The 500,000-strong sea tribe army aboard their warships arrived at Holy Tides City in a grand display. Leading the force was the Grand Marshal of the Pale Moon Kingdom, Takumi Akiwawa, accompanied by over a thousand Heroes. Holy Tides City quickly responded by shutting its gates, activating the protective barrier, and preparing for a standoff.
With a disdainful sneer, Takumi Akiwawa leaped from the flagship and landed on the sea surface, which roiled under his feet, lifting him towards Holy Tides City. With arms crossed, he began to shout towards the city, "I am the Grand Marshal of Pale Moon! By the order of the King of Pale Moon, I am here to subdue the White Sand rebels who have seized Holy Tides City! Listen well, defenders of the city, now is the time to distance yourselves from the White Sand Tribe's rebels. Open the gates and welcome the royal forces, and your past offenses shall be forgiven. Otherwise, once I forcefully breach the city, all soldiers will be treated as rebels. You should understand the consequences!"
Takumi Akiwawa was full of confidence, bolstered by his formidable force. The defenders of Holy Tides City, numbering at most around two hundred thousand, were far inferior in both number and quality to his 500,000-strong army. In such a short time, it was nearly impossible for the White Sand family clan to gain complete control over Holy Tides City. Takumi Akiwawa didn't believe that every soldier and commander in Holy Tides City would remain loyal to the White Sand Tribe with the royal army at their doorstep.
With the royal forces threatening, it was improbable that the city's defenders and various factions would not waver. Even a small number of defections would significantly aid Takumi Akiwawa in easily breaching Holy Tides City and seizing control. Once in command of this vast city, he could use the army at his disposal to declare independence, counterattack Pale Moon Kingdom, and ultimately conquer the entire Pale Moon Peninsula to become its new ruler.
However, contrary to Takumi Akiwawa's expectations, the defenders of Holy Tides City remained unmoved, with no signs of the anticipated unrest inside or outside the city. Confused, Takumi Akiwawa wondered whether it was possible that the White Sand Tribe had indeed won over the entire city and its military commanders.
The reason behind this unwavering loyalty was not apparent to Takumi Akiwawa. While the White Sand merfolks might not have had the capability to control all factions and officers in Holy Tides City, the forces from Darkness City could achieve this with relative ease. Through her ability to charm permanently, Han Kexin had already taken control of the leader of the Holy Tides City Hero Association. Her subordinates, Qiuyue and Dongxue, along with thousands of succubi, had used psychic manipulation to influence various officers and family representatives. Although the psychic control exerted by ordinary succubi couldn't match the extreme effectiveness of permanent charm, subtly influencing and temporarily controlling key figures posed no issue. Thus, all significant forces and influential commanders within Holy Tides City were under Han Kexin's control, leaving them unable to break free from her influence.
Enraged by the city's steadfast rebellion, Takumi Akiwawa declared, "So you wish for death?"
Seeing no other option but to take the city by force, he returned to his flagship. With a cold gaze and chilling tone, he ordered, "The rebels of Holy Tides City refuse to see reason. Relay my command! Commence the attack immediately and spare no traitors!"
The conch horn sounded, signaling thousands of warships to swiftly approach Holy Tides City. From the seabed, tens of thousands of sea tribe mages launched an attack, summoning a colossal wave, thousands of meters high, that surged towards the city like a massive palm about to strike.
However, at that moment, a figure with demonic wings appeared in front of the wave. Although she bore the appearance of a demon, her features were strikingly beautiful and cold. It was none other than one of the most trusted generals under the Succubus Queen --- the Banshee Queen, Han Dongxue.
"A demon? As expected, there are other forces behind Holy Tides City," Takumi Akiwawa grimly noted, "Just an outsider force trying to control Holy Tides City. Die!"
The wave crashed down like a blanket covering the sky, but Han Dongxue stood her ground. Just as the wave was about to crush her with its immense force, she unleashed a spell, "Deathly Ice Seal!" She directed a blue stream of cold towards the wave, and as soon as it touched the water, a layer of ice crystals formed on its surface.
The ice rapidly spread across the wave, ultimately transforming the formidable deluge into a towering iceberg.
Takumi Akiwawa's expression drastically changed. This attack was at least A-rank magic, and the perpetrator had to be a Level 6 overlord at the minimum. No, even a Level 6 overlord wouldn't suffice. This individual was a powerful Level 6 demon monarch! A Level 5 demon was already an extremely rare occurrence, let alone a Level 6 demon monarch. This being's presence completely shattered Takumi Akiwawa's understanding.
Although Han Dongxue's intervention posed a significant pressure on Takumi Akiwawa, he showed no signs of backing down. Despite the challenge presented by a monarch-class adversary, Takumi was confident in his own strength, bolstered by the power of the fragments of a god he possessed and his own status as a top-tier Level 6 overlord, to contend with a monarch. Moreover, while monarchs were undoubtedly powerful, in a large-scale battle like this, one or two monarchs couldn't change the decisive gap in forces.
