Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

On a dark night in the Sea of Storms, the Hailuga Kingdom's fleet with the blessings of the seas and the Hollyma Kingdom's fleet with the blessings of the Master of the Night declared war on the Sumerian Freedom Union. Together, they raided King's Port, a crucial port in the Sumerian Freedom Union, destroyed the Sumerian Kingdom's main fleet, the Penetration Fleet, took over King's Port, and inundated the Sumerian Freedom Union nonstop with their soldiers, thanks to their advantage on the seas.

The two kingdoms attempted to force the Sumerian Freedom Union to surrender and sign the treaty of common owners.h.i.+p of the magic crystal system and border trades. However, they faced fierce resistance from the Sumerian Freedom Union.

The war had spread to the western Sumerian Freedom Union, and soon the entire Sumerian region. Even the royal knights and the descendants of G.o.d from the Hailuga Kingdom traveled to the Sumerian Kingdom to join the war. Moreover, the Pope of Church of the Dark Night and the Dark Night Priests from the Hollyma Kingdom entered Sumerian on large battle airs.h.i.+ps.

The Pope and the descendant of a G.o.d, who both could borrow and bear the power of true G.o.ds, posed great threats to the Sumerian Kingdom.

The three half-G.o.ds, the Pope of the Church of the Dark Night, and descendant of a G.o.d, the alchemy sea monster h.e.l.lem, Ruler of Storms, engaged in a fierce battle. Three giant divine shadows and two beings who wielded the power of true G.o.ds fought in the skies of the Urabell Province.

Clouds were torn apart then mixed together again. Divine lights and divine incantations shone brighter than the sun. Beams reflected and refracted, lights of all colors shone on the ground as if the air was broken into a million pieces, bending the colored lights.

The giant body of the enormous alchemy monster h.e.l.lem floated in the sky like an island. Its long tentacles moved, and glaring rays of light cut through the sky, shooting towards the horizon. Where its gaze fell, everything became covered in vapor.

Aircrafts and battle airs.h.i.+ps chased and fired at each other in the sky, and then fell, cras.h.i.+ng to the ground as fireb.a.l.l.s, turning the entire sky burning red.

No one had seen a war of such intensity. Its ferocity had reached every corner of the human world. Giant shadows in the sky could easily destroy entire cities and lands with a single move. No one could imagine what would happen if their powers were turned on those below.

Commoners huddled up in cities and houses, shaking fearfully. Children and women hid in churches and cavities underground, crying from fright. Even powerful saints died and vanished easily in this battle.

“We had seen the dusk of doomsday! The sky wailing, the ground trembling, the air boiling. Flame and smoke prevailed, aircraft and battle airs.h.i.+ps fell like puny flies. The entire world was a tiny boat trapped in the storm of war. Every life could be taken at any moment by the storm,” Joshua, a scholar who recorded this war, wrote in his diary as such.

Both parties suffered from terrible losses. The Sumerian Freedom Union stopped the invasion of the Hailuga Kingdom and the Hollyma Kingdom and even gained some advantages. However, the war continued. Either the Hailuga Kingdom and the Hollyma Kingdom, or the Church of Storms and Church of the Dark Night, would have to retreat in this situation.

“Maybe we could form an alliance, cut off their route of retreat and their allies on the sea. Without support from the sea, they could not possibly win in long-distance battles on the water!” Frank announced his first idea in the a.s.sembly hall in the city of Niyah.

“But with whom? The Church of Light and the Church of the Sun remain silent. We should just be relieved that they did not choose to become our enemies!” Alva expressed his thoughts.

Wilbert said, “We don't need an alliance. We just need enemies of the Hailuga Kingdom and the Hollyma Kingdom to attack them! The Sean City-State Alliance, the Kingdom of Rosa d'Oro, and the Mara Kingdom have always been rivals of the Hailuga Kingdom. In the Sea Power Battle between the Sea Alliance and the Mermaid Kingdom, the Sea Alliance suffered terrible losses because of the betrayer, Johnathan Brown, and lost their power on the waters. And Rosa d'Oro has had conflicts and disputes over borders with the Hollyma Kingdom. We just need them to pressure the Hailuga Kingdom and the Hollyma Kingdom. I believe the fallen Sea Alliance still wishes to take back their power over the sea.”

Frank slapped the table with excitement and agreed, “That's right. But the plan to form an alliance should be carried out at the same time. The Elf Kingdom of the Sun, the Silver Moon Kingdom, and the Wizard Kingdom on Yala Continent have been pa.s.sive for too long. They wish to expand and strengthen their powers on the waters as well.”

Wilbert adjusted his collar, frowned and said, “The Elf Kingdom of the Sun and the Silver Moon Kingdom are both closed kingdoms. The only one with the desire to expand is probably the Wizard Kingdom. Will they be our ally?”

Frank nodded and said, “Of course. We don't need them to send out soldiers and fight for us. We just need them to support the magic crystal plan. They could profit from trade, construction of the magic crystal systems, and their influence on the sea. They won't say no. So, we can open a channel to Yala Continent, and pressure the Mermaid Kingdom Alliance from both the Bazaar Seas and the East Seas.”

Alva nodded and said with hesitation, “If so, this war will involve not just three kingdoms, but three continents and most of the powerful kingdoms. If the war continues… Things may get out of our control.”

The trio fell silent instantly. At last, Frank made the decision and said, “Change will always impact someone else's interests, triggering conflicts, even wars. But we cannot remain unchanged because of the fear of war and conflict. Civilization will march forward. Change is inevitable, so is progress. Civilization is like a s.h.i.+p. We are all on board, traveling with it. And if the s.h.i.+p is rotten and old, we need to stop, find a place, and build another s.h.i.+p. We cannot survive on backward thinking and compromises.”

“Oy! And we can still make this s.h.i.+p work for a while. It's not completely rotten! Fix here and repair there, we've still got a few days! Take this s.h.i.+p apart, hold onto a piece of wood, and we can still float for a couple of days more!” Frank joked with amus.e.m.e.nt. With the fall of Akeley, Frank had changed. No longer a daydreamer, but someone of practicality and wisdom.

“If not, we will sink with the rotten s.h.i.+p to the bottom of the deep sea.”