Chapter 386: Section 173: Headquarters Falls
Staring at Firebeard growing closer, Bi Tong’s limbs stiffened, and his hands and feet became numb.
The gazes of the surrounding Navy personnel were all focused on him, filled with endless expectations.
Bi Tong cursed in his heart, “Where is Yi Gui? Where is Fang Gong? Most importantly, where are the people from Yan Tan?”
“Firebeard is attacking the Navy Headquarters, where are your people?!”
It was understandable that Yi Gui and Fang Gong didn’t always guard the Navy Headquarters. After all, Bi Tong often did the same.
But what about Yan Tan?
“You, a Navy Marshal, don’t sit at the headquarters, what are you trying to stir up? Neglect of duty!”
“After this battle, I must take you to military court!”
“If I had known this would happen, why would I return to the Navy Headquarters?! It would have been better to hide in a corner and secretly suppress Mei Lan’s divine throne…”
Bi Tong was deeply regretful.
Subconsciously, he believed that the Navy Headquarters was the safest place.
This was actually a mental inertia.
Once there was an audacious criminal who didn’t play by the rules, this mental inertia became a trap that ensnared Bi Tong.
Bi Tong thought about retreating; his combat skills could break through space, enabling him to advance and retreat freely.
But he could not retreat now!
At least not for the time being.
Previously, he had toyed with Wei Sheng, and as a result, he went to Sky Pillar Sea Eye and snatched away the Mei Lan Divine Seat. This action was over the line, but he could suppress it with his personal strength and status.
However, if he were to flee the battlefield now, he couldn’t suppress the series of consequences that would follow.
Please!
This was the Navy Headquarters.
Right now, the Empire’s grand strategy was to invade the Wilderness Continent. The vast numbers of the Army had not yet been transported to the Wilderness Continent, and the maritime logistics supply line had not yet officially commenced. Now the Navy Headquarters was being compromised?
And by one person?
What would the people of the Holy Bright Empire think? What would the other races think?
This was not just a huge joke but would impact the entire grand scheme.
If the Empire’s Navy proves so weak, how can it ensure the Army’s logistics line, how can it secure victory in the epic war between the Human Race and the Beast Race?
The people of the Empire would harbor doubts about themselves, and other races might see it as a sign that the Empire’s strength was just a facade, very weak inside. At least, the Navy was a huge flaw in the Empire!
Therefore, Bi Tong was very clear that he could not retreat.
If he retreated directly, fleeing without a fight, he would be finished!
The Empire’s dukes, divine beings still in this world, would not spare him first.
“Not only can I not retreat, but I also have to repel Firebeard, I must repel him!” Bi Tong thought to himself, gritting his teeth and issuing an order decisively, “Inform the Marshal, other generals, and Wei Sheng’s fleet to urgently request reinforcements. I will go into battle, fighting to the death against Firebeard! All for the glory of the Empire, the Empire’s military banner, with me it shall not fall!!!”
“Yes!”
“Vice Admiral, may your banner lead to victory.”
“May your martial luck prosper!”
The morale of the Navy subordinates soared.
Bi Tong took a deep breath, knocked with his hand, and the space in front of him broke open, he stepped in, and the next second, he appeared in front of Firebeard.
“Firebeard, you are too arrogant!” Bi Tong charged up, his teeth gritted.
Firebeard laughed heartily, “A beaten subordinate, where will you flee this time?”
The two began to clash.
Bi Tong’s figure flickered in and out, mainly using guerrilla tactics, clearly intending to buy time until reinforcements arrived.
Firebeard seemed not in a hurry. Under the pressure of a legend, he could no longer maintain the Red Flame Tsunami combat skill. The Big Military Port had just taken a breath of relief when suddenly, numerous figures emerged from various locations.
“Kill!”
“Cut down these Sea Dogs!!”
“Let us plunder the Navy Headquarters, haha!”
The pirates were extremely arrogant, swarming out and catching the Navy off guard, causing them to fall apart stage by stage.
“What’s going on?!” Bi Tong exclaimed in shock.
Firebeard laughed loudly, “I am the leader of a pirate group. You’re waiting for reinforcements, but I have subordinates! When will your reinforcements arrive? My men are already prepared; the moment I act, they rush towards the Big Military Port from all directions. Today, the Big Military Port is mine!”
Bi Tong’s face turned ashen, realizing he had fallen into Firebeard’s scheme, he could only hope for his Navy subordinates: “Firebeard, you underestimate the Empire’s elite. Firebeard Pirates, only you are worth watching!”
The melee at the Big Military Port raged like wild fires.
Suddenly, a large group of pirates couldn’t move, and the solid ground beneath their feet turned into a swamp.
They were stuck in the marsh, sinking continuously, and unable to use their fighting energy or mana.
“Trapped in my Magic Trap, you just have to wait for death.” The Holy Domain Level Mage who set the trap chuckled coldly.
“Is that so?” A short-statured individual appeared.
He wielded a warhammer, slamming it into the ground.
The Magic Trap collapsed.
The Holy Domain Level Mage’s expression changed dramatically, staring closely at the Dwarf’s warhammer, “Are you Demon Breaker Hang Chui?”
Pfft.
Taking advantage of the mage’s distraction, a dagger plunged into the mage’s back, its tip protruding from his chest.
The mage struggled frantically, only to find his mana being absorbed by the dagger.
Turning his head with difficulty, he saw a woman with a face covered in dark paint.
The mage fell to the ground, dying unwillingly.
The pirates were saved, but Hang Chui was significantly displeased, exclaiming, “Hey, he was mine!”