Seizing the opportunity, Takumi Akiwawa shouted, "Holy Tides City is a legitimate territory of the Pale Moon Kingdom, its legitimacy established in a covenant over six thousand years ago. We cannot accept demons attempting to invade our sea tribe's territory!"
With fervor, he called out to the sea tribe commanders, "Holy Tides City is a city of us sea tribe. We cannot allow the vile demons to do as they please. Follow me in the charge, take back Holy Tides City, and slay the demons that lurk within!"
Hearing this, the soldiers were filled with righteous indignation. The sea tribe's legitimate territories, established by the great Azure Water Empress, had been invaded by demons from foreign lands? This was clearly an affront to the collective interests of the sea tribe, sufficient to outrage all sea tribes. However, before they could launch a further assault, a series of intense Dragon Fear, like a stormy gale, descended from the clouds above.
"What the fuck?!"
"Dragons!"
"True dragons!"
"There are dragons!"
"So many dragons!"
The sea tribes were thrown into panic as Abyssal Dragons, each at least fifty to sixty meters long and of various colors like red, blue, yellow, green, and black, each exuding the aura of at least top-tier Level 5 overlords, descended from the clouds.
A scorching dragon flame instantly struck the flagship of the Pale Moon army. Although the ship's defensive barrier held, the spreading flames ignited several nearby transport ships, causing the sea tribes to jump into the sea to escape. Simultaneously, hundreds, even thousands of massive lightning strikes fell from the sky like rain, shattering dozens of ships and inflicting casualties and chaos upon the sea tribe army.
"How could there be dragons?" Takumi Akiwawa was stunned. He suddenly realized something and exclaimed, "You're from the Chaos Forest! You are from Darkness City!"
"It seems you're not entirely clueless," replied a voice, both pleasant and authoritative. Han Kexin appeared on the battlefield alongside Han Qiuyue, accompanied by over a dozen high-level demons, each a formidable Level 5 entity.
"Damn you!" Takumi Akiwawa roared. "Your reach from Chaos Forest extends way too far! This ocean is not yours to tamper with!"
If the adversaries had been unidentified demons, Takumi Akiwawa wouldn't have been concerned since there were hardly any significant demon forces within a hundred thousand miles of the Chaos Sea. However, facing forces from Darkness City was an entirely different matter. Darkness City had already taken control of the Chaos Forest and even had the capability to invade imperial territories, having slaughtered a million troops from the southern region of the Thunder Empire and even the southern Guardian Grand Duke Bachor.
The situation was dire; the Chaos Forests' proximity to the Pale Moon Peninsula meant that if they sought to annex it, the peninsula would face even greater pressure than the empire's southern region, which at least had the backing of the entire empire. The Pale Moon Peninsula was now utterly isolated and without support.
Takumi Akiwawa angrily claimed, "Your Darkness City wages war on two fronts, making enemies of both the empire and the sea tribes. Are you so eager to meet your demise?!"
Han Kexin laughed in response, "What a joke. The Chaos Sea has long been without restraint. The mere Pale Moon Peninsula should rightfully belong to the Chaos Forest!"
"Rubbish!" Takumi Akiwawa couldn't contain his fury. "We sea tribes will never submit to Darkness City. The Pale Moon Peninsula has always been the territory of the Pale Moon Kingdom. Foreigners like you will never succeed!"
Hearing this, the other sea tribes also became indignant. After all, this was no longer a mere rebellion but an invasion, and significantly, one initiated by outsiders, which completely altered its significance.
Han Kexin smirked, "Is that so? Then may I ask where your so-called legitimacy comes from?"
Takumi Akiwawa blurted out, "Of course, from the covenant made by Empress Shui Lan 6,000 years ago. She explicitly integrated the entire Pale Moon Peninsula into the Chaos Sea and designated it under the governance of the sea tribes, a legacy that has continued for countless generations."
"Excellent, so your legitimacy stems from Empress Shui Lan," Han Kexin clapped delightedly. "Then please, open your eyes wide and see who this is."
As she spoke, another potent aura surged from the sea. Water formed a column that rose from the ocean and bloomed like a bud, revealing a merfolk of noble and majestic presence inside. An aura surpassing that of monarchs enveloped all the Pale Moon soldiers present. When the crowd recognized the mermaid, everyone was taken aback, for she was all too familiar. Her statues and portraits were widespread, and no sea tribe member with a notable family background could fail to recognize her.
A high-ranking Pale Moon commander exclaimed in disbelief, "Empress Shui Lan, it's Empress Shui Lan! How could Empress Shui Lan be here?!"
This revelation jolted the other sea tribes out of their shock. The officers and elites from prominent Pale Moon families recognized Empress Shui Lan's identity, and even the ordinary soldiers who hadn't seen her images or statues soon learned of her from their superiors.
How could this be? It must be a fake! How could Empress Shui Lan appear here? Yet, the aura emanating from her clearly surpassed that of monarchs, undeniably marking her as a being capable of the strength of an emperor.
The shock and upheaval this revelation caused to the morale of the Pale Moon army could only be described as devastating."