The Extra's Rise

Chapter 325 - 325: Phantom Fleet Command (2)

Some participants rushed forward to claim resource buoys scattered around the arena. These bright orange floats sat anchored to the basin floor, awarding additional points to whoever maintained proximity for a set period. Others tested the waters, sending smaller ships out in picket lines to scout. Talia Moor's Gravehold flotilla swiftly vanished behind a swirl of cloaking technology. Gareth Flynn's Serpentstone heavies rumbled out in a block formation, seemingly unstoppable. Starcrest's representatives advanced in pairs. Pillen's novices hung back, hoping to avoid an early exit. Meanwhile, Slatemark academy's kids boasted gold-liveried warships but hadn't all left the docking area yet, presumably perfecting last-minute calibrations.

Cecilia wasted no time. She directed her corvettes to snag a resource buoy near the eastern quadrant. That done, she guided the Radiant Sovereign and its immediate escorts in a northern sweep, scanning for potential easy kills. She wanted to build points quickly, ensuring she had a comfortable lead by the time she faced heavier opposition. With crisp efficiency, she hammered a small grouping from Pillen, forcing two corvettes to retreat in smoke. She gleaned some initial kills. On the scoreboard—hidden from her view, but shown to the audience—Cecilia's name soared. The watchers roared in excitement, seeing Slatemark's unstoppable star gather momentum.

Ian, on the southwestern side, advanced at a measured pace. His Draconis Spear formed the apex of a wedge with the destroyer and frigate at the center, and corvettes on each side. He captured one resource buoy unchallenged. Then he spied an opening: Talia Moor's stealth ships, believed dangerous, had ventured too close. In a swift engagement, he pinned them down, saturating the area with crossfire. Talia's stealth advantage wasn't enough to hide from multiple angles. The scoreboard displayed that two Gravehold vessels were crippled. Chatter in the stands soared—Ian had pulled ahead with kills.

All around, smaller fights erupted. Some novices from Pillen or Starcrest collided with each other in chaotic brawls. The watery surface soon littered with drifting metal, some vessels half-submerged, others fully scuttled. The crowd cheered or groaned each time a major participant scored a kill. The scoreboard, though not visible to the students, flickered constantly for watchers, awarding points for each success.

Midway through the event's allocated time, it became obvious that the two unstoppable presences from Mythos overshadowed the rest. The bigger question was if they'd meet directly. Talia Moor from Gravehold was limping after repeated hits. Gareth Flynn from Serpentstone had some success but was stuck in a drawn-out siege with a Slatemark group. Another cluster from Starcrest scuffled with novices near the center. Meanwhile, both Cecilia and Ian seemed unstoppable, each systematically carving out sections of the battlefield, taking resource buoys, and stacking hidden points.

Finally, it happened. Near the center-south area of the basin, two advanced warship groups spotted each other at about 600 meters apart. Onlookers realized instantly who they belonged to: the black-and-gold Radiant Sovereign plus five support craft on one side, and the black-and-crimson Draconis Spear plus five on the other. The roars from the stands became deafening, cameras swiveling to capture every angle. If there had been illusions or magic, this would be the moment for a dramatic swirl. But in this futuristic setting, all that existed was the cold steel of mechanical ships and the steadfast determination of two unstoppable captains.

Cecilia took the initiative. She fired a volley from her destroyer, shells whistling over the water. One near-miss soaked a corvette from Ian's side. Another shell hammered the side of a smaller support ship, forcing it to break formation. She followed up with a flanking run from her frigate, launching a barrage that battered Ian's corvette. The watchers hollered, seeing that unstoppable aggression in action. But Ian responded quickly, ordering the Draconis Spear to deliver a punishing broadside into one of Cecilia's corvettes. The corvette reeled from multiple blasts, half its compartments locked by flooding.

Thus began a swirling, chaotic engagement. Each side's corvettes darted around,

And so Phantom Fleet Command came to a close at Mythos Academy, ending with the scoreboard blazing that final outcome for all to see.