Published at 4th of May 2026 7:34 am

Chapter 1709 Second Wave

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At specific key points throughout the city, towering catapults had been put in position. Their range reached just beyond the mouth of the harbor.

Crews stood ready beside them, their hands steady on the winches and ropes. The moment the enemy ships crossed into range, orders would be given, and the first volley would be loosed.

Heavy projectiles would are through the air and crash into the approaching fleet, breaking formations and slowing their advance before they could enter the mouth of the harbor. The plan was to destroy as many ships as possible before the enemy entered the port.

A dozen massive catapults stood at high points across the city, positioned for maximum range. The moment they received the signal, they would unleash a relentless barrage upon the approaching fleet.

"Steady..." Marlow muttered solemnly, a bead of sweat trickling down the side of his face.

He was nervous. Very much so. And why wouldn't he be? He had never participated in a battle of this scale before. And the stakes involved were high. Ridiculously so.

So far, the battle had unfolded according to his plan. He had set many contingencies in place, but until now, he hadn't had to rely on them. But who knew how the future would unfold? So Marlow kept repeating various scenarios inside his mind.

From time to time, the memory of his wife and son emerged in his mind. They were hiding in the palace with his mother. He truly hoped that everything went according to plan. Sure, there were going to be casualties. But he could live with that.

As long as Amberfall stood and his loved ones remained safe, nothing else mattered. He would throw his men into the fire without hesitation if it meant House Fireborne endured. Even his own life was a price he was willing to pay. This was the determination of Prince Marlow Fireborne.

Under tense and heavy anticipation, the enemy fleet finally came within range. Marlow clenched his jaws, his grip around the sword tightening.

Then he pointed the blade at the enemy and roared at the top of his lungs. "FIRE!"

As soon as his words thundered across the harbor, several men standing atop the walls lit the giant braziers stationed along the battlements. One by one, close to a dozen braziers on the wall flared to life, visible to all. This was the signal.

At the signal, the crews moved at once. Ropes were pulled tight. Winches creaked under the strain as the arms of catapults were dragged down into place. Men locked the mechanisms, checked the load, and stepped back on command.

"Release!" The single word echoed a dozen times across Amberfall.

And then, the tension snapped free. The massive arms swung forward with force, cutting through the air as the giant boulders were launched. One after another, the catapults were fired, sending giant stones rising above the city. They soared over rooftops and towers, casting brief shadows as they passed, then arced toward the sea.

Just as the boulders began their descent, they combusted in brilliant flames. The fire intensified, and the projectiles were quickly turned to boulders of magma.

The skies above Amberfall wept fire.

Realizing that the incoming boulders had been strengthened by magic, Prince Liam gritted his teeth. He then screamed for all to hear, "Brace for impact!"

At the same time, across all the warships, Magi activated the vessel's defense mechanism. One after another, shimmering blue barriers flickered to life. These barriers did not cover the entire vessel, however. Only the front side.

The flaming boulders came down from the heavens.

They slammed into the barriers one after another, bursts of fire spreading across the shimmering blue surface. But the impact held. The shields absorbed the force, and the boulders lost momentum before dropping into the sea below, hissing as they met water and sent up clouds of steam.

For a brief moment, it seemed like the defense had worked.

But the sky filled again!

More flaming boulders rose from the city, arcing high above the rooftops before descending toward the fleet. There was no pause, barely any gap between the volleys. The Amberfall soldiers worked relentlessly.

The bombardment had only just begun.

As the skies above Amberfall streaked with flaming boulders, Prince Marlow witnessed it all with a tense look on his face. The second volley had just

finished, and the third was already on its way. Yet, the defensive barriers of the enemy fleet still held.

Come on, come on, come on!

He screamed inwardly as his palms turned sweaty.

And then, he heard it...

Crack!

The third volley struck against the enemy's mana shield, and a deafening crack echoed across the waters. Large fissures spread across the blue barriers, and in that moment, Marlow knew that the time had come.

"NOW!" He roared.

A dozen scorpion siege engines along the top of the walls fired at once, their iron bolts shooting forward in a tight volley toward the advancing fleet.

As the bolts flew, wind magic wrapped around them, swirling tight and fast. The air sharpened their edges and drove them forward with even greater force. One by one, they punched through the magical barriers.

The impact was immediate. Some tore straight through masts, snapping them apart. Others drove into the hull, splitting wood and iron. A few cut through the Magi themselves, leaving no time to react.

They didn't slow down. They carved through the ships and men alike, leaving a clear and brutal path behind them.

As the Haynam fleet steadily approached the harbor, the skies above them were blanketed in flaming boulders and sharp iron bolts. One by one, the ships were torn apart, and the Magi fell with them, both swallowed by the ocean.

Prince Liam's face had twisted in a dark scowl. He cast a wind spell and altered the direction of a giant bolt that was headed straight toward his warship.

All the while, he continued to roar instructions, "Keep moving! We're almost

there!"

Already, close to two dozen ships had sunk beneath the waves under Amberfall's second wave of attack. But the Haynam fleet did not slow. It kept

advancing, steady and unbroken, despite the heavy casualties.

At last, they entered within range...

"Attack!" Liam Haynam roared as he gave the signal to his men.

The Haynam fleet's counterattack began.

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