Extraordinary Voyage-Chapter 703 - 605: Duel

Whoosh——

In the late autumn season, amidst the southeast wind blowing over the sea.

Two large black fleets had already set their formations in this sea area, which naturally borders Phaletis and Ilya. They could only be matched by each other, and even a fierce sea monster entering here would be ruthlessly torn to shreds.

This destined war is the Alliance's campaign against rebellion, and also the "Ilya Republic's" founding war baptized in blood and fire; neither side has room to retreat.

For the Tulip Alliance, abandoning faith, betraying the alliance, slaughtering nobles, and subverting royal authority are all grievous crimes. The Alliance's army will enter every city, every village, letting the rebellious capitalists understand what the iron fist of royal authority means:

For the capitalists, all plots and tricks are untimely at this moment. Even with a True God as their backing, only by openly defeating the powerful united forces of the Alliance can they truly establish a foothold on this land.

Moreover, in the Tulip Islands countries, which lack strategic depth, the strongest is the navy, serving as a maritime barrier. Once the navy decides the outcome, the war can basically be declared over.

Forces of both sides:

The allied forces have a total of forty-five battleships of Level 4 and above, with Phaletis Kingdom's "Brilliance" and "Storm Horn", Tyrone Kingdom's "Royal Guardian", Tulip Duchy's "Saint Anna", Paros Kingdom's "Prince of Asturias", and Thessaly Kingdom's "Neptune Sea God", six quasi-legendary battleships taking the lead.

On the Ilya Republic side, the original Kingdom Navy still has thirty-six battleships of Level 4 and above, and three quasi-legendaries, which have been urgently renamed by the Constitutional Assembly to "Great Republic", "Freedom and Equality", and "Capitalist".

Moreover, there are close to a hundred three-masted fast ships led by the Pirate King's flagship quasi-legendary "Eternal Imprisonment Sacred Statue", which are pirate plunder ships that have changed their black sails.

In fact, during the two hundred years of Great Navigation, a naval battle of such scale is rarely seen.

Normally speaking.

If a country invests money in merchant ships, they actually become "capital". As long as they can complete a triangular trade trip, that's at least a six hundred percent profit, and a few rounds would bring a hefty profit.

But if the money is spent on warships, unless used for plundering, it's hard to generate any direct benefits.

Therefore, maintaining maritime power usually requires huge expenses, while its effects accrue quite slowly.

Thus, naval fleets are often used by countries as tools to deter and prevent war; mobilizing the navy or threatening its use often achieves political goals without needing to start a war.

For many oceanic economies, an arms race of outdoing each other is more attractive than direct warfare.

The key to victory in this competitive mode lies in a nation's overall strength, such as extraordinary power, navy, trade, politics, talent, and industrial assets, which can avoid the destruction and losses that a real war would bring.

Additionally.

Any reliable maritime armed force needs appropriate maritime trade as its foundation. The navy escorts merchant ships, and the taxes from these merchant ships are reinvested into fleet construction.

No one would be foolish enough to recklessly invest money and desperately expand armaments just to compete for the title of the world's top navy.

They focus more on establishing a maritime power rather than just a naval powerhouse, so the naval strengths of various countries can roughly be equated with overseas interests.

Hilus does so, Phaletis does so, and Ilya, currently under siege, does so as well.

As the battleship fleets stood off against each other, the quasi-legendary warships of the "Alliance side" and the "Republic side" opened another battlefield. On the surface, it's six against four, a situation greatly favorable to the Alliance.

Aiven stood at the command position on the sterncastle of the "Storm Horn", the slightly cool sea breeze flapping his cloak loudly.

Behind him, besides his sister Anita, were First Mate Boris, Chief Navigator Milan, Boatswain Gary, Sailor Vid, newly promoted Sub-Lieutenant Fleck, and other officers, each at their post.

A warship equipped with five extraordinary officers, a lineup so luxurious it's indulgent, but to Aiven, who can mass-produce extraordinaries, it's nothing remarkable.

Additionally, three mysterious figures in gray robes and hoods stood like bodyguards beside Anita.

Anita, carrying the giant Dragon-slaying Sword, no longer wore the golden mask. Her heroic and beautiful face, with magnificent emerald green hair and a tall stature, was both fierce and beautiful.

Between the New Continent and the upper echelons of the Alliance, it had long ceased to be a secret that one of the Golden Sea Twin Kings, "Jade Light," was Aiven Galliot's sister.

The siblings no longer needed to cautiously hide themselves as they did in the past, fearing discovery by enemies; they had the confidence to live under the sun.

And today, ten years later, they would settle things with the culprit behind the blood and fire night at "Black Stone Town"!

Because the Hereford City behind that Republic Fleet across from them was the base of the White Egret Commerce Association and the place where Wright rose to power, and even the "Mind Network" had directly captured images of him and Jerome.

Clearly, they couldn't sit complacently in this decisive battle that determines their destiny.

With Aiven's current status, he already had the privilege to access most of the confidential intelligence in the King's court. Presently, the total tonnage of the Ilyan Navy's battleships is sixty-five (kilotons), and this fleet likely represents all the power they had assembled.