The Tycoon's Odyssey

Chapter 409 409:Naval Warfare[VI]

The dark, swirling fog of the Devil's Triangle seemed to writhe as if alive and menacing, illuminated suddenly by a massive burst of light. The eerie voice that had echoed moments earlier faded into silence, leaving an unsettling stillness that hung in the air like the calm before a storm. Then, without any warning, a massive beam of immense, condensed energy erupted from the heart of the Triangle.

The beam was a force of nature, an unstoppable harbinger of annihilation. It swept across the waters, vaporizing everything in its path.

Ships—massive steel leviathans bristling with weapons—were nothing but paper before their might. One after another, they exploded into balls of fire, their metal hulls melting like wax under the intense heat. The sea itself seemed to recoil as waves surged violently away from the epicenter of the blast.

Onboard the fleet, there was no time for screams or commands. The light was blinding, the heat unbearable, and the sheer force sent shockwaves that capsized smaller vessels and tore others apart, scattering the remnants like driftwood. Survivors were thrown into the sea, their desperate cries for help drowned by the roaring chaos.

When the light finally dimmed, what remained was a horrifying tableau of destruction. The once-imposing fleet was reduced to nothing but burning wreckage. Broken masts and twisted metal floated aimlessly among the corpses of the fallen. The sea was a grim graveyard, littered with the debris of war and stained with smoke and ash.

Amid the carnage, Evan's ship hovered ominously, its shield flickering but intact, as if mocking the combined might of the world's navies.

Evan stood at the helm, his expression cold and unyielding as he gazed at the chaos he had unleashed.

"Time to go," he muttered, his voice devoid of emotion.

The ship began to glide forward, vanishing into the thick mist that still lingered over the Triangle. The fog swallowed it whole, obscuring it from view. The opportunity created by the fleet's shock and fear was perfect—no one dared to fire another shot.

Onboard the USL Vanguard, the bridge was a scene of chaos. Crew members scrambled to regain control of their systems, their faces pale and stricken with terror. Admiral Jonathan Reeves lay on the floor, knocked unconscious by the earlier blast. As his eyes fluttered open, he groaned, his body aching from the impact.

"Admiral Reeves!" A young officer rushed to his side, his face a mask of panic as he helped him to his feet.

Those lucky—or unlucky—enough to survive the initial blast bore witness to apocalyptic scenes. Sailors clung to fragments of drifting debris, their cries drowned by the deafening roar of waves and the haunting echoes of the beam's energy lingering in the air. The acrid stench of burning fuel and scorched metal filled the atmosphere, mingling with the smoke that rose from what little was left of the once-proud naval fleet.

Amid the chaos, Admiral Reeves pressed forward with unyielding resolve. Signals from his fleet were answered with frantic pleas from other admirals, urging him to stop, but Reeves stayed adamant.

His ship ventured deeper and steered ahead until it stuck a huge mass of debris aside.

CRANG!

Admiral Reeves, shaken but alive, staggered to his feet aboard one of the few surviving ships, assisted by his crew. His once-steady voice now quivered as he barked orders.

"Status report!" Reeves demanded, his voice sharp but tinged with unease.

"Sir," a communications officer stammered, "Many of our ships have crashed against the wreckage. We've lost nearly everything. Only a handful of vessels remain operational, and communications are down due to heavy magnetic interference."

Reeves' face darkened with fury and dread. His gaze flickered toward the swirling mist, where the enemy had vanished.

"Is Evan's ship still proceeding ahead into the mist?"

"Yes, sir," the officer replied hesitantly.

The fleet pressed on, but the storm only grew worse with every passing moment. Gale-force winds whipped across the decks, and torrential rain pelted the ships. The impenetrable haze stretched endlessly, making a wall of gray that seemed to stretch on forever.

At the entrance of the Triangle, the fleet came to a halt, unsure of how to proceed. The remaining admirals gathered on their respective flagships, their faces grim and pale.