The dark-skinned woman snorted coldly, her voice raspy, “You were too slow.”
With that, she turned into a puff of black smoke and disappeared from the spot.
“Pirate scum, Navy Vice Admiral is here, don’t even think about getting past!”
In front of him lay a large number of pirate corpses.
“Let me handle this!” a young man wearing a red bandana burst forth from the crowd.
“Squad leader!” the pirates exclaimed joyously upon seeing the youth.
The Vice Admiral’s expression grew solemn, his gaze intense, “Are you Red Bandana? According to the latest intelligence, you were just promoted to Holy Domain Level?”
“That’s right! What kind of strong person bullies the weak? I’m now at Holy Domain Level too, come on!” Red Bandana shouted.
“Brat, just got to Holy Domain Level and you’re rushing to your death? Let me fulfill your wish!” Jaw hardened, Firebeard roared and charged towards Red Bandana.
After several rounds of combat, Firebeard’s eyes bulged in disbelief as he spat out blood, sent flying by a barrage of punches from Red Bandana.
“How… how is this possible?! My blood is not controlling, what kind of Combat Skill is this?”
Red Bandana wiped his nose with his thumb, a proud and triumphant look on his face, “I created it myself, haven’t named it yet.”
Boom…
A Mage Tower completely collapsed, attracting many onlookers.
“Can it be? The Mage Tower has fallen, and that tower was guarded by a Holy Domain Level Tower Master!”
A tall figure slowly stood up amid the ruins of the Mage Tower.
Gulp.
The soldiers of the Navy swallowed nervously, their eyes filled with terror at the sight of this immense figure.
This man had a determined face, as hard as steel. His arms were extraordinarily thick, disproportionately large compared to his torso.
More strikingly, on his body were two pairs of arms made of condensed Fighting energy, identical to his real arms, so lifelike one couldn’t tell they were made of Fighting energy.
“Duobi!”
“Damn, it’s Firebeard’s second-in-command!”
“Rumor has it his combat power is nearly legendary, no wonder he alone brought down the Mage Tower.”
The Navy’s morale plummeted, whereas the pirates roared with increasing fervor, growing more excited as they fought.
“How can this be?” Bi Tong felt increasingly uneasy, realizing the situation was not as he expected. Despite the mixed quality of the pirates, this time, Firebeard’s attack on the Big Military Port brought his elite forces, particularly the squad leaders who were each extraordinarily brave and powerful.
“Hahaha, did you think you could come after me with your Navy and spies, make secret moves against my brothers, and I wouldn’t know?”
“The Firebeard Pirates are not so easily provoked.”
“This time, you’ll taste true pain!”
Firebeard laughed heartily, his hand on the hilt of his Fierce Tail Blade.
Whoosh!
Fighting energy surged from his body, shooting into the sky, transforming into a massive phoenix.
The phoenix flew over the battlefield, dropping countless flames wherever it went.
Bathed in the Phoenix Fire, the injured pirates healed quickly, their limbs even regenerating!
Seeing this, Bi Tong, along with the Vice Admirals, turned pale.
This move of Firebeard’s was akin to the Archbishop’s Healing Divine Technique. It instantly nullified the advantage of the Navy’s Divine Officers, even surpassing them.
“We can’t let him continue to do as he pleases!” Bi Tong glared, his palm aimed from afar at Firebeard’s Fierce Tail Blade.
Combat Skill—
Just as he was about to cast, he saw Firebeard’s gaze turn towards him.
“Playing with you for so long, haven’t you felt it yet?” Firebeard said with a smirk.
“What?!” Bi Tong felt a tremendous terror swirling in his chest.
Firebeard raised his head, squinting, “The time is just right, this is my Combat Skill, Furious Burning.”
Whoosh.
The next moment, Bi Tong’s heart ignited with flames.
“When did I get hit?!” Alarmed, Bi Tong quickly retreated.
His figure vanished suddenly, reappearing hundreds of meters away.
At the same time, he frantically used his Fighting energy to suppress the flames in his heart.
The flames were quickly suppressed, but not extinguished.
Angry emotions involuntarily spread from the bottom of his heart.
Frustrated
Furious!
He was desperate to rush up and tear Firebeard apart!
“No good, this Combat Skill seems to be related to my anger. It not only really stirs up my emotions, but the angrier I am, the harder it is to suppress the flames in my heart, the more likely they are to flare up again!” As a high-ranking officer, Bi Tong soon saw some patterns.
“Don’t run.” Firebeard shot into the sky, attacking Bi Tong.
After a few exchanges with him, Bi Tong staggered back, “Damn, how am I supposed to fight this?”
Firebeard laughed, “Looks like you’ve figured it out, right, the closer you get to me, the more power the Furious Burning Combat Skill accumulates, and once it’s enough, it can flare up again.”
Helpless, Bi Tong could only use long-range Combat Skills to maintain distance from Firebeard.
The next moment, a beam of blue light shot into the sky, disappearing from sight.
“Mei Lan Divine Seat!” Bi Tong was stunned.
Following the shock, immense irritation surged.
His heart once more blazed with raging flames.
“Firebeard, I’ll kill you!” With a distorted face, Bi Tong howled and charged at Firebeard.
“That’s more like it.” Firebeard laughed heartily.
The two clashed again, creating havoc, stirring up wild waves.
Meanwhile, at the Big Military Port, the pirates surged over like a tide, while the Navy, on a few available ships, retreated in disarray.
With Duobi leading, the pirates trampled the Empire’s military flag underfoot amid a sea of fire and ruins.
The Navy Headquarters had fallen.