannons are strategic weapons. Loading heavy shells is extremely difficult, and when the Blood Wolves provided them, they didn’t come with automatic loaders, so our soldiers have to load them by hand. According to my subordinates, it takes them at least three minutes to prepare for another shot.” Captain Rocot swallowed hard before answering reluctantly.
“Three minutes? Well, our soldiers are really great. With three minutes, they can let the Moors fire two more shots and send us to hell. Damn it! Do they think the enemy has only one warship?” Duke Poseidon flew into a rage, his face turning ashen.
“Tell them I’m giving them only one minute. If they fail, they’ll all end up in the dungeon!”
“Yes, Your Grace!” Captain Rocot replied loudly, shocked.
Perhaps sensing Duke Poseidon’s fury, or maybe truly frightened by the dungeon, those giant ships moved much faster. In less than 45 seconds, those terrifying twelve-barreled giant cannons raised their barrels once again. At that moment, the second Black Crystal warship emerged from the teleportation gate.
There was no need for orders— the soldiers, already driven mad by the 7200MM cannons, were eager for action. As soon as the Black Crystal warship appeared, it was engulfed in the fire from the second wave of cannons. Like the first ship, it couldn’t withstand it for long before erupting in terrifying fireballs. Shards of all sizes flew across its massive hull, leaving deep holes everywhere. Massive bursts of flame erupted from within, like small volcanoes.
Cheers rang out again as the crazed crew members jumped for joy. With this momentum, no one doubted they would win. The 7200MM cannons were simply too powerful. The enemy’s enormous warships couldn’t even withstand a single shot. Was there still any suspense in this battle? As long as they could reload in time, they could keep fighting like this indefinitely— destroying one ship for every one sent at them!
The cheers were so exhilarating that even Duke Poseidon managed a slight smile, giving a subtle nod. Amidst the dazzling flames, he seemed to envision himself returning to human society victorious, his reputation so great that even Blackhair would have to step back in awe.

After all, Black Hair’s last visit to the Moor Empire was a secret operation, known to few in human society. Perhaps only this time was it a legitimate confrontation—both in terms of honor and significance. Countless people at the bottom of society wouldn’t know what Black Hair had done, but they would surely know his name. And to that name, a title would be added: Human Hero! A perfect title, isn’t it? Duke Bosisi thought quietly, a faint smile appearing on his lips. As a noble, he understood well how hard honor is to earn. Unlike those youngsters who always talk about their ancestors’ glory, at his rank, honor was no longer something intangible—it was real, tangible military achievements. The honor gained from this battle would be enough to elevate his reputation to a new level and bring immeasurable practical benefits. With his mood improved, Duke Bosisi no longer restrained the cheering crew members around him. Aside from ordering that the 7200MM cannons continue firing as usual, he let them celebrate if they wished. After nearly two months of continuous patrols, they could finally reap the fruits of victory, so he saw nothing wrong with their excitement. But he forgot that if a hastily organized bombardment could break through the Moors’ carefully planned ambush, then the Moors wouldn’t need to dominate the universe—they could just go home and hold their children. Unluckily, it seemed the Moors still had no intention of doing that; they remained the undisputed rulers of the universe. So, just as everyone was cheering, one bright light after another appeared on the scanner. The noise in the air ceased abruptly, and everyone stared in disbelief. “Oh, my God…” one crew member gasped, his mouth wide open, so stunned he didn’t even realize saliva was dripping down. His massive frame trembled like a sieve. What had he seen? Transition gates—many of them. Above the fleet, below, to the left, to the right… everywhere. Bright orbs, expanding in size, along with vast energy waves, like oceans, all proving their existence. And the nearest one, in the transition gate above the fleet, already showed the sharp bow of a Black Crystal warship…

No cries, no sounds. It seemed as if the entire world had stopped in that moment. The cabin was dead silent, except for the frantic pounding of hearts. Faces frozen in shock, eyes filled with despair—this was the portrait of the First Fleet at that moment.

Too… too many…

Through the porthole, the people in the cabin could even see those massive transition gates coming into existence from nothingness, growing larger and larger. Those huge openings, along with the white, almost tangible streams of energy, looked beautiful, like giant marshmallows. But they brought unparalleled fear.

Just now, two Black Crystal giants had appeared from a single transition gate. With so many transition gates appearing suddenly, how many warships must there be…

One crew member counted on his fingers, trying to figure it out, but before he could finish, he was already terrified. His mouth hung open, unable to speak. Even the usually calm Grand Duke Boscisi was momentarily stunned. It was only when Captain Rocot shouted that he snapped out of it.

“Your Highness! What should we do now!?”

The middle-aged captain asked, his face resolute, teeth gritted. At this point, he no longer hoped his fleet could defeat the enemy. With so many transition gates, even the most ordinary fleet could overwhelm them in numbers, let alone the powerful Moor Empire. What he asked now was about Grand Duke Boscisi’s intentions—how many people he planned to take with him to break through.

In other words, how many would be sent to fight.

This was war. There was no mercy, no compassion. In the current situation, even a fool knew there was no chance of victory. Breaking through was a last resort. Taking too many meant attacking head-on, which was no different from seeking death; taking too few meant the same fate for those left behind.

They were all living beings, flesh and blood. No one wanted to die. So as soon as Captain Rocot spoke, the atmosphere around them turned cold. All eyes turned to Grand Duke Boscisi in the center.

Under everyone’s gaze, Grand Duke Boscisi felt as if he had aged suddenly. A deep sigh escaped his lips as he slowly stood up, walked to the porthole, and observed those massive transition gates in the distant starry sky with his own eyes, remaining silent for a long time. It wasn’t until Captain Rocot grew impatient and urged him repeatedly that he finally spoke with difficulty.

“How many warships do we still have…”

“Two thousand three hundred!” Captain Rocot replied without hesitation. That number had already been counted earlier. “Among them, thirty giant ships remain intact. Your Highness, please forgive my blunt words, but if we use those thirty giant ships as bait, our chances of survival might be higher. At this moment, please don’t worry about those giant ships.”
“You misunderstand…” Duke Bosisi sighed again. “I’m not worried about those giant ships. I’m just thinking of something Blackhair once said to me.”
“What?” Captain Rocot was stunned, clearly unable to follow Duke Bosisi’s unconventional way of thinking. But Duke Bosisi didn’t intend to beat around the bush. After a brief pause, he repeated Blackhair’s words in a strange tone.
“In this battle, we have no way to retreat…”
“Your Highness Bosisi…” Captain Rocot opened his mouth, not knowing what to say. But he didn’t need to say anything, because at that very moment, Duke Bosisi straightened his back. His cloudy old eyes suddenly emitted a terrifying glow!!
“Remember, Rocot, in this battle, we have no way to retreat!!”
“Yes, Your Highness.” With a sharp salute, Captain Rocot shouted at the top of his voice.
“By the supreme glory of the ancient nobility, as you wish!!”